Journeys TransPacific Cruise - Carnival Panorama Singapore to Long Beach
On Saturday, October 12, 2024 our adventure continues from our 5 nights in Singapore.
Checking in for the cruise took almost 2 hours. We had to go through one line after another, then another two. In the last line, they took our passports and said they would return them later. By the time we got to our cabin, our luggage had already arrived! We went to our muster station and then proceeded to find something to eat.
Click on any photo and an enlarged view will display with the option to scroll through the larger photos.
Journeys TransPacific Cruise Itinerary
Our itinerary included mostly Sea Days, crossing the international date line and changing time zones 9 times. Stops included:
- Singapore – Cruise Port
- Phu My, Vietnam (the port) and about 1 1/2 hours from Ho chi Minh City (Saigon)
- Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia
- Manila, Philippines
- Guam (which was cancelled due to a combination medical emergency and a storm)
- An Overnight (2 days) in Honolulu, Hawaii
- Disembark in Long Beach, California
Table of Contents
Room 9478 Carnival Panorama
Our Room #9478 was located at the back of the ship. We had a huge covered balcony that was wider than the cabin itself and we thought it was the best one on the ship. We spent many hours on our balcony throughout the cruise. The cabin itself was just a normal balcony room cabin, but definitely adequate for us. For anyone traveling on the Carnival Panorama, we would highly recommend this room!
Click on any photo and an enlarged view will display with the option to scroll through the larger photos.
Sail Away - Singapore
We sailed away on time and got some good photos of Singapore during our sail away.
Click on any photo and an enlarged view will display with the option to scroll through the larger photos.
Vietnam
On Monday, October 14, 2024 we docked at Phu My, Vietnam. Ho Chi Minh City (previously Saigon), Vietnam was about a 2-hour bus drive from the port. We booked an excursion called “Ho Chi Minh City on Your Own”, giving us about 4 hours to explore on our own. Originally the bus was supposed to drop us off at the site of the Bitexco Financial Center, where we had planned to visit their Sky Deck on the 43rd floor and just walk around the area and find someplace to get lunch. However, they changed the drop off point to the Ben Thanh Market, which was about 6/10 of a mile from the Bitexco Financial Center. After we arrived, we converted $10.00 into Vietnamese Dong. $10.00 USD converted to about 250,000 Dong. The tour guide assisted with finding a place to exchange currency.
We then decided to walk to the Bitexco Tower, which we could see in the distance. The weather was hot and humid and the streets were busy/crazy with lots of scooters. We were told by someone to be brave and cross the street confidently and the scooters would avoid you, just don’t stop!
Although it wasn’t that far to the Bitexco Tower (about 6/10 of a mile), we got a bit over heated due to the humidity. When arriving at the tower, we asked if they had a restaurant at the observation deck (where we could get something to eat and cool down), they said no. So then we decided to find someplace to eat, and found a McDonalds about 1/3 of a mile away. We got a snack and coke at McDonalds and sat for an hour or so, just to cool down. It was not very air conditioned, but was cooler than the outside. We finally cooled down enough to walk back to the Bitexco Tower and bought the tickets to go up to the Sky Deck. This was a great experience and the 360 degree views were great. The following photos were taken from the Skyview:
Click on any photo and an enlarged view will display with the option to scroll through the larger photos.
We decided to get a taxi back to the Ben Thanh Market and there was conveniently a taxi just outside. Due to a language barrier, it became a challenge to pay. The driver gestured 5, which John thought meant 5,000 Dong, but the driver gestured no. Finally John gave him a 100,000 Dong note and the driver took it into the market and got change. His gesture for 5 actually meant 50,000 Dong. We worked it out. In the end 50,000 Dong was roughly $2.00. A real deal.
After being dropped off at the market, we found what we thought was a coffee shop to sit and wait until time for the bus to arrive (about an hour wait). This shop was called Phé La Phan Chu Trinh. John ordered what he thought was a cold brew coffee and snack. When the order came, it turned out not to be a coffee. We believe it was actually a tea drink which was quite good but not what was expected.
Our ship was late in leaving by several hours. We believe that one of the excursions got delayed for some reason, but never found out what happened.
The following are other photos we took while driving from Phu My and while in Ho Chi Minh City.
Click on any photo and an enlarged view will display with the option to scroll through the larger photos.
Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
On Wednesday, October 16, 2024, we docked in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. The weather was hot and humid, but it was a beautiful day.
We took a 4-hour excursion called City Drive & Sabah Museum.
