Cruise the Panama Canal, Caribbean,
Aruba,  Page 2
Text and Photos
By Nancy Santry
Nancy Santry Photos
Cruise Caribbean
Page Two
The next day we arrived in
Aruba. This island is made
for tourists. The ship docks
right downtown and usually
stays late into the night.
Public transportation
makes it very easy to get
around this island.
We Cruised the
Panama Canal,
Caribbean, and Aruba
In April my husband
George and I took a
10-day cruise on the
Holland America
ship Zuiderdam. The
ship was wonderful
as we have come to
expect from Holland
America Cruise Lines.
Cruise to Aruba, the Caribbean, and to the Panama Canal
Cruise through the Caribbean to
the Panama Canal
Text and Photos Nancy Santry
After a day at sea we arrived at the area to get into position for going through the Panama Canal. The
Panama Canal is the only place in the world that the captain’s control of his vessel is surrendered to the
Canal Pilot.
The Panama Canal was built for cargo ships to save time by not having to go around South America to
reach the Pacific Ocean. Today’s ships save at least 26 days by using the canal.
On this cruise we were only going half way through the canal. We were in the Caribbean Sea having to
go through three locks to get to Lake Gutan, which is at a higher level than the Caribbean Sea.  It’s
amazing how the raising and lowering of the ship in the locks is done with water and gravity.
It took about fours hours to get through the locks and back to the Caribbean Sea to head on to Costa Rica
our next port of call. It would have taken 8 to 10 hours to reach the Pacific Ocean going through the canal.

We arrived the next morning in Costa Rica. Costa Rica is a third world country with the average salaries
being around $5,000 a year. The government is working hard to bring up the standard of living for its
people by providing education and health care.
The next day we arrived at
Curacao. I love this Island.
First timers should take a tour
of the Island to see as much
of it as their can. Downtown
are great shops and cafés to
have a drink and enjoy the
opening and closing of "Big
Emma" the floating bridge
The resort area we didn't get to see, I was told it was a few hours away from where the ship docked. We
arranged to go to a pineapple plantation during our visit. It was a interesting tour with plenty of fresh
pineapples to enjoy.
We arrived back in Fort Lauderdale two days later and caught our flight back to Boston on Jet Blue with
wonderful memories of the people and countries we visited.
George was thrilled he got to see the Panama Canal again. The last time he went through the canal he was
a cadet on the training ship at Mass Maritime.
If You Are Flying To a Cruise Destination,  Save Time and Money On Air Travel  look into the
hotels that offer free airport parking for two weeks after a one night stay.  hotels in 60 US cities
and hundreds of others worldwide.
Nancy A. Santry has worked for a large
newspaper, a cable television station and
currently working in the art department of a major
Photographing first as a hobby and now in her
own small business, Nancy's photographs have
won many art show honors and have been
published in Tourism brochures.
Nancy concentrates on photographing New
England scenes but also loves traveling and
photographing in Europe.
Nancy’s web site
Cruise Articles by Nancy Santry
Custom Search
We Cruised the Panama Canal, Caribbean, and
Aruba.
In April my husband George and I took a
10-day cruise on the Holland America ship
Zuiderdam.
We Cruised the Panama
Canal, Caribbean, and Aruba
in April on a 10-day Holland
America cruise ship
Zuiderdam Vacation.
Bookmark this Page Press Ctrl - D
or Share With Friends
Custom Search