Panama Costa Rica

[ahoughton]

What happened to all the Carnival cruises to Panama and Costa Rica? We did one on Freedom a couple years ago and other ships did them, now none ....

[Unknotted]

We did what I understood to be the last one earlier this year and one of our tour guides told us that the contracts for the ports were expiring and that Carnival didn't approve of the new contract proposals (more cost involved) and wouldn't sign the contracts. In Panama it supposedly had something to do with the new canal improvements going in.

 

That is 3rd hand information and could be very wrong...but that's what we were told.

[golfadj]

That would be a shame as we have been to Panama twice and two awesome cruises.

[Hugh0906]

What happened to all the Carnival cruises to Panama and Costa Rica? We did one on Freedom a couple years ago and other ships did them, now none ....

 

We did the Miracle on an 8 day that did both from FLL a few years back. We really enjoyed both stops.

 

The cost of fuel may have something to do with it.

 

A shame that they stopped going there.

 

Hugh in Dallas

[ahoughton]

That's a shame to miss both ports. Both countries are going to really miss the revenue. The tour companies are going to be hurting too.

[chocolate melting cake]

There is one cruise to both scheduled ports. The Miracle will be repositioning from New York to Los Angeles March 16-31, 2013.

[Mikel1733]

There is one cruise to both scheduled ports. The Miracle will be repositioning from New York to Los Angeles March 16-31, 2013.

 

 

I would love to do this trip, I just wish it had a couple of more stops.

[HeidiHo]

Yes, Cost Rica and panama are gone, for now anyway. We were on the last cruise to stop there also.

[Hugh0906]

While that is a full transit, it stops at neither Puerto Limon or Colon.

 

The Brilliance of the Sea used to make that run every 10 days or so also. It did however go into the Gatun Locks, and hang for a few hours, picking the tours up in Colon, I think. That one isn't there either.

 

RCL has however put a ship sailing the Caribbean in the winter season from the Colon area.

 

Hugh in Dallas

[NCTribeFan]

Did the 8-night Miracle cruise to Panama, Costa Rica and Belize in December 2009. Had an aft balcony. It was fantastic.

 

Seriously, the excursion we did in Panama was the best I've ever had. Feel free to go back and read my review.

 

I keep checking the 10-day HAL cruises that go to Gatun Lake. I think they then stop in Colon for a day.

 

Would love to do that one, but just cannot afford it as a solo cruiser. :(

[Hugh0906]

Did the 8-night Miracle cruise to Panama, Costa Rica and Belize in December 2009. Had an aft balcony. It was fantastic.

 

Seriously, the excursion we did in Panama was the best I've ever had. Feel free to go back and read my review.

 

I keep checking the 10-day HAL cruises that go to Gatun Lake. I think they then stop in Colon for a day.

 

Would love to do that one, but just cannot afford it as a solo cruiser. :(

 

It seems that we also stopped in Belize and Cozumel too, but it has been awhile and I'm old and foggy.

 

Well HAL does have some great cabins on the inside that are more reasonable. I thought they had a single supplement that wasn't 200% also. We've done the Noordam 10 day to the Southern Caribbean, and it was fantastic. (we did the Aruba and Curacao route, not the Barbados route. They alternate) I'd like to do the Zuiderdam in and out also. My wants to do a full transit. She will probably win.

 

Hugh in Dallas

[crewsweeper]

We've looked into doing a Panama/Costa Rica cruise in 2013/2014. Few and far between. Mostly canal transits. My understand is that all cruiselines are cutting back on stops to Panama and east coast Costa Rica, ex the need to reposition between US coasts. And those that still have them are only running them in winter months.

 

And to add, all the non-repositioning cruises I've found with stops in Panama and Costa Rica are 14 day cruises, not 8 or 10 as in the past.

[NCTribeFan]

I just had a look at a 10-day HAL cruise in November. The inside started at $1,099. Solo was $2,198, so it was 190%. Not much of a discount.

 

How great does this sound, though?

 

HMC, Aruba, Curacao, Gatun Lake, Colon, Puerto Limon, 4 sea days.

 

If they do this in 2013, I really might have to go! ;)

[golfadj]

I just had a look at a 10-day HAL cruise in November. The inside started at $1,099. Solo was $2,198, so it was 190%. Not much of a discount.

 

How great does this sound, though?

 

HMC, Aruba, Curacao, Gatun Lake, Colon, Puerto Limon, 4 sea days.

 

If they do this in 2013, I really might have to go! ;)

 

Awesome itinerary.

[plywood12]

My understand is that all cruiselines are cutting back on stops to Panama and east coast Costa Rica, .

 

Actually, Princess runs Panama Canal cruises 9 months of the year at lest through 2014. I'm going on a 14 cruise this October.

[Hugh0906]

and sign up for their specials. Check for their flash sales. Come September, October they are likely to get seriously less.

 

They wait a good long time before dropping prices.

 

I've been on 3 cruises with them, and all were bought within 60 days or so of sailing.

 

Hugh in Dallas

[maxamuus]

Makes me wonder if they keep cutting back on ports if people will quit cruising ?? I mean one can only want to see the same ports so many times before they would rather just fly somewhere and see something new.