panama canal experience

[4774Papa]

We did the full transit and loved it. Sorry, but after reading the book "Path Between the Seas" we had to do the whole thing. It was worth the cost.

[susie2461]

pearl, pearl, pearl!!. Nov 19. DH'll be 55, I'll be 51.

 

lol thanks for your reply, i prefer that one just need to convince other half its worth the extra :)

[susie2461]

We did the full transit and loved it. Sorry, but after reading the book "Path Between the Seas" we had to do the whole thing. It was worth the cost.

 

would love to do the whole thing but i just cant fly to LA i am a really bad flyer miami is my limit in flight times, this is why we usually do transatlantics only one way flights, but we have done 3 now so need a change

[TrumpyNor]

hi, we have seen this cruise being offered for 2015, we have always wanted to sail the panama canal but one way flights are very expensive from the uk as we would have to fly to san franscisco then fly home from miami, but we have found the panama experience which sails from miami and back to miami, we are just not sure what this means, would we still cruise through the canal then turn round and cruise back to maimi, sorry to sound so stupid but we have only cruised transatlantics before, thanks for any advice

 

I just want to mention that we live in Europe and we are doing a Panama Canal cruise from Los Angeles to Miami. Most of the major flight carriers do offer return flights form a different city - you just have to book a type of ticket that has the possibility of multiple stops. Yes it is more expensive than a regular return flight to and from Miami, but not as much as I expected before booking. And it is for sure a lot cheaper than purchasing two one-way-tickets.

[roger001]

We did the full transit and loved it. Sorry, but after reading the book "Path Between the Seas" we had to do the whole thing. It was worth the cost.

 

 

That book does it for you doesn't it.

[srlafleur]

Looked at Pearl Nov 19 and Dec 10. DH decided he liked the Nov 19 date more.

 

We would have booked that one, but our granddaughter will be turning (gulp) 13 on the 21st. Can't miss that birthday!

[susie2461]

is anyone else worried that NCL cancel some of there pearl cruises, we havent heard of this before but they seem to do it a lot with the pearl, sorry for all the questions

[Arzeena]

The Star just made a trip from LA to Miami, and is now on her way to Copenhagen. They do this in the spring, and the reverse in the fall. Maybe this would be a better option than flying both ways.

 

We were on it and we loved it!

[roger001]

is anyone else worried that NCL cancel some of there pearl cruises, we havent heard of this before but they seem to do it a lot with the pearl, sorry for all the questions

 

We had a Pearl cruise booked a year out. They did cancel it recently and gave us 2 different date options we could book, which we did.

[terry2]

I just want to mention that we live in Europe and we are doing a Panama Canal cruise from Los Angeles to Miami. Most of the major flight carriers do offer return flights form a different city - you just have to book a type of ticket that has the possibility of multiple stops. Yes it is more expensive than a regular return flight to and from Miami, but not as much as I expected before booking. And it is for sure a lot cheaper than purchasing two one-way-tickets.

 

The normal airline term is an open-jaw ticket; fly into one city and out of another. I've often used them. As has been mentioned above that is much cheaper than multiple one-way tickets, and is often close to the cost for a normal return to the most distant city (this is for flying from europe to the US).

[4774Papa]

One solution for flying in to the West Coast and returning to Europe from the East coast is to purchase a RT ticket from Europe to Florida, then purchase a one-way ticket from Florida to LAX on a budget airline like Southwest Air.

[TrumpyNor]

The normal airline term is an open-jaw ticket; fly into one city and out of another. I've often used them. As has been mentioned above that is much cheaper than multiple one-way tickets, and is often close to the cost for a normal return to the most distant city (this is for flying from europe to the US).

 

Sorry, since English is not my "native" language, I didn't know the English term for it.... But now I know. :p

Edited May 9, 2014 by TrumpyNor

[pookey1265]

We are doing the 17 day San Francisco to Miami October 1-18th, 2015. It is the repositioning cruise. Would love to do it on my actual birthday in dec, but don't need the stress of worrying about frozen pipes. Also the holiday cruises are double the $.

[TrumpyNor]

We are doing the 17 day San Francisco to Miami October 1-18th, 2015. It is the repositioning cruise. Would love to do it on my actual birthday in dec, but don't need the stress of worrying about frozen pipes. Also the holiday cruises are double the $.

 

We will be on the ship 14 of those days together. :) We are also doing 17 days, but from Los Angeles October 3-20, including 3 days to the Bahamas after Miami.

[NH Cruisers]

we are torn between the 19th nov on the pearl or celebrity equinox 30th nov, the balcony cabins are a lot cheaper on celebrity but we are a bit worried about the age group on celebrity, we are not party animals but would like entertainment and pearl seems to have more to offer us, also a bit worried about the ages that will be onboard celebrity as it seems they are older people, we where worried about princess for the same reason, we are not that young ourselves being 53 and 48 lol, but when you read the average age group is over 70 we are a bit worried,

Celebrity Equinox, that is a ship too big to go through the original canal. Did they finally open the larger locks they been building?

 

I love Celebrity's Aqua Class. If it were affordable, thats what I would choose for myself to do Panama.

[roger001]

Celebrity Equinox, that is a ship too big to go through the original canal. Did they finally open the larger locks they been building?

 

I love Celebrity's Aqua Class. If it were affordable, thats what I would choose for myself to do Panama.

 

The larger locks construction project is way behind schedule. It had been recently shut down because of construction contract issues and super cost over run. At the moment, it is projected to be completed by the end of 2015. However, don't hold you breath waiting for that to happen either.

[terry2]

Sorry, since English is not my "native" language, I didn't know the English term for it.... But now I know. :p

 

Well it isn't really an english phrase, it is just airline industry jargon - so most english people don't know it either.

[Marieux]

Well, I finally got the call from my TA....my 11/30/15 PC cruise on the Pearl was chartered so I had to reschedule for 1/11/16. NCL is honoring the original rate and giving us $100 OBC. I am fine with that.

[js4rq]

We had a Pearl cruise booked a year out. They did cancel it recently and gave us 2 different date options we could book, which we did.

 

I hope they don't cancel our cruise, as we are flying from Australia. We haven't booked our flights and accommodation as of yet though, but when we do, we will get travel insurance!

 

The 3 October 2015 LA-Miami sailing seems to be the last full transit NCL is doing from LA, hence booking that cruise. Really don't want to do a partial transit from Miami, as that would cost more with flights etc.

Edited December 28, 2014 by js4rq

[att]

Is it too late to book this Panama cruise over Xmas? Just started looking at this and see so many people already booked. This would be our 4th cruise, love NCL.My husband has some mobility issues now, wonder if using a portable mobility scooter is a problem in these ports.

[blindrid]

We docked in Panama and took a land trip to the canal. On X Equinox in December. The canal is impressive.

 

I looked at some that made the passage and the port fees were a bit much also. It ain't cheap to use the locks. When I was there I think they said it costs a couple hundred thousand dollars to make the passage.

Edited January 11, 2015 by blindrid

[Squidward Q Tentacles]

While I'm about to do the full transit this October on the Pearl, am considering this itinerary ion Dec 2015 as well. It would be an opportunity to see the Atlantic (caribbean side) locks from the opposite direction plus see a few new ports that would be new to me. The additional benefit is being able to either drive to or fly roundterip to/from Miami versus the multi- leg flights between the West and East coast.

 

My missus and I are booked for the Dec 10th cruise, it would be nice to have you sail with us.

[Floridiana]

Celebrity Equinox, that is a ship too big to go through the original canal. Did they finally open the larger locks they been building?

 

 

No, scheduled for 2016.