Prinsendam’s last transit of Kiel Canal

We are enjoying beautiful weather as the P’dam makes her (and HAL’s for that matter) last Kiel Canal transit.

Enjoy Kirk!

The Kiel Canal is magical.

Enjoy the Kiel Canal. We did it many, many years ago on the original Royal Princess.

If it's HAL's last one them I;m glad we had a chance to do it on our Baltic cruise. I gather the reason is the other HAL ships are to large to fit through the canal?

Allan

I gather the reason is the other HAL ships are to large to fit through the canal?

Maximum length for ships passing the Kiel Canal is 235.50 metres (772.6 ft); with the maximum width (beam) of 32.50 metres (106.6 ft) these ships can have a draught of up to 7.00 metres (22.97 ft). Ships up to a length of 160.00 metres (524.93 ft) may have a draught up to 9.50 metres (31.2 ft).

If it's HAL's last one them I;m glad we had a chance to do it on our Baltic cruise. I gather the reason is the other HAL ships are to large to fit through the canal?

Allan

Too tall for the bridge. If I remember correctly, P'dam would fold back her mast at times to be sure to clear it. Have to agree, that cruise we shared was memorable for the Kiel Canal transit and so many other ports and friends made.

Hope your transit is as tranquil and enjoyable as ours was, OP. Likely not the ship's last transit though as she has been sold to a German line which may make use of her unique abilities to cruise to so many wonderful places.

Correct, the mast folds back. We are also onboard.

Here’s a shot of us going under one of the bridges.

And another shot... Guests and crew were encouraged to gather for a photo marking the (likely) last transit through the canal by a HAL ship.

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Beautiful day for such a pretty ride.

Sad, though, that it is the final time for the Prinsendam to transit the Canal.

Had I known my last time through that it would be the last time, I would have tried even harder to remember everything about it. At least I woke up during the night right about the time we entered, and was able to watch that. In the darkness it was magical.

Well, I never got to do that. Wish I had.

Hope everyone on board enjoyed this transit.

And I hope everyone who sailed on the Prinsendam has wonderful memories.

Correct, the mast folds back. We are also onboard.

 

Here’s a shot of us going under one of the bridges.

 

And another shot... Guests and crew were encouraged to gather for a photo marking the (likely) last transit through the canal by a HAL ship.

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Great photos on a great day! Sad to think that HAL will soon be losing the small ship experience.

(Obviously, small is relative and we still have a couple of S class and all the R class ships for now.)