DCL Panama Canal Florida-Los Angeles?

[tetera]

I know DCL has done Galveston-San Diego Panama Canal cruises, but I saw that Norwegian Cruise Line does a Miami-Los Angeles cruise - has DCL ever done anything like this with regard to Florida-Los Angeles sailings?

 

[yowcruiser]

I know DCL has done Galveston-San Diego Panama Canal cruises, but I saw that Norwegian Cruise Line does a Miami-Los Angeles cruise - has DCL ever done anything like this with regard to Florida-Los Angeles sailings?

DCL has done Florida to San Diego in the late 2010s and they did LA to Miami last in 2012

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I know DCL has done Galveston-San Diego Panama Canal cruises, but I saw that Norwegian Cruise Line does a Miami-Los Angeles cruise - has DCL ever done anything like this with regard to Florida-Los Angeles sailings?

Our first DCL Panama Canal cruise (2007) was Port Canaveral to Los Angeles. Our HAL Panama Canal was advertised as Boston to San Diego OR Ft Lauderdale to San Diego. We opted for the Boston departure because the cost was the same for both cruises.

I believe DCL decided that Galveston to the west coast was a better option, time-wise and cost-wise.

 

[tetera]

Our first DCL Panama Canal cruise (2007) was Port Canaveral to Los Angeles. Our HAL Panama Canal was advertised as Boston to San Diego OR Ft Lauderdale to San Diego. We opted for the Boston departure because the cost was the same for both cruises.

I believe DCL decided that Galveston to the west coast was a better option, time-wise and cost-wise.

Thank you so much! Both Port Canaveral to Los Angeles AND Boston to San Diego sound amazing!

I'd imagine DCL is probably pretty well-set on Galveston to the west coast based on time and cost, as you said...but won't stop me hoping that they may repeat either of the above two cruises at some point in the future!

 

[JM_97]

Magic is doing a Panama Canal from Port Canaveral to San Diego next year.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Magic is doing a Panama Canal from Port Canaveral to San Diego next year.

Oooooo..... gotta go talk to my husband!

 

[Kwami]

Oooooo..... gotta go talk to my husband!

Good luck. It's been sold out for a long time now.

EDIT: Actually, it looks like the Panama Canal cruise next year is from Galveston to SD, not from Port Canaveral. I don't see any others on the schedule.

 

[o&smom]

Our first PC was from Port Canaveral to San Diego in 2017. 2020 left out of New Orleans. Our last one, in 2023, left out of Miami. Next year we leave out of Galveston.

 

[JM_97]

Our first PC was from Port Canaveral to San Diego in 2017. 2020 left out of New Orleans. Our last one, in 2023, left out of Miami. Next year we leave out of Galveston.

Panama Canal is one of my bucket list trips.

 

[OKW Lover]

Many years ago (May 2013) we did Panama Canal on the Wonder. We sailed from Miami to Long Beach for 14 nights. Really enjoyed it!

 

[Flossbolna]

Many years ago (May 2013) we did Panama Canal on the Wonder. We sailed from Miami to Long Beach for 14 nights. Really enjoyed it!

That must have been the last one to Long Beach then. We did Miami to San Diego in 2014. 15 days. Wonderful cruise!

 

[Ralph&Pam]

Magic is doing a Panama Canal from Port Canaveral to San Diego next year.

I believe it is Galveston to San Diego, not Port Canaveral-SD. We have it booked. Departs from Galveston on Easter Sunday, 2026.

 

[readyplayer]

We sailed May 2005 on the Magic's inaugural crossing of the Panama Canal from Port Canaveral to Los Angeles.

 

[LAS2AMS]

Disney utilized the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro, not Long Beach. Long Beach had been exclusive to Carnival since that line developed it for cruise ships just over two decades ago.

 

[OKW Lover]

Disney utilized the Port of Los Angeles in San Pedro, not Long Beach. Long Beach had been exclusive to Carnival since that line developed it for cruise ships just over two decades ago.

That could have been the end of our cruise. I don't have documentation of which port it was and just assumed it was Long Beach.

 

[jdb in AZ]

In January of 2011 we went to WDW, boarded the Wonder at Port Canaveral, and cruised to Los Angeles and went to Disneyland. Fun way to get our Disney fix!

 

[JM_97]

I believe it is Galveston to San Diego, not Port Canaveral-SD. We have it booked. Departs from Galveston on Easter Sunday, 2026.

Don't know why I thought it was from Canaveral. Either way, I'm very jealous!

 

[jdb in AZ]

Does DCL use the larger set of locks in Panama now? When we cruised the Canal, the Wonder was the largest ship to squeeze through the older locks, before PanaMax became available. IIRC the Magic is two inches shorter than the Wonder, so the Magic would be the 2nd-largest ship to go through the older locks. A Canal "pilot' was in charge of navigating the locks, while the ship captain stood by. Even with the pilot's expertise the Wonder scraped here and there (small chunk of concrete was found in a port hole), and the ship needed cosmetic repairs in the next port.

Also, each passenger was charged $500 to use the Canal (it was part of our cruise fare.) DCL paid a premium to use the Canal during the daylight hours instead of sailing overnight and missing the views. Anyway, does anyone know what the going rate is now?

 

[lanejudy]

Does DCL use the larger set of locks in Panama now?

I don't believe any of the DCL ships fit through the old locks anymore. The Wonder was the last to be fitted with a ducktail and that was held off until after the new locks opened.

 

[allashore]

we were on the Magic Dec 2023 Panama Canal cruise from San Diegeo to Galveston, used the new locks