Are lower prices likely for Panama Canal?

[jp45atcc]

We've booked a Panama Canal cruise for November, and there is little difference in the prices offered by anyone. I'd like to think there will be sale prices before August, the final payment date. If it's after that, HAL's policy is, basically, tough snookies. Maybe someone has experienced this 14-day cruise and can offer hints. I know that price isn't ALL that matters, but it does matter.

[AZaTaz]

We did the Panama Canal 15 day cruise on Princess. We booked 14 months out and watched the price go UP! I always look at the Panama Canal cruises as we would like to take another one someday and I have noticed that the prices tend to go up not down.

 

Just my experince.

[Roz]

Panama Canal cruises tend to be seasonal, and there aren't many of them comparatively speaking, so I wouldn't anticipate the fare going down. If it does, good for you!

 

Roz

[sail7seas]

The price charged for the ship to transit the canal is extremely high. Panama sets the rate by exact measurements of the ship. That price if, of course, spread and shared by all guests.

 

It isn't likely there will be reduction in price of Panama Canal Prices. They always tend to be higher than a non-transit Caribbean cruise because of the high transit cost.

 

However, they are fabulous cruises and IMO well worth the additional cost. We have done it several times and learned something new each time. Great cruises.

 

[Roz]

Sail made a good point about the canal tariffs. There's no way around them, and as she said, they make Panama Canal cruises more expensive right off the bat.

 

Roz

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have never seen any of our Panama Canal prices go down -- just up.

And a couple of times we have gotten on the ship onloy to get a letter and find out that price of transiting the canal went up and the new tax would be added to our ship board account.

[cruz chic]

My Panama canal cruise in 2009 went down quite a bit between booking and final payment. It was an exceptional price. I'm doing the same Panama cruise this year and my guess is that I will be paying at least $1000 more. I'm not expecting to see the price go down.

[Padraic]

The price charged for the ship to transit the canal is extremely high. Panama sets the rate by exact measurements of the ship. That price if, of course, spread and shared by all guests.

 

On our Christmas/New Years cruise through the Panama Canal a speaker described how cruise ships are priced. The cost of transiting the canal is essentially based on a per-cabin basis. I don't recall what the per-cabin price was but unoccupied cabins were cheaper than occupied ones. The toll table is found at <http://www.pancanal.com/eng/maritime/tolls.html>.

[Benita]

We booked the Zuiderdam 10 day Panama canal cruise 18 months ago. A few months later, I checked and saw the price was 1bout $400 per person less, so the travel agent rebooked it. I was able to keep the same cabin, but the booking number changed. After that, the prices steadily increased and by the time the Superior suites sold out, it was about $200 more per person than when I originally booked.

[cmdchiefthom]

;)I booked a suite on the Zuiderdam 11 months ago, I have watched the price bounce all over the place. What I've observed is the price, for my category SA, has increased over that period of time, but other categories have slightly decreased. It's prime "spring break" time, so I can understand HAL trying to unload empty cabins at a somewhat reduced price, but the premium cabins are quite a bit higher than when I booked. Its simply a case of supply and demand.

[dadroy]

I have always looked for what I considered bargains on every cruise I have taken. Once I have found something I thought was a good deal, I booked the cruise. I have also always picked my stateroom, no guarantee rooms for me.

 

That being said, if I found the price dropped, I looked at it like airline tickets. Sometimes you find cheaper, sometime you don't. I would book what I thought was an affordable rate, then live with it. You might get a better deal later, or might not. Why go through the aggravation?

 

I'm sorry, but it is like everythig else in life. I bought some chicken breast last week, $2.59 a pound. $12.00 for a package. Today, the ad in the mail said $1.89 a pound, I did not go back to the store and demand a refund for what I paid. What is the difference??? Sure the dollar value may be different, an extra $5.00 for the chicken, vs an extra $200 for a cruise, but come on, arn't they the same????

[DutchByAssociation]

We've booked a Panama Canal cruise for November, and there is little difference in the prices offered by anyone. I'd like to think there will be sale prices before August, the final payment date. If it's after that, HAL's policy is, basically, tough snookies. Maybe someone has experienced this 14-day cruise and can offer hints. I know that price isn't ALL that matters, but it does matter.

 

3 day sale starts tomorrow. Take a look and see if it applies to your sailing.

[DutchByAssociation]

We have never seen any of our Panama Canal prices go down -- just up.

 

And a couple of times we have gotten on the ship onloy to get a letter and find out that price of transiting the canal went up and the new tax would be added to our ship board account.

 

And if the fees had gone down, you would have gotten a refund. The taxes you agree to when you make the booking are only an estimate. While many taxes do regularly go DOWN, it's unlikely in areas with brand new terminals (Seattle to name one) or in a case like the Panama Canal which as MANY people know is in the middle of a MASSIVE expansion.