We are so excited about our new photo gallery. Several weeks ago, we quietly released it to our website. Many of our Quyana Members (past guests) have loaded their photos to the gallery. Our CEO, Dick West has also loaded his South Pacific cruise photos to the web. There's a E-Postcard feature as well as the ability to send a link of your entire album to your friends and family.
The gallery is still in beta mode and we'd love to have your feedback. What's working? What needs improvement? Email us and share your thoughts with us.
When we ask our guests who travel on our Between Two Seas cruise in Costa Rica and Panama, to name their most memorable experience, the overwhelming response is their experience visiting the Embera village in the Darien Jungle of Panama. We have a long involvement with this particular village and even support them through our Our Bear Cares program. So, when I saw this video by our friends over at Turnhere, I was thrilled. The timing of this video is serendipitous as our staff writer, Gail Manahan just finished up a background piece on the tribe. I hope you enjoy the video and Gail's article.
The Emberá people reside in the Darien Jungle beside rivers, and along the coast. They are thought to have migrated here from northern Ecuador and southern Colombia in the mid-1800s. Their population in Panama today is estimated to be around 15,000. The Emberá thrive by practicing subsistence agriculture, hunting, fishing and raising poultry. They also create, on a small scale, plantations to grow commercial crops such as plantains, bananas, rice, and maize.
With the encroachment of the Pan-American highway, Latinos and missionaries, these indigenous people are working to maintain their culture and traditions, to preserve their language and values and to find economic ideas to supplement their meager incomes.
Emberá homes are built on stilts up to 10 feet off the ground, with wooden floors. The stilts protect them from insects on the ground and flooding during the rainy season. People get into their homes using a log in which they have carved steps. Typical houses are composed of two rooms, the largest with hammocks, for sleeping, and the other room for their fire pit and living space. One or two sides are closed and the rest of the house is left open to take advantage of the breezes that cool the house and keep insects from congregating in them.
Schools in most of the villages have been built by the government and their concrete structures are an interesting contrast to the thatched roofs and the more organize feel of the Emberá houses.
The jaguar fruit is very important to the Emberá. It is an inedible fruit that’s pulp is used for making an indelible body paint that lasts up to 12 days. The paint is used for all their celebrations and each design has its own meaning, with age groups and genders assigned specific designs or patterns.
The Emberá produce really fine dugout canoes (piraguas) with very shallow bottoms that can be used even during the dry season when the rivers are low. The Panama Canal Authority employs Emberá craftsmen to make their canoes, which are used by Canal officials to reach the higher parts of the Canal’s watershed. The Emberá power their canoes with paddles, but the Canal officials have motorized their piraguas
Before they were introduced to guns the Emberá were experts at using the blowgun. They dipped the tips of their darts into lethal toxins from poison tree frogs and bullet ants. The Emberá’s lifestyle requires them to be very tough, but when you meet them, their smiles are genuine and warm and their children are friendly and fun-loving.
This is the report was of one of our most popular blog entries last year. Originally submitted by Sally Cannata in March of 2006, following her Between Two Seas cruise in Costa Rica aboard the Pacific Explorer. Sally started working for Cruise West back in the early 90's as a Cruise Coordinator and is now one of our Online, Virtual Cruise presenters.
I have to admit the weather was perfect. Sunny & warm. The snorkeling was phenomenal: sea turtles, sharks, even octopus, and loads of colorful fish.
The nature walks were fantastic as well: monkeys, sloths, coatis, and fascinating trees, bromeliads, & orchids. The canal was interesting, particularly the history (the Columbia & Snake River locks are actually more impressive to me!). We passed through at night but could still see the locks well. The visit to the Embera tribe in the Darien Jungle was certainly a highlight of the trip. The men wore loin cloths and the women were barebreasted wearing sarongs, the kids loved getting their pictures taken and looking at the digital cameras - basically it was unspoiled and felt like stepping into the pages of National Geographic, I think it had a great impact on everyone not to mention the competitive soccer game between the crew and the locals in the afternoon.
