Panama from Galveston

[Milwaukee Eight]

That's a little strange , but I know that they charge each ship a lot of money per passenger to go thru the locks

 

I wouldn't call this a Panama Canal cruise then. But if your worried about fees and money to travel the Panama Canal, I guess this is for you.

[Clarea]

I wouldn't call this a Panama Canal cruise then. But if your worried about fees and money to travel the Panama Canal, I guess this is for you.

Royal calls it a Southern Caribbean cruise. They don't say Panama Canal.

[sptrout]

Porting at the docks in Colon and not entering the Canal has been SOP for years. It saves the high costs of actually entering the Canal, not to mention the time required. If you want to see any of the Canal you must take a tour. Private tours are generally not recommended, but there may be some. Do not plan on walking far away from the pier into downtown Colon. It is not considered safe for one and there is really nothing to see anyway. There are a few stores within sight of your ship which can be interesting. Just remember that Colon is an industrial city that supports the Caribbean side of the Canal and was never designed to be a tourist attraction.

 

Panama cruises have been confusing for years. There are full transits, partial transits, and docking in Colon. There use to be another option, but that version is gone; Christabol.

[Milwaukee Eight]

Porting at the docks in Colon and not entering the Canal has been SOP for years. It saves the high costs of actually entering the Canal, not to mention the time required. If you want to see any of the Canal you must take a tour. Private tours are generally not recommended, but there may be some. Do not plan on walking far away from the pier into downtown Colon. It is not considered safe for one and there is really nothing to see anyway. There are a few stores within sight of your ship which can be interesting. Just remember that Colon is an industrial city that supports the Caribbean side of the Canal and was never designed to be a tourist attraction.

 

Panama cruises have been confusing for years. There are full transits, partial transits, and docking in Colon. There use to be another option, but that version is gone; Christabol.

 

Interesting and thanks....

[chengkp75]

I wouldn't call this a Panama Canal cruise then. But if your worried about fees and money to travel the Panama Canal, I guess this is for you.

 

Using Enchantment's posted capacity of 2446 (which is probably the double occupancy, so the Canal tariff would be based on the higher maximum capacity), the fee for a partial transit starts at $350k, plus many add ons. There is no discount for a partial transit over a full transit. And those canal fees are passed to the passengers as "port taxes and fees", so the fixed tariff (based on number of berths, not whether they are occupied or not) divided by the actual number of passengers would be the fees, and these typically range in the $180-220/person range, plus all the other port's fees and taxes.

[Clarea]

Using Enchantment's posted capacity of 2446 (which is probably the double occupancy, so the Canal tariff would be based on the higher maximum capacity), the fee for a partial transit starts at $350k, plus many add ons. There is no discount for a partial transit over a full transit. And those canal fees are passed to the passengers as "port taxes and fees", so the fixed tariff (based on number of berths, not whether they are occupied or not) divided by the actual number of passengers would be the fees, and these typically range in the $180-220/person range, plus all the other port's fees and taxes.

Chief, I read not very long ago that the canal fees had to be paid in cash. Is this still the case, or was I reading some sort of myth.

[Milwaukee Eight]

Using Enchantment's posted capacity of 2446 (which is probably the double occupancy, so the Canal tariff would be based on the higher maximum capacity), the fee for a partial transit starts at $350k, plus many add ons. There is no discount for a partial transit over a full transit. And those canal fees are passed to the passengers as "port taxes and fees", so the fixed tariff (based on number of berths, not whether they are occupied or not) divided by the actual number of passengers would be the fees, and these typically range in the $180-220/person range, plus all the other port's fees and taxes.

 

 

 

Well that eliminates 50% of Royal cruisers.

 

 

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[squadron]

Well dang, that is not a Panama Canal trip.

 

 

Had a great tour of Colon. Various excursion will get you close to locks - train or bus. Unless you are really interested in the engineering aspect I would take the cruise.

[Goodtime Cruizin]

Interesting. But even as Galveston is our home port for RCL, we'll pass. The Navigator's 9 day out of Miami has a much better 9 day Southern Caribbean itinerary. Better price too which is good since we'd have to fly.

[awestover89]

Dang, this looks amazing and really interesting, but we are on the Symphony TA in October and not sure if we can do two so close to each other right now

[chengkp75]

Chief, I read not very long ago that the canal fees had to be paid in cash. Is this still the case, or was I reading some sort of myth.

 

Yes, the canal fees need to be paid by bank transfer in advance.

[BillB48]

From what I have seen there is nothing indicating are even entering the Canal. Since the Enchantment has been lengthened she would have to us the new locks if she were to make a partial transit and there is ample room to turn around once clear of the new Atlantic Lock.

[BillB48]

Chief, I read not very long ago that the canal fees had to be paid in cash. Is this still the case, or was I reading some sort of myth.

