New Panama Canal Cruise

[PNW Traveler]

April 3, 2023, Enchantment of the Seas, 14 nights, Fort Lauderdale to Los Angeles.

Listed on some travel agency sites, available to book.

Not yet showing on Royal's website.

 

We are booked!

[firefly333]

I see it on royalcaribbean 

[Jimbo]

How come no suites available on that sailing? and don't tell me sold out, not posssible every single one is booked 13 months from now

Edited February 21, 2022 by Jimbo

[PNW Traveler]

2 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

How come no suites available on that sailing? and don't tell me sold out, not posssible every single one is booked 13 months from now

I was told that I could put in a request for a suite, but none were available for the agent to check prices for me.

[leaveitallbehind]

It is definitely available to book through RCCL direct or through a TA.  Suites are not showing as open yet - that should change over time.  Probably haven't allocated the suite inventory yet for pricing.

[leaveitallbehind]

We are definitely interested in a transcanal itinerary. Too bad this itinerary is not on a different ship.  Enchantment is a bit tired (even with refreshing) and only offers one specialty restaurant and Park Cafe.  Not the best ship IMO to spend 14 days on, 7 of which are at sea.  The itinerary, while certainly attractive as it is a transcanal with some nice ports of call, is at the same time a little shy on ports of call as well.  Just my opinion.

[firefly333]

I want to do Panama but have oasis group cruise march 12.. idk how I could do both b2b. Timing isnt good but it's on my list.

[Ashland]

I'm so glad now after seeing this that I booked the Panama Canal Oct 2-15 2022 from Los Angeles to Tampa...Great price when the schedule opened for my OS on Serenade.

 

It sold out really fast.

[cruiselvr04]

I’d love to do this one!  We have been through the locks but not the whole way.  

[IndyCapt]

1 hour ago, leaveitallbehind said:

We are definitely interested in a transcanal itinerary. Too bad this itinerary is not on a different ship.  Enchantment is a bit tired (even with refreshing) and only offers one specialty restaurant and Park Cafe.  Not the best ship IMO to spend 14 days on, 7 of which are at sea.  The itinerary, while certainly attractive as it is a transcanal with some nice ports of call, is at the same time a little shy on ports of call as well.  Just my opinion.

What is the itinerary/ports? I didn’t see it listed yet on Royal’s website…?

[delmom18]

I can't find it listed on Royal either but  https://cruisesheet.com/royal-caribbean-enchantment-of-the-seas-14-night-ft-lauderdale-to-los-angeles-april-03-2023-166b93

[Another_Critic]

16 minutes ago, IndyCapt said:

What is the itinerary/ports? I didn’t see it listed yet on Royal’s website…?

 

4 minutes ago, delmom18 said:

I can't find it listed on Royal either but  https://cruisesheet.com/royal-caribbean-enchantment-of-the-seas-14-night-ft-lauderdale-to-los-angeles-april-03-2023-166b93

 

14 Night Panama Canal Cruise

Back to search results

Leaving from Fort Lauderdale, Florida

onboard Enchantment of the Seas

Apr 3, 2023Apr 17, 2023

Change date

Day

Port

1

Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Departs At 4:00 PM

2 - 3

AT SEA,

At Sea

4

Cartagena, Colombia

From 8:00 AM - 3:30 PM

5

Colon, Panama

From 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM

6

Panama Canal, Panama

Day At Sea 6:00 AM - 6:00 PM

7

Cruising

Day At Sea

8

Puntarenas, Costa Rica

From 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM

9 - 11

Cruising

Day At Sea

12

Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

From 9:00 AM - 6:00 PM

13

Cruising

Day At Sea

14

Ensenada, Mexico

From 7:00 AM - 6:00 PM

15

Los Angeles, California

Arrives At 6:30 AM

 

Edited February 22, 2022 by Another_Critic

[PNW Traveler]

Interesting - my booked itinerary is different.  Some of you may recognize the big box store itinerary format.

 

Date	Port of Call	Arrival	Departure
04/03/2023	Fort Lauderdale	--	04:00 PM
04/04/2023	Cruising	--	--
04/05/2023	Cruising	--	--
04/06/2023	Cartagena/Colombia	08:00 AM	03:30 PM
04/07/2023	Colon	09:00 AM	07:00 PM
04/08/2023	Panama Canal	06:00 AM	06:00 PM
04/09/2023	Cruising	--	--
04/10/2023	San Jose/Costa Rica	08:00 AM	06:00 PM
04/11/2023	Cruising	--	--
04/12/2023	Cruising	--	--
04/13/2023	Cruising	--	--
04/14/2023	Cabo San Lucas	09:00 AM	06:00 PM
04/15/2023	Cruising	--	--
04/16/2023	Ensenada	07:00 AM	06:00 PM
04/17/2023	Los Angeles	06:30 AM	--

 

[Ptroxx]

Yeah I don’t see it on RC site.  I wanna book this.  
Its my birthday 

Edited February 22, 2022 by Ptroxx

[firefly333]

10 minutes ago, Ptroxx said:

Yeah I don’t see it on RC site.  I wanna book this.  
Its my birthday 

Maybe filter by ship? I see it plainly. 

 

 

[Ptroxx]

40 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

Maybe filter by ship? I see it plainly. 

 

 

I’ve tried everything.  I got nothing lol 

[leaveitallbehind]

Even though my interest as expressed is somewhat mild, the pricing for the released staterooms at this point is pretty attractive!  Just wish it was on a different ship.  But even the Celebrity ship (Millennium) that has a similar itinerary is a somewhat limited ship with only the one SR, but it does also have Sushi on 5.  Have been on a Panama Canal itinerary a number of years ago - which was one of our favorite cruises - but it was not a transcanal, which we really would like to do.  And we would prefer an RCI brand ship.  Decisions, decisions......