The food was better than I had remembered with 4 course lunches and dinners, menu's with several choices for all meals, and top notch fresh fish. The ratio of 1 naturalist per 15 guests in Costa Rica was great and all 5 naturalist were knowledgeable and interesting. Most crew members had a good command of the english language. The vessel was spotless and well kept.
Very comfortable lounge & library not to mention the fabulous outdoor areas on the top deck and creative nightly drink specials.
Portobelo has amazing history and the expatriate guest speakers were very interesting. Tons of gold and silver passed through this tiny port in the 1500's and of course there is plenty of pirate lore. It is amazing that a place of such historic importance has not really been developed. The ruins are impressive, but tricky walking for some. The mangroves zodiac tour led by naturalists added to the variety of the day.
Panama Canal - We passed through the Panama Canal at night. It was well lit and we had a great buffet on deck to enjoy the scenery during dinner. There was a wake-up list for the final set of locks and the Bridge of the America's which was beautifully lit at night.
Coiba National Park - the island Granito de Oro is named appropriately. It truly is like a golden nugget. Tiny island with a white sand beach, the perfect distance to kayak or snorkel all the way around. The current was pretty strong and a challenge for some. Alexandro not only a naturalist, but also an olympic hopeful in swimming, led a group around the island. I was impressed with the DIB operators/deck hands who circled the island and kept close watch on the snorkelers and kickers and had a ladder handy incase someone needed to get out. I should also mention that the zodiac operators were very safety conscious and were always there lending a hand every time we enter/exited the zodiacs. I have snorkeled in a lot of places and I really think that Granito de Oro is absolutely world class!
Golfo Dulce - Casa Orquideas was a beautiful lush tropical garden with amazing plants and I think Rudy could have spent all day with us talking about the plants & birds. The afternoon at Cana Blanca was just plain fun. It is a rehabilitation center for tropical wildlife and we saw baby sloths and anteaters up-close as well as magnificent scarlet macaws, but I think the highlight was the mischievous monkeys who were friendly enough to hop into my lap. Everyone who wanted a hands-on experience got it.
Manuel Antonio - this was the most crowded place we visited. I guess we were spoiled going so many places where we were the only ones there. However, it is a popular park for good reason and probably has wide name recognition as well. We saw both three-toed and two-toed sloths, a band of coati's (a tropical version of the racoon), wild howler monkeys, iguanas, and the "Jesus Christ Lizard" (although it was sitting on a stump, not walking on water). So quite worthwhile considering the wildlife. All of the naturalists carried tripods with high quality viewing scopes which made all the difference in our guests ability to spot the wildlife.
Corcovado - less visited, with interesting trails, leaf cutter ants, termite nests, elusive tropical birds, and great nature walks of all levels.
Smooth transfer to the airport with a nice stop along the way with restrooms & tasteful giftshop.
Sally Cannata (formerly Wenning) was a Cruise Coordinator/Naturalist with Cruise West for many years and nows lives in Missoula, Montana. We are thrilled that she continues to be involved with the company as one of our Virtual Cruise presenters. If you'd like to learn more about our cruises, please join us on one of our online presentations. You might even meet Sally!
As employees, we are thrilled when one of our family members is able to experience our cruises. Last fall, Carisa Carnes, our Reservations Manager was able to travel with her mother to Costa Rica. When Carisa's mom, Anita, learned that we were featuring our Costa Rica cruises, she sent me this letter. Thanks, Anita! We all love getting compliments and they are especially meaningful when they come from our mothers!
I would like to thank Cruise West for my recent trip to Panama and Costa Rica. There were many highlights to my visit, but visiting the Embera village was the most exciting. It was quite amazing to realize that people can live quite simply and be so content with their surroundings. The people were obviously very proud and live their lives to the fullest without all the trimmings the rest of us seem to need or want. It makes you wonder have we really progressed or regressed in all that we have accomplished.
