Panama Canal Passage

Does any one have a suggestion on which side if the ship is best to book a cabin in order to view on-shore activity during Canal passage?

You'll be IN a canal...views on both sides!!! And, if you wish to see everything, you will need to get off the balcony and roam about the ship. There's stuff ahead of you, behind you and on both sides! Sit on the balcony, and you miss 3/4's of the sights! You will want to be on all deck levels, too...it's amazing how the perspective varies from top deck to promenade deck. Get out of the cabin and experience the canal!

You'll be IN a canal...views on both sides!!! And, if you wish to see everything, you will need to get off the balcony and roam about the ship. There's stuff ahead of you, behind you and on both sides! Sit on the balcony, and you miss 3/4's of the sights! You will want to be on all deck levels, too...it's amazing how the perspective varies from top deck to promenade deck. Get out of the cabin and experience the canal!

cb at sea's advice is absolutely correct!

And, if you are trying to find a spot at a front of the ship viewing point for the first lock transit and find it crowded, be patient. The novelty of that first lock transit will fade and many people will leave their "coveted" spot for future lock transits giving you a chance for such a good view.

If you plane to 'see it all' from your balcony, you will miss 60% or more of the important views/activity. Even more if you just have to have that aft view balcony. Choose a ship with a wrap-around promenade deck and move around. EM

We took a PC cruise last year and were unable to get a balcony, we ended up getting an OV at the very front of the ship, which turned out to be excellent viewing for the early hours of the transit. We moved after a couple hours to the outdoor decks but it was a great position to start the day.

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I have read and read to move around. When you are moving around, you are still missing 75% of the view at any time, and 100% when you're in a stairwell or elevator. We paid for the balcony, we stayed on the balcony!

Here is my answer to the OP: Not sure what on-shore activity you think there will be. What there WILL be is direct hot afternoon sun on the opposite side than you think! See pic. If you are going Caribbean to Pacific, choose PORT; Pacific to Caribbean, Starboard.

Don't ask how I know!

Fun hint. Make sure you do at least one lock form a place that is as close to the water as possible (the side of the ship doesn't matter). You will be amazed at how fast your ship moves up or down as the lock fills and empties. The bigger the ship the faster it moves up or down. Do some research on the canal before you go and attend any on board lectures about the canal because these lectures are about the canal - not where to shop. You've got to be pretty special to make it onto "The Wonders of the World" list.

Fun hint. Make sure you do at least one lock form a place that is as close to the water as possible (the side of the ship doesn't matter). You will be amazed at how fast your ship moves up or down as the lock fills and empties. The bigger the ship the faster it moves up or down. Do some research on the canal before you go and attend any on board lectures about the canal because these lectures are about the canal - not where to shop. You've got to be pretty special to make it onto "The Wonders of the World" list.

Excellent suggestions and I would add another one. Prior to your cruise, read the book The Path Between the Seas. It will add a historical perspective to your journey and perhaps increase your appreciation for what you will experience as you traverse the Canal.

Excellent suggestions and I would add another one. Prior to your cruise, read the book The Path Between the Seas. It will add a historical perspective to your journey and perhaps increase your appreciation for what you will experience as you traverse the Canal.

The Path Between the Seas is excellent. PBS did a wonderful program about the canal some time back with some outstanding video and interesting facts. It's probably floating around on YouTube and well worth viewing.

Here's another very good book about how the canal came to be. It's entitled, 'A Man a Plan a Canal Panama'. Bonus, it's a pretty long palindrome! (write it backwards)

I've the good fortune to have transited the canal several times in everything from a 72 foot motor yacht to cruise ships. Every time I do it's always a special occasion. I haven't done the new one yet but I know I won't feel any history. Speaking of history, I believe the lowest price ever charged for a one way passage through the canal was just under $3.00 - by a man that swam it :eek::eek::eek: