How early to book Panama Canal?

[zen182]

We are planning on cruising the 11 night Canal cruise on Brilliance about this time next year. How early should we book it? I keep reading that we should get a "hump" room. I take it this means the middle of the ship?

Thanks,

 

Zen

[Firefighterhoop]

The hump means the area on the ship in the middle where the ship bows out. The balcony staterooms in this area are larger with larger balconys to accomidate the bow out of the ship.

 

Because of this the rooms go faster. You could always book now, and cancel later if you need to. If the price goes up, you are locked in at your lower rate, and if the price goes down as it gets closer you can always call and get the lower price.

 

Scott

[wrp96]

If you know when you want to go, book as soon as possible. That way you have a better chance of securing the cabin you want. If the price goes down, RCI will refund the difference (at least until final payment and usually after that). And you can cancel up until final payment time and get all your money back.

[GranysT]

Zen, I booked your exact cruise 2nd of Feb,2005,and the cruise is April 17th. It's been a long time coming,but it's getting here. I'm in cabin #7598 on the hump. I had a hump cabin on the Mariner,and just loved it. Best part of the ship,IMHO.

[elleluv]

We booked our Brilliance Panama canal cruise 11 months in advance and got the only bump cabin available at that point. We usually book our cruises about a year in advance and haven't had the price go down below what we paid yet, they've only gone up. If it works for you to book it now, I would.

[jalakim]

Book now. Especially if you are thinking about a hump cabin. We booked this time last year for April this year and the price has done nothing but soar. As stated earlier, you can always cancell but you can't get the lower price. You will be glad you did. I think there is a difference of 600.00 per person in our price.

[puck645]

zen182 - We cruised the Canal in Oct 2005 on the Serenade, and booked

fourteen months out, late Aug. of 2004. We looked for, and got, a great

hump cabin, 8088. Great views forward and to the side. For sure, book

now, as others have said, you can watch the prices and act on any

changes. Never heard the elevators and occasionally would hear some

music drifting up from the Atrium. We've got a couple of pictures of the

balcony and views, if you'd like we'll email them if you contact us.

 

Go for it!

 

Barb & Jim

 

coach_jim1@yahoo.com

[CruisinMommas]

I was watching the Brilliance for Feb. 2007 and I noticed the cabins disappearing for the date I and the type of cabin I wanted. So I called and placed a deposit. I surely did not want to take a chance that I could not get the date I wanted. I almost missed the date for this Spring. So the earlier the better.

[cappy09]

We booked this cruise in Dec. 2005 for the 3/5/07 sailing on the Brilliance of the Seas. We consider ourselves lucky to get one of these cabins on deck 8 cabin #8596 right in the middle of the hump. From what I have been reading on these boards it is the best way to go. Now we will just have to keep watching for price drops. :) If I were you I would go online and start looking to see if any of these cabins are available and if they are I would jump on it before it gets gone.

[Don Pedro]

We agree with the other posters that it is wise to book at least a year in advance. We have perviously been on the Panama Canal Cruise and are going again on the Brillaince next Monday.

 

Our best advise is to spend the extra bucks for a balcony stateroom. You will get an exceedingly better view of the canal.