I truly miss rising in the morning and looking out at the jungle. The scenery was so lush and green it almost seemed surreal. The trip was a true learning experience, besides, of course, all the fun. Daniel, Steven, Eric and Rudy, the Exploration Leaders, were great educators about both Panama and Costa Rica. Their enthusiasm for the subjects they discussed was catching. I know much more about sharks, turtles, monkeys and the land masses in these two exotic places. The evening presentations were very professional. I felt like I was watching the Discovery Channel, since the information was so thorough.
Everyone on board was friendly and outgoing. Cappy, the ship’s captain interacted with the passengers and made us all feel like part of his ‘on board’ family. The staff was definitely one of the important factors of a wonderful week. Jonathon, the bartender had us try a variety of new local concoctions and had us all very relaxed before the dinner hour. The dinners were all varied and we had plenty of choices each evening. All were delicious and beautifully presented. The pastry chef, Juan, was outstanding and a great dancer. We found that out the night of the fiesta. Cappy picked up a live band in one of the villages and we partied for several hours one evening. It was fun and I learned to salsa with our zodiac driver, Oldemar.
The Panama Canal, the Botanical Garden, the Rehabilitation Center, Manual Antonio were all great destinations with each a different type of beauty and interest. During the snorkeling trip, I saw my first shark, Moray eel and puffer fishes. The island was something out of a dream. I spent about an hour watching cutter ants do their thing in Manual Antonio Park. They could definitely teach us something about living in harmony, working as a team and developing a determination beyond compare. We had a family of monkeys visit us one afternoon while we were lazily lying in our hammocks. They preened and performed antics for us for about a half hour. The nature hikes revealed Scarlet Macaws, a wide variety of other birds, a Jesus Christ lizard, crabs, bats, spiders, iguanas and two varieties of monkeys. We ended the afternoon sitting under a waterfall in the river. Paradise does not describe those experiences.
Once again, I cannot thank you enough for my time on your beautiful ship and for your wonderful hospitality.
Please enjoy the Adventure Log from Day 3, on Caletas Beach and Rio Agujitas aboard the Pacific Explorer.
Just seventy-five miles north of the Panamanian border, Osa Peninsula juts out more than 50 kilometers (30 mi) into the Pacific. Even by local standards, the south is considered a wild region that includes the largest, most inaccessible national park and the most pristine tropical rainforest.
Our naturalists will take you up Rio Agujitas either in our kayaks or zodiacs. It is an excellent opportunity to search for birds and other wildlife along the riverside banks. A nocturnal bird, the Boat-billed Heron, perch above the water and at times hide in the branches of the trees along the shoreline. Green iguanas can also be found feeding on the leaves high in the treetops.
Wear your swimsuit in case we have the opportunity to take a refreshing dip in the cool waters of the river.
Drake is rich in both 16th century history and natural history. Sir Francis Drake himself supposedly visited the bay in 1579. Drake was the first Englishman to sail around the world.
Later we will reposition just outside of Corcovado National Park, a 100,000-acre sanctuary of biological diversity dominates the Osa Peninsula in southeast Costa Rica. This area’s thirteen habitats are characterized by an abundance of endangered wildlife, including all four species of monkeys and six species of wild cats found in the country. Giant trees draped with vines and lianas and supported by massive buttress roots tower over the forest floor.
The Northern sub-species of the Squirrel monkey is endemic to Costa Rica, and are the only species of monkey without a prehensile tail. They are now protected but are still endangered due to habitat destruction and poaching for the pet trade.
Later, our guides will offer a variety of hikes to explore the history, plant life and any birds and wildlife we might be lucky enough to see. The Osa Peninsula is extremely hot and humid. The terrain in the park includes beaches of soft sand, swamps and mangroves, and tropical forest. Though you may spend some of your time on the beach, close-toed shoes are recommended, as is light clothing, including shorts. Photographic opportunities will be everywhere so be sure to bring your camera and your binoculars.
