Panama Canal Cruise

[Disneyhenry]

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?

Yes my son if fine with going, he loves family time and seeing the Panama Canal while understanding what it means will be so cool for him

 

[Disneyhenry]

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.

It the Panama Canal, not just a vacation

 

[o&smom]

We went a couple of years ago when our son was in eighth grade, because we thought it would be too difficult to catch up on missed work. Our school is more flexible with kids being gone, but expect all work to be done. We figured we would not be able to go again for about eight years. Well, things changed with our son switching most of his classes to a web academy. We are going again next Soring! This time with NO homework on the cruise. The kids will get work done at the airport and on the plane with our vacation being a vacation this time. The world will not end if we have a little work to make up when we get back.

 

[FSU Girl]

When I was in high school I would have hated being pulled out for a vacation. It is so hard to make up missing just a few days of work, two weeks would have been a nightmare. If you can do it when he's in middle school I would do that over high school, that's usually easier to catch up.

 

[darnheather]

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.

You are not taking into the account the nearly $1 million in fuel costs as well. And yes, I've been on a PC cruise.

 

[dclpluto]

You are not taking into the account the nearly $1 million in fuel costs as well. And yes, I've been on a PC cruise.

Yes I did. 1 million divided by 2000 guests is only 500 dollars a guest.

 

[Ralph&Pam]

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.

I’m a sceptic about DCL not making a profit. Given that the ship was not at capacity, all staterooms were still occupied, so they collected for at least two passengers in each stateroom. The extra passengers beyond two do not generate the revenue that the first two do. Even though there is extra cost for the toll to use the canal, the cruise fares are certainly set to recover that expense. If DCL were losing money at the current fares, they would simply raise them until they were no longer selling out the ship.

 

[darnheather]

I’m a sceptic about DCL not making a profit. Given that the ship was not at capacity, all staterooms were still occupied, so they collected for at least two passengers in each stateroom. The extra passengers beyond two do not generate the revenue that the first two do. Even though there is extra cost for the toll to use the canal, the cruise fares are certainly set to recover that expense. If DCL were losing money at the current fares, they would simply raise them until they were no longer selling out the ship.

It's just my fuzzy math. Right now they have to get a ship across. I know they make a lot of money running the two and three night cruises out of San Diego an doing those more outside of the Alaska season means more $$$. And why not keep a ship on the west coast permanently if they could? Simply my speculation.

 

[ahain]

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.

Agree. We took our DD out for a week in middle school and it was no biggie. Did the same thing in high school, and even though she received homework to keep up on while traveling, she really had a tough time "catching up" upon our return. I'm in the camp of elementary is fine; middle school MAY be fine (depending on your student & teachers); but more than a couple of days in high school is not optimal

 

[Dug720]

It's just my fuzzy math. Right now they have to get a ship across. I know they make a lot of money running the two and three night cruises out of San Diego an doing those more outside of the Alaska season means more $$$. And why not keep a ship on the west coast permanently if they could? Simply my speculation.

Princess has ships based on the West Coast and still does Panama Canal crossings. Simply having a ship based on the West Coast does not mean a line will stop doing Panama Canal. (Other lines may as well...Princess was the one I knew had permanent West Coast and Canal cruises)

 

[jrabbit]

O... 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.

even if DCL "only" breaks even on the PC crossing, you KNOW that they are making a LOT of PROFIT from the Alaska sailings, as well as making serious coin on the cruises out of San Diego.
As a stockholder I say "yea!!" As a consumer, I say that I don't own enough shares of Disney to make up for the high costs that I have to pay. (should have bought my first 100 shares in the early 80's!!)

 

[ChicosWife]

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.

I feel the same way.

 

[mom4mad]

We have done 2 Panama Canal Cruises with Disney. First time kids were 18 months and 5 years. Second one this year, kids in 3rd and 7th grade. Missed two full weeks of school. We arranged independent study for both. Both kids did great, but admittedly harder for the 7th grader. We typically take them both out of school for a week per year. I think if the kids are doing well, not behind, and you can manage independent study then you should go for it.

 

[Intr3pid]

Talk to your kids' teachers first. It's not just your kids missing school, its also the teachers having to move around assignments, lesson plans, and assessments to accommodate your kids. It's a real issue in high school where some teachers just don't budge.

 

[Disneyhenry]

We have done 2 Panama Canal Cruises with Disney. First time kids were 18 months and 5 years. Second one this year, kids in 3rd and 7th grade. Missed two full weeks of school. We arranged independent study for both. Both kids did great, but admittedly harder for the 7th grader. We typically take them both out of school for a week per year. I think if the kids are doing well, not behind, and you can manage independent study then you should go for it.

Thank you

 

[xavier2001]

We went on PC when my kiddos were 10, pulled them out of 5th grade for 2 weeks. They got their work ahead of time and had it all done before we left. I would do it again in a heartbeat! We are pulling them out next May (7th grade) to do the transatlantic. I feel like its our 'last hurrah' because once they get to high school will be much harder to pull them out. I say they are only little once, and if they are good students, they learn more seeing the world then sitting in school. Go for it!