Panama Canal: an unconventional crossing on a unique vessel - Cruise of the Month

Cruise Travel, Nov-Dec, 2002 by Jim Kerr

Neither geography nor geology, interesting subjects though they be, were on my mind one hot February afternoon when I boarded Radisson Seven Seas Cruises' Radisson Diamond. An impending voyage would take us along South America's Caribbean coast and through the incomparable Panama Canal to rain-forested jungles, but somehow the academic mindset for such a journey just wasn't there--at least not yet.

After all, it was Carnival time in Aruba. Colorful floats, musicians and costumed dancers snaked through the downtown streets of Oranjestad. And as thousands of plumed and painted revelers whirled by to the beat of whistles and drums, we were too busy vying for camera angles to think about our departure from this island just east of Venezuela. English and Spanish blended with Papiamento, Amba's hybrid language, on an island where cactus and mesquite grew over miles of arid, desert-like terrain. I gave little thought then to the radical changes in scenery that would unfold over the next eight days--an odyssey through both natural and manmade history that would, in effect, transport us through a few million years of Mother Earth's existence.

In retrospect, it seems fitting that a ship with a somewhat alien appearance should take us on this diverse and specialized voyage through space and time. One of the few ships offering seven- and eight-day cruises from Aruba to Costa Rica through the Panama Canal, the Radisson Diamond, viewed from the side, looks like a modem, but conventional, cruise ship, resplendent in gleaming white and blue trim with a vertical profile rising nine decks. The radical distinction, however, arises from a bow or stern angle. She is a 420-foot/350-passenger giant catamaran, resting on two narrow hulls. Each has a submerged, computer-controlled fin, which significantly negates the rolling effects of the sea, a feature that would prove its worth later in the cruise. The innovative SWATH (Small Waterplane Area Twin Hull) design, which gives the ship a deep draft of about 25 feet and contributes to a relatively slow speed of 12.5 knots, also provides a wide beam of 103 feet and a lot of open deck space.

Built at Finnyards OY in Rauma, Finland, and launched in 1992, the ship turns heads wherever she goes on her around-the-world itineraries. In November, she repositions from Europe to the Caribbean, and nowhere is she more remarkable. In a land punctuated by colonial history, primitive indigenous natives, untamed jungles, and a canal whose locks afford her a scant three-and-a-half-feet clearance on either side, the Radisson Diamond is unique among all other vessels.

"She was originally built for charters, with luxury and individual attention in mind," said Harald Bernberger, the ship's hotel director. "She was also built for stability and for people who are dubious about cruising. At the same time, our mission is to provide high quality and a level of service where just being nice isn't enough."

The objective was evident the minute we boarded. A smartly dressed and congenial stewardess, one of 206 officers and crew, showed us to a 193-square-foot balcony stateroom on deck 7. The balcony itself was another 50 square feet and totally private, a feature we would thoroughly enjoy every day in the tropical climate. The large dining room was the next delight. The ship has an open-seating, no-reservation policy for dinner from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m., with a wide assortment of table configurations for whatever mood you might be in, and a highly professional dining-room staff. We never sat at the same table twice, and joined new friends for dinner when we desired. And we were delighted one evening by the alternative restaurant, Don Vito's Trattoria, where a five-course Italian dinner was punctuated throughout by a spirited performance from the dining-room staff.

The ship's mission also includes minimal concern for extra costs. There was no charge for Don Vito's food and entertainment, no charge for staple items such as bottled water, and absolutely no tipping anywhere on the ship. Our cabin stewardess also supplied our stateroom refrigerator and bar with our favorite drinks.

We had spent Saturday night at the Radisson Aruba Resort, and Sunday morning playing golf at Aruba's desert-by-the-sea Tierra del Sol course, so when Monday morning rolled around, we were just rising and stretching our limbs on the veranda when the ship pulled into Curacao, our first stop. We opted for an animal encounters snorkeling trip rather than shopping and sightseeing in already familiar Willemstad. Later, when the ship slipped down the harbor channel toward the open Caribbean, I felt my first twinge of anticipation. The soft twilight lit the Dutch architecture of the waterfront buildings as we turned west toward Latin America. Cartagena, Colombia's walled and historic city, lay ahead. But first, a day at sea--and some mind-opening information about where we were going.

Most of the seats in the Constellation Center lecture hall were full for the first of three lectures by Dr. David Pasta, a retired oil industry geophysicist and geologist. A ship's profile on passengers identifies most as age 45 and up, well-educated and experienced travelers, whose motivation for frequent cruising is based mainly on destination and itinerary. The morning lecture on "plate techtonics" held their attention. It dealt with the formation of the Caribbean and the resulting biodiversity of the Central American region where we were headed--a land where converging geological plates once squeezed together, forming an isthmus with an astounding variety of plant and animal life.