Seafarer or Sunfarer?

[SetAnOpenCourse]

We are narrowing down the choices for our next cruise, and the main contenders are the Southern Caribbean Seafarer (Oosterdam, October), or the Panama Canal Sunfarer (ten-day, Zuiderdam, late November). Can anyone comment on the following considerations, or point out other considerations?

• Sea/weather condition – slight edge to the cruise in November when Caribbean weather is getting more stable.
  
• Tax/Fee/Port expense – big edge to the Seafarer (anyone know why Sunfarer would be over $200 higher?)
  
• Itinerary – edge to Sunfarer for these factors:
  
  • Extra day at sea (my favorite part of a cruise)
    
  • No tender ports (Seafarer has tender in Samana, Dom. Rep.)
    
  • Costa Rica (would be nice to see the rainforest)
    
  • Panama Canal (interesting to see for first time, although the experience may be limited since we prefer not to take any excursions)
    

  [*]Ship – edge to Seafarer, only because we’d enjoy cruising on a ship we haven’t been on yet (Oosterdam).

Food and entertainment are not really factors for us and I would expect the general atmosphere on both cruises to be relatively quiet (hopefully, even though we’re a bit younger). Give me a bowl of muesli in the morning, an outdoor promenade for walking a few laps while enjoying the ocean, and a deck chair for reading and I’m all set!

Edited August 6, 2015 by SetAnOpenCourse

[regnig]

Tax/Fee/Port expense – big edge to the Seafarer (anyone know why Sunfarer would be over $200 higher?)[/size]..................

 

Extra Tax/Fee/Port expense is to cover the Panama Canal.

 

Ships are sisters so it should really boil down to where you want to go and see.

Edited August 6, 2015 by larsen

[CruiserBruce]

I would not be passing an opportunity to see the Canal, even if a partial transit. And yes, the fees are higher to pay for the Canal entrance, which is not cheap.

[Fouremco]

I'd definitely pick the Sunfarer. We've done the Seafarer and have visited the ABC islands on other cruises, but have yet to visit or cruise to Panama or Costa Rica, both on our "to do" list.

 

We've not been on the Zuiderdam, but did an Alaskan cruise on the Oosterdam a couple of years ago. Not our favourite ship, mostly because the MDR wasn't up to the usual HAL standard.

 

Whichever you choose, I'm sure you'll be happy. :)

[ksqueak]

I've done both and as someone else said, it really boils down to which you'd prefer to see. My preferance would be the sunfarer because of the extra sea day. The canal wll be like a sea day if you don't book an excursion. We just dropped anchor in Gatun Lake for several hours. It is worth watching as you go thru the locks though - interesting.

Have a blast whatever you decide!

[peaches from georgia]

Sunfarer- PCanal and Costa Rica!

[sue1898]

We found the Panama Canal to be fascinating and would highly recommend experiencing it. Although you mention that you would prefer not to do an excursion, on our partial transit we did the HAL excursion where you go through the canal on a smaller boat then are bused back to meet the HAL ship. It was very interesting and gave an entirely different perspective of the canal. Whatever you choose, ENJOY!

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have done both cruises numerous times.

SO -- I think I would do the partial Panama Canal again.

[take us away]

Have sailed all these cruises and have to say, the rain forest of Costa Rica and the Panama Canal still amaze me after many trips to each. If you do decide to do this cruise, the zip line or the aerial basket tram up into the canopy in Costa Rica are wonderful. Am afraid of heights so did the aerial basket trip, clicked photos over the side then admired the monkeys, the plants, the scarlet macaws. The Caribbean is getting a bit 'same' on many of the islands, which are beautiful, especially the ABC islands (Curacao is my favorite).

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

If you have never seen the Panama Canal, I suggest the Sunfarer. The ships are basically the same. We have never done the excursions on a partial Canal cruise - many report, those excursions are long and hot. Even with only going in and out of one lock, I find it amazing that this venue was developed over 100 years ago. It is something to see; there will be good narration of the transit.

