A Panama Canal cruise takes center stage in Episode 150 of Inside Travel Talk, with Patrick Wiscombe and professional travel advisor Mark Faldmo comparing full-transit sailings from Carnival and Princess Cruises. The episode also explores Royal Caribbean Group’s major investment in Sandals Resorts, Alaska Airlines’ flexible new loyalty earning options, why New Orleans deserves extra time before a cruise, HX Expeditions’ ambitious 2028–2029 program, and a stackable Europe vacation promotion for 2027. For travelers planning ahead, the common theme is clear: itinerary, timing and overall value can matter as much as the headline price.

On This Week’s Episode

Cruising the Panama Canal

• Royal Caribbean Group agrees to acquire a 50% interest in Sandals and Beaches Resorts.
• Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines expand Atmos Rewards with three ways to earn points.
• Why travelers should protect and dispose of airline baggage tags carefully.
• Frontier Airlines adds First Class as the line between ultra-low-cost and traditional airlines continues to blur.
• Spirit Airlines’ bankruptcy liquidation includes the court-approved sale of 27 Airbus aircraft.
• Venice continues experimenting with a day-visitor access fee to manage tourism pressure.
• Listener question: Is New Orleans worth two or three extra days before a cruise?
• Mark’s favorite New Orleans experiences, from the French Quarter and food to The National WWII Museum and Avery Island.
• Travel Deal of the Week: stackable savings on qualifying 2027 Europe vacation packages.
• HX Expeditions launches its 2028–2029 season with Greenland, Antarctica, Alaska and Scandinavia itineraries.
• Explora Journeys confirms plans to enter luxury river cruising.
• PortMiami passes 10 million cruise passengers in fiscal 2026.
• Norwegian Cruise Line continues expanding Great Stirrup Cay with a two-berth pier.
• Cruise Deal of the Week: two 16-day full-transit Panama Canal cruise opportunities from Carnival and Princess.

Expert Summary

This episode shows how quickly the boundaries between travel categories are changing. Royal Caribbean Group is moving beyond cruising through its Sandals investment, Frontier is adding First Class, and Explora Journeys is preparing to move from oceans to rivers. At the same time, travelers have more choices—but those choices require closer comparison. Mark’s Panama Canal advice is a good example: a shorter partial transit can be appealing, but travelers seeking the complete experience should understand what a full ocean-to-ocean transit adds. His New Orleans advice makes a similar point: sometimes adding days to a trip creates substantially more value than simply getting to the departure port.

Quick Answers

Is a full-transit Panama Canal cruise worth considering?

Yes, especially if experiencing the canal itself is a major reason for the trip. A full ocean-to-ocean transit provides a much broader experience than a cruise that enters one side of the canal and returns the same way. Mark strongly prefers the full transit for travelers who consider the Panama Canal a bucket-list experience.

Should you arrive in New Orleans early before a cruise?

Mark recommends at least one pre-cruise night for cruises generally and two or three nights for New Orleans. That creates a buffer against flight disruptions while providing time for the French Quarter, local food, live music, museums and other Louisiana experiences.

How will Atmos Rewards let travelers earn points?

Beginning with flights departing January 1, 2027, Atmos Rewards members can choose among distance traveled, price paid or flight segments. Members can select their earning preference beginning October 1, 2026 and change it once per calendar year for future travel.

Is HX offering shorter expedition cruises?

Yes. HX Expeditions’ 2028–2029 program includes new eight-day voyages in Southeast Alaska and an eight-day Greenland itinerary, alongside longer expeditions such as a 19-day Antarctica and South Georgia voyage.

Is Explora Journeys starting river cruises?

Explora Journeys has formally announced plans to enter luxury river cruising. The company signed a letter of intent with Dutch shipbuilder Den Breejen Shipyard, with sales planned to open in 2027. Ship designs, itineraries and delivery schedules have not yet been announced.

The Conversation

This week’s conversation is really about choosing the right version of a vacation. A Panama Canal sailing can be a partial transit or an ocean-to-ocean journey. New Orleans can be simply a cruise embarkation point or an important part of the vacation. An expedition cruise can be a week-long introduction or an 18-day journey deep into Alaska. Those distinctions matter because value in travel is not simply the lowest fare—it is how well the itinerary, experience, inclusions and timing fit the traveler.

Travel News, Airline Changes and Making New Orleans Part of the Vacation

Royal Caribbean Group Takes a 50% Stake in Sandals

One of the biggest travel-industry developments of the week came from Royal Caribbean Group and Sandals Resorts. Royal Caribbean Group agreed to invest approximately $3 billion for a 50% equity interest in the business comprising Sandals and Beaches Resorts. The transaction is expected to close in early 2027, subject to approvals and customary closing conditions.

