Ozwald Posted August 4, 2015 Report Share Posted August 4, 2015 Does anyone else want a cruise Through the Panama canal, old one or new one, in 2016 /2017 on RCCL besides me??? Every time I ask RCCL about this itinerary, specifically one from San Juan PR TO San Diego CA, I hit a wall. No one knows if or when that itinerary will be posted nor can they give me a reason WHY. I'm hoping for some group pressure from others who only want to sail RCCL and want to do Panama Canal in the NEAR future. Thanks for your help. RodgerClini and Katelynnhab 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted August 4, 2015 Report Share Posted August 4, 2015 My wife really wants to do a Panama canal cruise. For us, it's always been about vacation time as to why we have not done it yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erik Posted August 5, 2015 Report Share Posted August 5, 2015 I am willing to bet a drink on that RC would like to sail many cruises / guests through the Panama Canal, remember that they have built a completely new size of ships (Quantum Class) suitable for the expansion of Panama Canal .... I think the waiting safely with publication of timetable / cruises since the Panama Canal opening has already been delayed for two years and currently missing 10% from being finished. At present, the open time of the new Panama Canal set to the early summer 2016th. I am happy that I can't buy a cruise of RC that might not be possible. I am very hopeful to see how I can sail through the Panama Canal with RC. I hope most of all to be able to sail something like the "New York" to "Alaska" through the Panama Canal. Here is a video you can see: http://micanaldepanama.com/expansion/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jticarruthers Posted August 5, 2015 Report Share Posted August 5, 2015 Panama Canal is on the bucket list but will probably be a few years away. The time of year they are generally offered is always when school is in session and taking our son out of school for 2 weeks and/or leaving him home with someone else for 2 weeks isn't doable. Maybe in high school but probably waiting for him to be off to college :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozwald Posted August 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted August 5, 2015 Until the "New" canal is open, are there not still cruises through the "old" canal? Why doesn't RCCL have smaller ships like the jewel or Legend scheduled to go through until newer, larger canal is complete? Other cruise lines have itineraries through canal in 2016& 2017. Unfortunately, we only want RCCL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozzi Posted December 30, 2016 Report Share Posted December 30, 2016 It's now almost 2017 and still NO PANAMA CANAL cruises from RCCL listed anywhere! Does anyone know if they are planning to start up that itinerary again? The new larger canal is complete and working. STILL WAITING :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted December 30, 2016 Report Share Posted December 30, 2016 It's now almost 2017 and still NO PANAMA CANAL cruises from RCCL listed anywhere! Does anyone know if they are planning to start up that itinerary again? The new larger canal is complete and working. STILL WAITING :( The answer is likely not anytime soon. The problem is cost and profit. RC CEO Michael Bayley spoke about this subject on the recent Presidents Cruise a few months ago. First, RC does not send ships to California anymore, so there goes the primary reason for offering Panama Canal Cruises. The company is making more money by having the ships based elsewhere. Second, the cost of sending a ship through the Canal, and all the relocation expenses, combine to make it a very expensive option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firegal2539 Posted January 4, 2017 Report Share Posted January 4, 2017 I just did a Panama Canal cruise and although it was wonderful I would never do it again. Number one problem was the heat, every port day it was 90 to 95 and the humidity was about the same. The natives all say the same thing, "We have two season, hot and dry and hot and wet". Secondly, many of the ports are not for use by passengers. I got off the ship in two different ports and was told by a machine gun carrying guard (really instills confidence in the port) to either get on the shuttle bus that would take me out of the port area or get back on the ship. Nothing to do in the port. I absolutely loved going through the canal. A friend had booked a suite on deck 9 or 10, right at the front. We all went from 5 am until 5 pm and watched as we sailed through the locks. It takes that long, we were number 23 in line to get through. The only port I loved was Cartagena, it was absolutely beautiful. I could have spend many days there looking at the old and new cities. Many passengers on the cruise were disappointed in the ports, the weather and the amount of gun carrying police and guards in every port. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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