Full Transit Panama Canal vs Circle Hawaii

[Charlene1985]

Hi All,

 

*TLDR- tell me the pros and cons of Koningsdam to Hawaii and Zaandam on full Panama Canal transit.  The Grand Dutch Cafe is NOT a factor.* 

 

My husband and I are currently planning our next HAL cruise for January 2025 (our vacation is scheduled for that month from work and moving it is not an option at this time).  We have narrowed it down to the Jan 11 Koningsdam circle Hawaii and the Jan 3 Zaandam Panama Canal transit.

 

We have not sailed either ship though we have sailed Rotterdam and the late Veendam.  We had Vista Suites on both ships and we are looking at Vista Suites for these two sailings.  

 

We love HAL for the laid back vibes, good food, and traditional ships.  Of all the perks of sailing the Pinnacle Class ships, the only things we are sad about not having on Zaandam are the running track, Tamarind, and NY Pizza.  We are MDR fixed seating diners.  Shows do nothing for us, but we do like to listen to music- band or solo performer is fine.  One thing that does make me nervous about Zaandam is reading reports of poor AC in the hotter climates. We had a similar experience on Veendam and don't wish to repeat the experience- the cabin was stifling and the gym (only place to run) was horrendously hot.  

 

For those of you who have sailed both ships and itineraries, which one did you prefer?  I'm assuming that sailing a 15 or 17 night cruise in January will attract an older demographic?  We will be 39 and 53 and would prefer to avoid the spring breakers we encountered on a recent Nieuw Amsterdam sailing despite the ship being one of my HAL favorites.  Which brings up another point- I have heard NA will be replacing Koningsdam in January 2026?

 

Thanks!

 

[Kc52]

We have been on both ships & itineraries several times (Hawaii 5 times and Panama 6 times - 1200 sailing days with HAL) and they are quite different. The Zaandam is smaller and more intimate in terms of meeting people, & the rooms are generally a larger size (good storage space). The Koningsdam is a larger ship with more entertainment and restaurant options, however. the main diningroom & Club Orange have been known to get busy resulting in slower service. Last time we sailed on the Koningsdam in a Neptune Suite we could not get into the Club Orange many evenings. We would counsel you to look above and below where your room is located when booking on either ship as sound travels between floors (music venues, promenade deck noise etc.) We prefer the Hawaii itinerary (we plan to be on this cruise) as there is a mix of sea and port days. The Pacific Ocean can be rough(ish) so be prepared for this if you select the Hawaii cruise. There are many cultural and scenic tours in the Hawaiian Islands to enjoy and the heli flights are awesome. If you enjoy beach time, this itinerary woyld suit. 

 

If you want more port days the Panama cruise may be a better options.  If you have never done the Panama, the transit is very interesting and educational, but the west coast ports can be repetitive and not as interesting, This does depend on what you enjoy the most and what your goals are. We have experienced some safety issues in Mexico and Guatamela - can happen anywhere we suppose. 

 

We have found food menus, taste and presentation comparable on both cruises (setting aside service and restaurant selection) and the Pinnacle Grills are excellent. The Koningsdam has the Dutch Cafe, the Tamarind and their Pinnacle Restaurant has windows with water views. There are more music venues on the Koningsdam but there should be several music choices on both ships - Ocean Bar, piano bar etc. etc.  

 

We have had no AC issues on the Zaandam or Koningsdam. Our opinion if you are getting a room/suite with a balcony, this would be more beneficial on the Panama cruise than on the Hawaii cruise due to the ocean travel. There usually is not much to see on the ocean but the access to fresh air is always great. We have done oceanview, Neptune suite and balcony/Vista suite and prefer oceanview but this is from a value perspective as we are not in our room much. 

 

Both itineraries are enjoyable and both ships are wondeful in their own way. 

 

Have a wonderful time. 

[Petronillus]

I don't have the wherewithal to address all your points and questions. But having traveled both itineraries in recent years, I can offer the following observations:

* Circle Hawaii

     ** Ordinarily I enjoy sea days immensely. Sometimes, when a port doesn't hold much allure, I prefer staying on board. I met my match on this one. One vivid recollection: the Pacific is immensely vast. Rarely did another vessel break our 360-degree horizon. If there was anything between San Diego and Hawaii, I'm sure we would have paused, but there was nothing. Two stretches of 6 days each make for a long long time, especially on the homeward-bound end.

     ** I love the scale of HAL ships, and the Kdam is one of my favorites. The captain told us that the Pacific was not particularly rough on us, but we experienced an extraordinary (for me) level of simultaneous rocking (side to side) and rolling (fore and aft).

