Is a Panama Canal cruise a guy thing?

[rcrabb1513]

I was looking at Panama cruise that departs from Ft Lauderdale and journeys to Los Angeles.  I could ask my wife if this would interest her but we all know spouses sometime answers with an expected answer rather than how they really feel. 

I'll pose the question to the women who been through the canal.  Was it a bucket list experience for you?  

[cgolf1]

I will speak for my wife, who emphatically had it as a bucket list trip for her and we did the half transit in Feb. In fact we travel the great river road along the Mississippi once or twice a year because she loves to visit the locks and dams. So I would vote not a guy thing.

[jelayne]

Not a bucket list, but wanted to do it and would do it again.

Bucket list for me are places like the Taj Mahal, Pyramids, Great Barrier Reef, Suez Canal, Rio for Carnival.

[wrk2cruise]

First transit my DW went along with my desire to go through the canal.  She loved the itinerary with a great mix of sea days and ports and it's guaranteed to be warm (well ok hot).   She gladly signed up for the following 2 times doing full transit.

[lv2cruisgrl]

2 couples who travel together....Our hubby's wanted to do it years ago.  Us women weren't so keen on.  We went and we all loved it.  So no it's not just a guy thing. 

[t18c97]

My wife wasn't sure about it but once in board she loved all the sea days that we had in the full east to west coast transit. 

[prmssk]

Even as a female, I love locks, dams, canals, the workings of ships, etc. so this absolutely was my bucket list cruise and on my list to do again.  My husband was the one that was less interested.  The itinerary usually includes other interesting ports that the others do enjoy and for those not interested in the canal at all, that day can be a great sea day by the pool or reading or whatever it is they enjoy.

[Northern Aurora]

This woman has done six full transits and have thoroughly enjoyed each one.  The history of the Panama Canal, both in terms of the engineering problems which had to be overcome and the impact on geopolitics, is fascinating.  Also a nice combination of sea days and ports.  

 

PS:  My husband also has throughly enjoyed the transits as well.

[didicruiser]

I loved going thru the Panama Canal! Even read the the book “Path between the Seas” 

[NutsAboutGolf]

If someone doesn't like sea days, a full transit isn't for them; a partial is the best compromise

[clochette]

just did a full transit in late April and took my husband along 🙂 it was one of those trips that was on my To Do List, and loved it, now I want to do it again going the other way.  

[NMTraveller]

My wife enjoyed it.  Definitely go!!!!

[xamsx]

That was a bucket list item for me, my husband had no interest. He went because I wanted to do it.

[sdnich]

We did the full transit in 2018 from San Diego to Fort Lauderdale and loved it . We were on the cruise right before but it was cancelled at the last minute because the Infinity was having mechanical problems.We were so disappointed!! But my TA was able to get us on the next cruise also in a SS.Celebrity gave us a 50% credit for future cruise. We used that credit and added a bit more and took an RS at the last minute ( before move up bids) when it came available!! It was an amazing experience!! 
We both had on our bucket list! 

Edited June 7, 2023 by sdnich

[mahdnc]

1 hour ago, rcrabb1513 said:

I was looking at Panama cruise that departs from Ft Lauderdale and journeys to Los Angeles.  I could ask my wife if this would interest her but we all know spouses sometime answers with an expected answer rather than how they really feel. 

I'll pose the question to the women who been through the canal.  Was it a bucket list experience for you?  

 

My wife and I are booked on this Apr 2024 sailing.  For us, I can tell you the Canal is a "dad" thing,  My wife and 2 adult kids (one boy and one girl) have zero interest which is why it will be our 18th Celebrity cruise before we finally get to go.

 

I work in the Joliet area--near (but not at!) Statesville.

Edited June 7, 2023 by mahdnc

[mahdnc]

6 minutes ago, sdnich said:

We did the full transit in 2018 from San Diego to Fort Lauderdale and loved it . We were on the cruise right before but it was cancelled at the last minute because the Infinity was having mechanical problems.We were so disappointed!! But my TA was able to get us on the next cruise also in a SS.Celebrity gave us a 50% credit for future cruise. We used that credit and added a bit more and took an RS at the last minute ( before move up bids) when it came available!! It was an amazing experience!! 
We both had on our bucket list! 

 

Nice.  Plus no plane ride required to get to the embarkation port, right?

[coaster]

Did partial transit on a shore excursion in March off Constellation. The smaller size of the boat used gave you a really closeup view. Excursion ended up in the Pacific at Panama City. We were bussed back to Colon. Going back to Colon in December, but I feel once is enough even as interesting as it was. 

[sdnich]

Just now, mahdnc said:

 

Nice.  Plus no plane ride required to get to the embarkation port, right?

True!  but we really did preferred not having to get on a plane after the cruise ! Plus we lost an hour many nights ! 
but I am not complaining:)

[mahdnc]

2 minutes ago, coaster said:

Did partial transit on a shore excursion in March off Constellation. The smaller size of the boat used gave you a really closeup view. Excursion ended up in the Pacific at Panama City. We were bussed back to Colon. Going back to Colon in December, but I feel once is enough even as interesting as it was. 

 

We took that shorex, too, but back in 2005 on a Horizon cruise.  It was a hot, humid, long excursion day and my family thought it was very boring.  My wife made me apologize to the kids!  I thought it was a very good excursion but we will skip it when next year Summit calls on Colon on the day before we do the full west bound transit.

 

 

 

 

[BEAV]

Fact: Female engineers exist (both mechanical and locomotive)
 

Fact: Real men eat quiche

 

 

[Lastdance]

My DH could care less about going on this type of cruise; however, he is tired of flying to Europe, so now he thinks it’s a possibility.  Not a bucket list item at all, but a shorter flight.  He also did not want to cruise to, or from Hawaii, but that cruise is already booked.  

Edited June 7, 2023 by Lastdance

[coaster]

8 minutes ago, mahdnc said:

 

We took that shorex, too, but back in 2005 on a Horizon cruise.  It was a hot, humid, long excursion day and my family thought it was very boring.  My wife made me apologize to the kids!  I thought it was a very good excursion but we will skip it when next year Summit calls on Colon on the day before we do the full west bound transit.

 

You are so correct about the heat. No breeze and it was a long day. One guy passed out on the boat from heat. Too hot for me to not even want to drink the cheap beers they were selling..... 

Edited June 7, 2023 by coaster

[DCPIV]

I'll also have to speak for my wife.

 

Neither she nor I were particularly keen on getting up before dawn to spend the day watching the locks and the transit, but we ended up spending the entire day outside doing so.  At the end of the day, we agreed that it was the top highlight of the cruise (and we still feel that way).

[rcrabb1513]

26 minutes ago, BEAV said:

Fact: Female engineers exist (both mechanical and locomotive)
 

Fact: Real men eat quiche

 

 

I understand that.  I'm a real geek at heart, my wife not so much.  I don't want to spend a bunch of $$$ on something just for me.

[lv2cruisgrl]

31 minutes ago, rcrabb1513 said:

I understand that.  I'm a real geek at heart, my wife not so much.  I don't want to spend a bunch of $$$ on something just for me.

So send her to the spa.  Why not spend $$ on yourself, you deserve it.  Go and enjoy it. She may find it fascinating also.