Will there ever be another DCL Panama Canal sailing?

[nancipants]

I hope so. We did the WBPC in October and it was one of the best vacations I've ever taken.

 

[DCLMP]

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

Celebrity sails out of Japan in the Summer. I'm not interested in Singapore.

 

[minniebeth]

I hope so! It's the one itinerary I waited to do forever! We were booked on the WPC cruise last October, but my DH was hospitalized before the trip so we couldn't go~ Fingers crossed one day!!

 

[DisneYE]

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.

Yeah, that too, but for the wrong reasons for us, specifically. IYKYK
Some on here know

 

[DisneYE]

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.

CL being Carnival or Celebrity?
We only sail bc our DD's love affair with DCL. And while I enjoy cruising, it's not something I would do on my own or with DW at the moment.. of course, things can change so maybe.
But our DD is now 18 and won't ever entertain other lines (her argument: "I'm only loyal to Disney" )
She's more in love with the DCL experience, and not so much being on a ship for the the views or the itineraries.

 

[happycamper47]

CL being Carnival or Celebrity?

If you're asking. HAL, RCL, Princess. NCL and Viking are some I understand still use the old locks when they can.

Problem DCL encountered was the addition of the duck tail on the Wonder and Magic It made them too big for safe use of the original locks. From what I understand, they would still fit, but too close for comfort.

 

[Intr3pid]

Celebrity sails out of Japan in the Summer. I'm not interested in Singapore.

Yes, and does so out of Singapore for the rest of the year. Likewise, even if the Adventure is initially in Singapore, it will also end up in Japan at some point.

 

[DCLMP]

Yes, and does so out of Singapore for the rest of the year. Likewise, even if the Adventure is initially in Singapore, it will also end up in Japan at some point.

I read it’s embarking from Singapore for the next five years. I don’t think anyone knows if it will ever embark from Japan.

 

[Intr3pid]

I read it’s embarking from Singapore for the next five years. I don’t think anyone knows if it will ever embark from Japan.

RCL too has a multi-year agreement with Singapore, but it doesn't require year-round sailings out of that port. We will see. The scale of the new projects at TDR and the sheer number of Japanese guests at Aulani give me quite a bit of hope.

OP, sorry to hijack your thread!

 

[auntlynne]

CL being Carnival or Celebrity?
We only sail bc our DD's love affair with DCL. And while I enjoy cruising, it's not something I would do on my own or with DW at the moment.. of course, things can change so maybe.
But our DD is now 18 and won't ever entertain other lines (her argument: "I'm only loyal to Disney" )
She's more in love with the DCL experience, and not so much being on a ship for the the views or the itineraries.

Or CL = cruise line.

 

[lilsonicfan]

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 don't mean to be rude but this response, along with the poster's other posts on Disboards, smacks entirely of ChatGPT/AI assisted posting.

 

[lilsonicfan]

But to be on topic, we did the WBPC in 2022 and absolutely loved it. We have also done a transatlantic on DCL. I would absolutely love another long cruise on DCL! I love a slew of sea days

 

[bcwife76]

I really hope that DCL plans to do another PC cruise in the future, it's still on our cruising bucket list. We will be doing one down the line and I hope it's on DCL....

 

[SailingScout]

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.

We were right there with you! Our 3rd and probably final PC cruise. Quite the memory, for sure.

 

[DisneYE]

But to be on topic, we did the WBPC in 2022 and absolutely loved it. We have also done a transatlantic on DCL. I would absolutely love another long cruise on DCL! I love a slew of sea days

Remember right after crossing the canal, the ocean was so calm it looked like a mirror?... I remember sitting on the balcony and thinking, this is like out of this world, as if we entered another dimension... it was mesmerizing.
When I see pictures of that day I get all sentimental..
And then the next day the seas were so rough the ship was rocking like crazy.. those 2 days were amazing...

That and the ship being over 90% adults... there were only like 20-50 small kids/toddlers and ~ 100 teenagers.. the rest was all mostly adults, with a good chunk of them being >50+
And so many other things I loved.. it was just the perfect sailing.

 

[RedHead0186]

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.

I did Island Princess through the Panama Canal (old locks) earlier this year! Awesome experience.

 

[RedHead0186]

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.

I second this wholeheartedly. Going through the old locks is quite the experience! I haven't done the new locks so I can compare, but specifically chose a Panama Canal crossing that did the old locks. This was on the Island Princess.

 

[chamberlain]

My husband and I are interested in a Panama Canal cruise too. I’ve been enjoying this thread! I have a few questions though. Can someone tell me why the old locks are better, or more interesting? And what are some of the ports along the way that you have enjoyed? Thanks!

 

[happycamper47]

. Can someone tell me why the old locks are better, or more interesting?

The new locks are fully automated whereas the original locks still require the mules (elec trains) to keep the ships centered in the lock. Men still go out in a row boat to shoot lines to the ship. There are also more steps (locks) in the original canal. You get a much better feel of what it took to build the canal when going through the original locks, after all they are over 100 years old.

The line handlers at work. You can also see all the mules lined up on the right

 

[RedHead0186]

My husband and I are interested in a Panama Canal cruise too. I’ve been enjoying this thread! I have a few questions though. Can someone tell me why the old locks are better, or more interesting? And what are some of the ports along the way that you have enjoyed? Thanks!

In addition to what @happycamper47 wrote, for me, it was just the history of it. It's truly a feat of engineering, so being able to be a part of it was so cool. The mules especially are pretty fun to watch.