January 2 through January 5, 2013 -Panama Canal Cruise

Wednesday, January 2, 2013, Tom and I left Taneytown and headed off for the airport in Baltimore.  We were going to travel a little differently this winter.  We spent the night at La Quinta Inn.  We met up with friends Dave and Libby Hagan and had dinner at G & M Restaurant, a well-known crabcake restaurant.
Thursday (3rd) after a breakfast at the hotel we were off to the airport at 6:20am.  We had some gels and lotions taken out of our carry-ons.  We had been careful to keep liquids out but obviously we couldn't even have a tube of toothpaste or shaving foam.  By 8:30am we were boarded on the plane but the air traffic at the airport was so heavy that it took about 45 minutes to get off the ground.  We arrived in San Diego, Ca. at 11:30am (PT).  We were met by Celebrity Cruise personnel at the airport and transported by bus to the pier.  Herded like cattle through one line after another we finally got on board the Celebrity Century ship about 2pm.  We were able to get lunch on board after finding our state room- 4006.  Dave and Libby Hagan were in room 4000.  Bruce and Cricket McGinnis, the trip planner, were on board and we met them on a stairwell.  During the mandatory muster drill we found Jimmy and Rose MacBlane, Beth's parents, sitting in the row in front of us.  At 5pm the ship left the dock and our 15 day cruise was underway.  At 6pm we dined in the Grand Restaurant and met our waiter, Vernon, and his assistant, Ruben.  These 2 would be serving our dinners for the entire cruise as we were assigned to a specfic table for this meal.  At 9pm we were entertained in the Theater with a show performed by the ship's entertainers.
Friday (4th) we were up at 6:30am although we thought that it was 7:30.  We had a time change during the night from Pacific time to Mountain time loosing 1 hour.  This day was a sea day.  After breakfast we walked around the upper deck for about 2 miles and then we just explored where things were on the ship.  We did attend a talk about the activities/tours on the first 3 ports of call.  An Art Auction was being held on board that we attended (free Champagne!!!)  In the afternoon we watched the movie "Dark Shadows".  This evening was the first formal night.  After dinner we were welcomed on board by Captain George Iatrou, the Master of Century with a champagne toast.  The nights showtime was Dance Around the World.  The aerial/Vadagio duo were indeed the show stoppers with their aerial performance.
Saturday (5th) after breakfast we went to the Fitness Center and used the treadmills.  At 11:30am we arrived in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.  We did not go on any tours of this area.  We did get off the ship (from this port we had to be tendered from the ship) and walked about the harbor area.  Like all areas of Mexico we were approached by numerous street vendors selling "silver" very "cheep", "almost free".  At 6:30pm as we were having dinner the ship departed Cabo San Lucas.  The nights entertainment was Gossamer Magic- Peter Gossamer, a magician and comedian.  And later in one of the lounges there was a 50's party that a group of us attended.