The weather here in Seattle has been miserable for several months. Short days with non-stop rain and wind. Of course the rain leads to our beautiful green forests, but that doesn't console me when I'm bundled up trying to stay dry on my journey from my front door to the car. It's this time of year that I find myself dreaming about our warm weather cruises. I imagine a lazy day on the beach with a warm wind blowing and my feet digging a hole deep enough in the sand to find the cool spot just below the surface. Pure Heaven!
In that spirit, I thought it would be fun to chronicle the journey of the Pacific Explorer for the next 10 days. I'll be posting excerpts from their voyage log and sharing interesting information and photos from this region.
Today, January 4th, marks the first trip in 2007 for our ship, the Pacific Explorer. This small-ship sails exclusively in Central America, between Colon, Panama and the port city of Los Suenos, Costa Rica. Her current cruise route is called Between Two Seas. This journey is one of our most active adventures. Each day, our guests have the opportunity to hike through the jungle in search of howler monkeys, snorkel or kayak, view exotic birds or even take an optional zip-line tour through the jungle.
Most guests flew into San José today, but several arrived early and have been in a lovely hotel in the downtown area. I've spent time in San José and really enjoyed visiting the Teatro Nacional de Costa Rica (The National Theatre of Costa Rica) and the National Museum. I also found time to explore the many coffee shops in the area. Just sitting on a bench and watching the daily activities was fascinating. I always recommend that guests arrive to enjoy a day exploring this wondeful city.
At 4pm today, our guests will arrive at the ship, which is currently docked in Los Suenos, Costa Rica. Once onboard, they will be greeted by the Captain and crew during a Welcome Aboard cocktail party. They'll get settled into their cabins, get acquainted with the ship and relax before an exciting day tomorrow in Manuel Antonio Park.
Recently, I posted a Ring of Fire photo album, submitted by Quyana Member Brian Cleverly. In that post, I received a nice comment from another guest on that same cruise, named Mike Bowles. Mike and his wife, Sharon, traveled on our Ring of Fire cruise this year. Mike has given me permission to share their photo albums with you. There's are two wonderful Ring of Fire Albums and a newly posted Ring of Fire-Japan album.
After you've looked at these, I'd highly recommend spending some time looking at their other albums. They've posted albums for Costa Rica, Maine, Yellowstone, Chile, and Egypt. All of the albums are wonderful and Mike relayed to me that he welcomes your comments and/or label corrections on any of the images in his albums. You are also welcome to download any of the photos.
We are a few months away from launching our own, hosted photo album service. In the meantime, I'd love to hear from other Quyana members who've posted similar albums. We love seeing the real thing!
Thank you, Mike & Sharon, for sharing your adventures with us. Your albums make for a great armchair vacation.
I think I've mentioned before, I have a fear of cooking. I'm always worried that the dish will be a flop. That said, I know that I can always count on our Head Chef, Doug Kramer, to soothe my fears and guide me toward a dish that will please a crowd. I've even been known to phone him from home, mid-recipe to ensure that I'm on track.
Last week, I asked Chef Doug for a list of his most requested recipes and found one that seems perfectly suited for a Thanksgiving Day meal. If you are looking for a quick, easy salad to prepare, our Sweet Potato Salad(pdf link) might be just what you've been looking for.
Bon appétit!
"CRUISE WEST" SWEET POTATO SALAD
Servings: 8
This recipe has been electronically scaled down from 80+ portions. Some adjustments may be necessary.
INGREDIENTS: 1 pound fresh sweet potatoes or yams, washed brown sugar, as needed 1 each red apple, cored and diced 1/4 cup chopped pecans 1/2 cup red bell pepper, seeded and ribbed, finely chopped 1/2 cup celery, finely chopped 1/2 cup red onion, finely chopped
DRESSING: 1 ounce sour cream 2 ounces mayonnaise 1 each lemon, zested and juiced, no seeds 1 ounce honey salt and pepper, to taste 1 teaspoon fresh tarragon, finely chopped
PROCEDURE:
Peel and cut sweet potatoes into 1/2 inch cubes. Hold cut potatoes in water.
