Panama Canal Cruise

[Disneyhenry]

Hello everyone, we did EBPC when our son was 7, mainly because we scored a great deal and he was only missing 3 days of school.
I loved it! It was my favorite cruise! I have even done DCL to Hawaii and back! I want to go again, but now we are in middle school or maybe high school when we choose to go. What are your thoughts on a good age to go the 2nd time around?? He will get an education on the cruise too, we learn something on every vacation we take.
Idk just looking for thoughts and ideas thx

 

[ACDSNY]

Once kids are in high school it's tough to catch up again so I would go before then.

 

[jdb in AZ]

How does his school feel about missing class for vacations? Different school districts have different policies. The Canal is such an educational experience, but does his school give him credit for writing a report? Can he take his homework along on the cruise or do they just give him an unexcused absence?

 

[fredandkell]

I would not have my child miss more than 2 days in middle or high school, esp. for a vacation. What if they get sick later on and need to miss several days for illness? It's so hard to catch up at that age.

 

[dcassetta]

2 weeks is a long time to miss.

I would definitely involve your son in the discussion. In addition to classes, middle school and high school kids often have extracurriculars that are important to them.

 

[lorimay]

We had Capt. Puckett onboard with us this year for the WBPC and he helped students with any projects or reports they were doing for school.
I thought that was so very nice of him to share his time like that.

*He did say some kids came up to him the last 2 days and they were out of luck, LOL Kids and procrastination.

 

[darnheather]

I think these cruises are not going to last once the fleet is up to 7 so go while you can. Our children are with us for such a short time in their lives and school is such a minor portion of their lives too. Go. Have a wonderful vacation.

 

[Cruising Engineer]

Check to see if your son's high school has on-line classes for some subjects. But if he's on a team sport that would be tough to get out of for two weeks.

 

[ChicosWife]

Hello everyone, we did EBPC when our son was 7, mainly because we scored a great deal and he was only missing 3 days of school.
I loved it! It was my favorite cruise! I have even done DCL to Hawaii and back! I want to go again, but now we are in middle school or maybe high school when we choose to go. What are your thoughts on a good age to go the 2nd time around?? He will get an education on the cruise too, we learn something on every vacation we take.
Idk just looking for thoughts and ideas thx

I am in the same boat. We have been on 2 Disney cruises with our kids, who were in elementary and middle school, at the time. This next one, our oldest will be in high school, so I imagine it's going to be more work to make up. With that being said, we don't have many years left with our oldest, before he is out of high school and on to college, thus only about 2 cruises left (with him as a child). We wouldn't change the opportunity to go on a family cruise for school work that can be made up!

 

[Rob1872]

I think these cruises are not going to last once the fleet is up to 7 so go while you can.

Why do you think that? Each year it seems to be a high demand cruise; I would assume that even if they don't NEED to move a ship back and forth that they still might make time for a ship to do a Panama Canal transit and then turn around and do the transit the other way. (Similar to doing a Hawaii cruise)

 

[darnheather]

Why do you think that? Each year it seems to be a high demand cruise; I would assume that even if they don't NEED to move a ship back and forth that they still might make time for a ship to do a Panama Canal transit and then turn around and do the transit the other way. (Similar to doing a Hawaii cruise)

Once there are 7 ships it will be easy to have 1 ship stationed on the West coast full time and no need. It is a very expensive cruise for DCL. I'm almost 100% certain they do not make a profit on it.

 

[Dug720]

Once there are 7 ships it will be easy to have 1 ship stationed on the West coast full time and no need. It is a very expensive cruise for DCL. I'm almost 100% certain they do not make a profit on it.

Other lines have ships on the West Coast and still do the Panama Canal cruises.

 

[pixiedustedme]

Hello everyone, we did EBPC when our son was 7, mainly because we scored a great deal and he was only missing 3 days of school.
I loved it! It was my favorite cruise! I have even done DCL to Hawaii and back! I want to go again, but now we are in middle school or maybe high school when we choose to go. What are your thoughts on a good age to go the 2nd time around?? He will get an education on the cruise too, we learn something on every vacation we take.
Idk just looking for thoughts and ideas thx

Do not take him out of multiple days of high school. That is hard and easily could impact his GPA if it's a challenging school. For middle school, it varies depending on the rigor of the school, but I'd still avoid it. Elementary you can do it more easily.

 

[pixiedustedme]

Once there are 7 ships it will be easy to have 1 ship stationed on the West coast full time and no need. It is a very expensive cruise for DCL. I'm almost 100% certain they do not make a profit on it.

Their prices are very high overall (out of proportion to what they offer), so I wouldn't be surprised if they turn a profit on every single cruise, even the lower-profit cruises.

 

[jalapeno_pretzel]

My kids would put up a fight about missing that much school and they are in elementary right now. It was a big deal when I took them out 1.5 days this past Thanksgiving (for them, not the school). We won't be pulling them out anymore for vacation.

Are you sure your son is okay with missing that much school at middle or high school level?

 

[bcwife76]

Once there are 7 ships it will be easy to have 1 ship stationed on the West coast full time and no need. It is a very expensive cruise for DCL. I'm almost 100% certain they do not make a profit on it.

If Disney doesn't make a profit on something, they cut it loose. I'm sure they make a profit on the PC cruises. I would be shocked if they didn't continue them even with the new ships. They might not always have 7 ships, the Wonder and Magic are now 20 years old.

 

[braysmommy]

Only you know your child. I have pulled mine out of elementary school for 2 weeks every May. He will be in a new school and district next year for 7th and I have already told the counselor he will be missing 2-3 weeks next May for Hawaii. Spending time with family in my opinion is important and I also realize once in HS this will become difficult.

 

[dclpluto]

Once there are 7 ships it will be easy to have 1 ship stationed on the West coast full time and no need. It is a very expensive cruise for DCL. I'm almost 100% certain they do not make a profit on it.

Have you ever been on a Panama Canal cruise? Or looked to see how much the port fees and taxes are? Over 400 dollars a person. Probably around 250 just for the Panama Canal. Say 2000 passengers times 250 equals 500,000 dollars. I know the Panama Canal is expensive I was on one that set the record in cost. So even if it’s a million dollars which I highly doubt it’s that much. The guests are paying half of it and the other half dcl is paying for. That means only 250 dollars a guest.

Update it’s a lot higher than I thought. Seen the record at 1.1 million but that was in 2013.
I’m sure they are still making money.

 

[kurts mom]

When we went thru the old locks in 2008 Captain Puckett said it cost Disney $325,000 to go thru the locks ,at that time it was around
$300 per person for taxes and fees so Disney does make a profit . From what I remember Fees were the same when we went in 2015 . The PC cruise is our favorite , they are a great
experience and educational about the construction of the canal , Capt. Puckett's speeches
on the history and time line of the canal is something you wouldn't learn in school .

 

[Disneyhenry]

I think these cruises are not going to last once the fleet is up to 7 so go while you can. Our children are with us for such a short time in their lives and school is such a minor portion of their lives too. Go. Have a wonderful vacation.

Thank you! My older kids are 30 & 31! It goes fast and I treasure every moment. Some of these people replying as if I’m just going to Disneyland or something, this is the Panama Canal!!!! Thx again