Help with cruise selection needed

Looking at full transit...Narrowed choice to two cruises...Would appreciate help in final selection.....plus/minus etc

Island Princess (Feb)

Ft. Lauderdale ...2 sea days.....Aruba....Cartagena....full transit.....Fuerte Amador(Panama City)...sea day...Puntarenas.....sea day...Puerta Chiapas....4 sea days L.A.

Celebrity Infinity (March)

Miami..2 sea days...Cartagena...Colon...full transit...sea day....Puntarenas....sea day..

Puerto Quetzal...2 sea days...Puerta Vallarta...Cabo San Lucas...sea day...San Diego

Have sailed both lines and like them

thank you in advance for your advise

Looking at full transit...Narrowed choice to two cruises...Would appreciate help in final selection.....plus/minus etc

 

Island Princess (Feb)

 

Ft. Lauderdale ...2 sea days.....Aruba....Cartagena....full transit.....Fuerte Amador(Panama City)...sea day...Puntarenas.....sea day...Puerta Chiapas....4 sea days L.A.

 

 

Celebrity Infinity (March)

 

Miami..2 sea days...Cartagena...Colon...full transit...sea day....Puntarenas....sea day..

Puerto Quetzal...2 sea days...Puerta Vallarta...Cabo San Lucas...sea day...San Diego

 

Have sailed both lines and like them

 

thank you in advance for your advise

I would suggest the Island Princess because of the great viewing decks on the front and back of the ship. They are not usually crowded, and are a nice place to view the canal as well as a good place to spend outside time during the rest of the cruise.

A few thoughts in no particular order...

Both itineraries do the one thing I think is important for a Canal cruise, that is to give you a day in Panama in addition to your transit. The biggest difference between the stop at Ft. Amador and Colon is, Amador is a tendered port where Colon is docked. The scenery at Ft. Amador is certainly nicer to look at than what would greet you in Colon, however both places are the starting points for any excursions and not really the ultimate destination.

I would prefer the mix of port calls and sea days with Celebrity after you leave the Canal headed for California.

Don't really know if it would be better to have your day in Panama before your transit or have the Panama day after the transit. I can see advantages to both options.

There is not a huge difference in the weather with either choice.

I certainly could be happy with either ship:)!

PS: Just read swedish weave's response about viewing locations, particularly for at the Canal. I don't believe that Princess opens the bow for viewing during the transit, while Celebrity does. The bow is an excellent vantage point particularly when entering the first lock, that would be Gatun in the direction you will be traveling. Admittedly that is a very popular location and you would have to claim your space on the early side. However it is a great spot at other times during the transit and the crowds tend to thin quite a bit during the day.

Two great choices ... can't imagine you'd be disappointed with either one! There are two key factors IMHO ... some time IN Panama to get off the ship and see something of the country in addition to the Canal. The second is to read and research before getting on board so you know something about Panama, it's history, and the Canal, past, present and future plans. Enjoy! REgards, Richard