When potatoes are all cut, drain well and place in mixing bowl. Toss lightly with just a little brown sugar to coat well.
Place cut potatoes on paper lined sheet pan, single layer and bake in 350 d. oven just until tender. This will not take very long. Remove from oven, transfer to cool sheet pan, single layer and place in cooler to chill.
Prepare apples, pecans, red bell peppers, celery and red onion, place in clean mixing bowl.
Separately mix all ingredients together for dressing and blend well.
When potatoes are chilled gently toss all ingredients together.
Place in serving bowl, decorate and garnish for service.
Today, I found an online article by Linda Garrison about cruise line tipping policies. As I read it, I found myself reliving a recent family vacation. Before we left, my husband handed me a stack of bills- ones & fives, so that I would be prepared to tip when necessary. Throughout the trip, I always kept track of my smaller bills- making sure not to spend them lest I get caught in an embarrassing situation, where a tip was required and I had nothing to give.
Several years ago, we realized that our guests had this same concern. So, we implemented our No Tipping Policy. At Cruise West, gratuites are neither expected nor required. When you cruise aboard our small ships, travel on our exclusive land tours or even enjoy one of our included shore excursions- your gratuities are covered. One less worry when you travel with us.
Linda did a great job of mentioning our policy in her article. If you'd like to see how we compare to other lines, be sure to read the article.
Sylvia isn’t sure when or where they’re going next but she does plan to go again. What does she like best about Cruise West cruises? Sylvia says, “You get to know everybody right away.”
We believe Sylvia is our oldest cruising Quyana Club Member at 98. Do you know otherwise? If so, please let us know! Call your Quyana toll-free number 1-888-851-4132
My local grocery store is having a big seafood sale right now, with Alaska prawns readily available. I love shrimp & prawns, but am not very original when it comes to preparation. While I love to eat great food, I'm not much of a Chef. So, when I need to really dazzle a crowd, I turn to our Vessel Culinary Manager, Doug Kramer for advice. Doug is always happy to help me and is even happy to share advice with our guests. I've published his Shrimp Scampi recipe on our website. I hope that you enjoy the recipe. We do have a cookbook in the works, but if you have a favorite recipe that you enjoyed while onboard, just post your request in the comment section of this post and I'll be happy to publish it to our site. Bon Appétit!
With the latest news on tightened airport security, I thought it might be useful to share a few tips.
The Department of Homeland Security has published a lot of useful information on their website and I'm republishing some of it down below:
No liquids or gels of any kind will be permitted in carry on baggage. such items must be in checked baggage. This includes all beverages, shampoo, sun tan lotion, creams, tooth paste, hair gel, and other items of similar consistency.
Exceptions: Baby formula and medicines*, which must be presented for inspection at the checkpoint. *Be sure that your medications are in the original, labeled pharmacy bottle and not in a pill minder.
Beverages purchased in the boarding area, beyond the checkpoint, must be consumed before boarding because they will not be permitted onboard the aircraft.
Passengers traveling from the United Kingdom to the United States will be subject to a more extensive screening process.
And now, a few helpful hints from me:
Get to the airport early, early, early.
Have your bags organized and ready to be searched.
Keep your tickets and ID in an area that is easy for you to locate.
Don't forget, TSA still expects you to take your shoes, jackets, belts when passing through security. Dress comfortably and sensibly for a smooth pass through.
All those liquid items that now must go in your carry-on luggage should be stored inside a plastic zip type bag. I've had more shampoo explode in my luggage than I care to remember!
Ladies: play it safe and pack your make-up in your checked luggage. You'd be heartbroken to throw out that favorite color that only works for you!
Pack your patience and your humor. Just think of all the great people-watching you'll get to do!
Many gift shops on the other side of security have stopped selling bottled liquids, so don't expect to be able to stock up these items once through security.
If you forget all of these tips and have to throw out your personal items, you'll find shampoo, conditioner and soap inside your cabin onboard the ship.
