Panama Canal Wonder Booking question for first DCL cruise

[LAdad]

Looking to book the 14 day Panama Canal cruise from LA to Galveston on the Wonder in September 2013 for 2 adults and 2 children. We've never been on DCL but my DS7 and DD4 would probably love it.

 

Is there a way to see which cabins are available to book? When I've booked Carnival in the past, the main website would show me which cabins were availabe. Or are all the cabins on Disney booked as category quarantees?

 

If it is possible to pick a particular cabin on DCL, any thoughts on cabin choice?

Our thinking:

1. Convenient to the Kids Clubs on Deck 5 as happy cruising for us is all about keeping the kids busy/ happy/ entertained.

2. Maybe with a verandah to enjoy when nearing ports and in the canal lakes (but probably useless while in the canal locks)

3. Maybe a Cat 4 with the extra room and pull down Murphy bed as my DS7 fell off a Carnival upper bunk once (with no residual damage luckily)

4. We don't get too seasick so Aft or Forward would be ok but Middle is always ideal

5. Would be nice if it was quiet at night so probably not under a pool/ theater/ bar/ dance club.

6. Starboard or Port (LEFT) for best views while docked or going through the canal?

 

On the few Carnival cruises we've been on, we've liked Balcony cabins on the higher decks near Camp Carnival (kids club) and the buffet!

 

BTW, I hope I don't burn any bridges here, but just from looking at the DCL boards on CC for a few days now, it seems like DCL cruisers are more content than Carnival cruisers... which I say with a lot of respect for the Carnival cruisers that have been very helpful to me in the past. :)

 

Thanks for any help in advance!

[Shmoo here]

Looking to book the 14 day Panama Canal cruise from LA to Galveston on the Wonder in September 2013 for 2 adults and 2 children. We've never been on DCL but my DS7 and DD4 would probably love it.

 

Is there a way to see which cabins are available to book? When I've booked Carnival in the past, the main website would show me which cabins were availabe. Or are all the cabins on Disney booked as category quarantees? When you do your reservation online, and select a category of room, DCL will offer you a selection of up to 6 or 7 rooms that are available in that category.

 

If it is possible to pick a particular cabin on DCL, any thoughts on cabin choice?

Our thinking: If there are rooms available within the category you choose, you will be able to select from a list of available rooms, or pick a specific room number to see if it's available.

1. Convenient to the Kids Clubs on Deck 5 as happy cruising for us is all about keeping the kids busy/ happy/ entertained. The Wonder isn't that large a ship. Yes, deck 5 is very convient to the kids clubs (as well as the Buena Vista Theatre), but nowhere on the ship is that far away.

2. Maybe with a verandah to enjoy when nearing ports and in the canal lakes (but probably useless while in the canal locks) Having the verandah would be nice, but, in all likelyhood, you'll have a better view on the upper open decks. We had an Oceanview on our PC cruise and we weren't in the room that much. Generally, you pull into port fairly early in the morning, so, unless you're an early riser, you won't really be watching as you pull in.

3. Maybe a Cat 4 with the extra room and pull down Murphy bed as my DS7 fell off a Carnival upper bunk once (with no residual damage luckily)

4. We don't get too seasick so Aft or Forward would be ok but Middle is always ideal That's what we do - midship

5. Would be nice if it was quiet at night so probably not under a pool/ theater/ bar/ dance club. Our rooms have always been on deck 2 (oceanview). 2 of them under the passageway by Promenade Lounge - the passageway is carpeted there so we pretty much only heard (rarely) what we took to be kids running down the passageway. One room was a bit more forward and under the passageway along side of Triton's. Here the passagway is a hard marble floor, again, only heard running feet. One of our rooms was directly under Wavebands (one of the lounges) and we heard nothing (and we are not late to bed people, so there was stuff going on in there while we were in our room).

6. Starboard or Port (LEFT) for best views while docked or going through the canal? Since the canals is on both side, either works. As for docking, the ship may dock on either side, depending on tides, and how they want to depart. We had port side for our PC cruise.

 

On the few Carnival cruises we've been on, we've liked Balcony cabins on the higher decks near Camp Carnival (kids club) and the buffet!

 

BTW, I hope I don't burn any bridges here, but just from looking at the DCL boards on CC for a few days now, it seems like DCL cruisers are more content than Carnival cruisers... which I say with a lot of respect for the Carnival cruisers that have been very helpful to me in the past. :) I don't understand what you mean by content?

 

Thanks for any help in advance!

 

See my answers in red.

Welcome

:)

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Looking to book the 14 day Panama Canal cruise from LA to Galveston on the Wonder in September 2013 for 2 adults and 2 children. We've never been on DCL but my DS7 and DD4 would probably love it.

 

Is there a way to see which cabins are available to book? When I've booked Carnival in the past, the main website would show me which cabins were availabe. Or are all the cabins on Disney booked as category quarantees?

 

If it is possible to pick a particular cabin on DCL, any thoughts on cabin choice?

