Advice and Help please

[Jarronwood]

Hi everyone

 

I need some help please. We are thinking of doing a 2 week cruise around about mid February/March next year. Now this is the big question - we have already cruised on RC Explorer round the Caribbean, visiting Haiti, Grand Cayman, Jamaica and Cozumel, a few years ago and were going to do a 2 week med cruise this year. However to cut a long story short, we had to cancel the 2 week med cruise.

 

So, without going into too much detail we are looking to maybe do the Panama Canal cruise which also gives us some of the caribbean islands but the question is this "What ship and what iternary".

 

We are both young 50s and like 5 star service. Although we have children (albeit adults now) we dont want a "fun packed cruise" with lots of kids (dont seem to find any adult only cruises). We like formal evenings but also to have the choice of just grabbing a burger or something if we dont want to go to the dining room. Having a lot of restaurant choices would be good too.

 

So if anyone can help me with finding a cruise line/ship to begin with that would be great.

[doone]

The Panama Canal cruise is a spectacular cruise to take, you certainly will enjoy it. From what you have said about yourselves, I would recommend you look at Holland America or Celebrity. They usually have less children sailing on their ships. We did the Panama Canal on Holland America's Rotterdam a few years ago and aboslutely loved the ship, the service, the food and the itinerary.

 

Hope this helps, good luck with your decision.

[doone]

The Panama Canal cruise is a spectacular cruise to take, you certainly will enjoy it. From what you have said about yourselves, I would recommend you look at Holland America or Celebrity. They usually have less children sailing on their ships. We did the Panama Canal on Holland America's Rotterdam a few years ago and aboslutely loved the ship, the service, the food and the itinerary.

 

Hope this helps, good luck with your decision.

[kitty9]

I'm the same as you, early 50's and wanting the best a mass market line can offer, so I go with Celebrity. I did their 2 week Panama Canal cruise last March and it was fantastic. Very elegant but with a lot of things to do. The ports were great and the shore excursions they offered were varied and interesting.

 

But, if you want something a little more special, give Crystal a try. They have just been named the best cruise line for the 10th year, so they do a lot of things right. I've been on 15 Crystal cruises and they are by far the best larger ship cruise line in the business.

[wrp96]

If you like Royal Caribbean's ships, then I recommend the 10 or 11 night Panama Canal cruises on Brilliance of the Seas. A very elegant ship, with a lot of the features and activities of the Explorer, but the average age is a lot older and it attracts a lot less kids. There are 2 specialty restaurants on board, plus the SeaView Cafe and the Solarium Cafe for quick snacks, in addition to the main dining room and the Windjammer.

[captajohnx]

i am interested in the same itinerary.

 

i am torn between a half passage and a full passage trip. it seems that holland america and princess offer the most choices.

one of princess' trips is one way from puerto vallarta to aruba or san juan (or visa versa)

we particularly like the southern carribbean (warmth, and (L)attitude)

it appears that the complete passages through the canal cater to an older crowd with less children. (probably since it is more $$, longer trips, and more sea days)

 

any one else with more views??

[Jane110]

Oceania goes on Panama Canal cruises and their are no kids aboard. They do allow them but don't provide anything for them, so sometimes there might be one or two well behaved,mature kids aboard, but that's all. :)

 

Dining room is always "open seating" in the dining room, a tapas bar up in the lido area as well as room service.

 

No formal nights either. Love that!

[Jarronwood]

Hi Guys

 

Thanks for your input. I will have a look at your suggestions. However, we do like formal evenings. I love to be Cinderella a couple of times and the only chance I ever really get is on a cruise so the ship must do at least 2 formal nights in 2 weeks (maybe 3).

 

Will get back when I have had a chance to study your suggestions. Also, I would be looking for a cabin on the aft of the ship. I have heard lots of good things about the afts and I guess it would also depend on the actual ship too.

 

Thanks agahin

[Jarronwood]

ALso forgot to mention that we tend not to like the excursions. Whilst we love to see the sites etc we hate being herded like sheep onto buses etc. Unless of course there are a limited number of people.

 

When we stopped off at Grand Cayman we got of the boat and saw lots of tour people offering trips out to Stingray City. We went with one of those guys and there were only about 12 of us which was great. Cant stand too many people.