And finally, don't forget why you are traveling. You are headed on the trip of a lifetime and this little inconvenience will all be worth it when you receive your first of many warm, welcoming smiles and a hearty "Welcome Aboard" from our crew.
And as we sailors like to say, "Fair Winds and Following Seas."
This article was originally printed in our Q-News, which is our quarterly Quyana Newsletter. We caught up with Al and Sylvia at their home in California.
Q: Where was your first trip with Cruise West? A: We went to Alaska’s Inside Passage on the Spirit of ’98. We had the Denali package too. It was a wonderful trip even though we didn’t see Mt. McKinley in Denali and we had some pretty bad weather and were overtaken by a storm, it was an adventure we really enjoyed.
Q: What was your next trip? A: We like the small-ship cruising so much we went to the Sea of Cortes. We had been to Mexico before, flying in a small plane. It was so fun to see Loreto and La Paz by ship and the Spirit of Endeavour is a terrific boat. We took the Copper Canyon land tour and were so impressed by the very talented Tarahumaras.
Q: Have you cruised with other lines? A: Not even once – we saw those big ships in Alaska and wouldn’t consider ever going on them – the escalators, the big lines, the waiting and waiting. We chose Cruise West because we liked the idea of fewer people, and we’ve met some lovely people onboard. They are truly wonderful.
Q: Do you have a favorite memory? A: I (Al) went on the aerial tram line through the treetops in Costa Rica – it was wild and fun! I (Sylvia) have too many favorite memories to mention.
Q: Anything else you’d like to add? A: You people are the tops as far as helping people out and taking care of them, how well you take the effort to make sure people see what can be seen in each destination. Although we’re older, the younger crew takes good, kind care of us.
Guests aboard the December 7, 2005 Gems of Costa Rica cruise on the Pacific Explorer were delighted with the presence of former President of Costa Rica, Rodrigo Carazo Odio and his wife, Estrella Carazo.
Their Gems of Costa Rica cruise 8-day itinerary traveled across the western coast of the country, visiting wildlife refuges, and tropical isles along the way.
Said Carazo, “Our trip with Cruise West was excellent, with superb service and attention from the crew. Costa Rica is always beautiful and just as impressive from the ocean.”
What an honor it was to have President Carazo sail with us. We believe that all of our Quyana members deserve the presidential treatment and plan to honor them regularly in our Monday blog post. Check back often to meet more our extraordinary guests.
Taken from yesterday's journal of the Pacific Explorer. The ship is currently on Day 6 of their Coast to Canal cruise, which travels from Panama to Costa Rica.
Yesterday, we visited visit Golfo Dulce, which translates literally as “sweet gulf.” The eastern shores are protected by islands and peninsulas which form a perfect harbor within the gulf.
We spent time at Casa Orquídeas Botanical Gardens. This is a private botanical garden cultivated by long-time local residents Ron and Trudy McAllister.
The McAllisters have lovingly landscaped this homestead for over 20 years. They first planted fruit trees simply to survive. As self taught botanists, they have amassed a wonderful collection of tropical fruit trees, bromeliads, cycads, palms, heliconias, ornamental plants, and more than 100 varieties of orchids, where their garden gets it’s name.
Our naturalists led walks around this beautiful garden area. The walks involve general nature observation and appreciation of the exotic and native plants here in this wonderful place. All of the walks cover the same terrain and are rated as easy. There are benches around the garden for breaks. Some of our guests chose to explore Casa Orquideas on their own. While others relaxed onboard or took time to swim from the boat.
Submitted by John Kreilkamp, Vice President of Alaska Operations.
Yesterday my family got a treat.
Quyana Member, Ila G. arrived in Anchorage for her 16th cruise with Cruise West. She has sailed on almost all of our cruises and Prince William Sound is her favorite (her 4th trip to this area). Each year, she celebrates her birthday by giving herself a cruise with Cruise West. Because I had a previous engagement with my visiting family, I asked Andy Compton to take her out to dinner but to bring her over for a glass of wine first. He did and Ila delighted us all...she was in her prime....she held court over the gathering of my 12 relatives and they realized that they had met a rather significant person in history.
