Will there ever be another DCL Panama Canal sailing?

[DisneYE]

Will there ever be another one?
I mean, I'm sure there's a chance for it happening *sometime* in the future.
But I mean in the next 2-5 years.

The Panama Canal cruise we did in 2022 was not only my favorite cruise ever - it's in the top 10 most memorable events in my life.
It was that special.
I know there's other cruise lines doing it but I don't think I'll ever sail non DCL - just not interested.
A few things annoy me about DCL but it's a special line and I'm just not in the mood of trying something else.

What do you all think? - please give me hope.

 

[bbn1122]

I hope someone responds positively. I always watch Panama Canal DCL videos, it looks so cool.
I too would love to go on one. It used to be the Wonder, but they are sending that ship to Hawaii and Austrailia these days.

 

[AquaDame]

Until they are moving the same ship between oceans they won't need to unfortunately. As long as they are happy with how the Wonder is performing, but not SO happy they decided to send the Magic through too, I think this is it for the foreseeable future.

 

[OKW Lover]

Why would you think there won't be one?

 

[happycamper47]

I know there's other cruise lines doing it but I don't think I'll ever sail non DCL - just not interested.

You need to consider a CL that is still going through the original locks and you will be more overwhelmed. That experience is amazing. The new locks are "blase" by comparison. We were fortunate enough to the EB and WB on the Wonder when it still fit in the old locks.

EDIT: We did the EB in 21 and that was the new locks.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I know there's other cruise lines doing it but I don't think I'll ever sail non DCL - just not interested.

Our first Panama Canal cruise (our first ever cruise) was on DCL. Five years later we took a Panama Canal cruise on Holland America, for the express reason to compare the two.

Both were great. Disney was lively and a fun experience. HAL had more onboard lecturers for the various ports. Also our HAL cruise was Boston to San Diego. The ship also loaded in Ft Lauderdale. Since the price was the same for both itineraries, we opted to start in Boston and it was GREAT having only half the complement of passengers onboard for the first 3 days.

 

[DCLMP]

It's understandable to have a special connection with a cruise line, especially after such a memorable experience. While it's hard to predict the future, there's always a possibility that Disney Cruise Line (DCL) could offer another Panama Canal sailing in the next few years. DCL is known for its unique itineraries, so there's hope that they might bring back this route based on demand and availability. In the meantime, you could keep an eye on their announcements or even reach out to DCL directly to express your interest in seeing another Panama Canal cruise.

"DCL is known for its unique itineraries" I have never heard anyone state that before.

 

[Royal Consort]

DCL is known for its unique itineraries, so there's hope that they might bring back this route based on demand and availability.

I'd say DCL is infamous for the opposite as one of the most restricted and predictable cruise lines in the entire industry.

 

[JM_97]

There was a rumor not long ago that in 2026, the Dream/Fantasy is going to sail Alaska and the Wonder would sail the Bahamas/Caribbean that summer. I don't know if that has any merit or not, but if that were to happen then you'd have some opportunities then.

 

[o&smom]

I have heard that rumor, too. Not sure that I believe it, but my husband sure does!

 

[mab2012]

The Panama Canal cruise we did in 2022 was not only my favorite cruise ever - it's in the top 10 most memorable events in my life.

What, not the 2020 WBPC? I though that was pretty memorable, myself.

Granted, for all the wrong reasons. But I don't think I will forget it anytime soon. Or ever.

No idea what DCL will do, but I also would like to see the PC crossings return.

 

[happycamper47]

Edit. Bad memory

 

[Clarkson U]

It's understandable to have a special connection with a cruise line, especially after such a memorable experience. While it's hard to predict the future, there's always a possibility that Disney Cruise Line (DCL) could offer another Panama Canal sailing in the next few years. DCL is known for its unique itineraries, so there's hope that they might bring back this route based on demand and availability. In the meantime, you could keep an eye on their announcements or even reach out to DCL directly to express your interest in seeing another Panama Canal cruise.

I would respectfully disagree - to me DCL is NOT known for unique itineraries at all - compared to other cruise lines. Anything unique sells out so fast because they rarely do them.

 

[JM_97]

I have heard that rumor, too. Not sure that I believe it, but my husband sure does!

Wonder is my favorite ship so I would love to have her closer to home

 

[auntlynne]

Maybe the lake will get some more water and frivolous cruises through the canal will resume. Or Disney will mix up their home ports and ships and you will get the opportunity.

