3:00 our time, and we’re past the centennial bridge and thru the Pedro Miguel locks and now in the 1 mile long lake approaching Miraflores Locks. The URLs for these locks are:

http://www.pancanal.com/eng/photo/camera-java.html
http://seacruisechat .com/panamacanal/miraflores.htm

3:00 our time, and we’re past the centennial bridge and thru the Pedro Miguel locks and now in the 1 mile long lake approaching Miraflores Locks. The URLs for these locks are:

http://www.pancanal.com/eng/photo/camera-java.html
http://seacruisechat .com/panamacanal/miraflores.htm

We’ve been refueled, and the pilot has just come on board, unfortunately the Internet connection is down, so this won’t get posted until we get that back, but if we get internet back today we’ll try to post updates thru out the day.

Note: All times are for May 16^th – Central Time.

We’ve been refueled, and the pilot has just come on board, unfortunately the Internet connection is down, so this won’t get posted until we get that back, but if we get internet back today we’ll try to post updates thru out the day. < more... >

Some people have asked for a schedule of our passage thru the Canal…

This is our projected schedule thru the Panama Canal. It should be noted that our start time is guaranteed… to be within 4 hours of the scheduled time, and our projected transit completion time is guaranteed… to be within 72 hours of our start time. It is very likely that we will be quite close to the projected times. The ACP – the Association Canal de Panama (or something like that) – does a fair job of keeping the cruise ships right on schedule, but if there is a big ship coming the other way thru the cut then we’ll have to wait for it in Gatun Lake, as they don’t let “Panamax” ships pass in the cut.

For a detailed map of our transit, please check out the Google Map that I built prior to our departure, here: Chris’ Google Map.

So, without further ado: 

Note: All times are for May 16^th – Central Time.

We’ll also be passing under the Centennial Bridge at some pont between 11:00 am and 1:00 pm at a guess. It isn’t listed on our itinerary so I’m guessing based on it’s location. We’re on Deck 8 Aft (one below the pools, two below the sports deck), Port (left) side. If I remember we’ll mark our cabin with two red baseball caps attached to the rail of our balcony.

Some people have asked for a schedule of our passage thru the Canal…

This is our projected schedule thru the Panama Canal. < more... >

Today I have a “Photo Spectacular” of sorts. We’ll see how uploading over a Meg of pictures from the ship works out for me…

To start with today we have Mickey’s Island Jam in the Parrot Cay. This was easily the most boisterous and fun character breakfast I’ve experienced on board a Disney Ship, and perhaps off of a ship also. Mickey, Minnie, Chip, Dale, Lilo, Stitch, and Goofy – who I think had consumed a case of red-bull before the start of breakfast – Joined us for our breakfast. Goofy performed several high speed limbo runs at one point, and the restaurant staff encouraged everybody to join in, but at a more restrained speed.

There were also many hats made from the brightly colored napkins found in Parrot Cay. Our victim was Sandy, who found herself the unwitting hat model for our server, Orlan. Soon after her hat was finished, George found himself in possession of a small blue hat with some ears. The last picture in the series below is Cleopatra meets Goofy.

After breakfast we went to the Walt Disney Theater for an educational talk by former Panama Canal Pilot, Captain Ken Puckett. Captain Puckett retired from piloting when the US returned control of the canal zone to Panama in 2000. Ken started with the interesting tidbit that because the Atlantic entry to the canal is 22 miles West of Pacific entry to the Canal, the sun rises in Pacific, and sets in the Atlantic. If that seems confusing, just check out the map below and you’ll see what he means. Captain Puckett had a ton of great stories and examples of how the canal works. As the Magic goes thru the locks, she will have two feet on each side of her. Four massive Mitsubishi electric locomotives will be attached to the ship by several steel cables each. The Canal Pilot will direct the drivers of the locomotives to increase or decrease their cable tension in order to keep the ship centered in the locks. 

