Need help deciding AOS or Panama Canal Pls Help

[rkaplan]

My husband and I usually cruise in Jan and this year is our 10th anniversary. We really like the voyager class ships and I booked AOS out of San Juan as a surprise. I am planning on being gone 10 days to 2 weeks. Then some people at work suggested Panama Canal. Since we have done the carribean alot it sounds interesting. We were on Radiance last year she was nice, but we missed the activity of the voyager class ship. Now I can't decide what to do: Brillance for 10 days out of Miami and 2 days post cruise or AOS out of San Juan for 7 days and 3 days post cruise in San Juan. Anyone have any advice?

Thanks

Sea Princess 2000
Grandeur of the Seas 2001
Infinity 2002
Exployer of the Seas 2003
Radiance of the Seas 2004
upcoming Adventure of Seas Jan. 2005

[superjerryw]

The Panama Canal is one of the engineering marvels of the world and is well worth seeing. I would definitely do the Brilliance with the partial canal transit.

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Donuts, is there anything they can't do....

[cruiseman_tx]

We have done the AOS twice, and simply loved it both times. Although we like the Voyager class ships better, we are doing the Brilliance to Panama Canal this Nov. just because of the itinerary.
Isn't it great having these hard choices to make?



Brilliance, Panama Canal, in just  [img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=000080&cdt=2004;11;12;17;00;00&timezone=GMT-0500[/img]


<marquee>I cruise, therefore I am................</marquee>



Nordic Empress `95
Granduer `97
EOS `00
VOS `01
AOS X2 `02
Serenade `03

[tommoore1]

We just returned from the 14 day Panama cruise, and I can't recommend it more strongly! It was one of the most amazing sights I've ever seen!
DO IT!!!
--Tom

[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=111111&cdt=2004;10;19;17;00;00&timezone=GMT-0800[/img]
'Till we're back on the high seas

[Tra4]

We did both of these cruises and the AOS was alittle port intensive for us. We didn't have time to see everything on the ship with 5 ports. I enjoyed the Brilliance with 10 days versus 7. I also enjoyed my post stay in Miami versus my pre stay in San Juan.

Here is our pictures and link to my review on the Brilliance. I also have a review on Cruise-addicts.com from the Adventure. If you go to reviews, select specific ship, the find my name (Tracey), the date was July 7, 2002.

[url="http://community.webshots.com/user/tbv1966"]http://community.webshots.com/user/tbv1966[/url]

[url="http://www.cruise-addicts.com/reviews/readreview.php?id=0000002810"]http://www.cruise-addicts.com/reviews/readreview.php?id=0000002810[/url]

Tracey

Until we cruise again. . . . . .

[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=228b22&cdt=2004;6;13;17;0;00&timezone=GMT-0500[/img]
Premier Oceanic-Bahamas, 2/89
Rhapsody-East. Carib. 12/97
Grand Princess-East. Car. 5/00
Radiance-Hawaii,10/2001
Adventure-South. Car. 7/2002
Brilliance-Panama Canal 12/2003 "Happy New Year!"
Mariner-East. Carib. 6/2004

[jinks]

have not sailed on AOS (yet), but we are booked for the 10 day Panama Canal on Brilliance. The itinerary is great, plus it is for 10 days.
Hi cruiseman_tx, we are also doing the Panama Canal in Nov.

[pcur]

I can see your problem, so you have to decide if the size of the ship is most important to you. The "smaller" ships are the ones that fit through the canal.

We've done the Panama on the Splendour, and found it a wonderful and fascinating experience. We've also been on the Explorer and found it a wonderful and fascinating SHIP.

So, decide if it's the ship that's drawing you, or the itinerary. I don't think you can go wrong either way since I love the Southern Carib, and I loved the Panama cruise, also.

Personally, I'd go for the Panama cruise.

Peggy - RCI since 1973

[Jimbo]

rkaplan

We are taking the Legend of the Seas through the Panama Canal on October 3rd from San Diego to Ft. Lauderdale, It's a 14 day cruise. If you are interested in going at that time of the year, I know where some cabins are available, my agent has some in his inventory, he also has some of the reduced air fares that Royal Caribbean was offering from certain gateways, if interested let me know.

We are really looking forward to it, it should be a fun and relaxing cruise, 7 sea days...
Let me know if you or anyone else is interested. My Email can be found in my profile.

Jimbo

[img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=ff0000&cdt=2004;5;2;22;00;00&timezone=GMT-0500[/img]
May 2nd, 2004
Adventure of The Seas

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10/3/04 Legend of the Seas
Panama Canal 14-Nights


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2/13/05 Carnival "Miracle"
[img]http://hometown.aol.com/build17/myhomepage/partaepiratessmallsmall.gif?mtbrand=AOL_US[/img]

[knowla1]

DH and I had a great time on our Feb 04 Brilliance Panama Canal cruise(partial transit),The ship is beautiful. The service was good. Enjoyed the food. No complaints. DH was more excited about the Canal than I was. But it really was a real neat experience.

BRILLIANCE OF THE SEAS 2/6/2004
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[JMG]

We did the Brilliance's first trip into the canal in Nov 03. A fabulous itinerary! Aruba, Canal, Costa Rico! We got to the canal in the early hours of the morning. We got up at 5am, went up on deck and stood by the railing in the front of the ship until 8am. DH did not get his coffee but he did not leave the spot. The approach to the canal in the early hours was so peaceful. You could see the lights at the lock up ahead and the ship just glided through the water. It was fascinating to go through the locks. By 8am we had gone through 2 of the 3 Gatun locks and decided to give up our front row spot and get some breakfast. It is just amazing how close the ship is to the wall. Also, that the canal was built so many years ago and still works today. As a matter of fact, they said that they want to build another canal to accomodate the larger ships but cannot figure out how to do it!

A ten day cruise is so much more relaxing than a 7 day cruise. On day 4 you realize that you are not even half way through the cruise. Brilliance is a beautiful ship. I would do that itinerary again in a heartbeat!

[Host Karen]

Brilliance is a beautiful ship and we just sailed her on a partial canal transit in February (link to review below). It was a great itinerary with plenty of sea days and a fascinating trip through the Gatun locks.

We sailed AOS last November and while we prefer the Radiance class ships, there is certainly a great deal of appeal to the Voyager class. We thought the Royal Promenade was wonderful, the ice show was terrific, Johnny Rockets was great, and there were lots of activities. The itinerary was also much more port intensive.

We prefer a slower paced cruise vacation and also like the longer cruises. It sounds to me like you prefer to be on the go and have plenty of activity options to choose from. I would suggest you stick with AOS. Perhaps you'll decide to do a full canal transit some day -- maybe for your 15th anniversary? [img]http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]

Karen

Read my [url="http://messages.cruisecritic.com/2/OpenTopic?a=tpc&s=927093444&f=408097554&m=6873085377"]2/6/04 Brilliance review[/url]

Infinity in... [img]http://escati.linkopp.net/cgi-bin/countdown.cgi?trgb=000000&srgb=00ff00&prgb=0000ff&cdt=2004;12;5;21;00;00&timezone=GMT-0800[/img]

Brilliance 6/05
Infinity 12/04
Brilliance 2/04
Adventure 11/03
Brilliance 2/03
Grand Princess 3/02
Dawn Princess 11/01
Ocean Princess 5/00