What makes her so special? Ila is a nuclear physicist. Not just any nuclear physicist but a pioneer physicist. Beginning in 1948, she worked at the Los Alamos research lab and was there for 34 years...she witnessed several atom bomb detonations in the Nevada Desert, she knew Robert Oppenheimer. She was one of the first women to work at the Los Alamos site in the post war development of the Bomb. Ila is fairly unpretentious...she disdains those who thought their work was too important. She recalled with a devilish wink when Oppenheimer went into a local restaurant with shorts on one day for lunch and the waitress, who noticed he was not wearing the required apparel refused to give him service....no slacks - no service.
Ila is celebrating her 82nd birthday with us on the Spirit of Columbia this weekend, she almost missed her cruise with us after last year's heart attack. Her doctor advised her not to go...but she told him if she was going to go, she would rather have it be in front of a glacier in Prince William Sound.
The Sheraton Anchorage upgraded her to a Jr. suite and last night she thoroughly enjoyed her Copper River Salmon at her favorite restaurant in town.
Submitted by Carisa Carnes, Product Manager for our Costa Rica & Panama Canal cruises. Carisa loves Costa Rica and spends every minute of her free time down there. Who better to manage this voyage for us? On the Coast to Canal itinerary we have added value to the Panama Canal day. After transiting halfway through the Canal from Panama City to Gatun Lake and the Gamboa Region aboard the dayboat Isla Morada, guests will now have included stops at the Miraflores Locks Visitors Center and a crafts market on the way back to the Pacific Explorer in Panama City.
This is the second of two reports, submitted by Sally Cannata, one of our Virtual Cruise presenters, following her cruise in Costa Rica aboard the Pacific Explorer.
Portobelo has amazing history and the expatriate guest speakers were very interesting. Tons of gold and silver passed through this tiny port in the 1500's and of course there is plenty of pirate lore. It is amazing that a place of such historic importance has not really been developed. The ruins are impressive, but tricky walking for some. The mangroves zodiac tour led by naturalists added to the variety of the day.
Panama Canal - I think a few folks were disappointed that we didn't pass through during the daylight, but I think most though it was fine. It was well lit and we had a great buffet on deck to enjoy the scenery during dinner. There was a wake-up list for the final set of locks and the Bridge of the America's which was beautifully lit at night.
Coiba National Park - the island Granito de Oro is named appropriately. It truly is like a golden nugget. Tiny island with a white sand beach, the perfect distance to kayak or snorkel all the way around. The current was pretty strong and a challenge for some. Alexandro not only a naturalist, but also an olympic hopeful in swimming, led a group around the island. I was impressed with the DIB operators/deck hands who circled the island and kept close watch on the snorkelers and kickers and had a ladder handy incase someone needed to get out. I should also mention that the zodiac operators were very safety conscious and were always there lending a hand every time we enter/exited the zodiacs. I have snorkeled in a lot of places and I really think that Granito de Oro is absolutely world class!
Golfo Dulce - Casa Orquideas was a beautiful lush tropical garden with amazing plants and I think Rudy could have spent all day with us talking about the plants & birds. The afternoon at Cana Blanca was just plain fun.
It is a rehabilitation center for tropical wildlife and we saw baby sloths and anteaters up-close as well as magnificent scarlet macaws, but I think the highlight was the mischievous monkeys who were friendly enough to hop into my lap. Everyone who wanted a hands-on experience got it.
This is the first of two reports, submitted by Sally Cannata, one of our Virtual Cruise presenters, following her cruise in Costa Rica aboard the Pacific Explorer.
I have to admit the weather was perfect. Sunny & warm. The snorkeling was phenomenal: sea turtles, sharks, even octopus, and loads of colorful fish.
