This lovely cruise on the Celebrity Constellation captured the passage through the Panama Canal with visits to some of the best parts of the Mexican Riviera, Latin America, and the Caribbean. It visited the beach resort ports of Cabo San Lucas, Acapulco, and Huatulco in Mexico; the tropical rain forest in Puantorenas in Costa Rica; and the Caribbean port of Aruba known for its fine beaches, snorkeling, and excellent weather. This was in addition to the experience of visiting one the great wonders of the world, the Panama Canal.

Combining this with a four-star cruise ship with all its amenities made for a wonderful experience. Going through the canal can be experienced by staying on the ship (it takes 7 hours to tranverse the canal) or taking one of the many excursions from the ship while en route. The ship itself was a mid-size ship of 1,770 passengers, having comfortable rooms. We stayed in an ocean view room (170 square feet), which was more than adequate.

The ship itself had many facilities and activities to more than accommodate the most demanding passenger, especially on sea days between ports. We especially enjoyed the entertainment and food on board. In addition, the ship had a full activity menu for all ages and lifestyles. These included lectures, gaming, shows (a 700-person theater), a library, two pools, a wonderful spa, movie theater, computer classes, etc. The list goes on and on. My wife and I most enjoyed the relaxed ambiance of the ship and the wonderful places visited. Certainly a wonderful way to get away from the cold and frigid weather of the northeast United States.

Quick Tips:

The best way to book this cruise is at the last minute through one of the online travel sites. We booked this cruise 12 days before our departure at OnlineVacationCenter.com as a one-day-only sale. We also booked our airline reservation online with Southwest Airlines. This allowed us to get an economical last-minute reservation on short notice. We found a round-trip for less than per person using this site. Another tip is to book your hotel room before the trip to avoid the possiblity of airline delays on the day of your cruise. We stayed at the Holiday Inn in San Diego near the cruise terminal. In addition it is best to book your excursions before the trip using Celebrity cruises' website.

I would avoid packing excessive amounts of clothing. Particularly pack light summer clothing since most ports will be warm. Since there are informal as well as formal nights, I would suggest having at least one sport jacket for men and an evening dress for women. For formal nights one should have a dark suit or rent formal attire for men and more formal attire for women. I would recommend renting formal attire through the cruiseline before departing.

In addition, since most ports accept credit cards, take only a small amount of American currency for tips and small items. I would not get any pesos or other currency before the trip.

As for specific port suggestions:

Cabo San Lucas: Take a boat ride to Lovers Beach and Lands End. Lovers Beach is considered to be one of the best beaches in the world.

Acapulco: Take an excursion (booked through the ship) that tours Acapulco Bay and visits the site where the world-famous cliff divers dive from as high as 300 feet.

Huatulco: Take the two bays excursion. The snorkeling is some of the best in the Mexican Riviera.

Costa Rica: While in Costa Rica take the canopy tour through the tropical rain forest. Avoid going into the town of Puantorenas on your own since it can be dangerous.

Panama Canal: Stay on the ship for the Canal tour if you want to avoid the heat. A Panamanian tour guide will come on board for an audio tour.

Aruba: A beach or boat excursion is a must.

Best Way To Get Around:

In most cases take the ships excursions rather than explore around on your own.

Taxis are not recommended in most ports except for Aruba.