THE TRIP DL via PC 7126 miles total

[DaveInTN 3,247]

Too bad Palo was disappointing.  But the presentation was interesting.  

 

Containers of Chinese crap....boo.  

[Beckers 1,136]

Dave thanks so much for writing all this, I'm loving it!

[Grumpy and Grandma 740]

Dave thanks so much for writing all this, I'm loving it!

Here's some more.

 

Capt. Puckett's presentation today talked about  the first pilots and some of the expansion as well as the ship that took 11 hours to clear the locks since it went through with only 11 inches clearance on each side.

 

He began by talking about how technology has changed and of course he had to mention texting. He reminded parents that if they see P 911 on their child's phone here is the meaning.

 

He covered some of the operations from the first opening until we turned the Canal back over to  Panama.

 

Here are the pictures of the first two Canal Pilots.

 

Again Ohio can make a claim to fame with the Canal.

 

Here is a map showing the Canal Zone.

 

Remember the Red Roofed buildings we saw earlier, here is a picture from the early years.

 

The police department when we first opened the Canal.

 

Here is an aerial view of the Tivoli hotel today.

 

Here is a picture of the interior in the early days when Roosevelt visited.

 

As he mentioned earlier the area has been plagued with landslides and here is one.

 

He mentioned the locomotives (mules) that are used. The original one came from GE at a cost of $13,000 the ones today come from Mitubishi, a slight price increase.

 

The Japanese were very smart as well. Mitubishi was the company to replace the mules originally and they were smart enough to keep the dies and molds. So guess who basically has a lifetime contract for mules.

 

However when the new locks are opened they will not use mules since the clearance will be better for the ships.  IIRC he might have even said the tugs will stay with the ships as they lock through.

 

Here is a close up of how the mules are used to keep the ships centered. The Capt. said he was once asked if they ever lost one and the answer was yes.  Since they are air-conditioned and the homes the operators live in are not they have been seen nodding off on occasion. Well one operator did not watch the cable closely, adjusted the slack too fast and over he went.  Luckily he did get out basically unscathed, but needless to say it did shut down one side of the lock for a period of time.

 

As he also mentioned earlier here is the amount of water used each time a ship locks through and the need to maintain the Rain Forest so they continue to to the necessary rains.

 

Here is an aerial view of MiraFlores lake.

 

Here is a synopsis of the defenses we had in Panama until 1941.

 

In order to help defend the Canal some of the large guns originally designed for the Battleships were installed around the Zone.

 

 

Things changed a little during WW II.

 

Here is the ship that traveled the Canal with only 11 inches on each side, and took 11 hours to clear the locks.

 

This shows the current Canal as well as some of the channel that was started by France.

 

Here is the graphic showing what the new locks will be like as compared to the current locks.

 

Some key dates in Panama Canal History:

 

1880 Ferdinand de Lesseps began the French effort to build the canal

 

1889 the French effort ends. 1894 Phillipe Varilla became the spokesman for the Panama Canal Company and offered the company's assetts to the US for $109 million, the asking price was later reduced to $40 million.

 

1902 The Spooner Bill authorized the US to construct the Canal and purchase the French assetts for the $40 million.

 

1904 The US paid Panama $10 million for the Canal Zone.

 

1909 the first concrete was poured for the locks

 

1912 the Charges River was dammed

 

Oct. 1913 President Woodrow Wilson pushed a button in Washington to remotely detonate the dynamite that removed the temporary Gamboa dike and allowed Gatun lake to fill.

 

August 15, 1914, with the World occupied by the War the Canal quietly opened and the USS ANCON made the first official crossing.

 

The cost of construction:

 

$375 million including the $10 million paid to Panama and the $40 million paid to the French Company. When completed the final figure was $23 million below the 1907 estimate.

 

Lives lost:  20,000-25,000 estimated to be lost during the French period. 5,609 lost duirng the U.S. construction period.  The average was 500 deaths for every mile of the Canal. Many deaths were caused by disease such  as Malaria.

 

What is also rather insteresting when the U.S. ran the Canal we did not do so to make a profit, now that the Panamanians have taken over it is being run as a highly profitable business with $2 billion being collected annually.

 

Up next: "PIRATE NIGHT"  arrrrrgh

[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

Great info, Dave!  Thank you!

[AC in A2......Aaron 693]

So the US took over something the french bungled three times in the 1900s.....not two.....got it.

:rofl2:

[DaveInTN 3,247]

So the US took over something the french bungled three times in the 1900s.....not two.....got it.

:rofl2:

 

Don't forget Vietnam. 

[Santa ... Shannon 160]

So the US took over something the french bungled three times in the 1900s.....not two.....got it.

:rofl2:

And after much expenditure of American sweat, treasure and lives the liberals just give away that which was hard fought for.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[AC in A2......Aaron 693]

Don't forget Vietnam.

True.

[AC in A2......Aaron 693]

And after much expenditure of American sweat, treasure and lives the liberals just give away that which was hard fought for.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

True.

[Grumpy and Grandma 740]

The long awaited Pirate Night:

 

Things worked out well since we had early seating for dinner which was 5:45 so we got ready early and went up for the photo op with "Pirate Mickey" and friends at 4:30 which was followed by Capt. Jack Sparrow at 5:15. We got to the line in the Atrium and were about the 10th couple/family in line and here we are.

 

We then went up to deck 4 right away and were not quite as lucky and ended up about 20th in line, but here we are again.

 

 

Linda wanted me to do a "cameo" with him as well.

 

Then off to the dining room right away since Capt. Jack was really playing the part, especially with the kids and the line moved slow.

 

The couple we were sharing our table with were already there so I got their picture. This is Wendy and Gary who are from Vancouver.  They both are part-time musicians and she is also a ventriloquist (more on her later).

