10 day panama canal cruise in april 2012

[pvoris01]

Want to do this cruise and was wondering if anyone knows if the ship goes through the locks or just stops there and you have to take an excursion.

[rdsqrl]

I'm assuming this is the 10-day roundtrip from Ft. Lauderdale? If so, it goes through the Gatun locks (a set of three locks) and into Gatun Lake, where the ship anchors/docks. At that point, those who have shore excursions can disembark. The ship then turns around and goes back through the Gatun locks and docks in (I'm not sure, Colon?) to wait for excursion passengers to rejoin the vessel.

Excursions include a full-day one via a small boat that will go all the way through the rest of the Canal to the Pacific. You then return by bus. If it were me, I'd take this excursion as part of the experience is seeing the Culebra Cut, which was the most technologically challenging part of the construction besides damming the lake. If you're not that into it, though, there are plenty of other excursion options.

Hope this helps.

[Psychedout]

I'm assuming this is the 10-day roundtrip from Ft. Lauderdale? If so, it goes through the Gatun locks (a set of three locks) and into Gatun Lake, where the ship anchors/docks. At that point, those who have shore excursions can disembark. The ship then turns around and goes back through the Gatun locks and docks in (I'm not sure, Colon?) to wait for excursion passengers to rejoin the vessel.

 

Excursions include a full-day one via a small boat that will go all the way through the rest of the Canal to the Pacific. You then return by bus. If it were me, I'd take this excursion as part of the experience is seeing the Culebra Cut, which was the most technologically challenging part of the construction besides damming the lake. If you're not that into it, though, there are plenty of other excursion options.

 

Hope this helps.

 

 

Thanks for the info we are doing the cruise in March:D

[rdsqrl]

Thanks for the info we are doing the cruise in March:D

You're very welcome.

I did a full transit (15 days of heaven!) aboard the Coral and loved every second of it. I really think it's the best cruise I've taken so far, both for the itinerary and for the ship.

If you don't already know about it, definitely read David McCullough's The Path Between the Seas. There is simply no better historical explanation of the conception and construction of the Canal, and the writing is lively and vivid. It's a must if you want to truly understand what you're seeing. Of course, there are other "popular" books out there about the Canal geared to cruises, but as an historian myself, I found them shallow (pun intended!).

[BillB48]

The ten day round trips out of FLL take you through Gatun Locks as rdsqrl pointed out. I too would also recommend the tour that makes a partial transit of the Pacific Locks and Gaillard Cut. IMO the Pacific Locks and the Cut have all the eye candy of the Canal, I don't mean to imply Gatun is not interesting, just the Pacific side has more things to feast you eyes on. Of course if the trip through Gatun Locks in the morning will fill your Canal quotient, there are a lot of great tours to take that are not Canal centered. There is another Canal thread going on right now, take a look here; http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1499330

 

Enjoy!

[satxdiver]

We did this cruise last February on the Island. The ship went into the locks just after daybreak so it was a long day as we wanted to see it. There are three locks one after the other to get into Gatun lake. The ship set off the small pier just to the left of the locks. You could see the locks and ships going through from that point. We took the tender to the small dock, transferred to a bus and then after a short ride to the train. The train took us over to Panama city area where we again boarded the same bus for a tour which included the locks on the Pacific side. The bus stopped at a small strip mall so that everyone could shop and then back on the bus to the train etc. We rejoined the ship in Colon.

[TravlGrl]

If you don't already know about it, definitely read David McCullough's The Path Between the Seas. There is simply no better historical explanation of the conception and construction of the Canal, and the writing is lively and vivid. It's a must if you want to truly understand what you're seeing. Of course, there are other "popular" books out there about the Canal geared to cruises, but as an historian myself, I found them shallow (pun intended!).

 

I second your recommendation!

 

We did the 10-day full transit aboard Island Princess (Acapulco to Ft. Lauderdale) and it is in the top 2 of my favorite cruises. Reading this book in advance, per the advice from CC members, REALLY helped us appreciate more of what we were seeing as we sailed.

 

It's a THICK book (600 pages as I recall), but skimming works if it's too difficult of a read (there aren't a ton of pictures -- I'm a right-brained person, and I need pics!). I'm not an historian, but this book really gave me fantastic insight prior to the cruise.

 

Enjoy!

[pvoris01]

Thanks so much for all the info, we were debating between the 10 day and 14 day and I thought the 10 day would be better since your 4 days a sea at the end of the 14 day which I feel is too much.

