Panama or Hawaii

[teddycruzr]

We are planning a "special" cruise next February to celebrate our 35th anniversary and my dh XX birthday (a decade one!) and have to decide between the 10 day Panama and the 15 day Hawaii. Would welcome anyone's opinions and tips in deciding. Thanks!

[Druke I]

Tough choice - they are both good trips, I think.

 

If I could do only one, I would opt for the Panama Canal. Great engineering, and a good example of American know-how working, where others had failed.

 

I still think Jimmy Carter was wrong in giving the Canal back - after all, we stole it fair and square. Had we not built the Canal, Panama would not be a country, but just a province of Columbia.

 

Should you go through the Canal, be sure to read David McCullough's Path Between the Seas, an excellent history of the Canal.

[Sea and Me]

I would choose Hawaii for the anniversary cruise:) After all it is a very special celebration. We are going there 10/05/07 celebrating my birthday (it is a milestone). Hawaii is simply a beautiful, romantic place. In the future we are going to cruise the Panama Canal. Good luck with your decision:)

[jsiegel]

I agree with Michael. I've done both and think the Panama Canal is the better choice. It is amazing. I second the recommendation to read Path Between the Seas. Knowing the history before going through makes the experience all the more rewarding.

 

If you have a choice, go from the Atlantic to the Pacific.

 

Jackie

[elsje]

I agree with Michael. I've done both and think the Panama Canal is the better choice. It is amazing. I second the recommendation to read Path Between the Seas. Knowing the history before going through makes the experience all the more rewarding.

 

If you have a choice, go from the Atlantic to the Pacific.

 

Jackie

 

Out of curiousity is there a difference? Just wondering since we are sailing on 9/24 the other way ~ thanks Els

[bjkTX]

But the 10 day Panama cruise most likely doesn't do the full transit of ther canal and to me that would be the reason for going there (and will in 2008). Hawaii is beautiful no two ways about it - I've been there a few times, DW hasn't. But she has no real desire to go - so far.

 

Jackie - can I ask, whay the preference from the Atlantic to Pacic?

[Tom O.]

Well, I would do the Hawaii trip simply because it is 15 days as opposed to 10 days. I love being on a ship, and the longer the cruise the better. For me, any enjoyment you get out of a port is secondary to the cruise itself.

[jsiegel]

On the Atlantic side the three locks are spaced close together, so as you are entering the first lock, if there is a large ship at the top of the third lock, the image is startling. It can appear that the ship is floating way way too far up. (I can't really figure out the words to express what I mean)

 

On the Pacific side there are two locks close together, then a bit of the canal, then the third lock.

 

Regarding partial vs full transit: both times I went through were full transits. If you do a partial you would miss the Culebra cut (which is an amazing engineering feat) the dredges that are continually clearing out mud, and the two bridges, Centennial and Bridge of the Americas. All worthwhile, but not quite as spectacular as the initial three locks from the Atlantic.

 

Regarding 10 vs 15 days. You have to really like sea days to make the Hawaii trip. 10 of the 15 days are at sea.

 

Jackie

[elsje]

On the Atlantic side the three locks are spaced close together, so as you are entering the first lock, if there is a large ship at the top of the third lock, the image is startling. It can appear that the ship is floating way way too far up. (I can't really figure out the words to express what I mean)

 

On the Pacific side there are two locks close together, then a bit of the canal, then the third lock.

 

Regarding partial vs full transit: both times I went through were full transits. If you do a partial you would miss the Culebra cut (which is an amazing engineering feat) the dredges that are continually clearing out mud, and the two bridges, Centennial and Bridge of the Americas. All worthwhile, but not quite as spectacular as the initial three locks from the Atlantic.

 

Regarding 10 vs 15 days. You have to really like sea days to make the Hawaii trip. 10 of the 15 days are at sea.

 

Jackie

 

Thanks Jackie ~ We are on the 17-day full transit from Seattle to Fort Lauderdale and are so excited :) Els

[Bucky3]

I would definitely do the Hawaii cruise and save the Panama Canal for a time when you can do the complete transit.

[bjkTX]

and Els - I am so envious!!!!

[elsje]

and Els - I am so envious!!!!

 

Hi BJ ~ we (my MIL who is 83) and I just booked this cruise. My DH can't take off from work that long. MIL and I just did our first 16-day TA on the Galaxy from Galveston to Rome and had a wonderful time. We both love seas days as well. I actually could live on a ship. We discovered cruising two years ago and are now on our 4th cruise ~ you can say we are addicted ;)

I noticed you live in San Antonio ~ such great city ~ we lived there 1984 thru 1991 and miss it alot. Lubbock has been our home now for 15 years ~ not a bad place but not as cultural and beautiful as San Antonio ~ Els

[bjkTX]

I'm still envious! :-) We had always said that when I retire we'll do the Panama Canal (we went to the Caribbean out of Galveston in Feb) - thinking it was a few years away. But a few years turned into this May - so we bumped our Canada/New England cruise (the same as our first one 4 years ago) from next fall to this fall, and hope to do the Panama Canal in early 2008 - although everytime i do a price check I pucker a bit - may not be able to do the mini-suite :-0

 

We were here the same time as you - mostly. I ended up here because of the military. We were in San Antonio 72-76, 84-86, then 91-93 (when I retired after 30 years) and have been here since. Not sure how two people from Wisc ended up in Texas...