 

There is always a lot of activity in the dining room by both guests and the serving staff on Pirate Night. 

 

We got our server Dani and asst server Emrah to stop long enough for pics.

 

Then Emrah really got into the act.

 

We also finally talked the Head Server to "clown around" a little as well. At first he was a little reluctant

.

 

As we have found on all the DCL cruises the servers love to be the "Parking valet" as well with Linda's ECV. At times there was a small skirmish on who was going to park it.

 

 

After dinner we went back to our cabin to change and this was our animal of the evening, 

 

We quickly changed so we could get our spot in the theater especially since the scooter parking is limited.

 

Remember the yellow boat with the couple chasing us in Panama, well tonight was their night to perform and what a performance it was. Too bad cameras are not allowed in the theater.

 

Some of you may have already witnessed this couples outstanding ability since they have been on America's Got Talent as well as many of the other similar shows in Europe. Their act reminds you of Circus Soleil with wonderful vocals by Donovan.

 

Up next will be the deck party and the fireworks.

[Lou... 3,118]

It's difficult to tell.

Is the real Captain Jack Sparrow the one on the left, or the one on the right in those photos?

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Jeez, Dave, you're a posting machine- I just got caught up.

 

My comments:

 

-it's amazing that so much effort went in to the remake of the Mexico boat ride, but I still don't like it.

 

-thanks for all the Panama Canal info.  It's all very interesting.  Were the presentations made in the main theater or somewhere else?

 

-good job on the pirate costumes. That group shot is great!

 

-sorry you didn't like Palo (no "s" guys).  We like it, but have only been  to dinner once on all of our DCL cruises.  I think the food is good, but it takes too dang long to eat.  The main dining room is fine with us.  We've been to brunch a couple of times- that is good too.

 

TCD

[Grumpy and Grandma 740]

It's difficult to tell.

Is the real Captain Jack Sparrow the one on the left, or the one on the right in those photos?

I think you may need new glasses. :rofl3: 

 

 

Jeez, Dave, you're a posting machine- I just got caught up.

 

The advantages of retirement, but things will slow down for a couple days as we have to go to Peoria for our GD's confirmation.

 

My comments:

 

-it's amazing that so much effort went in to the remake of the Mexico boat ride, but I still don't like it.

Kind of agree, to me it's a once and out ride.

 

-thanks for all the Panama Canal info.  It's all very interesting.  Were the presentations made in the main theater or somewhere else?

 We found it all quite interesting and the most interesting is yet to come. They were always in the main theater (Walt Disney) and it was always full. 

-good job on the pirate costumes. That group shot is great!

Thanks

-sorry you didn't like Palo (no "s" guys).  We like it, but have only been  to dinner once on all of our DCL cruises.  I think the food is good, but it takes too dang long to eat.  The main dining room is fine with us.  We've been to brunch a couple of times- that is good too.

Maybe that is why we didn't feel anything special.  I  think we were there less than 90 minutes and the food was nothing spectacular and we too feel the dining rooms are just as good.

TCD

[Katman1356...Jason 1,140]

Sil and I loved Palo so I am sorry to hear it wasnt as big of a hit for you guys. 

 

I will say our waitstaff for the main dining rooms sucked and our waiter here was fabulous. 

 

In all honesty Palo and Castaway Cay are the 2 biggest reasons I will be going back on DCL

[Grumpy and Grandma 740]

Sil and I loved Palo so I am sorry to hear it wasnt as big of a hit for you guys. 

 

Maybe it would be a better experience on the Dream or Fantasy.  The dining room did not even seem all that spectacular.

[Katman1356...Jason 1,140]

 

Sil and I loved Palo so I am sorry to hear it wasnt as big of a hit for you guys. 

 

Maybe it would be a better experience on the Dream or Fantasy.  The dining room did not even seem all that spectacular.

 

 

I will have to look for pics of the room on the Wonder. It was very nice on the Fantasy. We had also timed it for sunset and had a great window seat watching the sunset. 

 

We enjoyed it so much we booked a second dinner there for later in the same cruise.

[jmaul 65]

Awesome updates.  Tons of information.

 

I'd like to know if the presentations (either Disney or Canal related) were well received by the guests and there was a good turnout??

 

Pirate night looks like it was a blast.

[Grumpy and Grandma 740]

After relaxing a little in our cabin it was up to deck 9 for the Pirate Party.

 

As usual the activity abounds.

 

Here are the drink glasses all lit up waiting for someone to partake.

 

We only stayed for a short time since we had no plans on eating anymore and our verandah gave us a perfect place to watch the fireworks.

 

These shots are not as good as I hoped, but you get the idea.

 

Up next, but not till next week, our last of 4 consecutive days at sea and Japan's plans for the Canal during the war.

[Grumpy and Grandma 740]

Awesome updates.  Tons of information.

 

I'd like to know if the presentations (either Disney or Canal related) were well received by the guests and there was a good turnout??

 

Pirate night looks like it was a blast.

Thanks. 

The theaters were always full

It was.

[DaveInTN 3,247]

 

 

 

 

I see you checked "fireworks watching" off of your List of Fun. 

[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

I see you checked "fireworks watching" off of your List of Fun. 

 

Oh, Dave, you can be so witty sometimes!   :rofl2:

[Grumpy and Grandma 740]

I see you checked "fireworks watching" off of your List of Fun. 

:facepalm:

[jmaul 65]

I see you checked "fireworks watching" off of your List of Fun.

I thought they looked more like musical notes and was going to reply with something related to that.

Your comment beats whatever I was going to come up with.

[AC in A2......Aaron 693]

Loving this TR Dave.

Looking forward to your next canal history installment.

[Big Kahuna aka John 71]

I am loving this trip report.   Not sure if I could ever afford it, but it really makes me want to try for it.