 

Bob, that was the case back in the day... the cost of the transit had be paid to the Canal's treasury's office before any transit, they had to have the money as in the check or what ever instrument was used already cleared. In other words they needed the "in God we trust" in hand. The situation really has not changed since, a deposit has to be made and cleared to the Canal's account or it is a no go.

[lbjen]

Wow what a cool cruise!

[packedandready]

I was just excited to get a longer, different itinerary from Galveston.

 

 

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[internetwhiz]

Nov 7, 2018.

 

I don't believe this is even a partial transit.

 

No, but what it IS is a longer than 7 night cruise to different ports from Galveston on an RC ship. If I didn't already have cruises booked, I would SO be on this one.

[Hoopster95]

For those of you that have read and posted that Falmouth is dangerous, gross and you would never step out of the fenced port area... multiply Colon by at least 10 times. When I was there, the entire area surrounding the pier is like being transported into a movie set of broken buildings, despair and garbage everywhere. This is the only port I can think of that I have been to that one cannot just walk out and explore on their own.

 

Having said that, I had tours from there on b2b day as well as the day we disembarked... If anyone interested looking at ideas, here's a top excursion I was fortunate enough to experience, totally memorable.

http://www.emberavillagetours.com/

Edited August 3, 2017 by Hoopster95

[Ladysilver]

I was just excited to get a longer, different itinerary from Galveston.

 

 

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Exactly! :D

[cruiselvr04]

Thank you to the person who started this thread. I moved from our Liberty cruise in December 2018 to this one. So excited! We have been thru the canal before and have done all these ports but love having the chance to drive to a cruise with a different itenary. We didn't wait but booked quick and got a great cabin. So again thank you!

 

Since we have been thru the locks that's not a big deal and I'm sure we can find an excursion we will like and we get to stop in Costa Rica again.

[suesnake2002]

I'm so excited for you Bob, I lived in Panama in the early 80's (military wife),by colon at ft gulick . A nd I loved it. Also visited costa rica-friendliest people ever. You will have a great time!!

Edited August 3, 2017 by suesnake2002
spell check

[BillB48]

For those of you that have read and posted that Falmouth is dangerous, gross and you would never step out of the fenced port area... multiply Colon by at least 10 times. When I was there, the entire area surrounding the pier is like being transported into a movie set of broken buildings, despair and garbage everywhere. This is the only port I can think of that I have been to that one cannot just walk out and explore on their own.

 

Having said that, I had tours from there on b2b day as well as the day we disembarked... If anyone interested looking at ideas, here's a top excursion I was fortunate enough to experience, totally memorable.

http://www.emberavillagetours.com/

 

You could not have swerved into a more perfect analogy! lol If you would like to get a taste of the grittiness of Colon, take a look at the beginning of the James Bond movie "Quantum of Solace." The scenes of the movie that depict Port au Prince were actually filmed in Colon. Don't really think you would want the bragging rights that your town was the stand-in for a place like Port au Prince.

 

As Hoopster pointed out, don't let the horror stories of Colon prevent you from taking what certainly could be a rewarding tour. True, Colon is a pretty dismal welcome mat, however there is nothing unsafe about taking a ship's excursion, a private excursion or even a cab to see whatever is of interest to you. The shopping area associated with the pier is safe to peruse. Colon is just not the place to soak up the local color on your own.

[packedandready]

Thank you to the person who started this thread. I moved from our Liberty cruise in December 2018 to this one. So excited! We have been thru the canal before and have done all these ports but love having the chance to drive to a cruise with a different itenary. We didn't wait but booked quick and got a great cabin. So again thank you!

 

Since we have been thru the locks that's not a big deal and I'm sure we can find an excursion we will like and we get to stop in Costa Rica again.

 

 

 

These were my thoughts exactly and why I was so excited.

 

 

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[George C]

No, but what it IS is a longer than 7 night cruise to different ports from Galveston on an RC ship. If I didn't already have cruises booked, I would SO be on this one.

 

Same here, but not going to cancel my 1st Oasis cruise the same month, hopefully RCCL will have more of these 9 + day cruises from Texas

[Ladysilver]

Thank you to the person who started this thread. I moved from our Liberty cruise in December 2018 to this one. So excited! We have been thru the canal before and have done all these ports but love having the chance to drive to a cruise with a different itenary. We didn't wait but booked quick and got a great cabin. So again thank you!

 

Since we have been thru the locks that's not a big deal and I'm sure we can find an excursion we will like and we get to stop in Costa Rica again.

 

I also cancelled our fall '18 Liberty cruise in favor of this one. I'm ready to go to some new ports! :D

[Croozengal]

Just booked Panama from Galveston. Woohoo. Just had to tell someone that would understand. [emoji3]

 

 

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Exciting! LOVE the Enchantment. I've sailed on her both before she was stretched and after. Hoping to book Panama myself in 2018!

 

 

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