OK folks...need lots of opinions on which cruise line to take through Canal!!

[Msquared]

Thanks for the tips Skiier Girl. I will be sure to make the most of the canal day and I will check out the roll call forum.

 

M2

[canadarose]

Is a partial transit the same as what some call a round-trip? Is this type of cruise worth doing? I am considering Celebrity's Galaxy out of Galveston. Any comments or suggestions welcome

[Nliedel]

Just a note from my experience.. I once traveled with a group of seniors from my local Y leading a trip to Toronto for the weekend.. I was 23. I could not keep up with any of them. I never knock the over 55 crowd now :) Sure some of them meet the stereotypes but a good percentage of them can run me into the ground!! And I am a runner.

[halos]

Just a note from my experience.. I once traveled with a group of seniors from my local Y leading a trip to Toronto for the weekend.. I was 23. I could not keep up with any of them. I never knock the over 55 crowd now :) Sure some of them meet the stereotypes but a good percentage of them can run me into the ground!! And I am a runner.

 

I believe it!

And seniors need less sleep, so they can party all night and then still get up at the crack of dawn!

Youth is wasted on the young!!

[Kathie44]

Our winter schedule is a bit tight due to a grandbaby coming in mid-January. Don't want to miss this one like we did the last one when he came early and we were in ALASKA!!. Also don't want to miss any basketball games, sooooo I was thrilled to see that the Brilliance cruise I wanted fit into the Feb. time period I needed. I figured it would be the next best thing to a Voyager-class ship. BUT the price is much higher than I anticipated, even with my regular TA, who has always had lower prices. I guess the cruise business really is booming.

So I checked the Celebrity website and found that the Galaxy's 11-day trip out of Galveston fits the same time period and is about $800 less with one more stop. Friends of ours are taking this cruise in Dec. I'm going to have our TA price this for me tomorrow and will probably book it.

I'd like to hear from any Galaxy cruisers, especially to the Panama Canal. We loved the Summit last year in Alaska, but I'm leery of smaller, older ships due to motion sickness. However, this time price will be the deciding factor.

 

Explorer E. Carib. 1/12/02

Explorer W. Carib 1/18/03

Summit Alaska cruise/tour 8/3/03

Adventure S. Carib. 2/8/04

[VACruiseAddict]

You should be quite pleased with Galaxy, it's one of those ships that "older" doesn't really mean much. Mrs. VACruise Addict and I have cruised it twice (once out of San Juan, and once out of Balitmore) and it remains among our favorite ships. I'm trying hard to think of something negative to say about - but I'm failing pretty badly. Hmmm......I guess the only thing I can think of is, they don't really have the concept of "table for two" down to a science - having been seated at a table for four with two less place settings the one time we tried it. But that's really the only negative I can think of. It's a great ship, easy to find your way around in, it handles well in rougher water, and we've really enjoyed our trips on it.

 

As for the Canal - we've transited it on Summit, and we can't wait to do it on Radiance in a few weeks time (Radiance is our favorite ship) - I'm sort of a RCI/Celebrity fan so any views I have are strictly biased in that direction (although, I will say that we are in our mid 30's and love HAL).

 

VA Cruise Addict

[Kathie44]

Thanks VACA for your review. We booked today even before I saw it. Our friends are going on the Galaxy 12-day in Dec. and will be able to give us their report. We are also RCI/Celebrityfans with the Voyager-class being our favorites. I hoped to get the Brilliance, but the price was out of sight and in spite of that, it was almost booked up.

We sailed Summit on our Alaska cruise/tour in Aug. last year and it was great.

We have cabin 8141, which is in the center of the ship, so I'm hoping I won't get sick. I was always convinced that the large size of the Voyager-class ships is what kept me from sickness, but last Feb. I did feel a bit icky on Adventure the first sea day.

It's exciting now that we are officially booked. Less than 4 mos. away!! I'm doing the booking dance. lol

How did you get from the airport to the ship? Shuttle, car rental?? TA is looking into it for us. Thanks for your input.

 

Explorer E. Carib. 1/12/02

Explorer W. Carib. 1/18/03

Summit Alaska cruise/tour 8/3/03

Adventure S. Carib. 2/8/04

Galaxy Panama Canal 2/3/05

[Kathie44]

Ooops! Correct cabin # is 8121.

[ddean52]

I apppreciate the fedback from both of you.

 

Since we won't be taking this cruise for about 2 years (after my youngest goes off to start college) it's difficult to investigate.

Right now Carnival has 2 ships that do canal Cruises, but that may change over the next 2 years. You know how they always move their ships around!!

I've looked at the Princess ships that currently sail the Canal and they are the Regal and the Dawn (The Coral does the Canal, but only half passage...I see no point in that, I want to do the whole thing!!)

I am leaning more toward Princess or Carnival. I guess I'll have to wait until next year before I can actually see what ships will be available for this cruise in the fall of 06/winter 07.

Man, how depressing...that is TOO far away!!!!!

we are on apr 8 05 panamal cruise and cant waite;go eagles 4 wins no loses!

dean & alice <phila.>

[halos]

Dean & Alice...what ship are you cruising on???

and YES!! GO EAGLES!!!!!

[ddean52]

Dean & Alice...what ship are you cruising on???

and YES!! GO EAGLES!!!!!

