Panama Canal Fall 2010/Winter 2011

[Aprille]

I still don't see any Panama Canal cruises available for Fall 2010/Winter 2011. Are there not going to be any or have they just still not been released yet?

 

Still keeping my fingers crossed that RCCL will resume the partial transits. Hoping for Feb 2011...

[BillB48]

I'll keep my fingers crossed as well for the partials, that's one of my favorites!

[Trainman-2]

When we did the Partial Transit on the Jewel a few months ago we were told that the toll, which was $30K a few years ago, was $400K for our cruise.

 

We were also told that the transit is hard on the ship.

 

We have done two partial transits, one each on the Radiance and the Jewel and both times as soon as we tied up in Colon, the crew was out pressure washing and spot painting the ship.

 

I understand that $400K is a big chunk of money buy why not divide it up among the passengers and raise the price of the Cruise?

 

The extra cost would be about the same as a partial transit excursion in a smaller boat.

[BillB48]

I really think the reason they are not doing the partial transits this year is because when it was time to book their transit slots RCI had originally planned to have the ships chartered for the Winter Olympics in Vancouver. So there was no need to bid for a date certain at the Canal. Since that charter, (which I think was for the Radiance and the Jewel) is now down a rat hole somewhere, it is prohibitive to try and get a transit slot at the Canal at this time, so now we have what is billed "ultimate Caribbean." I am hoping they don't find this itinerary more acceptable to the bottom line than the partial transit. Just based from oberserving the prices for the ultimate Carbbean, they have not seemed to be much cheaper than the partial transit, don't know that to be a fact.

 

I don't doubt that there is some truth that going through the locks is hard on the ship. On the other hand I don't believe it would be a show stopper. There are some inherent dangers whenever you start manuvering something that big around concrete! Lot of potential for things to wrong, many many things have to go as planned. I know of one cruise that ended at the Panama Canal and that was not it's final destination!!

 

Anyway, here's hoping the partial transits return. I'd hate to see RCI give up that part of the market to HAL and Princess:eek:!

 

We were booked on the Jewel in April but a four letter word interfered....WORK! Change in DW's work schedule:mad:. We traded a 10/11 day cruise and went for 7 on the Freedom!! It was great but I would have preferred the Jewel.

[Debde]

Anyway, here's hoping the partial transits return. I'd hate to see RCI give up that part of the market to HAL and Princess:eek:

 

I hope so too.

I'm currently looking at what Princess has to offer on their partial but would much rather see the Jewel return on that run in 2011. I'd be one of the first to book. :)