Edited February 22, 2022 by leaveitallbehind

[pcur]

For those who still cannot see it on the US site, including me after "tossing cookies" (pun intended), etc., I found it's on the UK site.  At least I can see the pricing breakdown and cabin availability, plus see the pricing with my handy currency converter.  I used cruisedeckplans.com and their "deck drag" tool to see what's above and below my cabin, too.

 

I just booked through the C&A D+ phone rep.  I had a complicated situation with FCC's, moving another cruise's $$ over, and a future Pinnacle Certificate that will wipe out my balcony discount.

 

By the way and FYI, there is a code they can use to cancel out the $100 change fee when moving a booking over to a new cruise:  it's NRP1.

[leaveitallbehind]

27 minutes ago, pcur said:

For those who still cannot see it on the US site, including me after "tossing cookies" (pun intended), etc., I found it's on the UK site.

 

I just booked through the C&A D+ phone rep.

 

By the way and FYI, there is a code they can use to cancel out the $100 change fee when moving a booking over to a new cruise:  it's NRP1.

I know it is available on the RCCL TA booking site, so a TA can book it for anyone not seeing it directly, as unfortunately not everyone would have access to a C&A D+ rep.

 

I thought the $100 change fee was applied to NRD bookings?  But either way that code is good to know!  Thanks.

Edited February 22, 2022 by leaveitallbehind

[pcur]

11 minutes ago, leaveitallbehind said:

I know it is available on the RCCL TA booking site, so a TA can book it for anyone not seeing it directly, as unfortunately not everyone would have access to a C&A D+ rep.

 

I thought the $100 change fee was applied to NRD bookings?  But either way that code is good to know!  Thanks.

I recommend anyone that is a C&A member, no matter what level, use the C&A number to book their cruises.  I think it's a shorter wait time.

 

There is a $100 change fee, but if you are moving an existing cruise before final payment to a new cruise, they can void that change fee.  I'm hoping people that see this will ask for it in that circumstance.

[leaveitallbehind]

16 minutes ago, pcur said:

I recommend anyone that is a C&A member, no matter what level, use the C&A number to book their cruises.  I think it's a shorter wait time.

 

There is a $100 change fee, but if you are moving an existing cruise before final payment to a new cruise, they can void that change fee.  I'm hoping people that see this will ask for it in that circumstance.

You are correct.  I was focusing on your D+ comment, but certainly there are reps available who can assist all C & A members. Appreciate you correcting my statement!

 

Not challenging as it is just my confusion, but the $100 change fee only applies to NRD bookings, correct?  I don't recall that with refundable deposit bookings.  And during the height of the pandemic with ongoing cancelations, etc., I believe they were waiving that for NRD bookings as well that were being moved forward to later bookings. 

Edited February 22, 2022 by leaveitallbehind

[karena1]

We will do Panama Cruise at some point, but I still cannot be gone that long yet and would for sure want it to be a bigger ship than Enchantment.  Probably will go in the next 5 years and we plan to make it a long trip.  Once docked in LA, we will rent a car and spend a week going up the coast and fly home from Seattle.

[leaveitallbehind]

14 minutes ago, karena1 said:

We will do Panama Cruise at some point, but I still cannot be gone that long yet and would for sure want it to be a bigger ship than Enchantment.  Probably will go in the next 5 years and we plan to make it a long trip.  Once docked in LA, we will rent a car and spend a week going up the coast and fly home from Seattle.

The one advantage of the smaller ships is that they would be within the Panamax size to be able to transit through the old, original locks.  I am fairly certain that would be the route taken on this itinerary with Enchantment. There is a degree of uniqueness and history associated with them that adds to the transit. 

 

On our previous non-transit canal cruise, we were physically able to reach out and touch the walls of the canal as we rose with the water level.  Not sure that experience would be duplicated through the new locks on a larger ship.  However the rest of the transit would be the same regardless of ship size.

Edited February 22, 2022 by leaveitallbehind

[RobInMN]

18 minutes ago, karena1 said:

We will do Panama Cruise at some point, but I still cannot be gone that long yet and would for sure want it to be a bigger ship than Enchantment.  

 

4 minutes ago, leaveitallbehind said:

The one advantage of the smaller ships is that they would be within the Panamax size to be able to transit through the old, original locks. 

From what I understand (from this forum) is that even more than the locks, is the Bridge of the Americas. Clearance is 201 feet, and there is some minimum clearance allowed below that (~190 feet max?). I believe that even with the wider locks, which are large enough for even the Oasis class, the Radiance class is still the largest RC class that will realistically fit under the bridge. Even if on paper you could get other ships through with retracted stacks and at low tide, they won't do it.

That said, I'm with @karena1, I'd certainly prefer a Radiance class over a Vision class. I really have no desire to go on a Vision class at this point, almost regardless of the itinerary. But that's me.

[leaveitallbehind]

2 minutes ago, RobInMN said:

That said, I'm with @karena1, I'd certainly prefer a Radiance class over a Vision class. I really have no desire to go on a Vision class at this point, almost regardless of the itinerary. But that's me.

Our 2006 canal cruise was on Jewel.  Based on my previous comments regarding Enchantment, I would have to agree as well.

 

Grandeur would be a decent VC alternative, with 3 SR's and Chef's table, etc.  But as that is currently based in Barbados......