Atkinson Clock Tower
We passed the historic Atkinson Clock Tower as we began our tour.. The Atkinson Clock Tower was built in memory of Francis George Atkinson, Jesselton’s (now Kota Kinabalu) first district officer who died of Malaria at the age of 28 in December 1902. His mother, Mary Edith Atkinson presented a two-faced clock to Jesselton town as a tribute to the memory of her son and was decided later that a clock tower would be built in her honor.
Heritage Village
Our first stop was at the Sabah Museum. The Museum itself was closed for repairs, but the Heritage Village (Kampung Warisan- a traditional village that is recognized and preserved for its cultural significance) was open. We wandered around the various wooden buildings erected on stilts most of which allowed entry onto bamboo flooring. This was very interesting and showed how the various tribes lived in their traditional homes and other buildings, e.g. the skull hut where past headhunters kept their trophies.
Click on any photo and an enlarged view will display with the option to scroll through the larger photos.
tun Mastapha Tower
We drove by Sabah State Administrative Centre overlooking Likas Bay, a 33 storey office tower, the tallest building in Bormeo, before pausing for a photo op of the Tun Mastapha Tower where we could also view the Innoprise Bulding, Office Building of the Chief Minister of Sabah. The sign in front of the Tun Mastapha Tower and the Sabah State Administrative Centre says “Sabah Maju Jaya” which translates to “Let Sabah Prosper”.
Click on any photo and an enlarged view will display with the option to scroll through the larger photos.
Kota Kinabalu City Mosque - The Floating Mosque
We then stopped for a photo Op at Kota Kinabalu City Mosque, also referred to as the Floating Mosque. The Mosque in Likas Bay, was built in a man-made pond, thus giving the illusion that it is floating because it is surrounded by the water. We chose to stay on the bus, as the crowds made it difficult to get any good photos. We did capture several from the bus, though.
Click on any photo and an enlarged view will display with the option to scroll through the larger photos.
The Putuo Temple
We next stopped at Putuo Temple. This was an interesting stop and we got some nice photos of the Temple and surrounding buildings. I found the following written about the temple online:1
“The Putuo Temple in Sabah, Malaysia
The name of the temple reminds people of China’s Putuo Temple, but there is no wall here, and no entrance fee is charged. You can enter and exit freely, and you can take pictures of the Buddha statues and Arhats at will. They say: Buddha is tolerant and will not blame you for taking pictures of him; the incense in front of the incense burner can be taken for free. The tour guide said that you only need to use one stick for worshiping Buddha, which is environmentally friendly. Here you can truly feel the compassion and friendliness of our Buddha, unlike many “high-end” temples in China, where you have to pay a lot of money to buy incense. This Buddhist temple was built in 1980 and is located at the end of Tuaran Road in Sabah, Malaysia. It inherits the traditional architectural style of Chinese temples. There is a 10-meter-high Guanyin Buddha in front of the temple and a 10-meter-high reclining Buddha in the back hall. Here, you can forget that you are abroad.”
Click on any photo and an enlarged view will display with the option to scroll through the larger photos.
Food Market
The final stop on our tour was at a Food Market.
Click on any photo and an enlarged view will display with the option to scroll through the larger photos.
More Photos
Getting off the ship was easier today. It started raining after we got back to the ship, so we sat on our covered balcony and enjoyed the experience.
The following are photos taken as we drove through Koba Kinabalu.
Click on any photo and an enlarged view will display with the option to scroll through the larger photos.
Manila, Philipphines
Friday, October 18, 2024 we docked in Manila, Philippines.
A few days before this stop, everyone had to fill out a form required by the port. This form was complex and it was quite frustrating for most of us. Even my John got stumped and had to go to guest services to get help. The lines were so long that he decided to go down at 3:00 am, when there would not be the long lines. Even then there was probably 25 people in line. The lady in front of John in the line had figured it out and was able to help him, so he then was able to do this for me, too.
The day was a challenging day for many of the passengers and the Carnival crew. This was the first time a Carnival ship docked in Manila. It appears the:port is responsible for the ramps and there was only one and it was not wheelchair accessible.
The line getting off the ship took over 3 hours. We didn’t have an excursion scheduled, so we just waited until later to disembark. When we finally did, it took about 45 minutes in line to get off the ship. Not a big deal for us, but many were pretty frustrated.
Once off the we just wanted to get a magnet, so were only off the ship for a short time. It was interesting going through the terminal. On this stop, because many of the crew were from the Philippines, Carnival had arranged for their families to come on board to have a meal and see where they worked. There was a big welcome sign in the terminal and chairs where they could wait until they could board the ship. Good Job Carnival!!!
Overall a light day for us. After getting back on board, we took the opportunity to take photos around the ship.