For travelers, the interesting story is what could eventually happen when a major cruise company becomes deeply involved in a Caribbean all-inclusive resort business. Patrick and Mark discussed possibilities such as cruise-and-resort combinations and future loyalty connections. Those ideas remain possibilities rather than announced benefits, but the strategic fit is easy to see.

Mark also noted that Sandals has been interested in expanding its resort footprint. Royal Caribbean’s capital and enormous vacation customer base could give that expansion another dimension.

The important caution is that cruising and all-inclusive resorts are different businesses. The partnership will be worth watching for how well the companies preserve the characteristics that make their individual brands distinct.

Alaska Gives Atmos Rewards Members Three Ways to Earn

Alaska Airlines is taking a notably different approach to loyalty.

Atmos Rewards members can choose to earn according to:

• Distance traveled: one point per mile flown.
• Price paid: five points per eligible dollar spent.
• Segments flown: 500 points per flight segment.

Members can make their selection beginning October 1, 2026 for flights departing January 1, 2027 or later. Existing members who make no selection continue with distance-based earning, while new members joining beginning January 1 default to price-based earning. Members can change their choice once per calendar year for future travel.

That flexibility is useful because different travelers benefit from different systems. Someone buying lower-priced long-distance flights may favor mileage, while a traveler purchasing premium fares may prefer spending-based rewards. Frequent short-hop travelers could find segment-based earning more useful.

Treat Baggage Tags Like Travel Documents

Mark raised a simple security habit: do not casually discard checked-baggage tags at the airport.

His family removes the tags after retrieving their bags, takes them home and ultimately shreds them rather than leaving them in airport trash cans. The episode discussed reports of baggage information being misused in fraudulent lost-luggage claims.

Regardless of the specific fraud method, baggage labels and receipts can contain identifiers tied to a trip. Treating them more like boarding passes than ordinary trash is an easy precaution.

Frontier’s First Class Shows How Budget Airlines Are Changing

The distinction between ultra-low-cost and traditional airlines continues to narrow. Frontier Airlines is introducing First Class seats in the first two rows of its aircraft, using a 2-2 configuration with additional space. Frontier says the seats are being introduced through 2026 and will gradually replace its UpFront Plus product as aircraft receive them.

This does not mean Frontier is abandoning its low-fare model. Instead, it illustrates how airlines are trying to serve passengers willing to pay for additional comfort while maintaining lower-priced options elsewhere in the cabin.

Meanwhile, the liquidation of Spirit Airlines continues. A bankruptcy judge approved the sale of 27 Airbus A320-family aircraft for approximately $668 million as the former carrier sells remaining assets.

Venice Keeps Experimenting With Day-Visitor Fees

Venice continues searching for ways to manage heavy day-trip traffic. One clarification is important: while the episode discussed the possibility of the access fee climbing as high as €30, Venice’s officially adopted 2026 system charged €5 for qualifying day visitors who paid sufficiently in advance and €10 for later payment on designated dates. Overnight hotel guests are among those exempt from paying the access contribution, although applicable registration requirements can still apply.

Mark’s travel advice is less about the fee and more about the experience: stay in Venice rather than treating it only as a rushed day trip. He particularly enjoys Venice in the evening, after some daytime visitors have left.

Should You Spend Two or Three Days in New Orleans Before a Cruise?

For listener Jessica, who had booked a cruise departing from New Orleans, Mark’s answer was an emphatic yes.

He recommends arriving at least one day before almost any cruise because a same-day flight disruption can jeopardize the entire vacation. In New Orleans, however, he recommends two or three days because the city itself can become a meaningful part of the trip.

Mark personally enjoys the French Quarter and Jackson Square but generally avoids staying on Bourbon Street. He learned that preference firsthand after booking a hotel there with his wife, Heather: street noise lasted until roughly 4 a.m., followed shortly afterward by early-morning street cleaning.

His preferred New Orleans experiences include exploring the French Quarter, taking a carriage ride, cruising the Mississippi River, visiting historic Louisiana plantation sites, touring cemeteries and experiencing the city’s jazz and food culture. Gumbo, jambalaya, muffulettas and beignets all made the list.

One of Mark’s favorite museums is The National WWII Museum. Its New Orleans location has an important historical connection: Higgins Industries designed and built thousands of landing craft in Louisiana that were crucial to Allied amphibious operations, including D-Day.

With additional time, Mark also recommends Avery Island, home of TABASCO. The official visitor experience includes the factory, museum, pepper greenhouse, barrel warehouse, bottling line, country store and Restaurant 1868.

Travel Deal of the Week: Stackable 2027 Europe Vacation Savings

This week’s land-based offer focuses on Europe in 2027.

At the time of the episode, Mark described a promotion providing a $100 instant credit on qualifying Europe vacations, combinable in some cases with an air credit of up to $250 and a pay-in-full promotion worth up to an additional $550. The booking deadline discussed on the show was October 15, 2026, with eligible travel from February 1 through December 15, 2027.

