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Panama Canal Closed-Loop Cruise


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There does not seem to be any specifics on this I can find.

It says it arrives the canal about 7am, leaves about 3pm, arrives in Colon at 4 and leaves that same evening.

I have done the westbound all the way through.

Colon is not exactly a great place. Its the only port I have been in where security stationed around the tourist area of the docks advised you not to go any further.

Traveling through takes almost all day. The cost of locking through is based on ship weight and is expensive. Tens of thousands of expensive.

I have read in the past of cruises that do a 180 in the lake go back the way they came in.

Maybe that is cheaper.

I would be hesitant to take a cruse that did not lock through at all.

I would call RCCL and ask for clarification.

 

 

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11 minutes ago, Flacruiser99 said:

In and out, turns around in the lake.

Hmmm... that’s like partially doing an item on my bucket list.  I want to fully cross the canal, not turn back halfway.  Time to look at open loop cruises.  Thing is, airfares coast to coast cost the price of a weekend cruise.

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18 minutes ago, PG Cruiser said:

Hmmm... that’s like partially doing an item on my bucket list.  I want to fully cross the canal, not turn back halfway.  Time to look at open loop cruises.  Thing is, airfares coast to coast cost the price of a weekend cruise.

Well, then you'll need to determine how high it is up on your bucket list. A weekend cruise is a weekend away...it'll be nice, but will you remember it the rest of your life? How about a trip through the entirety of the Panama Canal? 

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I would opt to go all the way through.

The stops on the west coast were some of the best.

Our cruise terminated in San Diego which is worth spending at least a few days if not a week looking around.

The whole westbound cruise was 15 days. Add travel time and if you decided to spend time in LA or San Diego, you could easily make it a 3 week trip.

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23 hours ago, PG Cruiser said:

Hmmm... that’s like partially doing an item on my bucket list.  I want to fully cross the canal, not turn back halfway.  Time to look at open loop cruises.  Thing is, airfares coast to coast cost the price of a weekend cruise.

Yes, having been through the canal several times a full transit is the only way to go.

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Southwest for me on my upcoming Panama Canal eastbound.  

$97 home to Long Beach pre-cruise

$82 from Ft Lauderdale home post-cruise

I wanted a full transit experience, that is after all what the canal was built for.  

Currently reading "The Path Between the Seas" as a primer.  

Countdown: 26 days

EDIT: Staying on the Queen Mary in Long Beach.  That itself is a bucket list item.  I've stayed on her before.  The sense of history is incredible.  Not all Royal Panama cruises use San Diego on the West coast.  

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27 minutes ago, twangster said:

Southwest for me on my upcoming Panama Canal eastbound.  

$97 home to Long Beach pre-cruise

$82 from Ft Lauderdale home post-cruise

I wanted a full transit experience, that is after all what the canal was built for.  

Currently reading "The Path Between the Seas" as a primer.  

Countdown: 26 days

Can't wait to see your west coast cruisin' pics from PVR and Cabo! I will be there in December. And Grand Cayman is on my possible land vacation list for August. Have an amazing cruise! 

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44 minutes ago, twangster said:

Southwest for me on my upcoming Panama Canal eastbound.  

$97 home to Long Beach pre-cruise

$82 from Ft Lauderdale home post-cruise

I wanted a full transit experience, that is after all what the canal was built for.  

Currently reading "The Path Between the Seas" as a primer.  

Countdown: 26 days

EDIT: Staying on the Queen Mary in Long Beach.  That itself is a bucket list item.  I've stayed on her before.  The sense of history is incredible.  Not all Royal Panama cruises use San Diego on the West coast.  

Now I really want to be a "Twangster Jr"

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10 minutes ago, DDaley said:

Can't wait to see your west coast cruisin' pics from PVR and Cabo! I will be there in December. And Grand Cayman is on my possible land vacation list for August. Have an amazing cruise! 

I'll be laying low in Mexico.  I've done them before out of California.  I might not even get off the ship in Cabo (tender port).  Might try to line up some work and make it a work day.   

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57 minutes ago, twangster said:

Southwest for me on my upcoming Panama Canal eastbound.  

$97 home to Long Beach pre-cruise

$82 from Ft Lauderdale home post-cruise

I wanted a full transit experience, that is after all what the canal was built for.  

Currently reading "The Path Between the Seas" as a primer.  

Countdown: 26 days

EDIT: Staying on the Queen Mary in Long Beach.  That itself is a bucket list item.  I've stayed on her before.  The sense of history is incredible.  Not all Royal Panama cruises use San Diego on the West coast.  

Are those "Wanna Get Away" prices on Southwest?   How does this category work?

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12 minutes ago, twangster said:

I might not even get off the ship in Cabo (tender port).

Yeah, from what I remember of this port via cruise in 05, the tendering process is rough. I gotta get my catamaran ride in somewhere, though! They actually made me cancel and rebook another later shore excursion (3rd party) because they said I would never make an 11am departure if the ship doesn't arrive till 10. Woof! 

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1 minute ago, PG Cruiser said:

Are those "Wanna Get Away" prices on Southwest?   How does this category work?

Yes.  It works like this:  Buy cheap ticket using Wanna Get Away fares.  Fly in the airplane for the flight you book.  Two checked bags included per person.  

The more expensive fares give you more flexibility if you need to make changes.  With Get Away fares if you need to make changes you pay the difference to the prevailing rate the day you make the change. 

For example on the day you fly home let's say you book a 6pm return flight to be safe.  It's costs $82 as a "Get Away" fare since you book it months in advance. 

On the day of travel after the cruise you get to the airport at 10am.  They have an 11am flight but to book that flight on the spot costs $382 since all the cheap fares were gobbled up months ago.  You can pay the $300 difference and fly home early or hang around at the airport until 6pm and fly on the cheap fare you booked months ago.  On the other hand, if months before you don't select the Get Away fare and choose to pay $400 for the "Anytime" fare then on the day of the flight home you can change without any additional fees, assuming the early flight isn't fully booked.

Southwest doesn't charge a fee to make a change, but with the cheap Get Away fares you have to pay any differences to re-book at prevailing rates on the day you make the change.  

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46 minutes ago, PG Cruiser said:

Are those "Wanna Get Away" prices on Southwest?   How does this category work?

You can also take advantage of price drops with this fare.  You rebook under the cheaper price and you are issued a credit for the different that can be used within one year on Southwest.

You can also cancel for any reason and still get the credit for what you paid for the flight which has to be used within one year.

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