WebWhispers and Friends
are sponsoring a 12-night Panama Canal sailing on the
Galaxy of the Celebrity Cruise Lines
 

See photos from this cruise HERE

Monday, 6 December through Saturday, 18 December 2004

(IAL members, medical professionals, suppliers, and other larynx cancer patients
and survivors are invited to join us along with their friends and families.)
 

Monday - Sail from Galveston, Texas   6:00 pm

Relaxation awaits you in Galveston should you decide to spend time there before or after the cruise. Whether taking in a round of golf, enjoying the local seafood or touring the historical Strand District where old buildings still remain, you'll be sure to delight in all this port city has to offer.

Tuesday -  at sea    

Wednesday - Cozumel, Mexico - 7:00 am - 7:00 pm

Water adventures abound in this region famous for its tropical fish and underwater visibility. See the brilliant colors of the marine life in a snorkeling or diving adventure. Or set sail for the afternoon on a catamaran. You can even tour the Mayan frontier on horseback.
 

Thursday -  (New!) Costa Maya, Mexico - 7:00 am - 1:00 pm

Puerto Costa Maya, the newest port of call in the Mexican Caribbean. Built around the rich jungles of the Yucatan peninsula, travelers enjoy sapphire blue seas, emerald green jungles, and a gamut of experiences. Explore ancient Mayan ruins and centuries-old forts and villages, kayak and snorkel on sheltered lagoons, or go horseback riding along pristine beaches.

Friday -  at sea

Saturday -  Panama Canal, cruising canal - 7:00 am - 3:00 pm

The motto of the Panama Canal, "the land divided, the world united," comes to life as you cruise this amazing man-made wonder. Watch as the great locks lead your ship through the 50-mile waterway. You'll sail over Gatún Lake, one of the largest man-made lakes on earth, and journey through deep-green jungles as the canal winds through the dramatic landscape of Panama. (Note: Our cruise enters the Canal via Limon Bay and the Gatún Locks and then sails on Gatún Lake ... then returns through the Gatún Locks to the Caribbean.)
 

A profile of the Panama Canal (not to scale) shows its principal installations -- its three sets of locks (Gatun, Pedro Miguel and Miraflores), Madden and Gatun dams that form Madden and Gatun Lakes, Miraflores Lake and the terminal cities of Colon on the Atlantic and Panama City on the Pacific.	An aerial view of the Atlantic/Caribbean entrance to the Panama Canal.  The Gatun Locks are visible in the distance in the right channel of the waterway.  A ship entering the Canal from the Atlantic sails at sea level from Cristobal Harbor to Gatun Locks, a distance of 7 miles.

An aerial view of Gatun Locks, at the north end of the Canal, clearly shows its two lanes and three chambers.  Southbound vessels are approaching from the Atlantic to be raised 26 meters(85 feet) in three steps to the level of Gatun Lake.  From Gatun it sails on the lake, 85 feet above sea level, to Pedro Miguel Locks, a distance of 31 miles.

Saturday -  Cristobal Pier, Panama - 3:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Found in Colon, Panama's second-largest city, Cristobal Pier is situated on the Caribbean side of the Panama Canal. Touring from this impressive port, visitors can easily access the Caribbean Sea, the Panama Canal and the Pacific Ocean ­ all in the same day.

Sunday -  Puerto Limon, Costa Rica - 7:00 am - 7:00 pm

Spend a day with us touring San José, Costa Rica's capital. It was the world's love of coffee that paid for the cultural growth of this capital city. In addition to enjoying your San José outing, you will delight in the scenic drive that gets you to and from the Central Valley. Another unforgettable excursion takes you on a trek into the Costa Rican rain forest to see wild plant and animal species that cannot be seen elsewhere.

Monday -  at sea 

Tuesday -  Georgetown, Grand Cayman - 7:00 am - 6:00 pm

Grand Cayman is replete with ecological sights. Come face-to-face with a stingray on a snorkeling excursion or view marine life a little less closely from a glass-bottom boat. Visit the Cayman Turtle Farm -- a breeding area for the endangered green sea turtle.
 

Wednesday -  Montego Bay, Jamaica - 7:00 am - 6:00 pm

Known as The Republic or The Friendly City, this popular vacation spot is the ideal beach paradise. With the local shopping offering traditional Jamaican spices, music as well as arts and crafts, it's no wonder why Montego Bay is the tourism capital of Jamaica.

Thursday - at sea 

Friday -  at sea 

Saturday - Return to Galveston, Texas 8:00 am

Do we have Good News for you!!  We have picked up on a special senior (Age 55 & up) rate and switched most of our cabins to that rate, which is going to save you some money. These also apply to people who share a cabin with a senior.  These new rates are only on the cabins we have now. For those who already have their deposits paid and qualify, you have the discount.  For those who have said they are going but haven't put a deposit down, we can't hold one without deposit at these rates. The discounts are: $150 per person on categories 12, 7, 5.  That covers Inside and OceanView Cabins. $200 per person on 2A, CC, SS.  That covers Balcony Cabins and Suites.  Prices are below (per person/double occupancy) and these include the port charges and taxes of $273.20

NOTE:  Reservations for this 2004 Cruise are now CLOSED.  However, we are now accepting reservations for our 2005 Cruise out of Boston in September, 2005 ... click HERE for details.

Interior, Category 12             $1125    (Senior Rate  $975) 
Interior, Category 9               $1210    (across from Balcony and Suites)

OceanView, Category 7          $1450   (Senior Rate $1300)
OceanView, Category 5          $1500   (Senior Rate $1350)

2A Balcony                                 $1825   (Senior Rate $1625)  (3rd and 4th in 2A balcony $725 each.
                                                                   All 2a's on that deck may convert to triples but extra
                                                                   people will require a full deposit to hold)
CC Concierge Level Balcony   $1925   (Senior Rate $1725)  (2A with Concierge Service)
SS Sky Suite                               $2160   (Senior Rate $1960)  (Cabin numbers already selected
                                                                    so will require full deposit to hold)

Reservations may be made at any time at $25 each or $50 per cabin by calling or faxing our travel agent, Cruise Vacations, with your credit card number or by mailing that information or a check.  Balance of deposit (total deposit of $450 per person - or $900 per cabin) will be due July 15, 2004 unless you wish to be assigned to a cabin immediately.  In that case the total deposit is due at time of reservation.

Our Travel Agent is:
Peggy Byron, Cruise Vacations
100 Swan Lake Circle
Birmingham, AL 35242
1-205-995-0036, 1-800-844-5785,
FAX 1-205-995-2063
Email: CDByron@earthlink.net

 Our WW Cruise Coordinator is:
Pat Wertz Sanders,
Email: pat@choralmusic.com
 

http://www.celebrity.com
They have some good information in their "Our Fleet" section.