Curiousity: What is the draw of the Panama Canal cruise?

[MickeyEarrings]

good information in here....the wifey and I just booked our panama canal cruise (westbound for next year) kind of excited to cartenhenga to be honest, and the wonder refurb.

Then come and join our cruise meet group! We have a boatload of activities planned already!

http://www.disboards.com/threads/wonderous-adventures-on-the-panama-canal-4-23-17.3501657/

 

[dclpluto]

You can get 2 weeks on the wonder for about the same price as one week on the fantasy.

 

[Linda67]

We are doing the WBPC in 2017 and simply can't wait!
We haven't sailed this itinerary before but after hearing about how cool it is from previous cruisers and reading many TRs, we just had to do it
The price was great for 14 nights and we love sea days so perfect for us

 

[bobbiwoz]

For us, it's about the canal! We've done WBPC on DCL, and 1/2 way through on Princess where we got off in Panama and did an up close excursion at one of the locks. (Also stopped in Costa Rica which was wonderful!). We're on DCL's EBPC next year. We were in a bus that was next to one of the new locks, it was mind boggling!

We are retired, so we do have the time, and want to do these things while we can.

 

[Simba One]

The length of the cruise, the low price, the lack of kids and of course the canal!

 

[CM Dad]

I got interested in cruising the Canal because of its history (which is funny, because I hate history!). It hasn't changed at all in over 100 years, and still does its job as well as it did on day one. As you read a few books about the building of the Canal, the human story is overwhelming...so much death and loss.

If you cruise the canal in the future, it may not be the same as it was for the last 100 years. They just opened the new larger locks that were just completed. I have no idea which set of locks will be used by whatever ship Disney uses in the future for the Panama canal repositionings. If the Wonder get the same ducktail addition that the Magic got in its drydock, It sill have to be the new locks. We the the WBPC back in January 2011. I might want to do this again just to see the new locks.

 

[MickeyEarrings]

If you cruise the canal in the future, it may not be the same as it was for the last 100 years. They just opened the new larger locks that were just completed. I have no idea which set of locks will be used by whatever ship Disney uses in the future for the Panama canal repositionings. If the Wonder get the same ducktail addition that the Magic got in its drydock, It sill have to be the new locks. We the the WBPC back in January 2011. I might want to do this again just to see the new locks.

I know. I'm hoping for no duck tail.

But if I do go through the new locks, I will do a partial transit in another line to see the original locks.

 

[cgolf]

For us it is the draw of the canal My in laws did this trip on HAL and loved it. Once our DD gets out of college we will be checking this one off our bucket list. The sea days don't hurt either, DCL handled them really well on the 16 night Hawaii trip.

 

[MPS516]

DW is big on ports, me its sea days, DD's will do anything just to get a cruise. For us it is such a great cruise for the length to price and the canal, it was fascinating. DW had enough to do that she never complained about the number of sea days and said she would do it again so we booked to go through the expanded canal. I would like to do a TA but know the water and weather could be much worse than the PC which was perfect on one of our sailings and we sailed around a hurricane on the other in the Pacific which did not seem to bother us at all except having to change a port due to damage.

 

[Ofinn]

This is true - the 15 night EBTA is a lot cheaper per night plus an extra night and better ports.

In the past the Fall EBPC has been discounted. If they do that again I would do it. At the current price it's not a big draw for me.

 

[belac]

Longer days away from the real world (we don't opt for the internet packages). Easier flight arrangements (shorter flight time & flight costs anyway compared to TA) and the wonder (no pun intended) of the masterful engineering of the locks.

 

[tvguy]

I agree, the sea days would be the draw of a Panama Canal cruise. Just like I hope to do the San Diego to Hawaii and back cruise some day on HAL, just for the 5 days at sea going and 5 days at sea coming back. My mom did a repo cruise on Celebrity, where the ship was moved from Honolulu to Alaska. It cost her $100 for 5 days at sea on top of the fare she paid for 7 days around Hawaii. Unlike Disney, repo cruises apparently aren't popular on Celebrity. She said there were very few passengers on that leg of the trip, and she really felt pampered.

 

[elvispursley]

You can get 2 weeks on the wonder for about the same price as one week on the fantasy.

I had no idea that they were about the same! Is that for the same type of room (e.g. balcony to balcony or is it say balcony on fantasy to inside on the PC cruise)? I always assumed this cruise would be so much more than the 7-day cruises that I honestly never even priced one. But I have to say, since we've taken a DCL, my husband who thought he would hate cruising, actually stated it was one of his best vacations ever! I always have wanted to do this cruise, simply for the length of the cruise.

Has anyone here ever taken their older kids (like 10-12 yr old)? Just curious how older kids tend to do on a cruise this length. I know mine would be doing school work along the way, but wonder if they could get "cabin" fever?

 

[tlprice]

I would love to do the Panama Canal cruise to go through the canal. I teach about it and would love to one day actually experience it. Unfortunately, as a teacher, the PC schedules do not work for me. Someday!

 

[KalamityJane]

In the past the Fall EBPC has been discounted. If they do that again I would do it. At the current price it's not a big draw for me.

Probably not this year as it's an August cruise. I would like to do the EBPC due to it being Halloween though (if it is over Halloween).

 

[CM Dad]

I had no idea that they were about the same! Is that for the same type of room (e.g. balcony to balcony or is it say balcony on fantasy to inside on the PC cruise)? I always assumed this cruise would be so much more than the 7-day cruises that I honestly never even priced one. But I have to say, since we've taken a DCL, my husband who thought he would hate cruising, actually stated it was one of his best vacations ever! I always have wanted to do this cruise, simply for the length of the cruise.

