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

[dclpluto]

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.

Yes next year the Panama Canal is cheaper in April but more expensive in October than 7 night on fantasy.

 

[arlopop]

We are on the EBPC in five weeks. We debated it for a while. We had already done Cabo and PV previously, but the sea days sucked us in (we much prefer them.) We made arrangements with the kids' school to do independent study for the two weeks they'll miss - the school was happy to accommodate us. The cost was reasonable considering the length. And we live in California so we only needed a flight back from MCO to San Diego - Alaska Airlines priced it right for us (less than $900 total for all five of us non-stop.)
But the kicker was that the Wonder IS getting the ducktail and that means this is the last DCL passage thru the old locks. That made it feel special.

I think that we would have rather done a TA, to be honest, but the flight costs were just too much to not spend more time there either pre or post cruise, and the school wasn't prepared to offer more than two weeks of time away for the kids. So PC won.