Panama canal - Jewel or Serenade

[pasc]

We are considering a panama canal cruise in fall 08. Which one do you recommand Jewel - 11 days in december (Miami round trip) or Serenade 13 days in october (LA to San Juan) ?

 

Also, I read that the sea could be rought between LA and Los Cabos, is it during the fall ?

 

Thank you !

[Sue L]

You can't go wrong with either ship, they are sister ships so they are basically the same with different decor. You need to check out what the open jaw flights would cost with going into one place and coming out of another as opposed to flying round trip out of Miami. We did the 11 day on the Brilliance (another sister ship) and it was amazing. If you want to click on the link in my signature you will see pictures of that cruise.

[nesheiml]

We went on Serenade of the Seas on her first Panama Canal crossing from San Diego to San Juan in Oct 2004 - absolutely loved it. We had an aft cabin and it was awesome. We stood on our balcony and watched as the locks closed behind the ship and they had a view of the front of the ship on the tv monitor. Serenade is a beautiful ship. It was very hot on the balcony even in oct.

[negc]

Both ships are so alike that I suggest that you pick whichever one has the schedule that will best fit your requirements or whichever ship is offering the best price. Jewel is our favorite ship but I would gladly sail on any of the Radiance class ships that offered an itinerary that met my needs.

[goldiemom]

The seas are rough between Cabo and LA going NORTH as you are going against the ocean currents. I will be on the Serenade this October for her Panama Canal crossing. I live in Northern CA and I paid $39 plus tax on Southwest Sacramento to San Diego. The fare on Delta from San Juan to Sacramento was about $250 with tax. Others with our M & M group secured very good one way fares from all parts of North America.

 

Remember that if the ship goes round trip from Miami, it does not transit the ENTIRE canal. The ship usually goes through the Gatun Locks and then turns around in Gatun Lake. It will not transit the Pedro Miguel or the Miraflores Locks. Thus, you will not go from ocean to ocean.

[critterchick]

I figure that when I do the Panama Canal, I want to do a real passage, not go into the locks and turn around to go back. So I would do the Serenade trip, even though the Jewel is my favorite Radiance-class ship. The two ships are nearly identical in layout, it's the staff and crew that we found made a difference, and those can change from one cruise to the next.

[BillB48]

We are considering a panama canal cruise in fall 08. Which one do you recommand Jewel - 11 days in december (Miami round trip) or Serenade 13 days in october (LA to San Juan) ?

 

Also, I read that the sea could be rought between LA and Los Cabos, is it during the fall ?

 

Thank you !

 

You are right about the seas being rough in that area, or at least they can be rough. Whether it is rough depends on how many hurricanes/tropical storms have been sloshing around in the area. The fall being hurricane season for the eastern Pacific as well, I think it was Henrietta that was just in the area. There is no danger that your ship will go through a hurricane as they can outrun or stear around them. The hurricanes can leave the seas rather churned for period of time after the storms have past.

 

Having said all that I think it would still be a great cruise!

[carden]

Good morning,

 

I have done East to West, and West to East, through the Panama canal. OUr LA to San Juan was done in the fall, and it was smooth sailing all the way. Of course we had a thunderstorm or two through the canal, but that is to be expected. We now have planned the Jewel to the canal in Jan. of 09. I thnk I go along, with Critterchick, that first time I was glad to go all the way through. Of course the Gatun locks are the most exciting of the locks to go through so either way you will enjoy the cruise.

[polodad]

We sailed in Oct 02 on the brand new Star Princess (125,000 tons), much bigger then Radiance class RCI from LA round trip to the Mexican Riviera. We ran into heavy seas & I heard the stabilizers were not working on the ship because lots of folks were sick the first 2 nights (southbound).

 

We are also trying the Canal for the 1st time in April 08 on Serenade sailing from San Juan to SF. Heard the Radiance class is fabulous.

[wrp96]

Both ships are fabulous, but I highly recommend doing the full transit if at all possible. There's just something wonderful about added time on a ship, plus seeing the full length of the canal.

 

But if you can't do the full transit, I recommend doing the Panama Canal by Ferry tour when you are at the Panama Canal. This way you still get to see the entire length of the canal. What happens is after the ship has entered Gatun Lake (gone through one set of locks), you depart the ship by tender. You are then bused to pick up the ferry which takes you the rest of the length of the canal. You then take a bus back to the ship.