 

we are on brilliance of the seas apr 8 o5 panama canal. what about you?

 

dean & alice

go eagles (for win # 6)

[halos]

Unfortunately, this cruise is a mere dream at this point....

we are definitely planning it, but not until winter 2007 :eek:

My DH and I will be celebrating our 25th anniversary that year (although not until September actually) and my youngest DD will be off to college in the fall of 2006...so it will be a kind of 'Empty nest/25th Anniversary' celebration for us....so, in the mean time, I am investigating my options...doing lots of 'homework' on the area, and enjoying the anticipation. I figure in about one year from now I can book the darn thing, and THEN I can really get excited!! :D

You know you have a problem with cruise addiction when you plan THIS far out!!!!

 

PS....I'll be watching the game today...how about you????? and, won't this be win #5???? Did I lose a game somewhere???? :confused:

[halos]

Brain fart...this is game 6 :D

[snowshh]

I too will be on the Legend of the Sea departing San Diego Feb 6 2005. Looking for a good hotel close to the ports for a pre-night. If you are on this cruise, or have any good tips for hotels,feel free to e-mail shhcountry@inteliport.com.

[snowshh]

I am sailing the Panama Canal, leaving San Diego on February 6, 2005. I was pleased to see someone speak highly of the ship, RCI Legend of the Seas. I was also glad to glean that children are a bit more scarce on canal cruises. If anyone can give me some advice on weather, must see ports etc. I would appreciate it. Actually any advice or information would be great.

 

Is there a specifice thread somewhere for cruisers on this same cruise? I am not sure how this site works.

 

M2

Panama Canal

Legend of the Seas

February 6, 2005

 

HELLO! I'm on the Legend also! I've tried posting on the Roll Call but haven't had and responses. I'm rather new too, so I'll just keep trying! If you respond on this board to this "post", I will get it immediately in my e-mail. Hope we can keep in touch.

[tinsel57]

Hello all!

I am contemplating Panama Canal, Galveston Departure so I don't have to incur air, and that gives the Celebrity Galaxy.

I'd rather put the money towards the cruise, if I can, rather than spend it on air fare!

I have cruised RCI before and have been very happy with it, even though I know there is so much talk of food and quality. As many have said, it's so subjective and even more so as people lump the lines together, not realizing there is so much varience even ship by ship. Still, again, as has been reported many a time, you will never starve! I look at it this way, I can cook steak at home ANY time, and we do. So I really don't care to order it on the ship anyway. I'd rather order something I wouldn't cook myself or try something different. We cruised the Rhapsody last fall and listened to every suggestion made by our waiter and he was NEVER wrong! So wish I could have stuck him in my suitcase and brought him home!

Anyway, getting off track here, my question is, HAS anyone cruised the Galaxy on the canal, if so, what side of the ship do you suggest?

It does not apear that an aft stateroom will be an option on that ship, though it is our stateroom of preference. The few aft they offer are FO and sandwiched inbetween one deck with a children's pool below and the nightclub and martini bar above... no thank you!! I'd rather have a balcony room.

Is there an advantage of being on one side or the other??

Thanks so much!

[Kathie44]

We have cruised 3 times on RCI, twice on the Explorer (the ship that got us hooked) and once on Adventure and the food was very good. The only thing I noticed is that after the first year, the beef tenderness was not always the best. Variety is great, presentation is gorgeous. If you don't want what's on the official menu, they have dishes that are always available, steak, chicken, caesar salad, etc. Desserts are yummy. I can't understand how anyone would badmouth RCI food. Any ship will have the occasional dish that doesn't live up to the rest. No big deal.
We've sailed Celebrity twice to places the Voyager-class ships don't go--Alaska and the Panama Canal. We are hooked on Celebrity, too. Food is a tiny bit better, maybe.
We are just off the Galaxy to Panama Canal and I had beef 7 times out of 11 and the quality and tenderness were perfect every time. We did a partial transit--through the Gatun locks and back, which was enough for us. But if you want to go all the way through and want a stupendous ship, try Celebrity's Summit. We sailed her in Alaska.
Summit does 14-day eastbound and westbound cruises through the Canal when she repositions to and from Alaska plus a couple of extra ones. There are plenty of ports on each trip, not just sea days. Check out the Celebrity website for more details. RCI has been great for us, but we are convinced you can't go wrong with Celebrity.

Explorer E. Carib. 1/12/02
Explorer W. Carib 1/18/03
Summit Alaska cruise/tour 8/3/03
Adventure S. Carib 2/8/04
Galaxy Panama Canal 2/3/05

[suzee]

Was on the Summit's maiden voyage going through the Canal, April 2002 going from Ft Lauderdale to San Diego. It was our first Celebrity cruise and we were not disappointed. Was on the Summit again for our second Alaska cruise in July, 2003 and it was a good cruise too. Booked two weeks ago for our 2nd full transit Panama Canal cruise and this time we will be on the Infinity/Celebrity for 14 nights and we can't wait. This time we will be going from Ensenada to Ft Lauderdale.

So far we enjoy cruising Celebrity, RCI, Princess, and HAL. We found the food on HAL/Rotterdam disappointing compared to the other cruise lines.

Highly recommend the full transit, you won't be disappointed. Don't forget your camera.

Happy Cruising!