Has anyone here ever taken their older kids (like 10-12 yr old)? Just curious how older kids tend to do on a cruise this length. I know mine would be doing school work along the way, but wonder if they could get "cabin" fever?

i just did quick check on the EBPC for my wife and myself for Oct 27, 2017.
Deluxe Ocenview stateroom with Verandah (07A) would be $5551.76 for the 14 night cruise
The 7 night Western Caribbean on the Fantasy would be $3726. for a 05D
To get 14 Nights on the Fantasy, we could book a B2B by adding the Nov 4 cruise for $3836.02

So it is cheaper per night for the Canal cruise, but not not the same total cost as a one week on the Fantasy.

The WBPC we did in 2011 was just my wife and I (and it was in January back then). There were very few kids on board since it was during the school year. If I remember correctly, I think we were told that there only about 200 kids total on the ship. Most of those where either too young for school, or home schooled.

 

[Ofinn]

i just did quick check on the EBPC for my wife and myself for Oct 27, 2017.
Deluxe Ocenview stateroom with Verandah (07A) would be $5551.76 for the 14 night cruise
The 7 night Western Caribbean on the Fantasy would be $3726. for a 05D
To get 14 Nights on the Fantasy, we could book a B2B by adding the Nov 4 cruise for $3836.02

So it is cheaper per night for the Canal cruise, but not not the same total cost as a one week on the Fantasy.

The WBPC we did in 2011 was just my wife and I (and it was in January back then). There were very few kids on board since it was during the school year. If I remember correctly, I think we were told that there only about 200 kids total on the ship. Most of those where either too young for school, or home schooled.

I was waiting from someone to fact check that. The PC cruises used to be a really good deal...not so much next year. I don't consider 7,800 for an ocean view for family of 4 to be particularly great price for a repositioning cruise with very weak ports. You have to really like sea days for this to be a good deal.

Probably not this year as it's an August cruise. I would like to do the EBPC due to it being Halloween though (if it is over Halloween).

Actually they did have all kinds of discounts on the August cruise this year. They released them a couple months ago. They are not available anymore. When DCL prices cruises really high they tend not to sell out I think that's what you saw with the August cruise. I can't imagine cruising through Panama in August...way too hot.

 

[MinnesotaMouseketeers]

The canal itself followed by the length of cruise. I have always been interested in the whole idea of the construction of the canal. They had a retired Panama Canal ship pilot on board leading up to and while sailing through the canal. He had several presentations in the Walt theater presenting; everything Panama Canal, taking questions during each presentation. Full of interesting information and had a lot of funny stories. This was the 2011 Wonder west bound trip.

 

[CM Dad]

I was waiting from someone to fact check that. The PC cruises used to be a really good deal...not so much next year. I don't consider 7,800 for an ocean view for family of 4 to be particularly great price for a repositioning cruise with very weak ports. You have to really like sea days for this to be a good deal.

I looked back at my old email, and found the quote from our TA for the 2011 WBPC cruise. We booked the cruise in Oct 2009. I was going to check the price for the same room category for the next WBPC cruise, but no veranda rooms are available. If I look at a similar 05A on deck 7 for the EBPC on Oct 2017, the cost would be $6531.76.

Looks like the price may have actually gone down from the $8286.36 we paid back then




Embark: January 6, 2011
Disembark: January 21, 2011

15 night Panama Canal Cruise
Disney Wonder
--------------------------------------------------------------------

Ocean view w/ Verandah – Category 5A – Stateroom #7538Approx 268 sq ft – w/split bath – Deck 7
Cabin Total: $8286.36


____________________________

15 Night Westbound Itinerary:
Depart Port Canaveral
Castaway Cay
Day at Sea
Day at Sea
Aruba
Day at Sea
Panama Canal
Day at Sea
Costa Rica
Day at Sea
Day at Sea
Manzanillo
Puerto Vallarta
Cabo San Lucas
Day at Sea
Arrive Los Angeles

 

[Ofinn]

I looked back at my old email, and found the quote from our TA for the 2011 WBPC cruise. We booked the cruise in Oct 2009. I was going to check the price for the same room category for the next WBPC cruise, but no veranda rooms are available. If I look at a similar 05A on deck 7 for the EBPC on Oct 2017, the cost would be $6531.76.

Looks like the price may have actually gone down from the $8286.36 we paid back then




Embark: January 6, 2011
Disembark: January 21, 2011

15 night Panama Canal Cruise
Disney Wonder
--------------------------------------------------------------------

Ocean view w/ Verandah – Category 5A – Stateroom #7538Approx 268 sq ft – w/split bath – Deck 7
Cabin Total: $8286.36


____________________________

15 Night Westbound Itinerary:
Depart Port Canaveral
Castaway Cay
Day at Sea
Day at Sea
Aruba
Day at Sea
Panama Canal
Day at Sea
Costa Rica
Day at Sea
Day at Sea
Manzanillo
Puerto Vallarta
Cabo San Lucas
Day at Sea
Arrive Los Angeles

Interesting. Ive only looked at prices the last couple of years. Ive also never priced out cruises for 2. The price for the 3rd and 4th passenger in the room can vary a lot on DCl. Ive noticed from pricing out other cruiselines that they charge very little for the 3rd and 4th passenger. Our kids fare on our upcoming carnival cruise was 175.00. Dcl charges almost as much as the first 2 passengers. Maybe when the kids are gone dcl will be affordable again.