On the way out of the Canal Transit talk we stopped by the Captains Signing at Treasure Ketch. We didn’t line up to get anything signed, as the line went out the door, down the hall, around the corner, and around to the walkway in front of the DVC desk.

I’ve got nothing for this picture of a display outside of Treasure Ketch, I just wanted to include it.

Beci was also able to pick up here pins and do a bit of pin trading today, but I believe she’s going to go into more detail on that tomorrow, so I’ll just say that it’s been a successful cruise for her.

Tonight, dinner was at Parrot Cay (we’re on the LAP rotation) and it was pointed out by somebody that we weren’t taking any photos of our food, so here’s Beci’s dinner. Moo.

And now, it’s early to bed for an early morning for the crossing.

Today I have a “Photo Spectacular” of sorts. We’ll see how uploading over a Meg of pictures from the ship works out for me…

To start with today we have Mickey’s Island Jam in the Parrot Cay. < more... >

LAND HO!!! We wake up to see land within sight as we pull into the Port of Aruba.  We are docking at this relatively small island at 19.6 miles long and  just 6 miles wide. Its located just 20 miles off the coast of Venezuela and will be the southern most point in the Caribbean on our journey.

Chris and I enjoyed a quick breakfast at Goofy’s Galley and reminisced about our last trip to Aruba. We have always said if we were to spend a week on a Caribbean Island, Aruba would be one of our first choices. With the beautiful white sand, blue water, Caribbean pastel buildings and general lack of street vendors waiting like vultures for tourists to disembark, its one of the most relaxed islands with a vibrant night life.

Here is the view off the ship….

Enjoy!… because thats all we saw of Aruba!

Chris and I had spend hours looking over the shore excursion offerings and the ones we saw that were appealing were the ones we had done before. We were lucky enough to visit the island to see the natural bridge in all its glory before its unfortunate demise a few years ago,  so a tour going up there to view what’s left wasn’t high on our list. The 90 degree heat and blasting humidity made us look sat each other and say… hmm…  empty ship!  Lets enjoy it!

We spent sometime roaming the ship and enjoying the art on board including the Special Disney Panama Canal poster going up for the silent auction.

and the reminder to get those postcards filled out and stamped to ensure they are postmarked from the Panama Canal! We bought a few to send to family and others that asked for the souvenir for their scrapbooks so we cant miss the drop deadline.

I decided this might be the perfect day to enjoy the infamous Rainforest room, so after a workout in the gym, I changed into swim wear and had almost 2 hours of the steam and warm chairs all to myself. Not having anyone to talk to gave me time to ponder the spa menu and of course they had all kinds of appointment times available.  Aruba day turned into “Beci’s personal spa day”.  Wow… I love my vacation.

Later that afternoon I returned to the cabin and got ready for the evenings festivities. Its ‘Taste of the Caribbean’ night and your best Tropical attire is required.

We were scheduled for Animators tonight and the servers are all decked out in their Caribbean flair.  Tonight is also Limbo tribute night and we all had to take part.  There was no saying no when the guy you rely on to bring you food tells you you must limbo for food. Here are some pics of the gang and some of the limbo happenings.  Deb made the round a couple of times, and I joined her on the second pass. There is one pic of me, but Chris wasn’t exactly at the right angle, so the only identifying mark is my hair… but I figured you would want proof,  so here goes:

After dinner, we headed up on deck for the buffet – yes… more food.. We decided to pass on dessert in the dining room and take part in the fun on deck 9!

It was a very warm night and the ice sculptures swayed a bit as chunks fell off now and then.  Chris sat for a while waiting to see if he could catch the potential catastrophe on video, but alas…  the carvings out lasted the dessert trays.

Tonight we turn our clocks back an hour so we get an extra hour of sleep, or partying, or blogging.  Whatever floats your boat!

LAND HO!!! We wake up to see land within sight as we pull into the Port of Aruba.  We are docking at this relatively small island at 19.6 miles long and  just 6 miles wide. Its located just 20 miles off the coast of Venezuela and will be the southern most point in the Caribbean on our journey. < more... >