Mark recently priced a Paris vacation for a client where the stackable promotions produced approximately $700 in combined savings. He also found sample Paris and London packages from Salt Lake City at roughly $1,200 per person including airfare and five hotel nights, although he cautioned that the lower-priced hotels he found were outside the most desirable central locations.

That is an important value consideration. Saving on a hotel several miles from the attractions you plan to visit can be offset by transportation time and inconvenience. Paying more for a well-located hotel may create a better overall European vacation.

The pay-in-full component also deserves careful consideration. Travelers should weigh the additional savings against flexibility, cancellation terms and travel-protection needs before committing additional money upfront.

Pricing, promotion eligibility and availability can change, and the public sources reviewed for these notes did not independently reproduce every stackable component described during the episode. Travelers should have the current offer and qualifying package verified before booking.

Just Cruising: HX Expeditions, River Cruise Expansion and Growing Private Islands

Cruising continues to diversify. This week’s Just Cruising conversation moves from expedition voyages in Greenland and remote Alaska to luxury river cruising, record passenger traffic in Miami and the continuing transformation of private-island experiences.

HX Opens Its 2028–2029 Expedition Season

HX Expeditions has released its 2028–2029 program with an early-booking offer of 5% off cabins and 10% off suites on selected departures booked during the promotional period. The launch includes new eight-day Southeast Alaska voyages, an eight-day Greenland program, a 19-day Antarctica and South Georgia expedition, and new Baltic Sea and Gulf of Bothnia itineraries.

Why announce expedition cruises this far in advance? Capacity is limited, ships are relatively small and travelers often have very specific destinations, cabin preferences and travel windows in mind.

One intriguing itinerary is HX’s Pacific Passage, a 13-day voyage aboard MS Roald Amundsen from Valparaíso, Chile, to Puntarenas, Costa Rica. It includes Callao for Lima and Costa Rican calls as the ship moves north through the Pacific. HX currently describes it as an all-inclusive ocean crossing.

For Alaska travelers wanting substantially more than the standard seven-night itinerary, HX also offers an 18-day northbound expedition from Vancouver to Nome. It combines the Inside Passage with remote Alaska and the Aleutian region before guests fly back to Vancouver.

That itinerary fits Patrick’s long-standing view that seven days can feel too short for a destination as large and varied as Alaska.

Explora Journeys Is Heading to the Rivers

Explora Journeys has confirmed its intention to enter river cruising after signing a letter of intent with Den Breejen Shipyard for a fleet of luxury river ships.

Sales are planned to open in 2027, but Explora has not yet announced the number of ships, initial itineraries, delivery schedule or detailed onboard product.

The strategic logic is compelling. Cruise companies increasingly want to give loyal ocean guests another way to travel while maintaining a familiar style of service and hospitality. Explora will now have the opportunity to translate its ocean product into Europe’s river market.

PortMiami Crosses 10 Million Cruise Passengers

PortMiami welcomed its 10 millionth cruise passenger of fiscal 2026 on September 14, surpassing the previous fiscal-year record of 8,564,225 passengers before the fiscal year had even ended.

That growth helps explain the continuing investment in terminals, berths and private destinations throughout Florida and the Caribbean. Cruising is not simply adding ships; the supporting infrastructure is expanding with it.

Great Stirrup Cay Adds More Capacity

Norwegian Cruise Line has been investing heavily in Great Stirrup Cay, its private island in the Bahamas. Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings reported that one side of a new two-berth pier had been completed and expected the second berth to be finished during summer 2026.

The practical benefit is significant: a permanent pier reduces reliance on tender boats and allows Norwegian to accommodate more ship calls more efficiently.

Mark sees the broader private-island trend as increasingly important. These destinations are becoming full resort-style cruise days, with travelers able to choose between quiet beach time and a growing menu of activities.

Cruise Deal of the Week: 16-Day Panama Canal Full-Transit Cruises

Mark selected two 16-day Panama Canal cruise options because of recent client interest in the destination—and because both provide the full canal experience he prefers.

Carnival Spirit: Mobile to Seattle

At the time of the episode, Mark found a 16-day Carnival Spirit repositioning cruise from Mobile, Alabama, to Seattle starting at $949 per person.

The itinerary discussed includes Cartagena, Colombia; a full Panama Canal transit; Puntarenas, Costa Rica; Cabo San Lucas, Mexico; and Seattle. Carnival’s current published itinerary for the March 29, 2027 departure shows the same route, although the cruise line’s publicly displayed starting fare has since moved to approximately $981 per person at the time of verification.

That illustrates exactly why cruise pricing should always be treated as a snapshot rather than a permanent rate.

