xCANCELLEDx Rhapsody of the Seas - Mar 16, 2024 - Mar 23, 2024 (7 Night Costa Rica & Panama Canal) - RoyalCaribbeanBlog Group Cruise

[AshleyDillo]

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/event/royalcaribbeanblogcom-panama-canal-group-cruise

[smokeybandit]

Wait this is a group cruise?  SWEET.

 

I'm already booked on this cruise through MEI (but not any group rate). What do I need to do to get included in the group stuff?

[AshleyDillo]

1 hour ago, smokeybandit said:

I'm already booked on this cruise through MEI (but not any group rate). What do I need to do to get included in the group stuff?

Just let your MEI agent know you definitely want to be part of the group.

I believe they didn't have the group bookings set up yet on this one, but once they do they will bring everyone into the group and reprice if it's cheaper.

[Mark_A]

I am booked!  

I made the booking on my own, but will Transfer to Kelley at MEI as soon as she email's me!

 

[Dave_Aus]

 

#TheAussiesAreComing

#YOLOBookedIt

[coneyraven]

I was really shocked at my wife's reaction to this ..... I just mentioned it in passing, and her response, Ooooo, Bucket List item....

I honestly think we may be booking ....

Here's where I'm completely lost on this ..... I'm completely blind on the trip down and trip back, what airline (I wish Southwest, but we know that's not happening) ..... where to stay before sailing..... lot's of moving parts that need figuring out.

Also, being that this would be our first Group Cruise, is there a limit to the number of passengers that can be a part of the group?  Things I just don't know.  I'm going to need a lot of hand-holding on this one.

Any and all insight would be greatly appreciated

Mark

[smokeybandit]

With airlines emerging from covid, 2024 is way too far away to know what airlines will be serving Panama.

[WAAAYTOOO]

We're thinking about this one, too

[Marc Van Niekerk]

Booked on this!

[topher4519]

Is anyone concerned, that Rhapsody of the Seas has been anchored outside St. Maarten for 2 years.    The ship needs a lot of help!    I was on Explorer of the seas March 20-27 2022.   When we sailed past there was a lot of maintenance needed.

[smokeybandit]

18 hours ago, AshleyDillo said:

Just let your MEI agent know you definitely want to be part of the group.

I believe they didn't have the group bookings set up yet on this one, but once they do they will bring everyone into the group and reprice if it's cheaper.

Funny thing, my MEI agent was already on top of it.  

[Matt]

On 3/31/2022 at 2:34 PM, smokeybandit said:

Wait this is a group cruise?  SWEET.

 

I'm already booked on this cruise through MEI (but not any group rate). What do I need to do to get included in the group stuff?

Looking forward to cruising together!

[Matt]

6 hours ago, topher4519 said:

Is anyone concerned, that Rhapsody of the Seas has been anchored outside St. Maarten for 2 years.    The ship needs a lot of help!    I was on Explorer of the seas March 20-27 2022.   When we sailed past there was a lot of maintenance needed.

Concern? No.

Rhapsody is an old, small ship. You gotta be okay with that. It's gonna be fun and offering a classic cruising experience. They'll keep maintenance going, but if you want to look for rust there or chipped something there, it may not be the ship for you.

While Vision Class isn't my favorite, I think by virtue of having a group cruise here and so many friends onboard, the ship will be secondary. Plus the amazing itinerary.

[Matt]

8 hours ago, coneyraven said:

Also, being that this would be our first Group Cruise, is there a limit to the number of passengers that can be a part of the group? 

Nope

[smokeybandit]

10 minutes ago, Matt said:

Looking forward to cruising together!

You're on the June 5th Serenade, too, right?

[Matt]

5 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

You're on the June 5th Serenade, too, right?

Yes

[smokeybandit]

6 minutes ago, Matt said:

Yes

I'll try to hunt you down say hi to you then, too.  

[Matt]

17 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

I'll try to hunt you down say hi to you then, too.  

[JC Pats]

Booked as well! The #rhapsodytakeover is well underway!

[smokeybandit]

43 minutes ago, JC Pats said:

Booked as well! The #rhapsodytakeover is well underway!

"Yes, Head Waiter, I need a table for 500 please"

[AshleyDillo]

9 hours ago, coneyraven said:

Things I just don't know.  I'm going to need a lot of hand-holding on this one.

This is where being part of a group will be a benefit. We are all in the same situation. We have a team of TAs to help scope things out for us and look into things such as group space in a hotel the night before. You can bounce ideas off everyone else in the group and benefit from everyone else's research!

[WAAAYTOOO]

We have booked this one and the return trip, too.  Never been on Rhapsody, so looking forward to it.