The nature walks were fantastic as well: monkeys, sloths, coatis, and fascinating trees, bromeliads, & orchids. The canal was interesting, particularly the history (the Columbia & Snake River locks are actually more impressive to me!). We passed through at night but could still see the locks well. The visit to the Embera tribe in the Darien Jungle was certainly a highlight of the trip. The men wore loin cloths and the women were barebreasted wearing sarongs, the kids loved getting their pictures taken and looking at the digital cameras - basically it was unspoiled and felt like stepping into the pages of National Geographic, I think it had a great impact on everyone not to mention the competitive soccer game between the crew and the locals in the afternoon.
The food was better than I had remembered with 4 course lunches and dinners, menu's with several choices for all meals, and top notch fresh fish. The ratio of 1 naturalist per 15 guests in Costa Rica was great and all 5 naturalist were knowledgeable and interesting. Most crew members had a good command of the english language. The vessel was spotless and well kept.
Very comfortable lounge & library not to mention the fabulous outdoor areas on the top deck and creative nightly drink specials.
Sally Cannata (formerly Wenning) was a Cruise Coordinator/Naturalist with Cruise West for many years and nows lives in Missoula, Montana. We are thrilled that she continues to be involved with the company as one of our Virtual Cruise presenters. On March 21st & 23rd, she will be hosting two Virtual Cruise Presentations that will focus on Costa Rica. If you'd like to meet Sally online and hear more about her experience, be sure to sign-up.
videos 
booked guests 
I would like to thank Cruise West for my recent trip to Panama and Costa Rica. There were many highlights to my visit, but visiting the Embera village was the most exciting. It was quite amazing to realize that people can live quite simply and be so content with their surroundings. The people were obviously very proud and live their lives to the fullest without all the trimmings the rest of us seem to need or want. It makes you wonder have we really progressed or regressed in all that we have accomplished.
and made us all feel like part of his ‘on board’ family. The staff was definitely one of the important factors of a wonderful week. Jonathon, the bartender had us try a variety of new local concoctions and had us all very relaxed before the dinner hour. The dinners were all varied and we had plenty of choices each evening. All were delicious and beautifully presented. The pastry chef, Juan, was outstanding and a great dancer. We found that out the night of the fiesta. Cappy picked up a live band in one of the villages and we partied for several hours one evening. It was fun and I learned to salsa with our zodiac driver, Oldemar.
Just seventy-five miles north of the Panamanian border, Osa Peninsula juts out more than 50 kilometers (30 mi) into the Pacific. Even by local standards, the south is considered a wild region that includes the largest, most inaccessible national park and the most pristine tropical rainforest. 
The weather here in Seattle has been miserable for several months. Short days with non-stop rain and wind. Of course the rain leads to our beautiful green forests, but that doesn't console me when I'm bundled up trying to stay dry on my journey from my front door to the car. It's this time of year that I find myself dreaming about our warm weather cruises. I imagine a lazy day on the beach with a warm wind blowing and my feet digging a hole deep enough in the sand to find the cool spot just below the surface. Pure Heaven!
Recently, I posted a 
Sylvia Ryder has been cruising with Cruise West since the 1950s when she met Chuck West on a July 4th Alaska cruise he was running. She’s been a Cruise West fan ever since. Now 98, Sylvia has cruised with us at least six times. She and her daughter, Barbara, “Bobbie” Stoermer, have voyaged 
My local grocery store is having a big seafood sale right now, with Alaska prawns readily available. I love shrimp & prawns, but am not very original when it comes to preparation. While I love to eat great food, I'm not much of a Chef. So, when I need to really dazzle a crowd, I turn to our Vessel Culinary Manager, Doug Kramer for advice. Doug is always happy to help me and is even happy to share advice with our guests. I've published his 
Q: Where was your first trip with Cruise West? 
Guests aboard the December 7, 2005 
Yesterday, we visited visit Golfo Dulce, which translates literally as “sweet gulf.” The eastern shores are protected by islands and peninsulas which form a perfect harbor within the gulf. 
Yesterday my family got a treat. 
On the 