 

I have been to Lubbock many times in the past few years for work (Wells Fargo) - and I have to say you might not have all the same things we do - but you sure have us beat in road construction :-)

[DesrtDrmr]

We have done both of those cruises, both to celebrate Anniversarys, and enjoyed them both.

To celebrate our 40th, we took the Hawaii Cruise, and it was simply enchanting. The sea days were long, lazy, and fulfilling, with many things to do if we chose. The ports were all wonderful (and we had been there before), and we rented a car, in advance of our cruise, at every port except Kuai, and had a great time just doing what we wanted to do, when and where we wanted to go. The return to Los Angeles was restful, but again, with tons of stuff to do, if we wanted to, and we got to Ensenada all too soon. We had a short stop there, and then back to L.A. That was the saddest part of the trip..........because it was ending. :( We'd go again in a heartbeat.........

Our 10 day Canal trip was also nice, but a lot busier. The highlight was, of course, the Canal, but then, since we hung around in Gatun Lake for a day, and then went back to the Caribbean, it was kind of a let down after that. I'd love to do it again, but going all the way through next time. We did, at that time, on the old Crown Princess, go to Cartagena, Colombia, and that was the most beautiful city, which totally surprised me, for some unknown reason. I think the sailaway from Cartagena was the loveliest we've had so far. We're still looking forward to New York, San Francisco, and Venice sailaways.........

Whichever cruise you choose, I'm sure you'll love. Congratulations on your Anniversary, and Bon Voyage.

[flamomo]

We have taken both of these cruises, and each is fantastic in it's own way.

My very 1st cruise was the 10 day Panama Canal, and I was in awe of EVERYTHING. Seeing the Canal is an experience I will never forget. Just seeing the ship for the first time left me with my mouth hanging open and me saying, "Oh my Gosh!!!". We sailed from FLL. We actually did get to do a full transit, by taking the ship's excursion called Ocean-to-Ocean. We got off the Coral in Gatun Lake and boarded a smaller (approx. 300 PAX) ship for the remainder of the transit. After we got into the Pacific Ocean, we sailed out around Panama City, docked at Balboa, and boarded tour buses for the trip back across Panama. We met the Coral in Cristobal and reboarded. It was an all-day tour, rather expensive, but well worth every minute and every penny. The remainder of the cruise was "the icing on the cake". We visited Jamaica, Costa Rica, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel.

Our most recent cruise was on the Island Princess to Hawaii. Another fabulous trip. Lovely, relaxed sea days, and we finally got to visit Hawaii for the first time (we're in our 60's). We were thrill beyond belief. It was everything we had hoped for. Hawaii is so beautiful. We visited Volcanoes Nat'l. Park, the USS Arizona Memorial and took a bus tour of Honoluolu; the tour included Nu Pali Overlook, where the scenery is breathtaking. We went on a whale watching excursion in Maui. We took a "beach day" on Kauai.

I am not the person who can tell you which one to choose one over the other. We absolutely loved both of these cruises. But we are going to do the Hawaii cruise again in 2008. We are already booked, and can't wait to go again. There is so much to see that a one day visit per island is just a tiny taste.

Whichever of these 2 itineraries you select, you will have a wonderful cruise.

[MilliesMom]

My dream cruise is the 15 day roundtrip to Hawaii. I think Hawaii would be perfect for an anniversary and birthday celebration.

 

Also we love sea days so those extra days on the Hawaii trip would be fantastic.

[2Ports]

Just did Hawaii - Fabulous! But perhaps colored a bit by the "NCLA Experience". (Never again) We're taking the Coral 10 day PC this fall for - drum roll - Mrs. 2Ports 50th and our 25th. I'd call it a toss-up - 8 sea days + Hawaii, half and half on the Coral. As far as hectic, any cruise of the Islands is going to be hectic - 1 or 2 days is not nearly enough for any of the islands, while the PC cruise is basically sea day/shore day in rotation, which we find to be more relaxing. If you've done the Carribean much before, go to Hawaii. If not, I'd vote PC all the way!

[teddycruzr]

Thank you all for your wonderful opinions! We still haven't made up our minds but I sure appreciate your input! Thanks again!!

[bjkTX]

Book them both while you decide and let me go on the one you don't pick!!!!