Where should I cruise for Christmas? Panama Canal or Mexco

[ChinaShrek]

I am trying to decide between two HAL cruises during Christmas this year. I am interested in the 12-Day Panama Canal Sunfarer on Zuiderdam or the 12-Day Mexico and Sea of Cortez cruise on the Volendam. I think I would like the Zuiderdam better since it is a larger ship and has more specialty restaurants but the Volendam itinerary is more exciting. Which would you pick?

[gregma60]

13 minutes ago, ChinaShrek said:

I am trying to decide between two HAL cruises during Christmas this year. I am interested in the 12-Day Panama Canal Sunfarer on Zuiderdam or the 12-Day Mexico and Sea of Cortez cruise on the Volendam. I think I would like the Zuiderdam better since it is a larger ship and has more specialty restaurants but the Volendam itinerary is more exciting. Which would you pick?

I vote for you doing the Volendam, and you can send me as your surrogate on the Zuiderdam 😁

 

-gregma

[Florida_gal_50]

I’m always about the newer ships but I don’t think can really lose with either itinerary.  I find them both appealing.

[mjmagee]

I did the Mexican Riviera (on another cruiseline) this past Christmas.  I can say this....if you enjoy whale watching, it was AMAZING! (Both Cabo and PV).

 

Marilyn

[Tapi]

I’m leaning towards the Panama Canal itinerary. More countries, and port and cultural diversity than the Mexico itinerary. 
 

We did the Mexican Riviera on Celebrity a few months ago. It was an absolutely wonderful cruise, but being an “all Mexico” itinerary, the ports started feeling a bit repetitive after a bit. 
 

With that said, I’d be happy with either one, 

[OlsSalt]

Voldendam and Mexico would be my choice: Sea of Cortez is special - low key stops - and the Loreto excursion up to the second historic Mission at San Javier is magical.

 

Hopefully the smaller Volendam attracts fewer passengers with children, which can overwhelm the larger ships over the holidays. 

[LouChamp]

Aloha. Both cruises are delightful. I am thinking the Mexico cruise may attract more families from California whereas the Panama Canal cruise may attract a more divergent passenger group.  We have done long cruises over Christmas such as South America and the Antarctica but whichever you choose rest assured it will be festive and wonderful. Part of the enjoyment will be the anticipation and planning. Please keep us posted. Enjoy!

[Colorado Klutch]

Have you done a Christmas cruise before? I ask because based on everything I've read and seen, any Christmas cruise will be:

1. Expensive
2. Absolutely packed with long lines everywhere

3. A lot those passengers will be kids

 

Now I've never been on a Christmas cruise, but I liken it to visiting Walt Disney World. I'm very familiar with that place, but I've never been there around Christmas and I would never go there around Christmas for the same reason; absolutely PACKED with long lines EVERYWHERE!

If you are aware of this and you are fine with this, cool. Just make sure you know what you are getting into.  

[VennDiagram]

Which embarkation port is easiest/less stressful for you to get to?  That's how we would decide. 

[JeffElizabeth]

13 hours ago, Tapi said:

I’m leaning towards the Panama Canal itinerary. More countries, and port and cultural diversity than the Mexico itinerary. 
 

We did the Mexican Riviera on Celebrity a few months ago. It was an absolutely wonderful cruise, but being an “all Mexico” itinerary, the ports started feeling a bit repetitive after a bit. 
 

With that said, I’d be happy with either one, 

Agree. We have done both but found the Canal cruise was more interesting.  More countries and I love going through the locks. Still fascinates me to see huge ships moved up and down. 

[JeffElizabeth]

3 hours ago, Colorado Klutch said:

Have you done a Christmas cruise before? I ask because based on everything I've read and seen, any Christmas cruise will be:

1. Expensive
2. Absolutely packed with long lines everywhere

3. A lot those passengers will be kids

 

Now I've never been on a Christmas cruise, but I liken it to visiting Walt Disney World. I'm very familiar with that place, but I've never been there around Christmas and I would never go there around Christmas for the same reason; absolutely PACKED with long lines EVERYWHERE!

If you are aware of this and you are fine with this, cool. Just make sure you know what you are getting into.  

Agree. One of our worst cruises was a Christmas cruise on Princess about a decade ago. Packs of roving kids disrupting everything.  

[Tapi]

3 hours ago, Colorado Klutch said:

3. A lot those passengers will be kids

On a 12 night itinerary on Holland America, I don’t think it will be a significant or even noticeable issue. 
 

I’m raising kids, so we always have to sail when kids are out of school (holidays, summer breaks, etc).

We have sailed all the major lines, and the difference in the number of kids (and their behavior) will be drastically different based on the cruise line and itinerary. A longer itinerary on Holland America like the ones the OP is looking at will most likely attract drastically less families than cruises that are 7 nights or less on a more family friendly cruise line. 

 

From what we’ve experienced, taking a Royal Caribbean, Disney or Carnival cruise during the holidays is an absolute nightmare. Not only is the ship at max capacity with all berths filled, but the ship is overrun with kids, many who are unruly and unsupervised. The number of kids onboard is easily measured in the thousands. Some cruises we’ve taken were so packed with kids, that they had to use conference rooms as overflow because the kids club were at over capacity. 

 

But when we sailed on Holland America, (both in Alaska and the Caribbean during school breaks) there were considerably less kids onboard. Families don’t normally flock to Holland America in the same numbers as on more family friendly cruise lines, and the ones that do, seem to be more traveled and well behaved. 
 