 

AGain in Jamaica we picked up (or he picked us up) a guy called Tony, a local fisherman with his own boat, who took us snorkeling and to the Falls, all for $25 each. There was only him and his co-skipper and we had such a wonderful time on our own. Having said that we did check with the security guard on the beach before we got on his boat, having had visions of being kidnapped etc.

 

Also I am right in thinking that the weather that time of year Feb/March should be glorious shouldn't it.

[Fredr]

Hello

 

All of the respondents have provided you with excellent advice. You have many cruise options, and even after 15 cruises the Panama Canal is still my favorite of all the spectacular sites that we have visited. Another idea is Hawaii or a repositioning cruise which tend not to have many children.

 

Look at the websites such as Vacations to Go, Orbitz, Travelocity, Expedia, and Travel Zoo to see what is out there in terms of itineraries, ships, and prices.

 

Celebrity has a major advantage over Crystal (which I have not been on) and that the price of a Celebrity cruise will be significantly less expensive than Crystal. I am sure that Crystal provides an outstanding cruise but you pay for what you get, and in my experience a Celebrity cruise is the best value overall. Princess and HAL will provide you with a fine experience as well.

 

Hope that you have a great cruise.

 

Fred

[wrp96]

I did my Panama Canal cruise at the end of February this past year and the weather was brilliant. You are outside the rainy season. I love the aft cabins on RCCL's Radiance class of which Brilliance is one, especially if you can get one of the corner afts. Really the only place you can't go off on your own is in the Panama Canal itself, where you aren't allowed to get off most ships unless you are on a ship excursion (not that you have to get off the ship to see the wonders of the Canal).

[motherchic]

Jarronwood,

Am i remembering correctly? Did you also ask this on the Celebrity site?

If so- excuse my repitition,,,,I love Celebrity and we are booked on the Feb.17th sailing of the Summit-14 day Panama Canal cruise.

The summit is a lovely ship. With celebrity you get great service, excellent food, lovely atmosphere, without the "party ship" feel. IMHO, you cannot go wrong.

Nadine

[Jarronwood]

Hi Nadine

 

Yes I did sort of ask the same question.

 

Well I have now provisionally reserved for 17th February on the SUmmit too. I just cant get an aft CC class cabin and even if the suites were available the finances do not stretch to one of them.

 

Flights are sorted now.

 

The online TA I have used here in England is very very good. I put a call through to a few TAs but chose one who was extremely attentive - so I have yet to send the deposit. We both need now to check that the dates at work are OK to take.

 

He said he will keep an eye on any afts becoming available and if they did then it would be around the time the final balance is due. I would really really love to have an aft cabin but its first come first served really. There are also a couple of other cabins which have a larger balcony but again fully booked but I shall keep a eye on these.

 

If anyone of these boards has to cancel their precious aft can they contact me first please.

 

So Nadine, we will be on the same sailing.

 

We are thinking of staying a couple of days in LA when we get off. Any thoughts on this anyone.

[motherchic]

Hi Nadine

 

Yes I did sort of ask the same question.

 

Well I have now provisionally reserved for 17th February on the SUmmit too. I just cant get an aft CC class cabin and even if the suites were available the finances do not stretch to one of them.

 

Flights are sorted now.

 

The online TA I have used here in England is very very good. I put a call through to a few TAs but chose one who was extremely attentive - so I have yet to send the deposit. We both need now to check that the dates at work are OK to take.

 

He said he will keep an eye on any afts becoming available and if they did then it would be around the time the final balance is due. I would really really love to have an aft cabin but its first come first served really. There are also a couple of other cabins which have a larger balcony but again fully booked but I shall keep a eye on these.

 

If anyone of these boards has to cancel their precious aft can they contact me first please.

 

So Nadine, we will be on the same sailing.

 

We are thinking of staying a couple of days in LA when we get off. Any thoughts on this anyone.

Hope it works for you. and sometimes those cabins do open up ( or so I hear ) When its a definite, please join our Roll Call. cant blame you for not changing TA's, especially one who you really trust and works hard.

Wish we could stay awhile in LA, but i am pushing it as is being gone for so long.

Nadine