If you had the choice, Panama Canal or Hawaii?

[PH8]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Some of the Tahiti prices seem ok but what is the airfare to get there? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

 

Just looked............a few thousand dollars from FL!!

 

Back to Hawaii or Panama Canal for me....

 

 

 RCCL Serenade--5/30--Alaska

 RCCL Jewel--10/28--repositioning

**RCCL SOS-8/27/04** Carnival Miracle-2/13/05**

[skiiergirl]

Doug....We have done both and PC wins hands down! We are leaving again Sunday to do it for a 2nd time! We did 10 nt Hawaii to Ensenada run in Oct. of '01 and then 14 nt FLL to SD last yr. While we enjoyed the Hawaii to Mex run, we both said we would never (probably never) do it again. On the other hand, the PC trip was so fabulous we tried booking it again for the fall run (reverse course) but it didn't fit with hubby's work schedule so we had to wait until this spring for a 2nd go at it.

 

You may be looking at just doing the Hawaiin islands (flying there and flying back) and that would be a little different than what we did.

 

I agree with several things previous posters said though....

 

First, while you can see most of the Carib islands in a day that is definitely not the case in Hawaii.

 

Doing a back to back....Hawaii to Mex and then MEx to Florida would be cool...we'll have to save that until after we retire.

 

We live in the middle of the country too and it took too long to get there and then immediately start the cruise. I wanted to go a day early but our work schedules didn't allow. We were up over 24 hours by the time we arrived on the ship and then we hit our first port the next day. I was physically ill and did not get off the ship so missed the first port. (I am a business traveler and am accustomed to long flights, etc. but this one did me in.) As far as the 4 sea days between the islands and Mex it was too cold after the 1st day or so to be out on deck (Oct.). The crew had to "unpack" their Alaska gear and put it on. They were all running around in "thermal underwear".

 

So while we love the PC trip I again say we will Probably never do the Hawaii run again. We generally do 4/5 weeks of cruising per year and only one week of land vacation (ski trip) but if we ever want to do Hawaii again it would most likely be on a land trip. The exception to this is....if we could go at least 3 or 4 days ahead to rest first off and then enjoy a little of Hawaii before boarding the ship and then I would have to prepare better with taking warmer ("non-cruise type") clothing for the transit.

 

Doug...I know you will enjoy whichever cruise you choose.

 

 

[Serious Cruisers]

I agree with you all, that's why we are spending two weeks in Hawaii (May 5th) prior to our 11 day Hawaii to Vancouver (our home town) sailing on May 19th!!

[dougp26364]

Looks like the voting is a little to close to really help me out on this one.

 

I believe I'll probably be looking more favorably at the Panama Canal cruise this time and maybe work Hawaii in with a land based vacation. We own 4 weeks of timeshare so, if I can work the dates out, we could spend a week in Hawaii in a timeshare condo and then cruise home. That sounds like the better plan for Hawaii at this point.

 

Thanks to all who have participated so far and I look forward to any other insite that might be out there that's been overlooked.

 

Future cruises

Monarch OTS - Mexico Baja 1/05

Explorer OTS - Eastern Caribbean 11/04

 

Past cruises

Vision OTS - Alaska 7/03

Legend OTS - Alaska 7/02

[NAHA]

We are also planning a Hawaiian cruise in September of 2005. We are planning to fly into Vancouver. Wish the prices would come out soon. Have you checked the airfare with RCCL versus purchasing your own? Usually we purchase our own, but just wondered how the two compared when you had to do two one ways rather than round trip from one airport.

 

My inlaws did the Panama Canal cruise a few years back, it looks wonderful, but we opted for Hawaii this time.

[RvrCrzr]

I'm doing a HAWAII cruise next. I don't like the idea of long flights, bus rides, or the fact you almost have to buy airfare from the cruise lines to do the crossing from Mexico/Canada. ($$$) I'd rather spend my money on extra sea days, and book a 15 day ROUNDTRIP from the USA. Princess and Celebrity are doing them. I think I'll book Princess again. Nothing like those relaxing sea days before and after the ports! I could do a land based vacation to HAWAII, but then again, I wouldn't be on a SHIP!

With me, the vacation is the journey, not the destination.

 

Navigator of the Seas- 12-13-2003 (7 days) Western

Ocean Princess - 02/2002 (10 days)Southern

Enchantment of the Seas - 02/1999 (7 days) Western

[dougp26364]

I haven't checked airfare through RCI. Everytime I have in the past, it's been pretty high. I also prefer to get in a day before to relax after all the travel. Nothing worse than being worn out as soon as I get on the ship. By booking my own airfare and using Priceline or Hotwire, I usually save a lot over what RCI wants to charge.

 

ndjollymom,

 

We've sailed Alaska twice using Vancouver as a departure port and never had to buy air from RCI. In looking at the Hawaii cruise, I see no reason to purchase air from RCI either.

 

Future cruises

Monarch OTS - Mexico Baja 1/05

Explorer OTS - Eastern Caribbean 11/04

 

Past cruises

Vision OTS - Alaska 7/03

Legend OTS - Alaska 7/02

[Serious Cruisers]

We purchased 1st class one way Vancouver to Hawaii on Aloha air for $935.Cad. ourselves not through RCCL

[xpcdoojk]

I have done Hawaii twice on a cruise as well as once by land. While you can't go everywhere in Hawaii and do everything you can't do that anywhere on a cruise, so I have always thought that to be a silly criticism of a Hawaii cruise. People go to Europe on cruises all the time and have a wonderful vacation and they don't see everything to be seen in a day in Rome, and yet they have a wonderful vacation. For that matter, I have been to St Thomas on several cruises and I still can't say that I have really seen the virgin islands. Anyway, I digress. Anyway, Hawaii is a wonderful, wonderful place to cruise. Then do a pre or post stay on Oahu for a few nights or weeks, then you can do a few interisland flights and see other places in detail, but really a few nights on Oahu is a real pleasure and caps off a wonderful Hawaiian cruise. T

 

BTW Tahiti is really nice too!

 

jc

 

Legend of the Seas RCI 3/03 New Zealand, Tahiti, Hawaii, Adventure of the Seas RCI 2/02 Southern Caribbean, Radiance of the Seas RCI 10/01 Vancouver to Hawaii, Millennium Celebrity 10/00 Eastern Mediterranean, Galaxy Celebrity 12/99 Southern Caribbean, Sensation Carnival 4/98 Eastern Caribbean, Majesty of the Seas RCI 1/96 Western Caribbean

 

email me at xpcdoojk@yahoo.com