Panama Canal partial transit from w. coast?

[dancing bear]

With airfare so high on east to west, or vice versa, full transit cruises thru Panama Canal, are there any that leave from southern California or elsewhere on the west coast and return there?

[Loonbeam]

I couldn't find any. The problem is that other than the canal there is just a lot more ports available on the eastern side.

 

Also, the Pacific locks take longer to transit..

 

With airfare so high on east to west, or vice versa, full transit cruises thru Panama Canal, are there any that leave from southern California or elsewhere on the west coast and return there?

[CruiserBruce]

Not that I have heard of. If you did a partial from the west side, you would have hours to sail to Gatun Lake, then hours back. It would be a partial, but you would spend 6-8 hours in the Canal anyway, just like a full transit.

[dancing bear]

Thanks to both of you. I guess I'll just have to hope air fares come down a little bit in the coming months, as the cruise options from the west coast get fewer and fewer these days.

[Loonbeam]

If schedule permits, look at April and October (shoulder season). Airfare are much more reasonable.

Thanks to both of you. I guess I'll just have to hope air fares come down a little bit in the coming months, as the cruise options from the west coast get fewer and fewer these days.

[KreinKrunker]

With airfare so high on east to west, or vice versa, full transit cruises thru Panama Canal, are there any that leave from southern California or elsewhere on the west coast and return there?

 

Just do a back2back, Los Angeles to Los Angeles, then you only need a round trip ticket.

[rawtravel]

If you can book last minute Princess has a great deal for past passengers. The 27 Apr 2012 14-day Panama Canal from Fort Lauderdale to Los Angeles starts at $599 for inside. The cruise from FLL continuing up to Vancouver starts at $999 inside. I found reasonable one-way air from LAX to FLL on 4/26.