Panama Canal Cruises

[chengkp75]

We took a HAL full transit of the canal several years ago and enjoyed it. There were new ports to explore and it was a great cruise. At the Captain's reception, the Captain spoke about the exorbitant fees that are charged for each ship and a percentage of those fees are naturally passed on to the passenger. I can only imagine how much more costly it would be for a larger Royal ship to do a full transit. Perhaps Royal doesn't think it would want to charge what is necessary to do a full transit.

 

Full transits or partial transits get charged the same tariff, which is based on the maximum passenger capacity. For the old locks the tariff is $138/berth, while the new locks is $148/berth. Irregardless of how many passengers are actually onboard, if there is one single passenger, then the ship is charged as if sailing full. What this means is that a full cruise will distribute this charge among more passengers, so the canal charge is less per person, and this is why the charges for Panama Canal cruises changes often as the bookings change.

[BillB48]

We took a HAL full transit of the canal several years ago and enjoyed it. There were new ports to explore and it was a great cruise. At the Captain's reception, the Captain spoke about the exorbitant fees that are charged for each ship and a percentage of those fees are naturally passed on to the passenger. I can only imagine how much more costly it would be for a larger Royal ship to do a full transit. Perhaps Royal doesn't think it would want to charge what is necessary to do a full transit.

 

In reality the entire cost of the transit is shifted to the passenger, cruise lines don't absorb one iota of it. I don't mean this to be interpreted as something sinister, it is just the way it is. For example, using HAL as an example an 11 day Eastern Caribbean cruise, the taxes, fees and port expenses are listed as $160, meanwhile an 11 day cruise that includes a partial transit of the Canal the taxes, fees and port expenses run you the tidy sum of $384. Most of the $224 difference will go to the Panama Canal. The fees the cruise line assesses you to transit the Canal are above and beyond what they have calculated what they are charged you to transit the Canal. I used a partial transit only because I have just looked at the fares and I am familiar with the prices. As far as the Canal is concerned the transit fee for a partial transit is the same as for a full transit.

 

While there are other fees associated with transiting the Canal, the cruise line pays the Canal $138 per passenger berth (occupied or not) for the the toll. So if you are in a cabin as double occupancy with three beds (sofa bed) that counts towards the grand total even though you are not utilizing it.

Edited December 9, 2016 by BillB48

[Clarea]

Full transits or partial transits get charged the same tariff, which is based on the maximum passenger capacity. For the old locks the tariff is $138/berth, while the new locks is $148/berth. Irregardless of how many passengers are actually onboard, if there is one single passenger, then the ship is charged as if sailing full. What this means is that a full cruise will distribute this charge among more passengers, so the canal charge is less per person, and this is why the charges for Panama Canal cruises changes often as the bookings change.

By "berth" do they mean maximum number of passengers, i.e., all 3/4 guests too? Also crew berths?

[BillB48]

Crew berths are not in the calculation for the toll, however all passenger berths are used in the calculation, head in the bed or not. As long as there is one fare paying passenger on board, the toll is calculated on the total number of passenger berths. If by chance the ship is transiting without any revenue passengers, then a lesser toll per berth is charged.

Edited December 9, 2016 by BillB48