Since we get to go through the locks on the 10 day I think well go with that one.

[RickEk]

Want to do this cruise and was wondering if anyone knows if the ship goes through the locks or just stops there and you have to take an excursion.

 

I believe it is Royal Caribbean who has stopped actually going into the Canal on their Panama Canal cruises (not the full transits...).

[KevintheIrishDJ]

I second your recommendation!

 

We did the 10-day full transit aboard Island Princess (Acapulco to Ft. Lauderdale) and it is in the top 2 of my favorite cruises. Reading this book in advance, per the advice from CC members, REALLY helped us appreciate more of what we were seeing as we sailed.

 

It's a THICK book (600 pages as I recall), but skimming works if it's too difficult of a read (there aren't a ton of pictures -- I'm a right-brained person, and I need pics!). I'm not an historian, but this book really gave me fantastic insight prior to the cruise.

 

Enjoy!

 

We found it best to start this trip on the opposit coast (ie: if you live in NYC, go west to east).;)

 

Pax et bonum,

Kevin

[shepp]

Thanks so much for all the info, we were debating between the 10 day and 14 day and I thought the 10 day would be better since your 4 days a sea at the end of the 14 day which I feel is too much.

Since we get to go through the locks on the 10 day I think well go with that one.

 

 

I did the full FLL-SFO transit. Having also read the McCullough book (and loving lots of sea days), I felt there was just something so cool about embarking in a port in one ocean and ending up at a port in the Pacific.

 

Plus, for me, the full day in Panama City (something the partials don't have) was the best port stop of the trip.

[avalong]

I did the full FLL-SFO transit. Having also read the McCullough book (and loving lots of sea days), I felt there was just something so cool about embarking in a port in one ocean and ending up at a port in the Pacific.

 

Plus, for me, the full day in Panama City (something the partials don't have) was the best port stop of the trip.

 

 

Shepp!! Where ya been??

[GradUT]

We did the 10-day partial transit (FLL - FLL) in April 2010. It was a fabulous cruise and I highly recommend doing the excursion on the ferry which takes you through the remaining locks of the Canal. You get such a different perspective of the Canal on a small boat as opposed to a large cruise ship.

[Rainne_2012]

Thanks for the confirmation. We signed up for the ferry cruise and I was still wondering. You've made up my mind so we are on the ferry. Any recommendations for other ports. This is my first cruise and I'm sure I'll be anxious to get off the boat every chance I get. ;)

[luv2travel77]

How long does it take to go through the three locks of the Gatun Locks?

 

After the ship docks in Gatun Lake, are passengers who not registered for an excursion allowed to disembark to take a walk around the port area?

[BillB48]

How long does it take to go through the three locks of the Gatun Locks? From the actual arrival at Gatun it will take about 1.5 hours to complete the lockage.

 

After the ship docks in Gatun Lake, are passengers who not registered for an excursion allowed to disembark to take a walk around the port area? For passengers who have tours, this is a tender operation and they only let passengers off that have ship's tours booked. There is no port area at this stop, no shopping or even taxis for hire. It is rather remote, there is not much left of the town of Gatun, in fact it is very close to the construction area for the new Atlantic Locks of the Canal Expansion Program. You should be able to get off the ship when it docks in Colon, there is a mall at the pier which is safe to go to.

 

__________________

[luv2travel77]

From the actual arrival at Gatun it will take about 1.5 hours to complete the lockage.

 

For passengers who have tours, this is a tender operation and they only let passengers off that have ship's tours booked. There is no port area at this stop, no shopping or even taxis for hire. It is rather remote, there is not much left of the town of Gatun, in fact it is very close to the construction area for the new Atlantic Locks of the Canal Expansion Program. You should be able to get off the ship when it docks in Colon, there is a mall at the pier which is safe to go to.

 

Good to know. Thanks!

[Rainne_2012]

Thanks for the info we are doing the cruise in March:D

 

 

I'll be doing the cruise in April. Hope to hear from Psychedout the highs and lows. Especially interested in port excursions.

Enjoy.

[Loonbeam]

I posted some extensive notes on this Itin from October:

 

Post Cruise Report:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1504733

 

Excursion Report:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1508966

 

Food Report:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1555288

 

Photos:

 

 

 

 

I'll be doing the cruise in April. Hope to hear from Psychedout the highs and lows. Especially interested in port excursions.

Enjoy.