The appeal here is straightforward: 16 days, a complete canal transit and a repositioning itinerary connecting the Gulf Coast with the Pacific Northwest.

Princess: More Ports Around the Full Canal Transit

Mark’s personal preference among the two featured options was the Princess itinerary because it offers more port calls and fewer sea days.

The Princess ocean-to-ocean itinerary discussed travels from Fort Lauderdale toward the West Coast with Aruba, a full Panama Canal transit, Fuerte Amador for Panama City, Puntarenas in Costa Rica, Puerto Chiapas and Huatulco in Mexico, and additional Mexican ports depending on the departure. Princess’s published 2026–2027 program confirms 16-day ocean-to-ocean itineraries using the historic locks on this route.

At the time of the episode, Mark found a Princess option starting at $1,519 per person. Because the transcript does not identify the exact departure date or cabin category associated with that quoted fare, travelers should treat it as an episode-date pricing example rather than a currently guaranteed fare.

The bigger planning lesson is Mark’s preference for a full Panama Canal transit. A round-trip partial-transit itinerary can still provide a fascinating experience through locks, but travelers whose primary goal is understanding the canal and seeing the complete passage should compare it carefully with an ocean-to-ocean sailing.

Key Takeaways

• Royal Caribbean Group’s 50% investment in Sandals and Beaches could eventually create new connections between cruise and all-inclusive vacations, although cross-brand benefits have not yet been announced.
• Atmos Rewards’ three earning methods allow travelers to choose a system better aligned with how they actually fly.
• New Orleans deserves consideration as part of the vacation rather than simply a cruise departure point.
• Expedition cruising rewards early planning, particularly when travelers want remote destinations or specific cabin categories.
• A full-transit Panama Canal cruise offers a substantially different experience from a partial transit.
• Cruise and vacation-package pricing changes frequently; compare the complete experience, not simply the advertised starting price.
• Location, itinerary quality, included benefits and flexibility are all part of determining vacation value.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a partial and full Panama Canal transit?

A full transit crosses the Panama Canal from one ocean to the other, while a partial transit enters the canal and later returns to the same side. Travelers primarily interested in the engineering, scenery and complete canal journey may prefer the ocean-to-ocean option.

How many days should I spend in New Orleans before a cruise?

Two or three nights can turn New Orleans into a meaningful pre-cruise vacation. Mark recommends at least one pre-cruise night anywhere, but New Orleans has enough food, history, music and attractions to justify additional time.

Why book an expedition cruise several years ahead?

Small ships and specialized itineraries can make desirable expedition departures more capacity-constrained than conventional cruises. Early planning can also provide a better choice of cabins and dates.

Is HX’s Greenland cruise really only eight days?

Yes. HX’s new 2028–2029 program includes an eight-day West Greenland expedition with destinations including Ilulissat Icefjord, Disko Island and Eternity Fjord.

Has Venice officially increased its visitor fee to €30?

Not based on the official information available during verification for this article. Venice’s 2026 program used €5 and €10 rates depending on how early qualifying day visitors paid. The €30 figure discussed during the episode should be treated as a possible future increase rather than an enacted rate.

Which featured Panama Canal cruise did Mark prefer?

Mark preferred the Princess option because of its greater number of port calls and fewer sea days. That is his personal itinerary preference rather than an indication that Princess is automatically the better choice for every traveler.

Get Help Comparing the Right Vacation

Trips such as Panama Canal cruises, expedition voyages and multi-city European vacations have more moving pieces than their headline prices suggest. Cabin selection, hotel location, airfare, transfers, promotion eligibility, payment terms and itinerary differences can materially change the experience.

Mark Faldmo, professional travel advisor and owner of Blue Planet Vacations, can help compare those details and determine which option fits your priorities. Request vacation planning and current pricing from Blue Planet Vacations before making a decision based on an advertised fare alone.

From Europe to the Panama Canal, Choose the Experience First

Episode 150 reinforces a useful principle: good travel planning starts by deciding what experience you actually want. A Panama Canal cruise can be a quick encounter with the locks or a complete ocean-to-ocean journey. Alaska can be a conventional weeklong cruise or an expedition all the way to Nome. New Orleans can be a departure port or three memorable days of the vacation.

The best value emerges when itinerary, timing, accommodations and price work together. That is where informed comparison—and professional advice when the trip becomes complicated—can make a meaningful difference.

Why Trust Inside Travel Talk?

Inside Travel Talk combines current travel news with firsthand experience and professional travel insight. Patrick Wiscombe brings the perspective of an experienced radio and podcast host and traveler. Mark Faldmo is a professional travel advisor and owner of Blue Planet Vacations, with extensive firsthand travel and cruise experience. In this episode, Mark’s personal New Orleans experiences and his professional work comparing Europe and Panama Canal options add practical context beyond supplier announcements.