     ** Our scheduled visit to Maui had to be scrubbed because the waves were too choppy for the tenders. As a result we doubled up on one of the Big Island ports. Ship happens.

     ** I was surprised on the way out that the temperatures didn't really warm up until the third day and the same for the last two days.

 

* Panama Canal transit

     ** YMMV but looking back this was the better, more enriching experience for us.

     ** DW & I were very glad to have read David McCullough's masterful history of the canal, titled "The Path Between the Seas: the Creation of the Panama Canal 1870-1914" in anticipation. It's a marvel.

     ** At one of the ports of call, Nicaragua IIRC, as we debarked we were greeted by a phalanx of little girls dressed in native (???) costume and accompanied by their fathers. I'm ashamed to say that, with the briefest of nods, I breezed past them and on my way, thinking that this was just an everyday display for us tourists. I learned afterwards, though, that, unlike most ports, this was a very infrequent occurrence for them. If I had known I would have made a bigger fuss over the little girls, and would have dipped into my stash of dollar bills.

     ** On the second half of the cruise, a Mexican history professor gave a series of enrichment lectures. His insights into the history of Central America and Mexico, especially into the Mexican-American War, were enlightening. 

[CruiserBruce]

The Zaandam will get the original locks...that is important.

 

IMHO, Hawaii is best seen on land trips. Nothing against KDam, have sailed on her 3 times and like the Pinnacle class of ships.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Both have pros and cons, I have sailed with HAL on a Panama Canal many years ago and have cruise to Hawaii with HAL. I have also sailed on both ships in question neither one are at the top  of my list for HAL ships. Sorry just being honest here with my personal opinion.

You have no worries of encountering Spring Breakers on either ship/itinerary, due to numerous factors, date, length of cruise and this is Holland America we are talking about lol

January is actually very good time for Panama Canal it is not nearly has humid and temps will be hot but much cooler than if you took this in say April.

It really boils down to are you both people that like to keep active and like to be off the ship? Or do you like to stay put read and relax and do not care about being on the ship for many days at a time? Hawaii has a whole lot of sea days with little time on land, where as the Panama Canal breaks it up with more ports than sea days. It also could be a consideration on flights if you live on the West Coast flight coasts will be easy with round trip flight to San Diego but with the Panama Canal you start on one coast and end on the other so will need one way flight that may or may not be more expensive.

With Zaandam there will be a lot fewer passengers due to size. Also the Vista Suite on the Zaandam will be larger with a much larger balcony and bathroom.

If I was told I could take either one I would probably choose the Zaandam Panama Canal.

Which ever you choose I am sure you will have fun.

[CruiserBruce]

@LAFFNVEGAS, Spring Breakers the first week of January?

[Mike B Landlubber]

I did a Panama Canal cruise in a different way, flying to Chile and coming up the west coast of South America, through the Canal, and to Florida. I really enjoyed it, and it got me to a part of the world that I don’t usually get to. I was able to take a flight over the Nazca Lines, which (along with the Canal) was a bucket list item for me, though may just elicit a “huh?” From most people. It may be a different option to consider, though it won’t fit your timetable now, usually happens in the Spring. I did a “live” thread from it with link below. What really lured me to look at this thread was that I am booked for a Circle Hawaii cruise on Zaandam in November/December of this year. So I can’t really contribute anything about that issue yet, but I will continue to watch this thread.

 

 

 

[LAFFNVEGAS]

27 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

@LAFFNVEGAS, Spring Breakers the first week of January?

OP mentioned in their last paragraph they were wanting to avoid Spring Breakers, hence my comment.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Both are great choices.

[Gigi1977]

I would choose Panama Canal over a cruise to Hawaii.  I have done both.   I like sea days but 12 is too many; 6 going & 6 returning.  Fly to Hawaii and enjoy Hawaii.  Don’t cruise there.  
 

The Canal is a must do cruise IMO.  Wish everyone could have the cruise director we had(Ryan) on our first complete transit.  He was so knowledgeable and shared his knowledge and passion about the canal.  
 

I would (and have done) the canal cruise again and again. I’ll never cruise to Hawaii again unless it is a ‘stopover’ from NZ or Australia (done that too🥰) .   I’ll fly there (did last month!) 😊

[Torquer]

If you are a native English speaker and don't speak much if any Spanish, then it is easy to do Hawaii on your own without a cruise.  That is definitely not true for the ports you will visit on the Panama Canal cruise.  We can get along pretty well when traveling the world without speaking the language, but we do really like returning to the ship in the evening and being able to understand everyone aboard.  For Hawaii, it will be a much more immersive experience if you stay in hotels on the islands.  Just pick 2-3 islands to explore, book a hotel on each island, and book plane tickets and a rental car.

