Colon, Panama to Ft. Lauderdale Via Vision of the Seas: Unique, Short and Cheap

On April 26, 2014, Vision of the Seas of Royal Caribbean embarks on a short, unique and very affordable cruise that, coupled with, say, a week at a Panama all-inclusive resort, makes for an awesome vacation. Vision leaves its winter home in Colon, Panama to head north to Ft. Lauderdale, a port she’ll call home until November.

The Cruise

 

Vision of the Seas embarks on a very short Repositioning Cruise from Colon, Panama at 3pm on Saturday, April 26, 2014. After two full days at sea, moving north across the Caribbean Sea then around the top of Cuba, she arrives at Port Everglades in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Vision reaches her new home at 8am on Tuesday, April 29. There are no additional ports of call on the journey.

Currently, Vision of the Seas is running seven night Southern Caribbean itineraries out of Colon. These cruises are the most affordable way to see the Southern Caribbean with more ports of call in less days. Many ships use Colon as a port call before, or after, transiting the Panama Canal. Vision of the Seas is currently the only major cruise ship that uses the Panama city as a home port.

Once in Ft. Lauderdale, Vision of the Seas runs four and five night Western Caribbean cruises, with the odd ten night Bermuda cruise mixed in, until November. The ship does not return to Colon in 2014. Instead, she moves to the Gulf Coast of Florida to use Tampa as a home port for her seven night Western Caribbean cruises.

The Price

For this three night cruise, an inside stateroom can be had right now for as low as $136 per person, based on double occupancy. The additional government fees and taxes are extremely low at just $49 per person. This makes the price for two for an inside stateroom, including taxes, as low as $370.

The rest of the ship is quite affordable, as well. Ocean View staterooms start at $189 per person. A balcony cabin can be had from $189 per person. Even suites start from as low as $299 per person.

The Ship

Vision of the Seas has been in service since 1998 and is one of six Royal Caribbean Vision Class ships. Vision Class includes Legend of the Seas, Splendour of the Seas, Grandeur of the Seas, Rhapsody of the Seas and Enchantment of the Seas, all built between 1995 and 1998 by Chantiers de l’Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire, France.

Vision is in the smaller range by today’s standards with a gross tonnage of 78,340. She is 279 metres or 915 feet in length and has eleven decks accessible to passengers. The ship has a capacity for 2,435 guests with 765 crew members on board.

The Small Print

·Because of the nature of last minute deals, the pricing printed here is fleeting and could change at any time.

·Prices are in Canadian dollars.

·Most meals are included in a typical cruise price but DRINKS ARE NOT!

·Also not included are gratuities.

·Cruise pricing does not include air fare, ground transfers and hotel accommodations before and after the cruise.

Round Cape Horn Via Luxury Cruise Ship From $997

Heading out of Buenos Aires via luxury cruise ship and rounding Cape Horn and the tip of South America before arriving in Valparaiso, Chile is on the bucket list of the world’s rich and famous. With Holland America Line and their fine ship MS Zaandam, this can be an affordable tick off the bucket list for those not so rich and famous.

The Cruise

 

MS Zaandam embarks on a 13 night South America Cruise from Buenos Aires, Argentina on Tuesday, March 4, 2014 at 6pm. The ship takes nearly two weeks rounding the bottom of the continent and cruising up the western side before arriving at Valparaiso, Chile on Monday, March 17 at 6am. Along the way, Zaandam makes five port calls. There are several other amazing natural features that can be seen from the ship.

Zaandam doesn’t travel far the first night, docking across the Rio de la Plata at Montevideo, Uruguay on Wednesday, March 5 from 8am until 6pm. Two days later, it’s back to Argentina with a stop at Puerto Madryn on Friday, March 7 from 10am until 6pm.

After a weekend at sea, Zaandam stops at Punta Arenas, Chile on Monday, March 10 from 6am until 6pm. She then backtracks a bit to Ushuaia, Argentina for a port call on Tuesday, March 11 from 2pm until 8pm. The final port of call is at Puerto Montt, Chile on Saturday, March 15 from 9:30am until 6pm.

Along the journey, MS Zaandam travels through or around the Strait of Megellan, the Beagle Channel, Chile’s Glacier Alley, Cape Horn, Amalia Glacier and the Chilean Fjords.

The Price

Right now, there is a flash sale with some inside staterooms, large outside staterooms with fully obstructed views and large interior staterooms available for as low as $997 per person, based on double occupancy. This is equal to about $400 off per person.

