Royal Caribbean Palma- Panama 14 nights $307

[Skipper Tim]

This is the 14 night transatlantic on Grandeur of the Seas departing 30th October, 2011 from Palma Majorca via Tenerife, St. Maarten, Antigua and Barbados to Colon, Panama.

 

The fares are already incredibly low. We paid $507 (£310) for 'Oceanview' cabins for sole occupancy each. As 'Crown and Anchor Society' members, i.e past RCI guests, there is a coupon code on the RCI website for $200 off per cabin, i.e. a net fare of $307 (£189). Note that these fares are from US agents. UK agents and the UK RCI website quote fares 2-3 times these.

 

Flights can be expensive. We are UK based and so we used the low-cost carrier Jet2 (Manchester-Palma for £34) and 25,000 BA miles + £134 taxes for the flight back from Panama. Various American Express cards give either BA Miles or points which can be readily converted to BA Miles or other airlines' miles upon sign-up which can cover the bulk of the airfare cost.

 

Given the itinerary and the number of sea-days, I imagine this will appeal more to experienced cruisers rather than the regular holiday crowd.

 

Come and join us!

 

Tim.

[UKBayern]

Great tip, thanks! Unfortunately, I cannot make that date, but nice of you to post it for others to enjoy....

[ampleiwb]

That is awesome! called dh over to the computer to see once i looked it up! This is great motivation to save for retirement so we can take trips like this when they pop up!

[Skipper Tim]

I was a little slow posting it appears. Prices have risen and availability for the lower-price cabins is dwindling - categories H and D2 have gone altogether and the few remaining 'Ocean View staterooms' are all the way forward or astern. Rates for solo occupancy have risen around $200 since we booked.

 

It looks like RCI intend filling the ship at any price. I would usually recommend holding out for a guarantee inside rate (not yet available) in the hope of an upgrade to outside. However, outsides were going for exactly the same rate as insides and with so few outsides left, an upgrade is highly unlikely.

 

Solo occupancy of all inside categories (K, L, M & Q - with K on deck 7 the best) are currently the same price at $818 (£507) or the last remaining category I outsides (all on deck 2) for $940 (£583). For 2 sharing the corresponding rates pp are now $559 (£347) and $659 (£409).

 

The Crown and Anchor savings certificate gives $200 discount from these rates per cabin outside and $100 inside. I believe if you are higher up the pecking order in the C & A Society than me you will get 10% more than this.

 

Solo travellers who are also past RCI guests would therefore be pay $718 inside or $740 outside. For duos, it would be $509 pp inside and $559 outside after past guest discount.

 

These rates are still amazing though not quite the jaw-dropping ones they were.

 

Tim.

[UKBayern]

Apparently RCCL is having a hard time filling the ships from Palma. Next weeks cruise last-minute deal for €299 is not bad either for a week!

[kh76sp]

Yeah, I saw this on *************.com and got very excited. We love sea days and it looked like a good ship. (we sailed Jewel of the Seas and liked it) BUT when I tried finding airfare from Boston, MA, it was $1300/pp. That makes for a much more expensive cruise!

[Miewies]

Yeah, I saw this on *************.com and got very excited. We love sea days and it looked like a good ship. (we sailed Jewel of the Seas and liked it) BUT when I tried finding airfare from Boston, MA, it was $1300/pp. That makes for a much more expensive cruise!

 

I bid on a one-way ticket from NY to London on SkyAuction.com and got it for $298; but then you have to get to Luton, Gatwick or Sanstedt to fly to Palma unless you want to get rid of an arm and a leg and fly from Heathrow. Not bad if you don't mind changing airports: Easybus to Watford Junction to Luton for 3 BP! Flights for about 45 BP.