ATTENTION: Panama Canal Cruisers
 

This is just an announcement to any of you doing either of the Panama Canal Cruises next year. The company that runs the Panama Canal has increased their fees and Disney is passing this increase on to all passengers. There will be an additional $100.00 per person fee for these sailings. It will be collected with final payment. If you have made final payment, you will need to stilll pay this fee. This is not a charge from Disney, but the the operators of the Panama Canal. Anyone who has arranged their trip through my agency will be receiving an updated invoice.

Ouch, that's a hell of a fee increase! (Maybe this means more reservations will drop off and we'll be able to get more friends on this cruise!)

Yeah, I think If you've already committed to this another hundred bucks isn't going to be much of a deal breaker

It's totally not Disney's fault either - it seriously is the canal management.

I say we overthrow them and run the canal ourselves. That would be a fun swanking! ;)

Hopefuly it comes with a complementary jar of lube.

Ouch!

What a great idea! I bet we could run it even better! How'd you ever come up with that?? ;)

Somehow, spending hours in the scenic locks has never appealed to me.....

Training will commence at Small World on Saturday, 8:00am sharp.

Small World is not a good training area - we'd have to PAY people $100 to ride. ;)

While $100 isn't exactly a big deal in the overall cost of a long cruise, neither is it that big of a deal to Disney. They should have just eaten it rather than bump up the price to people who have already agreed on one (even if the fact that this could happen is disclosed).

How much does it cost to go through the Panama Canal? Assuming a full ship, at $100 per person that is $175,000 in new fee. That got me to wondering and while I am not finding a solid source of information the numbers I am finding is that as of a few years ago it cost a cruise ship around $130,000 to cross the canal. Did they really just double their fee unexpectedly (assuming that number is right)?

I wouldn't be surprised. I have heard that the amount of work and maintenance needed there was costing quite a bit. Besides, what's the alternative?

Cruise ship captain on the PA: "Folks, we are going to be a little delayed getting home, we need to sail around Cape Horn."

I'm sure most people will gladly pay $500 a peice after hearing that! :eek: