This cruise vacation exceeded all my expectations in so many ways I can only say in a short statement that this was a life changing experience! I learned that many things I've taken for granted and not experienced should no longer be ignored, exploring the Panama Canal along with our special shore excursions made for a wonderful trip.
Before I bring this wonderful trip back to life for you all to enjoy I think it is important to mention the challenges along with rewards of traveling with "special needs" individuals this doesn't mean they are handicapped or unable to function; they do need a strong support system on such journeys that is where I come in. I don't coddle my clients, I do support and encourage them to safely experience life and share with me their experiences; often there is a lack of understanding when it comes to the vast changes in our fast ever changing world and seniors often feel left out! This is why it is fair to relate to our special group trips as "special needs groups" helping our senior friends to understand, maybe not except 100% but smooth over the challenges of the fast paced world we live in now. I encourage you to share with the greatest generation ever and explore the world with them, this gives them an opportunity to explore while expanding your own world in ways the internet or T.V. can never do! Get out there and explore our great wonders of the world, you'll be amazed!
We started our trip with an overnight flight to Miami, stopping in Fort Lauderdale for Brunch at "The Atlantic Hotel" on the Fort Lauderdale Beach and what a wonderful brunch and beach experience. While walking on the beach we had a couple of eye opening views of people wearing bathing suits meant for two or three generations younger or even people half their size, but hey to each his or her own I guess when it comes to sunbathing on the beach, we did get a couple of good laughs as we walked along trying not to stare too much!
We boarded our ship; The Infinity one of my favorite Celebrity vessels, she is a beauty with a caring and beautiful staff some of which I've met on past cruises and some new. They showed extreme care and compassion to our senior friends as well as some playful interaction with out fear which is nice for our friends.
This is how we started our cruise!
Meals and more meals, below are a few shots of our dining experience during our 16 nights on board the Infinity. Our servers in the dining room were exceptional we had Neal and Louis with two wonderful assistant servers as well!
Each night we gathered at 5:00 p.m. for a little pre-dinner drink, dancing & music!
Appears we are in a very serious resolution matter in world affairs!
The ship had so many activities it seemed impossible to keep up with everything from educational seminars to bartenders pouring 8 drinks at a time while standing on the bar! I have never seen such great bartenders with skills that would be hard to do on land let alone a ship that is in the middle of the Ocean rocking on the waves. We did some many activities, nightly stage shows, cooking demonstrations, kitchen tours, food tastings, bingo, casino action, games, sun bathing and much more. This is why cruising is a great opportunity for multi generational travelers one can be as active as he or she wishes or as relaxed as they wish. We had folks in the gym every morning others walking the track on deck 11 and some just lounging with a good book in the library or on the decks. I can't think of a better way to entertain people of different interests in one venue and Celebrity keeps things going so no one will be without an activity if desired; I know my afternoon naps were cherished for sure. The Infinity was recently remodeled and upgraded with new amenities that were mostly very welcomed by all especially me with the more modern staterooms and amenities.
PANAMA CANAL CRUISE:Much to my surprise the canal wasn't at all what I expected for some reason I had a vision of our ship going into a mechanical lock for hours on hours and the marvel of the cruise was the locks; where we are transferred from one ocean to another or the Atlantic to the Pacific. Well again I was totally wrong for sure, we did go into a mechanical lock; actually three locks raising us up to the lake level in a serious of three steps that is amazing in itself but not the experience of the Panama Canal at all! I was stunned at the marvel of the locks but even more so at the wonderful cruise across the three lakes that make up the canal. Stunning views, history & peaceful shores along the way I don't like scenery photos as they don't mean much but I'll pop one in for you to see that the cruise isn't all about the mechanical locks it is much more - Oh - if I didn't mention Panama itself looks to be a wonderful place to vacation on it's own, very modern check out the second photo of the skyline very impressive for sure. Many Americans move and retire here and I can see why, the climate is a very humid which might be the reason everything is so green and fresh.
Cruising the actual canal - natural beauty all the way!
Skyline of Panama City - again, greenery, water & pleasure boats!
A quick shot next of my cabin and the nice way it is designed with many upgrades from the original Infinity, later in the blog I'll try to chat a little more about the new dining options and the over the top Martini Bar staff and shows!
My cabin (yes my computer is on) view of Cabo San Lucas from my cabin!
