By Mark McCulley
Because of the overwhelming response to the Caribbean cruise this year, a cruise through the Panama Canal is planned for the Feast of Tabernacles 1998.
The 10-day cruise will be on Holland America's MS Ryndam, the same ship to be used for this year's Feast.
It will leave from Acapulco, Mexico, and visit three ports: Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica; Cartagena, Colombia; and Half Moon Cay, Bahamas, in addition to traversing the Panama Canal.
Members will also have the option of boarding the ship earlier in either Vancouver, British Columbia, or San Francisco, California. The cruise will end in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
As with the 1997 Caribbean Cruise, this cruise is planned to be a group cruise rather than a charter. The size of the group depends entirely on the response, although a certain minimum is required for success. (This year's cruise is about 650 people.)
The Panama Canal cruise will allow ample time to fellowship with church brethren and let your Christian light shine during relaxed encounters with other passengers and crew members.
Port itinerary and prices follow. Cabin prices are from Acapulco and are Holland America's reduced rate to church members. Cabin prices are higher from earlier ports of departure. Air rates are available from most gateway cities.
Oct. 4--Acapulco, Mexico
Oct. 5--at sea
Oct. 6--at sea
Oct. 7--Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica (San Jose tour option)
Oct. 8--scenic cruising Golfo Dulce
Oct. 9--enter Panama Canal at Balboa, leave the canal at Cristobal
Oct. 10--Cartagena, Colombia
Oct. 11--at sea
Oct. 12--at sea
Oct. 13--Half Moon Cay, Bahamas
Oct. 14--Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Per-person rates, based on double occupancy, in U.S. dollars, are:
$6,671: penthouse with veranda
$4,421: suite with veranda
$2,461.25 or $2,378.75: outside cabin with veranda
Outside cabin: $2,048.75, $1,993.75, $1,938.75, $1,894.75, $1,883.75, $1,828.75 or $1,746.25.
Inside cabin: $1,740.75, $1,702.25, $1,647.25, $1,608.75 or $1,537.25.
These fares are 45 percent off the listed rates for the same cruise in Holland America's 1997-1998 cruise brochure. That level of discount is normally not available for Panama Canal cruises.
Additional costs are third or fourth person: $925; infant $500.
Deposit: $600 (payable when the cruise is confirmed, probably in November).
Port charges and taxes: $240 from Acapulco.
Cancellation protection plan: four percent of tariff.
Single Partners Program: We will match single members wishing to share accommodations, resulting in double occupancy price for both.
Aug. 19, 1997, WN, page 6
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