[DieselsCruzzzzin]

The Holliday’s are booked! Can’t wait! 
 

[sk8erguy1978]

Three bucket lists in one: Panama Canal, Smaller ship, & group cruise. You have my attention. I'll be SERIOUSLY considering this.

[twangster]

While a different itinerary, here is a live blog from 2019 as an example of what to expect for a Panama Canal transit on a Vision class ship:

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/boards/index.php?/topic/16344-panama-canal-vision-of-the-seas-oct-30-2019

 

Start here to avoid the unrelated preamble:

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/boards/index.php?/topic/16344-panama-canal-vision-of-the-seas-oct-30-2019/&do=findComment&comment=167099

 

Or start here to cut to the actual Panama Canal transit:

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/boards/index.php?/topic/16344-panama-canal-vision-of-the-seas-oct-30-2019/&do=findComment&comment=168624

 

[WAAAYTOOO]

What airport do you fly into/out of for this cruise ?

[smokeybandit]

1 hour ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

What airport do you fly into/out of for this cruise ?

Tocumen International  in Panama Cty, PTY.

 

I would imagine RC will have extra transportation options available to get to Colon though it looks like there's a train route

[Matt]

19 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

I would imagine RC will have extra transportation options available to get to Colon though it looks like there's a train route

According to Google, it's about a 1 hour and 15 min drive. Without doing any research, I was leaning to getting car service to get from Panama City to Colon.

[Matt]

With 700+ days left until this cruise, if @Lovetocruise2002 books it, we can expect her to start her live blog in about 2-3 weeks from now.

[smokeybandit]

How to transfer from Panama City to colon cruise port?

Re: Transfer from Panama City to Colon Cruise Port The easy way is a taxi, or a transfer service (could be cheaper than a taxi). The bus is the cheap option, but it isn’t easy. Although if you’re in Panama City already, it’s just getting to Albrook bus terminal, hopping on a direct bus to Colón, and then take a taxi to the bus terminal.

[smokeybandit]

12 minutes ago, Matt said:

According to Google, it's about a 1 hour and 15 min drive. Without doing any research, I was leaning to getting car service to get from Panama City to Colon.

What, you're not going to set up the RoyalCaribbeanBlogBus for us?

[Matt]

5 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

What, you're not going to set up the RoyalCaribbeanBlogBus for us?

That very well could be an option we'd do

[WAAAYTOOO]

Okay.  Next question - geography.

Panama City (airport) is closest to

a.  Colon

b.  Fuerte Amador 

I need to make sure I am doing my B2B correctly.  I want to leave out of and arrive back, closest to the airport.  Right now I am leaving from/arriving at Colon.  Do I have it backwards ?

[smokeybandit]

25 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

Okay.  Next question - geography.

Panama City (airport) is closest to

a.  Colon

b.  Fuerte Amador 

I need to make sure I am doing my B2B correctly.  I want to leave out of and arrive back, closest to the airport.  Right now I am leaving from/arriving at Colon.  Do I have it backwards ?

Panama City is in the southeast part of the country where the Fuerte Amador port is. Colon is on the northwest side an hour away. So you'd fly to Panama City, take whatever transportation to Colon, then after your B2B, hitch a ride from Colon back to Panama City.

[Lovetocruise2002]

1 hour ago, Matt said:

With 700+ days left until this cruise, if @Lovetocruise2002 books it, we can expect her to start her live blog in about 2-3 weeks from now.

I cannot go on this one, our Spring Break is the week before this sailing. 

[WAAAYTOOO]

19 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

Panama City is in the southeast part of the country where the Fuerte Amador port is. Colon is on the northwest side an hour away. So you'd fly to Panama City, take whatever transportation to Colon, then after your B2B, hitch a ride from Colon back to Panama City.

DOH !  [Face Plant]  I have it backwards...no great surprise.

So I want to start and end at Fuerte Amador.  So now I will have to move my second leg of the B2B to 3-9-24 which will now be BEFORE the GC.  @michellealready hates me.  This shouldn't hurt our relationship AT ALL.

[WAAAYTOOO]

7 minutes ago, Lovetocruise2002 said:

I cannot go on this one, our Spring Break is the week before this sailing. 

Well, it looks like I will now be on that cruise, too !  Wish you could still go...

[twangster]

Booked!  

Looks like round trip flights to PTY aren't that bad, at least looking into the future as far as I can right now.

[smokeybandit]

Flight prices looked ok. Flight schedules looking rough for those in my group who like sleep. Then again it's way too early to worry about schedules.  The booking window for flights for this cruise won't even come within range until at least April of 2023.

[smokeybandit]

2 hours ago, twangster said:

Booked!