What's Special about the Panama Canal?

[cruisecrasher]

So far we've loved the 7-8 night cruises and are considering the Panama Canal over our son's birthday in 2016.
What is different on the multi week itineraries as compared to seven nights? Activities? Menus? Thanks in advance!

 

[cris0809]

All of it. More activities. More trivia. A different menu every night (no repeats). A special menu on the transit day. Different entertainers usually come aboard mid-cruise to provide more variety the second week. A specialist came aboard and did several talks in the theater leading up to the canal day about its history and how it works. Then there was narration throughout the 8 hour passage. There was also a bbq out on deck especially for this day.

Many, many fewer children on board the two week cruises so they get way more personalized attention. I know on ours last year they had a "real" sleepover instead of just the "PJ Party" they do on regular cruises.

Also the adults get the chance to take over the kid spaces late a night a couple of times and do activities. We painted animation cels and made Flubber.

All of this plus two full weeks to enjoy the ship. It was heaven!

 

[cruisecrasher]

Sounds awesome! Thanks!

 

[bobbiwoz]

A special treat on this year's WBPC cruise, whale sightings in the Pacific!

Bobbi

 

[firepuppy]

Thank you for the information. We are getting ready our 2 weeks of heaven. Did they offer any limited pins for the cruise?

 

[bobbiwoz]

Thank you for the information. We are getting ready our 2 weeks of heaven. Did they offer any limited pins for the cruise?

They did this May.

 

[jrabbit]

Whats Special???

• 14 days / nights of NO: Emails, Facebook or Texting!!
• 14 nights of: NO Shopping, Cooking or Cleaning
• 14 nights of terrific food - just remember to skip the elevators and take the stairs!!
• getting to know the crew - lots of special people working on the Wonder
• If you are lucky enough to have Captain Fabian and Cruise Director Jimmy - there will be no shortage of fun things to participate int
• If you have not been to South America before you get to "collect" another continent
• Lots of relaxing time ... at the pool, at the talks, at Bingo (if that's your thing), trivia contests, character meets ...
• Less than 300 people that are under the age of 18 onboard
• Seeing that amazing Engineering Feat that's called the Panama Canal (get a book with "before" pictures and bring them with you to get a real perspective of the "Culebra Cut" - just looking at where we sail .. "no big deal" BUT looking at "what was there before" - by connecting the mountains on each side of the canal -- and your jaw drops.

 

[cris0809]

[*]Less than 300 people that are under the age of 18 onboard

May 2013's official count was 181!

 

[kimerinc]

We had a boat making contest and got to go on a tour of the bridge. AWESOME!

 

[ksloane]

Oh my....I so dream of a Panama Canal cruise.......one day.....when I've retired from teaching.

 

[jrabbit]

May 2013's official count was 181!

I Know! I was there!!! Enjoying every minute.

On Castaway Cay Stayed on the EMPTY Family beach because "everyone" else was at the Adult Beach (we took the tram to Serenity Beach, took a quick look and headed back to the Family Beach).

 

[Nannabelle]

If you take the historic Panama Canal Full Transit be sure and read this book either before you leave or beginning on the flight to port. Tells the history and heart ache that went into the construction of the canal and the early days. Helps to put the entire trip into the amazing historic perspective and the engineering marvel that the Panama Canal is today!

The Path Between the Seas
Book by David McCullough

My favorite memory was 5:30am and our ship the Seven Seas Mariner (Regent) is moored just outside the Pacific entrance.... As I looked out our balcony I could see dozens of ships (freighters) waiting their turn to enter the locks. An incredible sight as the sun was just starting to rise.... The captain said they were likely waiting for their "Funds" to clear, no body enters the locks until they are paid IN FULL and funds cleared!

A favorite trip for sure !! Safe journey everyone

 

[LeslieG]

Oh my....I so dream of a Panama Canal cruise.......one day.....when I've retired from teaching.

Ah, yes. Me too.

 

[Evil Queen 2]

We had a boat making contest and got to go on a tour of the bridge. AWESOME!

Kimerinc - how recently did you cruise that you got a tour of the bridge? And was it available to anyone or did you have to be at concierge level?

We would love to have that opportunity.

I would even get off the verandah for that

 

[MinnesotaMouseketeers]

All the extra sea days (wife and I love them)
There was a retired pilot that worked the Panama Canal. He gave several talks on the history, had lots of slides, and had plenty of interesting and funny stories on what it was like to pilot a boat through the canal. And he had plenty of time to answer questions.
We had great table mates. One of them made a comment that it is strange that we are the younger crowd on a Disney ship. There were much fewer children and many more seniors.
We had length of cruise Rainforest Room passes and it was great using that each day. Wife talked me into it and I thought it would be a waste of money but I am a believer now.
There was plenty of entertainment for families and for the adults in the evening.
Went to a couple of the drink classes, one on beer and one on martini's. The bartenders doing each of those were very entertaining.

 

[timbonz]

All of it. More activities. More trivia. A different menu every night (no repeats). A special menu on the transit day. Different entertainers usually come aboard mid-cruise to provide more variety the second week. A specialist came aboard and did several talks in the theater leading up to the canal day about its history and how it works. Then there was narration throughout the 8 hour passage. There was also a bbq out on deck especially for this day. Many, many fewer children on board the two week cruises so they get way more personalized attention. I know on ours last year they had a "real" sleepover instead of just the "PJ Party" they do on regular cruises. Also the adults get the chance to take over the kid spaces late a night a couple of times and do activities. We painted animation cels and made Flubber. All of this plus two full weeks to enjoy the ship. It was heaven!

It sounds awesome, and now only 49 days till our Sep 12 cruise! We can't wait!

Tim

Disney Dream - 3 Nov 2013
Disney Wonder Panama Canal - 12 Sep 2014

Proud to be Kiwi's

 

[mom4fun]

Only 284 days until ours, may 2015. I am very excited about all of the adult activities but am getting a little nervous that our ds may be the only kid in vibe on the trip. Would love to hear if anyone has had experience with kids this age on this cruise.

 

[momof2n2]

I Know! I was there!!! Enjoying every minute. On Castaway Cay Stayed on the EMPTY Family beach because "everyone" else was at the Adult Beach (we took the tram to Serenity Beach, took a quick look and headed back to the Family Beach).

See... No CC next year.
I was so interested until we saw that piece?

 

[Heyriddle]

Oh my....I so dream of a Panama Canal cruise.......one day.....when I've retired from teaching.

Same here. I don't think taking two weeks off of school would be looked at kindly.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Only 284 days until ours, may 2015. I am very excited about all of the adult activities but am getting a little nervous that our ds may be the only kid in vibe on the trip. Would love to hear if anyone has had experience with kids this age on this cruise.

We are on the May 2015 Panama Canal. My older son will be 19 so he'll be too old for Vibe but my younger son will be 17 so he'll definitely be there. I've loosely kinda watched the meet thread. I don't FB so I don't keep up with the group happenings much. It hasn't seemed like a lot of teens onboard. I can say from experience the best Vibe groups my boys have been part of were the smaller, tighter groups of kids. My younger DS still talks to a few friends from 1 particular cruise. I know my son will be at the top of the age range but he's good to be friends with other ages. We homeschool so friends are friends and ages are numbers. The kids don't spend time separated by age groups so it's not in their nature to divide themselves that way. If that makes sense. LOL! Anywhoo, just so you know there will be at least 2 boys in Vibe for the Canal next May. WooHOO!