In the meantime, consider something like the Island Princess through the old locks. It has recently come eastward, so possibly continuing in the future. That ship is more similar to the Magic and Wonder. Or maybe a smaller Celebrity. My DCL friends like that as the next step after so many Disney cruises. Or Holland America; it has an emphasis on music, if you are so inclined.

It could be hard to try something new for a 15-night cruise - but you’re not paying Disney prices. It will come down to whether the PC is that important to you or if it’s DCL + PC. And then there are the partial transits which mean you don’t have to do the Mexican Riviera / Pacific Ocean portion of a PC.

From my experiences (5 times on Princess), Princess is close to a non-Disney version of DCL. (I also cruised NCL, MSC, Royal, and Carnival, in that order of most nights).

 

[DCLMP]

I'd say DCL is infamous for the opposite as one of the most restricted and predictable cruise lines in the entire industry.

I've done 32 Disney cruises and quite a few repeats. Panama is the only itinerary I haven't done and that was due to Covid. I've run out of itineraries. Of course when I did them they were unique to me, but certainly not unique in the cruise industry.

I just finished a post cruise survey. They asked about regions I was interested in sailing too. Then they asked about three ports specifically Belize, Colon, Panama and one in Costa Rica and what I would be interested in doing in those ports. I wouldn't call any of those port unique, but Costa Rica would be fantastic with an overnight.

Long offseason cruises aren't really Disney's bread and butter.. I would love to see Disney go to South America, but those cruises are generally in the winter when kids are school. If they embarked out of South America in the winter I'm sure they would get that South American market. They get a strong South American presence at WDW in Jan- Feb.

Japan is so Popular I can't believe Disney is not putting a ship there with Tokyo Disney so close to the the port. Princess sails out of Japan all year. I don't think the hot Summers and Typhoons would keep families away.

 

[DCLMP]

I would respectfully disagree - to me DCL is NOT known for unique itineraries at all - compared to other cruise lines. Anything unique sells out so fast because they rarely do them.

Or it doesn't sell at all.

 

[Intr3pid]

Japan is so Popular I can't believe Disney is not putting a ship there with Tokyo Disney so close to the the port. Princess sails out of Japan all year. I don't think the hot Summers and Typhoons would keep families away.

They will, with Adventure. Neither RCL nor Celebrity keeps their ships in Singapore all year long.

 

[OpieDoodle]

Honestly, its really going to depend on the Wonder would be my assumption. If its doing REALLY WELL then they may send another ship over to keep up with the demand. The Panama canal cruises are repositioning cruises so although really cool only will happen if they move ships around.

Alaska seems to do decent for Disney but even looking at some of the sailings for this summer in peak time there is still 50+ rooms available on most of the sailings. So basically it would need to be more profitable to take another ship to Alaska versus sailing bahamas carribean for the peak summer months. Disney's bread and butter are those short 3/4 night saillings in the bahamas.

Then in the "off season" it doesn't appear that the Australia sailings are all that popular based on pricing I'm seeing for this year and room availability. So definitely not enough demand to keep another ship year round out there.

I've heard rumors of another ship heading that way in the near future to do the Alaska sailings but I don't know if that means moving the Wonder to the east coast or maybe even retiring her. Who knows.

 

[MonaMN]

Honestly, its really going to depend on the Wonder would be my assumption. If its doing REALLY WELL then they may send another ship over to keep up with the demand. The Panama canal cruises are repositioning cruises so although really cool only will happen if they move ships around.

Alaska seems to do decent for Disney but even looking at some of the sailings for this summer in peak time there is still 50+ rooms available on most of the sailings. So basically it would need to be more profitable to take another ship to Alaska versus sailing bahamas carribean for the peak summer months. Disney's bread and butter are those short 3/4 night saillings in the bahamas.

Then in the "off season" it doesn't appear that the Australia sailings are all that popular based on pricing I'm seeing for this year and room availability. So definitely not enough demand to keep another ship year round out there.

I've heard rumors of another ship heading that way in the near future to do the Alaska sailings but I don't know if that means moving the Wonder to the east coast or maybe even retiring her. Who knows.

It would be a toss up for them... if they sent another ship and that took the price down a bit, would more people choose to sail Disney to Alaska? Now, many people are priced out and decide to try another line... so would the volume play recover the extra ship cost?

I'm sure there are Disney data analysts who are pondering these very questions!