[sail7seas]

If you have never sailed the Panama Canal, you might wish to give it serious thought.

[kazu]

We really ejoyed the Sunfarer. The Seafarer is more of the traditional Caribbean ports.

 

Anything involving the Panama is usually more expensive because of the cost to go through.

[SetAnOpenCourse]

Thanks for the responses so far, which unanimously recommend the Sunfarer. Maybe the canal is the Caribbean's answer to the glaciers on Alaska cruises - the big memorable object that draws every passenger's attention.

Right now the Sunfarer is a little less expensive, which offsets the much higher port fee a little bit. I realize that expecting any reduction is a gamble, but could one expect the prices to come down fairly evenly for both, or does the popularity of the Sunfarer tend to keep its price higher in the final weeks/months before the cruise?

Edited August 7, 2015 by SetAnOpenCourse

[take us away]

Wish a ouija board could predict pricing but alas, there does not always seem to be much rhyme or reason. I book the cruise I want and the cabin I will be happy in but continue to watch the prices and alert my TA (who also watches) if there are price drops or other 'specials'. He has been able to accommodate all pricing drops even after the final payment but that one came thru as extra OBC.

[SetAnOpenCourse]

Wish a ouija board could predict pricing but alas, there does not always seem to be much rhyme or reason. I book the cruise I want and the cabin I will be happy in but continue to watch the prices and alert my TA (who also watches) if there are price drops or other 'specials'. He has been able to accommodate all pricing drops even after the final payment but that one came thru as extra OBC.

 

I see. I recall a post where someone had tracked prices, perhaps with a spreadsheet.

 

I'll wait and see. Perhaps fuel prices will have a favorable impact in the coming weeks.

[take us away]

I see. I recall a post where someone had tracked prices, perhaps with a spreadsheet.

 

I'll wait and see. Perhaps fuel prices will have a favorable impact in the coming weeks.

 

Not aware that cruise lines change pricing wrt to fuel pricing as way too variable and fluctuates too often. Have cruised when there were huge fuel costs and also when there were super low fuel costs and the prices never budged. Guess it all evens out in the end.

[Himself]

We are narrowing down the choices for our next cruise, and the main contenders are the Southern Caribbean Seafarer (Oosterdam, October), or the Panama Canal Sunfarer (ten-day, Zuiderdam, late November). Can anyone comment on the following considerations, or point out other considerations?

• Sea/weather condition – slight edge to the cruise in November when Caribbean weather is getting more stable.
  
• Tax/Fee/Port expense – big edge to the Seafarer (anyone know why Sunfarer would be over $200 higher?)
  
• Itinerary – edge to Sunfarer for these factors:
  
  • Extra day at sea (my favorite part of a cruise)
    
  • No tender ports (Seafarer has tender in Samana, Dom. Rep.)
    
  • Costa Rica (would be nice to see the rainforest)
    
  • Panama Canal (interesting to see for first time, although the experience may be limited since we prefer not to take any excursions)
    

  [*]Ship – edge to Seafarer, only because we’d enjoy cruising on a ship we haven’t been on yet (Oosterdam).

Food and entertainment are not really factors for us and I would expect the general atmosphere on both cruises to be relatively quiet (hopefully, even though we’re a bit younger). Give me a bowl of muesli in the morning, an outdoor promenade for walking a few laps while enjoying the ocean, and a deck chair for reading and I’m all set!

 

Correction:

Half Moon Cay is a tender port. Tenders are much bigger. I have done both cruises and like both very much. I will be doing the Sunfarer in November. I will get off when you get on.

I do like both cruises. The last time I did the Seafarer, rather than go to The Dominican Republic, I stayed on to enjoy the ship. Now if you do the Sunfarer, I stayed on the ship as we anchored in Gatun Lake. It was fun to go through the Gatun Locks twice in the same day.

Edited August 9, 2015 by Himself

[kjw869]

Easy answer--Sunfarer. Will be on that cruise again in February to see how the new locks are coming along. :)