Our thinking:

1. Convenient to the Kids Clubs on Deck 5 as happy cruising for us is all about keeping the kids busy/ happy/ entertained.

2. Maybe with a verandah to enjoy when nearing ports and in the canal lakes (but probably useless while in the canal locks)

3. Maybe a Cat 4 with the extra room and pull down Murphy bed as my DS7 fell off a Carnival upper bunk once (with no residual damage luckily)

4. We don't get too seasick so Aft or Forward would be ok but Middle is always ideal

5. Would be nice if it was quiet at night so probably not under a pool/ theater/ bar/ dance club.

6. Starboard or Port (LEFT) for best views while docked or going through the canal?

 

On the few Carnival cruises we've been on, we've liked Balcony cabins on the higher decks near Camp Carnival (kids club) and the buffet!

 

BTW, I hope I don't burn any bridges here, but just from looking at the DCL boards on CC for a few days now, it seems like DCL cruisers are more content than Carnival cruisers... which I say with a lot of respect for the Carnival cruisers that have been very helpful to me in the past. :)

 

Thanks for any help in advance!

 

 

 

 

Is there a way to see which cabins are available to book? When I've booked Carnival in the past, the main website would show me which cabins were availabe. Or are all the cabins on Disney booked as category quarantees?

 

If you go to the DCL website it will not show all of the rooms but a sellection of rooms availbe on each catergory. There are differnet options normally gurantees only come out when a high percentage of rooms are booked.

 

But DCL do make offers, such as very good rates, dependent on sales, so far panama crossings are normally very popular and may sell out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

If it is possible to pick a particular cabin on DCL, any thoughts on cabin choice?

 

Yes you can, go to the website or call or contact a quality DCL Travel agent.

 

 

Our thinking:

 

 

1. Convenient to the Kids Clubs on Deck 5 as happy cruising for us is all about keeping the kids busy/ happy/ entertained.

 

Deck 5/6/7 is a great location near kids club.

 

 

2. Maybe with a verandah to enjoy when nearing ports and in the canal lakes (but probably useless while in the canal locks)

 

Having been on two DCL Panama crossings and also one Princess cruise through panana a verrandah is a must, it really is. I saw people camping out at 5am to secure their places on our two crossings, they stake out space, sometimes suing deckchairs but DCL did try to stop this.

 

Now in Panama it often rains, hence the water of the canal you will learn about that. Whilst cloudy you may if you are out lnog burn.

 

From a veranda room you get the protection from the weather sun, stoping sunburn, rain, and even the humid heat, you can go to the toilet, you can order room service you can go to lunch without loosing your spot and having air conditioning.

 

People on deck cant move aobut at all as the crowds block thier places out, but you cant really have lunch or go to the loo.

 

Crossing takes all day often starting early and ending about 6pm it a full day.

 

Either side of the canal is generally exactly the same with the locks, mule trains etc and forest and waters and bridges covering both sides, there isnt anything on one side that isnt on the other.

 

I have been in some heavy thunder and lightning storms in the canal and on deck is very wet, ship photograghers get off and take photos of you on any deck just waves, often there is a deck bbq.

 

 

3. Maybe a Cat 4 with the extra room and pull down Murphy bed as my DS7 fell off a Carnival upper bunk once (with no residual damage luckily)

 

We have had Cat 4s many times they are great rooms, great location and the murphy bed is good in fact our two panama crossings were mid ship cat 4s.

 

 

 

4. We don't get too seasick so Aft or Forward would be ok but Middle is always ideal

 

 

 

Fully agree!!! Note Pacific is far more active than the Carribean and therefore people can get seasick fully agree.

 

5. Would be nice if it was quiet at night so probably not under a pool/ theater/ bar/ dance club.

 

No Cat 4 is under any pool, the Cat 4s are either side and pool in the middle. They are not under any bars, except Cove cafe.THats quite.

Deck 6/7 are very good as well no bars pools or entertainment areas, they are on deck 3.

 

 

 

6. Starboard or Port (LEFT) for best views while docked or going through the canal?

 

Either is good, you do not know which lock left/righ the ship will go into and there are a set of three, if gonig West, on Port side is the railway line and viewing areas a locks but thats it, on starboard there are also great views. In fact if the ship goes left into locks, starboard may be better.

 

 

 

On the few Carnival cruises we've been on, we've liked Balcony cabins on the higher decks near Camp Carnival (kids club) and the buffet!

 

BTW, I hope I don't burn any bridges here, but just from looking at the DCL boards on CC for a few days now, it seems like DCL cruisers are more content than Carnival cruisers... which I say with a lot of respect for the Carnival cruisers that have been very helpful to me in the past. :)

 

 

 

Yes buffet is Beach blanket at the end of the pool deck and easy access from deck 8/7/6. Also it has fast food and a BBQ on crossing day.

[Host Mick]

I think that it would be awesome to have a verandah for the Canal transit. Be sure to get the port side to that you can see the other locks also and the mules (machines, not animals) pulling the ships.

I've watched the process from the control rooms at the Miraflores locks but never from abaord a ship. It was fascinating.