 

FYI...we will be going to Hawaii in 2 weeks on our own, it will be our 6th time in Hawaii.  And in March 2025 we will be doing a full transit of the Panama Canal on a HAL cruise, where previously we just did a partial entry into the canal.

[cccole]

We live in Southern California and have no desire to spend 5 days going to/from Hawaii on an ocean that is not necessarily scenic or warm.  I love being on a beach and cruising, but would not do the cruise from San Diego.  If you want to cruise the Hawaiian Islands you can do that on the Pride of America, NCL.  Then the 10 days you would have spent in the middle of the Pacific can be spent before and/or after the cruise exploring the beautiful islands.  JMO, but we visit Hawaii 2-3 times a year.  We have visited the Panama Canal but not transited it, that would be amazing.  Cherie

[Banditswife]

We have done the canal 3x, 2 from Seattle to FLL & 1 from FLL to Seattle.  We enjoyed each one.  We have also sailed Zaandam, not through the canal though.  We liked the ship for it's smaller size & less passengers.  Service was good throughout our 16 days aboard, stateroom size was bigger than on the newer ships.  Zaandam has an indoor movie theatre as well as the main stage for shows.  The ship is smaller, so yes there are less bells & whistles. Zdam's casino was pretty small if you are into that.

We've done Hawaii from Long Beach on a Carnival ship.  Like someone else said. it is a lot cooler the 1st & last few days & a bit rougher seas than we expected.  For us it was 4 sea days to & 4 sea days back from Hawaii.  Our ship did have extra things going on for us to do on those sea days (lectures, dance classes, art classes.)

We have sailed the Kdam too, just not to Hawaii.  We enjoyed the newer, larger ship for her extra specialty restaurants, music venues & larger casino.  We had an inside cabin, which I considered pretty small but efficient for our needs.

[crystalspin]

6 hours ago, Charlene1985 said:

*TLDR- tell me the pros and cons of Koningsdam to Hawaii and Zaandam on full Panama Canal transit.  The Grand Dutch Cafe is NOT a factor.* 

I think either cruise is worth doing -- specifically both on the correct ship! If you like to enjoy sea days in the variety of venues a Pinnacle ship has, choose K'dam R/T Hawaii. If you like the smaller feel and more port-days (port-days spread out), plus some history and non-US culture thrown in, the PC on the Zaandam is a fine cruise.

 

I have sailed on both ships in Vista Suites, and the Zaandam in an OV on the Lower Promenade. Honestly, I don't think you can make a wrong choice!

[Crew News]

I have been on a number of partial Panama Canal cruises and one full transit last October.  Transiting the canal in extreme heat and humidity is physically demanding if you spend a lot of time outside without shade.  In my case, I will only visit the canal in an aft stateroom with overhead shade for my balcony with my own table and chairs, minibar a few feet away, and no competition for railing space to take photos. 

 

Although I have not sailed the Zaandam to the canal and since the ship has a partially covered balcony spanning the entire back of the ship on Decks 6 & 7 (with loungers), the Zaandam would be my second favorite way to experience the Panama Canal.   If this is your choice, choose a stateroom near the Deck 6 and 7 aft exits.  When cruising the canal, it is imperative that you keep your curtains closed to keep the sun from heating your furniture and overwhelming the A/C. 

 

looking up at a huge cargo ship so close behind is an eerie feeling:

 

I have sailed the Koningsdam including last month in Alaska.  There is lots to do on the sea days, especially eating and just chilling. As far as staterooms, the major difference between Verandah and Vista Suites is the location of the bed.  Loved the indoor poolside lounger movies (amazing sound) while eating a plate of chicken wings or a pizza.  A downside of a larger ship is disembarking so many passengers at each port. FWIW I started the Jan 11, 2025 roll call many months ago.

 

Poolside movie:

[Brewgirl1]

We have done both of these, the Panama Canal and Zaandam wins hands down.  We decided that Hawaii is too nice to just drop into a port for a few hours. Coming back was way too many sea days with cold and windy weather. The Zaandam is a great ship. 

[sunviking90]

If a choice between these 2, go with the Panama Canal. It is best suited to a cruise, weather will be warmer, etc. We have also cruised to Hawaii and done land trips there, and it is best suited to land trips. It’s always a little bittersweet on a cruise as we want to stay. You will also have some cool sea days on the way there.

[The-Inside-Cabin]

On 6/30/2024 at 10:42 AM, Charlene1985 said:

Hi All,

 

*TLDR- tell me the pros and cons of Koningsdam to Hawaii and Zaandam on full Panama Canal transit.  The Grand Dutch Cafe is NOT a factor.* 

 

My husband and I are currently planning our next HAL cruise for January 2025 (our vacation is scheduled for that month from work and moving it is not an option at this time).  We have narrowed it down to the Jan 11 Koningsdam circle Hawaii and the Jan 3 Zaandam Panama Canal transit.

