Carnival Panorama Trip Review: Day 5, on the Ship in Cabo San Lucas
Our Location
Carnival Panorama pulled into Cabo San Lucas as the sun rose and tender (water shuttle) operations started around 6:30am. To our surprise, a fair number of guests rallied for this early morning port call, taking advantage of the sunny weather in Cabo – despite the early call and 1pm all aboard time.
Our third port call in Cabo was just as warm and humid as the first two, making a cool dip in the Sea of Cortez at Medano Beach a popular visit for many. But our plan was to stay onboard, as with our last two ports.
Daily Highlight
What’s more awesome than waking up to a view of the Cabo arches? A pool deck covered in towel animals! It just never gets old and it’s one of those cruise traditions our family loves.
Our Day
Due to the propulsion issues the ship was experiencing, today’s call in Cabo would be short, with the last tender leaving the shore at 1:00pm.
It was another day on the ship for us, and as with Mazatlan & Puerto Vallarta, we had no regrets about this decision. We were saving money on shore excursions and finding creative things to do onboard, like taking photos on the open decks (with the gorgeous arches as a backdrop), and exploring every inch of the Sport & Activity areas the ship had to offer.
After getting some work done in my usual morning routine, I opted for another round of Huevos Rancheros at Blue Iguana, while admiring the view of the famous Arches.
September brings hot, humid conditions to this area of Baja, and today was no exception. Visiting Cabo later in the season, from November through April, you’re sure to encounter dry, sunny heat while the summer months are humid, and sometimes rainy. The desert-like hills were more green than usual, a sign that the rainy season was still in force.
I set up “blogging shop” by the pool deck today to enjoy the views and hang with the towel animals. I love watching the early morning fishing boats shooting out of the harbor at dawn in Cabo, and seeing Lover’s Beach completely empty. As the morning progressed, Medano Beach & Lover’s Beach started to buzz with water taxi activity and the water looked perfect for swimming.
What made our visit to Cabo San Lucas today different was that we were staying on the ship. Of all the ports, this one would have been the most tempting to grab a water taxi to the beach to cool off, because it was SO HOT, and we were really feeling the September humidity.
After breakfast, we filmed some episodes in our stateroom. The first, a cabin tips & hacks video is live, and offers some good tips for keeping your room tidy and getting the most of your space. We also filmed an episode about 10 free things you can do on Carnival Panorama, coming soon!
After a filming session, we headed out for a light lunch at the Lido Buffet, then dropped into the Havana Bar for a cocktail stop. The afternoon flew by, and soon, we were prepping for formal night.
Drink of the Day
I deliberated over the cocktail menu at the Havana Bar. Not sure if I wanted a classic mojito, or something else, the bartender helped me to settle on the Papa Doble. For $10.50, this one was made of bacardi superior, grapefruit juice, maraschino liqueur & fresh lime juice. SO yum!
Venue of the Day
Mr. CruiseTipsTV and I popped up to the Serenity Bar to check to see if there were any spots we’d missed when taking videos earlier in the cruise. The bar staff was so friendly, and the bar SO clean, that we couldn’t help but settle in for a diet coke and a refreshing Coconut Martini. This bar serves special sangrias, refreshing frozen drinks, and even a selection of skinny drinks. We hung out for a while here chatting with a friend until the ship’s horn blew signaling our departure from Cabo San Lucas (you can’t miss it- the horn is positioned RIGHT in the Serenity area), then headed back for formal night cleanup in the stateroom.
Foodie Fun
Formal Night Dinner was a treat today! Our waiters got their groove on (go Edy!), and we got to dine on filet mignon, garlic grilled shrimp & teriyaki salmon. Menus for this cruise are coming soon!
Activities we Missed Today
Silent Nights, Carnival’s new Silent Disco was held on the Lido Deck this evening. Unfortunately, the event started at 10:15pm, but we were in bed by 9:00pm. I love that Carnival held this event outdoors, under the balmy evening skies and I hope we can attend next time!
We popped in to the Liquid Lounge for a few moments and caught a glimpse of the production show, Celestial Strings. The music was contemporary and a nice break from typical the motown and decades production that can become a bit played on cruises. Tunes like Alanis Morissette’s “Uninvited”, incredible costumes, and the drama of the cast being positioned in amongst the audience on the lower level of the theatre prompted us to strive for a visit to this show the next evening. I can see why this show repeats multiple evenings!
Fun Fact
Cabo, San Lucas hosts some of the biggest and most rewarding (think MILLION$ in prize money!) fishing competitions in the world.
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