Our private shore excursions seemed to be just perfect for our group, we did a private tour in Costa Rica and San Diego at the other ports of call the members of our group explored on their own. The most exciting port of call was Costa Rica funny thing about this stop, I had selected a nice quiet visit to a coffee plantation and Orchid farm only to have the group request a more exciting tour which led to our visit of the rain forest and crocodile hunt with lunch in the rain forest, yes you read correctly a crocodile hunt! I think the pictures below are self explanatory for sure:
Our wonderful air conditioned bus!
A spectacular hotel we visited in the rain forest - all open to the elements!
A traditional church of the past in a village in the rain forest!
Yes this is a real picture taken by myself and yes this guy is in the swamp teasing the crocodile!
Our perfect guide "Daniel" he was very smart & very proud of his country!
Okay once in a while one of our group members did get wild!
Dinner along the river in the rain forest after our hunt, guess what they're eating?
I can't say enough about this tour and the company who arranged this private tour for me, Costa Rica Dreams Vacations, they are based in the Georgia and have the best contacts in Costa Rica for sure. I met with them and discussed our special needs group and they found Daniel who was perfect for this type of group he was very patient and understanding while aware of the special care needed to insure a safe and fun tour.
Cruising onto the Mexican Coast was nice but we are all very excited to get to the United States and our first stop is San Diego, one of my favorite West Coast cities next to Seattle.
San Diego, California:
Hotel Del Coronado, rich in history, class and many secrets of the past
One of many gardens in the park, this one has always been my favorite
Balbao Park structure, the park is full of wonderful building from the 1914 exposition
Along the waterway with San Diego skyline in the back ground from Coronado
A very cosmopolitan city with great historical value, we only had a few hours to touch on my favorite places in the city, Hotel Del Coronado, Balboa Park and the Seaport Village Marina area; well the Seaport Village isn't historical but one of my favorite places from my past. I lived in San Diego for some years and watched the city grow and change for the better. One of my favorite areas that has changed for the better is the Gas Lamp District now with upscale restaurants, bars and of course the new baseball stadium for the San Diego Padres. Horton Plaza and the "Grand Hotel" bring back wonderful memories of my past in San Diego, I lived off of Balboa Park which again has some great memories for me, walks in the park, small cafes in Hillcrest and much more even in the North Park area where I first lived in San Diego.
Now we are heading home to Seattle:
Both sadness and joy is in my heart as we leave San Diego as this means we are ending our 17 day trip and I'll have to say good bye to all my clients, this is always a sad time for me but we have two more days at sea to share and play on the ship. I will make the best of it, even might stay up late to catch one of the magnificent stage shows after dinner; most nights I am in bed before 10:00 p.m. I get up so early every morning to catch up with my work pending from revenue clients. They are very kind to allow me extra time to respond to their needs when I am traveling with my special groups and they support my projects 100% of the time! I thank them in more ways then just being understanding because without their support I wouldn't be able to share with my special groups.
Here are a few photos of the food, ship and other photos I took along the trip:
Mini Burgers available in the new "Qusine" restaurant
Our galley tour included fruit carving art - this is very impressive
This bartender in the Martini Bar is pouring 6 Martinis at once - amazing
While in port the pool is often empty which is great for me and others wanting to take a swim
Well I'd like to talk more about the small details that made this a perfect trip but I think you might get the picture from this blog today or at least I hope so. I encourage people to experience a cruise and not take the cruise itself as a vacation but a tool to explore areas in a safe environment while using the cruise as your moving hotel this will give you a true vacation experience. Often I hear people say they won't like cruise because it is boring and only thing to do is eat, well eating is a huge part of the experience for sure but an enjoyable part and only a small part of the overall experience. The staff works so hard to help insure your pleasure without being to invasive also having your hotel traveling with you gives you some great opportunities to explore more while creating your own budget because when you cruise you can spend as much or as little as you wish making this a value beyond belief if you take advantage of the cruise in all the ways possible. I've heard people say they never spend a penny on the ship other then tips, others spend hundreds of dollars even more in the Casino but really the venue gives you more control of your travel budget then any other type of travel I can think of, no hotel surprises, over priced meals and complicated negotiations at a restaurant in a country that might not offer you the safety of having your own restaurant in tow? Give it a try, the key is to make it your own vacation and look past the structure, beyond the walls of your cabin exploring activities for all interest levels, even a good book in the library might work. I find a nap on the Promenade Deck to be refreshing with the sound of the waves crashing against the ship with a fresh ocean breeze to ease my worries.
Happy Sailing!