 

We have not sailed either ship though we have sailed Rotterdam and the late Veendam.  We had Vista Suites on both ships and we are looking at Vista Suites for these two sailings.  

 

We love HAL for the laid back vibes, good food, and traditional ships.  Of all the perks of sailing the Pinnacle Class ships, the only things we are sad about not having on Zaandam are the running track, Tamarind, and NY Pizza.  We are MDR fixed seating diners.  Shows do nothing for us, but we do like to listen to music- band or solo performer is fine.  One thing that does make me nervous about Zaandam is reading reports of poor AC in the hotter climates. We had a similar experience on Veendam and don't wish to repeat the experience- the cabin was stifling and the gym (only place to run) was horrendously hot.  

 

For those of you who have sailed both ships and itineraries, which one did you prefer?  I'm assuming that sailing a 15 or 17 night cruise in January will attract an older demographic?  We will be 39 and 53 and would prefer to avoid the spring breakers we encountered on a recent Nieuw Amsterdam sailing despite the ship being one of my HAL favorites.  Which brings up another point- I have heard NA will be replacing Koningsdam in January 2026?

 

Thanks!

 

Your sea days between San Diego and Hawaii will be windy and cool, not very conducive to lounging by the pool.  The retreat will be unusable.    If you go to Hawaii - you have to enjoy sea days in a cool, windy climate.  

 

 

 

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

I agree that the sea days are too many on the Hawaii cruise so of the two I would do Panama Canal.  A third option is to fly to Hawaii and board NCL's ship that goes around to the islands.  Have done this twice and it's  not bad.

[nw gardener]

I've been following this thread with interest and DH and I decided to do RT Vancouver/Hawaii April 2026 on the Nieuw Amsterdam. I'm doing Panama Canal with daughter in law 2025 on the Zaandam.  I've done Hawaii as a land trip with girl friends, DH has zero interest in flying there but loves sea days , so a good compromise.  Dh also not interested in the Panama trip, but daughter in law is, and this way we are all happy,  to be on a HAL ship. We have been on the NA and Koningsdam twice each and enjoyed both ships , have never been on the Zaandam but looking forward to the smaller size.  OP, do both!

[sambamama]

I've done both. I am a pretty experienced cruiser, and I love sea days. That being said, I didn't really enjoy my Hawaii cruise. We lost three ports. I think Hawaii is done much better by flying there, although I haven't gone yet. The best thing there was my full day in Pearl Harbor. I've done the Panama Canal three times now, twice with HAL, and the largest with Princess now that it has three locks.I vote for the Canal, and read David McCullough as book!! Also, its worth getting off and going in a small ship in the Canal if you get the chance. I loved going to the different Central American and Mexican ports. And I don't think you need a balcony cabin. Just be aware of the heat potential. The last time I went, it was overcast, so the weather was OK. Just wear a hat and sunscreen, drink plenty of fluids and retreat inside and to the shade as needed. 

[torybruno]

On 6/30/2024 at 4:00 PM, CruiserBruce said:

The Zaandam will get the original locks...that is important.

 

IMHO, Hawaii is best seen on land trips. Nothing against KDam, have sailed on her 3 times and like the Pinnacle class of ships.

We are also in the planning stages of a Panama Canal cruise, what does "the original locks" mean?  Are only ships of a certain size permitted?  We don't know which cruise line we will be choosing yet!

[CruiserBruce]

43 minutes ago, torybruno said:

We are also in the planning stages of a Panama Canal cruise, what does "the original locks" mean?  Are only ships of a certain size permitted?  We don't know which cruise line we will be choosing yet!

Yes, the original locks. They are 110 years old, and we're amazing construction 110 years ago. Yes, larger ships need to use the new locks, and they are less appealing. 

[Charlene1985]

Thank you for all the feedback.  We booked the Panama Canal transit on the Zaandam.  We have a Vista Suite, port side, deck 7.  It’s under the Lido overhang so we’ll hopefully get some extra shade (we had a similar location on Veendam).

[crystalspin]

1 hour ago, Charlene1985 said:

We booked the Panama Canal transit on the Zaandam.  We have a Vista Suite, port side, deck 7.

If you think you might want to use your balcony during the day and particularly the afternoon on your transit -- you might want to switch to starboard. Port will be facing west-southwest in Panama.

 

I loved the Vista Suite on Zaandam, even with three adults. But it wasn't the PC...