P is for Panama Canal

Panama Canal

I wish my husband was able to help me with this post. This was the best part of this cruise as far as he was concerned. It is what convinced him to go. We had to talk really hard to talk him into this first cruise. When he was in the Army, back in the 1950's, he was shipped to Germany aboard a Navy transport ship.He did not have a good experience. So we had to convince him that going on a huge cruise ship would be so different. And he was so interested in the Panama Canal, how it was built, and how it functioned. 

Panama Canal (Photo credit: whatadqr)

So we made a deal with him. Take this cruise and if it is as awful as you remembered, we won't make you go on another one. Well as you know, we have been on a number of cruises since that one. He did not have any problems at all. I spent the first two-three days suffering from seasickness, but he never had a problem. Go figure.

The day that the ship started through the Canal began very early. Passengers were up finding their ideal viewing spots on the decks of the ship. (this is one time I wish we had booked a cabin with a balcony). Richard, and the other men in our group, found their spot and never moved from there the rest of the day; except to go to the bathroom We delivered their meals to them. And the staff delivered the beverages of their choice.

The Panama Canal is a 48 mile strip of canal that connects the Pacific Ocean with the Atlantic Ocean. This was built so that ships could basically take a short cut through a series of locks that lifts the ship up to the Gatun Lake. Otherwise they would have to sail around Cape Horn and would take forever. The Panama Canal has been owned by Columbia, France, America, and in 1999 we turned it over to Panama. Our cruise through took place in 1996.

courtesy of  Princess Cruise Line Brochure

Although the men of our group were very fascinated with this day long process of getting through the Canal we ladies turned instead towards a beach chair and a nice drink of the day.