Help Needed - Back to back or panama canal

[darcoops]

Hi all,

Just looking for help. We recently traveled from Australia and completed our first ever cruise - Fantasy Western Caribbean. Why we didn't have much luck with our port adventures - cancelled due high seas (January 2017) we absolutely loved the cruise, but 7 nights wasn't long enough.

Anyway seen we loved WDW (But missed so much with only 9 day visit) & Disney Cruise so much, we have decide to break the bank & attempt to go again in 2019. Was thinking of the Panama Canal Cruise, due to its length being a 14 nighter from Port Canaveral which would also lessen the flight time back to Australia after a quick trip to Disneyland.

Therefore a couple of question / opinions I'm after,

Is the panama canal cruise worth it or back to back Caribbean/Bahamas the better option.

What is the average cost - would be looking at two inside connecting rooms for 2 adults & 3 kids.

Can I count on the departure from Port Canaveral having a stop at Castaway Cay.

& any other info you may have and what to share. Any info is appreciated.

 

[GoofyLovingFamily]

Everyone we have talked to loves Panama Canal. We hope to do it in 2019. It is a better price per night. Plus they do a lot more fun activities to fill in the extra sea days.

 

[Gilland18]

Our DCL Panama Canal cruise was my favorite trip of all time!

 

[Quellman]

You get to do WDW, a cruise then Disneyland. I'll do the Panama Canal over a back to back any day.

 

[darcoops]

You get to do WDW, a cruise then Disneyland. I'll do the Panama Canal over a back to back any day.

Yep, our trip to WDW/Disney Cruise earlier this year has certanily given us the travel bug. Thought that would be our families one only trip to WDW, thankfully I appear to be wrong!!!!

 

[Gilland18]

A part of why I voted Panama Canal, with a back to back you will be repeating shows and menus. On the Canal cruise you will have 14 different menus and each night the entertainment in the WDT will be different.

 

[princessmommyx3]

There is no guarantee that the Panama Canal cruise will stop at Castaway Cay in 2019. The 2017 westbound does not, but the 2018 westbound does, even though they both leave from Port Canaveral. It seems to be hit or miss.

 

[Flossbolna]

I would vote for Panama Canal. However, it is a different cruise experience: You will have far more sea days (something I loved), there will be less kids on board (about 200-300, so there will be others to have fun with for your kids if you have any, but there usually is far more attention from the CMs for the kids), there are special entertainment programs from classes about the Panama Canal, dancing classes, fun events like hide and seek with the officers. You will really get to know the crew members and other cruisers.

We did the Panama Canal cruise in 2014 and I wrote a very detailed trip report about it where I tried to explain the difference from a "standard" Disney cruise. There is a link in my signature (2014 Wonder WBPC and DL).

While I loved Castaway Cay on my first cruise, I did not miss it at all on the Panama Canal cruise (which was my second cruise). All the other special things on this cruise made missing Castaway Cay totally worth it.

 

[ImDMous]

We loved our Panama Canal cruise but it did NOT go to Castaway Cay. We did the west bound in 2014: Key West, Cozumel, Cartagena, Puerta Vallarta, Cabo. It was a great cruise, would love to do it again!

Edit: Hi Floss! We posted at the same time. I loved your trip report of our cruise!

 

[Geomom]

I'd vote Panama canal cruise as well--it's on my wish list for when my kids are both out of school...in 5 1/2 years. I think you'll find it cheaper to do the 1 long cruise vs. the back to back. As others have said, you'll have new shows/menus vs. repeating them in the back to back. I do like the thought of cutting down on your final flight time as well!

 

[GPaLarry]

Another vote for Panama Canal. That was our first DCL cruise in '08. Seven cruises later, with three in the Caribbean and a B2B Med./Trans., the Panama Canal cruise was truly unique. We were on the Magic and left from LA. Three stops in Mexico, thru the canal, Columbia, Aruba and CC...very unique itinerary. It appears it changes a bit with each crossing, east or west. If you like the Caribbean and Bahamas, go for the B2B. We enjoyed our cruises there but found they were very touristy and DCL does these almost non-stop year round. We are hoping DCL will offer a cruise or two to Hawaii again which might help your cause.

 

[clten]

While we love doing back-to-back 7 night cruises (we've done 10 of them), we'd give it up without a thought to do a Panama Canal cruise. We really enjoy the longer unique itineraries. There are so many special things they do on these longer cruises that make them very memorable -- how many times do they let adults have time in the Club/Lab without the kids? Or kids have a sleep-over? We've sailed through the canal twice and are in the planning stages of selecting a sailing to see the new canals. Along with the special entertainment they usually bring on board for these longer cruises as well as having different menus each night and no wasted time on a turnover day, I'd vote Panama Canal, hands down.

 

[ACDSNY]

Another vote for Panama. We did a couple of nights at WDW prior to our cruise, then 3 nights at Disneyland after and it was one of our all time favorite trips.

 

[Disneypeach]

I loved doing the WBPC in 2013! So much so that I'm going to do it again next year. One thing I've noticed is the PC cruises, when they are initially released, seem to be less expensive than some of the Caribbean cruises which are shorter...so that is an incentive for me to get the most cruise for my hard-earned dollars.

Plus the impressiveness of the canal itself is unique. Also, if we're lucky, Captain Puckett will be on the cruise as guest lecturer...he was a pilot on the canal for years and his lectures are wonderful...he packs the big theater because he's so popular.

 

[shoes99]

We have done two b2b and two PC. We also vote for PC but you have to watch the itinerary. We did the Eastern from San Diego to Galveston with no stop at Castaway Cay on DCL and we have done PC San Juan to Alcapulco on Princess. We love the longer cruises.

 

[GPaLarry]

Can't understand why they are leaving out CC on their crossings. That place is so special. Love finding the sunken Mickey & Minnie.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Can't understand why they are leaving out CC on their crossings. That place is so special. Love finding the sunken Mickey & Minnie.

Has to do with time involved to go there before actually heading "west", and whether that particular day already has a Disney ship there.

 

[jdb in AZ]

Our Panama Canal cruise in January, 2011, had scheduled a day at Castaway Cay but it was too windy to dock so we went on to Aruba and overnighted there.

Loved doing WDW, the Canal with DCL, then ending up in Disneyland.

 

[darcoops]

Thanks for the info, think the Canal wins hands down. DW & DD what to go Tiana's so hopefully it will be on the Wonder

 

[M<3'sMickey]

Another vote for the Panama Canal. BEST cruise we've ever taken. My dad was like a little kid on that cruise when we went through the canal. Even though it was pouring rain, he stood out on the deck in a poncho (DCL had given them out) and watched the whole thing. We got so many great pictures and when I was teaching my second graders about canals in Social Studies, I was able to show them the pictures so the could really see what it was like.

I'd do the Panama Canal cruise in a heartbeat.