Government fees and taxes are steep for this cruise with $365.05 tacked onto each guest’s fare. A cabin for two can be had from $2,724.58, including taxes, for this truly once in a lifetime experience. As stipulated with this flash sale, the full price is due at the time of booking.

The Ship 

MS Zaandam is one of four Rotterdam Class (R Class) ships in the Holland America Fleet. She has been in service for HAL since 2000. In May of 2000, Zaandam was christened by the Olsen twins, Mary-Kate and Ashley. The ship was built by Fincantieri in Italy.

This is a small and agile ship, meant for journeys just like this one. Zaandam has a gross tonnage of 61,396 and is 237 metres or 778 feet in length. There are ten decks accessible to the capacity 1,432 guest. There are typically 615 crew members onboard.

The Rotterdam Class consists of four ships built between 1997 and 2000. MS Rotterdam was the first, put in service in 1997. MS Volendam came next in 1999 and MS Amsterdam joined the fleet the same year as Zaandam.

The Small Print

·Because of the nature of last minute deals, the pricing printed here is fleeting and could change at any time.

·Prices are in Canadian dollars.

·Most meals are included in a typical cruise price but DRINKS ARE NOT!

·Also not included are gratuities.

·Cruise pricing does not include air fare, ground transfers and hotel accommodations before and after the cruise.

Go On A Transatlantic Adventure With Royal Caribbean From Just $699

15 bars, clubs and lounges onboard Adventure of the Seas should keep passengers comfortable during a 14 night Transatlantic Repositioning cruise embarking from Miami, Florida on Sunday, April 20, 2014. Unique with this cruise is the three Caribbean ports of call before crossing the Atlantic. Often, the port calls are all on the other side of the pond. You can be on this cruise for as low as $699 per person.

The Cruise

 

Royal Caribbean’s Adventure of the Seas embarks from Miami, Florida at 4:30 pm on Sunday, April 20, 2014 for a 14 night Transatlantic Repositioning Cruise to her summer home in Europe. Adventure arrives in Southampton in the United Kingdom at 5:30 am on Sunday, May 4. Along the way, she makes four port calls, three in the Caribbean and one in the Azores Islands of Portugal.

After leaving Miami, Adventure of the Seas doesn’t travel far, docking at Nassau, Bahamas on Monday, April 21. She remains docked at the largest city in the Bahamas from 8am until 5pm. After a day at sea, the ship arrives at San Juan, Puerto Rico on Wednesday, April 23 and is docked from 12 noon until 9pm.

The final stop before crossing the Atlantic is at Philipsburg on the island of Sint Maarten. Philipsburg is located on the Dutch side of the two nation island. However, to visit the French side is just a short cab ride away. Adventure of the Seas is docked at Philipsburg, Sint Maarten from 8am until 5pm on Thursday, April 24.

After five full days at sea, Adventure reaches Ponta Delgada on the island of Sao Miguel in the Azores. She is docked at the largest port in the islands belonging to Portugal from 7am until 5pm. After leaving Ponta Delgada, the ship spends another three full days at sea before arriving at Southampton.

The Price

Right now, an inside stateroom can be had for as low as $699 per person in Canadian dollars, based on double occupancy. There is an additional $110 per person in government fees and taxes. The total price for two in an interior stateroom starts from $1,618, including taxes.

However, from there, the price goes through the roof. I assume this has to do with the close to a week in the Caribbean before heading across the Atlantic. Ocean View staterooms start at $1,319 per person while a balcony starts at $1,619 per person. The price for a suite starts at $2,829 per person.

Royal Caribbean is trying to sweeten the pot for those wanting a cabin at a higher level than an inside. If booked over the phone before February 28, guests are eligible for up to $300 in credits per stateroom. This does not apply to any online booking.

The Ship 

Adventure of the Seas was built by STX Finland and made her maiden voyage in November, 2001. Adventure is one of five Royal Caribbean Voyager Class ships. The Voyager Class were built between 1999 and 2003. Adventure of the Seas is the middle child with Voyager of the Seas and Explorer of the Seas coming before while Navigator of the Seas and Mariner of the Seas came after.

This is a large ship with a gross tonnage of 137,276. Adventure is 311 metres or 1,020 feet in length and has 15 decks accessible to passengers. The ship has a capacity for 3,114 guest and 1,180 crew members.

The Small Print

·Because of the nature of last minute deals, the pricing printed here is fleeting and could change at any time.

·Prices are in Canadian dollars.

·Most meals are included in a typical cruise price but DRINKS ARE NOT!

·Also not included are gratuities.

·Cruise pricing does not include air fare, ground transfers and hotel accommodations before and after the cruise.