Click on any photo and an enlarged view will display with the option to scroll through the larger photos.
Guam
Tuesday, October 22, 2024, we missed Guam!
Apparently there was a medical emergency on board so they had to turn the ship around and head back to the Philippines. We were headed that way for several hours when the ship turned back around. It appears the person was stabilized, so they headed back to Guam. The problem now was there was a big storm we had to go around. So we were unable to dock in Guam, however, we did sail by the Island long enough to evacuate the person who had a medical emergency. Another boat picked them up. You could see Guam from there, apparently. Now the problem is the entertainment that was supposed to get on in Guam missed the boat! Also, now we’ll need to go through customs in Honolulu. That alone cost us several hours off ship in Hawaii
Oahu, Hawaii
On Tuesday, October 29, 2024 we docked in Oahu, Hawaii. This was an overnight stop, so we were able to spend Tuesday and Wednesday, October 30th on this lovely Island.
A day or so before, they arranged for everyone to pick up their passports, so we could go through customs.
Our first day in Honolulu went pretty much as expected. Everyone, including staff, had to debark to go through customs. They prioritized getting off the ship by deck number, Our deck was one of the last to be called off the ship. So it was after noon when we finally made it through customs. The line went pretty quickly and the process was good. It’s just too bad so much time was lost because of customs. 🙁
We had changed the time to pick up the rental car at the airport to 1:00 pm, so we got a Taxi and got to the car rental place right at 1:00 pm. The cost of the taxi was over $40 (almost more than the car rental). We’re pretty sure the taxi driver went the long way to get there. As we were leaving the car rental area, there was an unexpected delay. Apparently someone just before us ran into the gate that lets us out. Jeesh. After 15 minutes or so of waiting, someone came and manually got the gate open. Finally, we were off and running (or driving as the case may be).
Dole Pinapple Plantation
We drove toward the middle of the island to the Dole Pineapple Plantation and walked around a bit. We took their little train through the fields and enjoyed that. The place was crazy busy! Very commercialized. But we enjoyed the time there.
Click on any photo and an enlarged view will display with the option to scroll through the larger photos.
The North Shore
We then drove north where we stopped at McDonalds in Haleiwa Town for a quick snack and then the rest of the way to the North Shore for a quick photo op and potty break. This was where my camera first ran out of storage. (This would haunt me for several days until I finally figured out how to get the old photo’s removed. Jeesh!) Unfortunately, my GPS stopped working too.
Click on any photo and an enlarged view will display with the option to scroll through the larger photos.
Back to the Ship
On the way back, we stopped at a Walmart for a bit of shopping on our way back. John found a parking garage and from there we walked back to the ship. We only got lost a bit, or should I say we just took the long way back to the ship. The walk back to the ship from the parking garage ¾ mile.
Click on any photo and an enlarged view will display with the option to scroll through the larger photos.
Hawaii Day 2
The next morning it took John 40 minutes to get the car, unexpected delay figuring out how to get TO the car. Once he got the car, he picked me up at the terminal and we were off. We drove down Waikiki Beach and up towards Diamond Head. Then we wanted to drive to Haunama Bay, but did not make it. We ran into Road Construction and were running out of time. So, we turned around, so we could get to the Pearl Harbor visitors center. This was an important stop for me. But again we ran into traffic. Then we got lost. I was fiddling with my phone trying to free up space (which I flunked). Anyway, my phone GPS wasn’t working because of no storage, I assume, so we were using John’s phone and the GPS on his phone kept stopping for some reason.
At one point we entered a do not enter area (military) and John had to hand over his drivers license until we got the car turned around. They (military guys) were very polite, but we got the message. ha ha.
Long story short, we got horribly lost and had to abort our plans for visiting the Pearl Harbor Visitors Center so we could get gas and a quick lunch *yes, at McDonalds” in order to get the car back by 1:00 pm. I know we were close because one of my pictures has a big sign “Pearl Harbor”. Hmmm.
After dropping the car off, we took their city bus back to the Iolani Palace for some photos and walked back to the ship from there. A frustrating day, but still beautiful weather and did get some good photos on Johns camera.
Click on any photo and an enlarged view will display with the option to scroll through the larger photos.
Sea Days
We spent most of our Sea Days relaxing, and playing Scrabble. We would occasionally sit in the lounge while listening to the Karaoke singers.
I usually went to bed early (Jet Lag?) and John would go to the shows.
Although John spent some time in the Casino, he rarely was able to get a place on the Craps Table. He talked to someone about this and they gave him a gift card for the specialty restaurant Bonsai Sushi. We got two meals out of that including drinks for me. (Johns drinks were free as part of the cruise package). Otherwise, we avoided the specialty dining options.
John also went to many of the lectures which he enjoyed. One day they had free Bingo and that was fun. Since it was free, there were a lot of newbies. The card had to be blacked out, but many newbies didn’t know what that meant and would call bingo with a one line bingo. It was pretty funny, since it kept happening. The guy next to me said he almost had a bingo and I had to explain to him that he didn’t.
One day we participated in the Deal Or No Deal Game. They are always entertaining.
For the most part the food was good. We would typically eat in the Main Dining Room (MDR), but occasionally, John would get a hamburger or burrito and I’d get a salad from the Buffet. One day, I got a terrible cough and wasn’t feeling very good, so I spent the day in our room. We ordered room service that day and it was pretty good. That cough stayed with me for most of the rest of the cruise, but at least I felt better.
On October 27th, we.crossed the International Date Line and had a ground hog day!! Over the coarse of the cruise we lost an hour 9 times. By the time we got to Long Beach we were on Pacific Standard Time.
On Halloween, we dressed in black shirts that said “Pretend I’m a Black Cat”. We got several photos taken and lots of people commented on them. Many folks dressed up and it was a fun day to walk around and see the costumes. We sat in the lounge and just people watched.
We wore our matching shirts on port days, although forgot to on the first one (Vietnam). Silly us. This was the first time we wore matching shirts and we got lots of attention with them. Funny how that brought out the “friendly” in folks.
Click on any photo and an enlarged view will display with the option to scroll through the larger photos.
Behind the Fun
On November 2nd, John went on a 4-hour “Behind The Fun Ultimate Tour”, where he and a small group were given a tour of ship. He was not allowed to take cameras, bags or recording devices, but they took a couple of group photos as part of the package.
“We met at the Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse for the tour. Some pastries ,juice and coffee were provided. I had to fill out a health form and a security check was done.
The tour started with the head chef in the steakhouse displaying and discussing the various cuts of meat. He also explained they used steam and water to ensure steaks are moist and juicy.
We then walked down some flights of stairs to the main galley on deck 3 and met with the head chef. He discussed how the galley operates and how orders are filled. We then met one of the pastry chefs. He displayed several round decorated cakes but explained the cakes are now made in sheet pans to reduce waste.
We left the galley and proceeded down to deck 0 which is the location of most of the ship’s stores. There was a central alleyway that is called I95 which is a hive of activity during busy times. It was not too busy this morning but there were crew and staff going back and forth. I95 runs the length of the ship and allows people to quickly move from one end of the ship to the other without going through the passenger spaces.
When starting a cruise it is not uncommon for 200 pallets of supplies and food and beverages to be brought on board. I also saw 5 forklifts on board that are used to move the pallets.
We also toured the refrigerated beverage area where bottled water, beer and sodas were stored. It was noted that it takes 2 weeks for orders to be filled.
- Supplies shipped in from Miami
- Supplies are only loaded from carnival ports
- Fresh fruit and produce are also only acquired in Carnival ports.
–
We then proceeded to tour Human Resources, also on deck 0. The HR person explained they are always bringing new crew members on and off the ship. We also got a chance to see some of the recreational spaces available to the crew as well as photos of some of the crew rooms, mostly shared 2 per room.
We proceeded to the theatre and went backstage. We saw where the entertainers prepared for the shows.
We then made our way to the bridge on deck 8, where we got an overview of the navigation and steering of the ship. We met the captain and had a photo taken. Interesting.
The last stop was in the brewhouse in the Pig & Anchor on deck 5. We got a small beer and met the brewer. He was from Tennessee and was just getting ready to leave the ship as his contract was up. He indicated he has some ability to make his own brews in addition to the standard ones carnival does.
That wrapped up the behind the scenes tour.”
Debarkation, Long Beach, California
Debarkation went smoothly. Since we decided to stay overnight in Los Angles so we could take a direct flight back to Raleigh, we were not in a hurry, so chose to be one of the last folks off the ship. We waited in a lounge on the 5t floor and relaxed, read, played scrabble and people watched.
After getting off the ship about 10:00 am, in Long Beach we caught a ride to the Embassy Suites by the airport in LA. We got a sub sandwich at Jersey Mike’s (that we had for lunch and dinner). We flew home the next day direct from LA to Raleigh.
Overall a great and memorable trip!!!
Click on any photo and an enlarged view will display with the option to scroll through the larger photos.
- . A Chinese Blog translated to English by. Google Translate: https://blog.sina.com.cn/s/blog_5868baa90102ws34.html