Conference abbott::cruise_travel

    My husband and I did the Ft. Lauderdale to Vancouver 21 day cruise on
    Holland America's Statendam (April 25- May 16).  Trip was wonderful, as
    you can imagine.  We had sailed with H/A twice before, 7 and 10 day
    cruises.  Loved the ports and did tours in most of them.  
    
    We had purcased the Panama video on board the ship so the Canal transit
    was pretty awesome when you consider that it almost all as it was
    originally built.  The area is beautiful, lush and green.  Take lots of
    film!  I went through 5 of the one-time use panoramic cameras!
    
    Had a few overcast/rainy days, but fortunately they were sea days and
    we didn't care.  Had bad weather and very rough seas - up to 17 foot
    swells - between Los Angeles and Seattle.  Even many of the crew were
    seasick.
    
    If you do the cruise and are in Cost Rica, I recommend you take the
    9-hour tour to San Jose.  We didn't and really feel that we missed a
    lot after we heard people talk about it.  We had felt that we didn't
    want to spend all that time on a bus, so we took only the 4-hour tour. 
    It was very nice, but people who went to San Jose raved about their
    tour!
    
    Itinerary was Ft. Lauderdale, Nassau, St. Croix, Oranjestad (Aruba),
    Panama Canal, Puerto Caldera (Costa Rica), Acapulco, Xihuataneo/Xitapa,
    Puerto Vallerta, Los Angeles, Seattle, and Vancouver.  The ship left
    Vancouver on the Alaska run on the day we disembarked.
    
    We found that the majority of the passengers who were doing the 21-day
    cruise were 70+ - actually most of the passengers who did the Canal
    transit were elderly.  Younger people got on in Acapulco and Los
    Angeles (the maitre d' said that H/A offers very cheap prices on this
    leg of the trip because the ship is repositioning to start the summer
    Alaska cruises so they might as well sell off the empty cabins cheaply
    and have a full ship.
    
    Bottom line was that we enjoyed the entire 21 days, weren't bored,
    loved the food, crew, service, entertainment (most of it!) - even the
    flights weren't bad - unusual!
    

    Hi folks,
    We are here in Salem,NH.
    We 're very interested in the May 96  Panama cruise.
    We heard that the newest ship of RCCL LEGEND OF THE SEA
    goes to PANAMA for 10 or 11 nites .
    Going thru this notes, we think that CRUISE DOCKTOR (800)325 2873 (NH)
    (800) 682 0135 (out of state) or Calmark Travel (800) 466 7245 give 
    a good prices.
    Let us know how you make out. We get more than 4 people 'd like to go.

    We're sailing on the Legend of the Seas to Alaska on July 9th - I'll
    let everyone all about the ship when I return. This ship looks
    absolutely spectacular from the articles I've read in the newspaper
    last week and needless to say, July 7th )the day we leave for
    Vancouver) can't come soon enough! 
    
    For our past 5 cruises,  we've used a travel agent who is our friend's 
    aunt...her prices have always been the lowest because after our cruise, 
    she rebates us part of her commission. When I went to book a cruise for 
    February '96, I shopped around and found that Cruises of Distinction in 
    New Jersey and  White Travel in Connecticut came in with comparable prices 
    to the agent we've been using.  (Cruises of Distinction has an 800
    number and White Travel is in the 203 area code - I don't have either 
    number with me right now.) 
    
    I priced the Panama Canal cruise on Legend for the 3rd week in January 
    for Category C or D (these are the cabins  with the private verandas).  
    My travel agent came in with a price for two of $6245 - Cruises of 
    Distinction quoted $6240.  (If you call them, please keep in mind that I 
    got this quote in March of this year for a January 96 sailing and I the 
    prices go up as you get closer to the sailing date.) 
    
    FYI, the Legend sails from late May to early September to Alaska and
    during the winter from San Juan to Acapulco through the Panama Canal,
    with repositioning cruises to Hawaii.  You may want to check with a
    travel agent to find out when the Panama Canal cruises begin in 1996.
    
    Let us know what you decide!
                                
    
    
    
    the private verandas 
    

    Re .3
    
    Sally, I've been waiting for [even an abbreviated] trip report, as I
    just confirmed (read-paid in full) for the Legend's 11-night X-Mas
    cruise through the canal. I've seen some articles in the newspaper
    travel sections, but sure would like some first-hand info. This'll be
    my first time on a ship this big, and figgered it'd be helpful to learn
    some of the ins-outs before we leave.
    
    FWIW, if anyone else has been on this ship already (that is, all 8 of us
    who seem to be hear :-), feel free to share YOUR info, too! There are 4
    of us (me, spouse, 14 yr old sone & 11 yr old daughter) sharing a
    "Larger [we'll see!] Outside Stateroom on tthe Mariner deck.
    
    SteveS
    stateroom

    Sorry that I can't be of help.  I just have more questions!  We are
    sailing on the Crown Dynasty on Nov.25, 11 days thru the canal  I have
    been unable to get any info, either here or on the web, regarding the
    ship or the port of Caldera in Costa Rica.  
    
    Anyone have any input on this?  All advice gratefully accepted!  BTW,
    when we return in December I will try to add a review to this file.
    
    -jer

    Reply to .5
    
    Caldera is just a freight port. When cruise ships come the locals come
    and sell souvenirs. The attractions are seen on the tours. The main
    tour is to the Capitol of Costa Rica. There are other tours but I don't
    remember where they go. Costa Rica was a very pleasent day looking at a
    nice and friendly country. 
    
    Hope this helps.

    Steve, sorry for the LONG delay in entering a brief trip report on our
    cruise on the Legend of the Seas.  If you've sailed on RCCl previously,
    you will be impressed by this ship.  It is approximately 70,000 tons
    and carries about 1950 passengers....quite a difference from the
    Majesty of the Seas that is 74,000 tons and hold 2400 pasengers.  We
    had a cabin on Deck 7 with a private veranda that was spacious by RCCL
    standards (190 sq ft), with a mini-refrigerator, a safe and more
    storage space.  We were a group of 10, and one of the other couples had
    a cabin on Deck 6 which were outside cabins without a veranda and it
    was larger than the outside cabin on the Sovereign and the Majesty.  
    
    The ship itself is magnificent...it's teak, marble, brass and glass.
    It has a 7-story atrium and a 2-level dining room with  20-ft high
    windows.  The theatre is large with a great sound system and
    comfortable seating; the casino, however, appears to be a bit smaller
    that on their other megaships.  
    
    There are two pools - one is outdoors as on the Majesty with a canopied 
    hot-tub on either side, and the other is indoors.  The indoor pool area is 
    magnificent - it is designed like a Roman spa, with marble floors and 
    statues.  There is a bar in this area and at lunch time, there is an area 
    that serves a limited menu (burgers, hotdogs and pizza).  I was told that 
    this area has a glass ceiling that does not only retract, it raises up a 
    few feet and then slides back to cover the miniature golf course.  We 
    did not play golf (there is a fee to play), because when we left
    Vancouver, it was raining and it continued to rain for the next two
    days!   
    
    The food, the service and the entertainment were the same as on the
    other RCCL ships, which we happen to enjoy.  In fact, after we
    returned from our ALaska cruise, we decided to book another cruise on
    the Legend to the Panama Canal.  We are flying to San Juan on January
    14 and sailing on the 10-night cruise on the 16th.  
    
    When you get back from your cruise, please try to add a note about your
    trip through the canal and your opinion of the Legend. 
    
         
    Regards,
    Sally