When we sailed on Nieuw Statendam during a school break, The kids club staff told us that they had 110 kids sailing that week which was “really high” for them. There were maybe around 20 kids in attendance at the club anytime we dropped our kids off, and the others were so diluted among the rest of the passengers that they were barely noticeable. Every time we saw kids around the ship, they were usually with their parents, polite, and in their best behavior.

 

Anyway, sorry about all the rambling. This is a very long way of saying that I don’t think that kids will be a significant issue on a 12 night itinerary on Holland America. 

 

Edited April 7, 2023 by Tapi

[AncientWanderer]

I liked how the Mexican ports themselves were decorated and very festive over the holidays.  Never been to Panama Canal ports during that time, so can't comment there.  It was just striking to us because we'd just returned from Hawaii in December, which was very low-key as far as any decoration, and then when we went to Mexico right after, it was very cheerful.  It just felt happy.

[Turtles06]

I just want to point out that the Panama Canal cruise is only a partial transit.   With the caveat that I find the Canal fascinating and have done four full transits, I personally think a full transit would be preferable.   (Maybe do Mexico this time and do a full transit of the Canal when you can at a future date.)   If you do wind up taking this cruise, please consider a shore excursion that will take you through the Pacific locks in a small vessel.  Read up on this over in the Panama Canal forum to see if that type of shorex is for you (long day, hot). 

 

Enjoy whatever you choose!

[LouChamp]

Aloha. Reality is anyplace is crazy during the Holidays. We divide our time between NY and Hawaii and of course Manhattan and Honolulu lol just happen to be insane but kinda fun. That is why we chose South America and the Antarctica and the South Pacific. The costlier the trip the less kids and more relaxed of an atmosphere. Of course, when our kids were young we had no choice but to vacation during Presidents week, Spring Break, certain summer weeks when they were not in camp, etc. So thee is no easy answer it is a matter of instead of how many stars the hotel, ship, resort, etc, maybe we should base it on aspirin quantity lol!!! Keep us posted and enjoy.

[ChinaShrek]

9 hours ago, Colorado Klutch said:

Have you done a Christmas cruise before? I ask because based on everything I've read and seen, any Christmas cruise will be:

1. Expensive
2. Absolutely packed with long lines everywhere

3. A lot those passengers will be kids

 

Now I've never been on a Christmas cruise, but I liken it to visiting Walt Disney World. I'm very familiar with that place, but I've never been there around Christmas and I would never go there around Christmas for the same reason; absolutely PACKED with long lines EVERYWHERE!

If you are aware of this and you are fine with this, cool. Just make sure you know what you are getting into.  

 

Yeah, I did a Christmas cruise last year and it was really crowded. Traveling at Christmas would not be my first choice but I am a high school teacher and can only really travel during school vacations. I was thinking a 12-day cruise would attract an older, more sedate cliental.

[ChinaShrek]

6 hours ago, VennDiagram said:

Which embarkation port is easiest/less stressful for you to get to?  That's how we would decide. 

I live in Maine. It's much easier to get to Fort Lauderdale from here than San Diego (but I like San Diego more than Fort Lauderdale). lol

[OlsSalt]

We did a B2B - both Christmas and New Years on the Konnigsdasm out of San Diego.

 

Christmas was a mob scene, large families, often moving around the ship as large groups. It had very little traditional HAL feel to this segment.

 

Not unlike any other higher intensity Christmas cruise we have experienced. I  always swear I will never take again, but somehow we keep doing them.  The timing always fits our schedule at the end of the year. When else do whole families show up in the Show Lounge waiting for Santa to arrive ....all in matching bedtime pajamas.

 

New Years was a more typical HAL crowd, older, mainly couples, but a very festive group when New Years called for it - definitely the time to put the glitter on. But enough kids to prove the retreat cabanas are not "adults only" as marketed. 

[sunviking90]

On 4/6/2023 at 3:25 PM, ChinaShrek said:

I am trying to decide between two HAL cruises during Christmas this year. I am interested in the 12-Day Panama Canal Sunfarer on Zuiderdam or the 12-Day Mexico and Sea of Cortez cruise on the Volendam. I think I would like the Zuiderdam better since it is a larger ship and has more specialty restaurants but the Volendam itinerary is more exciting. Which would you pick?

Volendam would be my personal choice. If specialty restaurants is what you like they actually are the same in that regard. They each have Pinnacle Grill and a Canaletto. That’s it. Zuiderdam is larger, and if you want a veranda stateroom it has more, and they’re cheaper generally, but the Panama Canal port charges may make it come out even.

[Florida_gal_50]

There is nothing wrong with a partial transit.  I’ve done 8 full transits of the canal and one partial.  I really love it but I don’t think a partial transit sloppy seconds.   While I think there could be a good amount of kids it’s going to be totally different than a 7 day cruise. 

Edited April 8, 2023 by Florida_gal_50

[WriterOnDeck]

Do the Zuiderdam - I'll be on it!  HAHAHA!

 

Seriously, I would go by itinerary. The ships are different but not greatly. If you want a quiet ocean view there are many more on the Volendam.

 

I've been on the Zuiderdam since early January and will be here until late July (world cruise +), and find it delightful and of course the crew is always great. Our family (adults, maybe one 5-year-old) is doing the Zuiderdam holiday so my sisters and I can stay on for the 24 world cruise. You will have a number of us doing both, but not enough to notice, I think.

[ChinaShrek]

11 hours ago, sunviking90 said:

Volendam would be my personal choice. If specialty restaurants is what you like they actually are the same in that regard. They each have Pinnacle Grill and a Canaletto. That’s it. Zuiderdam is larger, and if you want a veranda stateroom it has more, and they’re cheaper generally, but the Panama Canal port charges may make it come out even.

I didn't know about the specialty restaurants. That actually helps my decision.