Partial Panama Canal Question

[Whimsy]

We booked our first partial transit and I was doing a little browsing last night. I found the following:

 

Disembarkation in Gatun Lake is restricted to passengers who have booked the following tours only: PC1-100, PC1-110, PC1-115, PC1-120, PC1-170, PC1-175, PC1-235, PC1-350, PC1-398, PC1-610, PC1-612, PC1-615. Passengers on these tours are taken ashore by tenders. Later in the day, the ship then retraces her route through the Gatun locks to dock at Pier 6 in Colon in the Caribbean. The tours return to this point. All remaining passengers are able to disembark in Colon, where they may explore the dockside shops. There are no tours offered in Colon.

 

Does this mean you are only allowed to tender off the ship from Gatun Lake if you have a Princess excursion? You are not able to book an independent excursion? I just don't want to waste time looking into indepedent excursions if we are only allowed to leave if we have a Princess excursion.

 

Can you also tell me approximately how long it takes to get thru the locks and to the lake? Any recommendation on excursions is appreciated as well.

[GoochDSA]

From what I understand, you can only book an excursion through Princess from Gatun Lake. We have a partial booked for our honeymoon next October and right now have our eyes on booking the excursion that takes you from Gatun Lake through the rest of the canal. From what I have seen here, if you are going to do a partial that is THE excursion to take. After the ship leaves Gatun, it will dock in Colon where those who took excursions will meet back up with the ship and those who stayed on the ship will have a chance to stretch their legs on land.

 

I can't answer your question about how long it takes to get through the first locks and into Gatun. I did a partial years ago when I was 13 and didn't really appreciate it. I also refused to fight the crowds that were watching us go through the locks but basically watched us leave through the locks by myself.

[mrsihopes]

We are also taking the Panama Canal Partial. There is a princess excursion that goes through the other 2 locks that we are thinking of reserving (the most popular one).

 

My question is that is we reserve the excursion online and change our mind. can we cancel it online in the personilizer or do we have to wait till we get on board to cancel?

 

Thanks

[sunsetbeachgal]

We did a partial transit a few years ago. I seem to remember that it took two or three hours or so to go through the Gatun three locks. Then yes, only those on Princess tours could get off. Then those on tours meet the ship back in Colon.

 

We did the small ship through the remaining locks...interesting BUT it is a very very long day. A long bus ride to get to the small boat, then you get off the small you then have another bus ride back to the ship...keeping inn mind that you have been up and about since 6AM or earlier depending on when your ship entered the Gatun lock. Not sure I would do it again...I thught the Gatun locks were FAR more interesting...and you only see Panama City from a distance..

 

The tours can be cancelled onnboard and the tour desk will tell you when the cutoff is to avoid a penalty...usually it is in the rangemof 48 hours or so...check the Patter

[skynight]

Does this mean you are only allowed to tender off the ship from Gatun Lake if you have a Princess excursion?

 

Yes, only those on Princess Excursions are permitted to disembark in Gatun Lake. The tender brings you to the small yacht club on Gatun Lake where the ground transportation will pick you up.

 

Can you also tell me approximately how long it takes to get thru the locks and to the lake?

You will enter the channel around 5AM. Around 6AM you will enter the first lock. It takes about 60 to 90 mins to go through all three locks and enter Gatun Lake. During that time there will be a narrator on board explaining the operation as well as current and historical information. The best way to see the process is to position yourself on one of the upper decks. From a cabin balcony you can not get a broad view. Once in the lake the tenders will be lowered and excursions will depart. The evening before you will get a schedule delivered to your cabin.

 

The ship sits in Gatun Lake until around 2PM. At that time it makes its transit back through the locks and docks at Colon. Passengers that did not take Princess Tours can disembark, where you have about 4 hours. There is a big warehouse there loaded with vendors.

 

I have taken 2 Princess Trips in Panama, both were nice. The Embera Village trip was nice as was the Panama City tour.

 

Bring lots of sunscreen. The sun is very strong in Panama.

 

Hope this is helpful.

[geoherb]

We did the partial on the Island a couple of years ago. Seeing the Gatun locks was enough for me. It was Christmas Day when we were there, so we did not bother getting off the ship for the couple of hours we docked to pick up the passengers who had gone on excursions.

[BillB48]

the ship then retraces her route through the Gatun locks to dock at Pier 6 in Colon in the Caribbean. The tours return to this point.

 

Does this mean you are only allowed to tender off the ship from Gatun Lake if you have a Princess excursion? You are not able to book an independent excursion? I just don't want to waste time looking into indepedent excursions if we are only allowed to leave if we have a Princess excursion.

 

Can you also tell me approximately how long it takes to get thru the locks and to the lake? Any recommendation on excursions is appreciated as well.

 

Just a minor point since they have not really updated their description... The ship does dock in Colon after clearing the Canal, but the pier 6 description is for the old pier in Cristobal which is no longer used by passenger ships.

 

At the Gatun Lake stop you may only tender off the ship on a ship's tour. The reason for this is the area where you land is remote, in fact it is almost in the middle of the construction site of the new Atlantic Locks. There is no town, no stores and no taxis ready to whisk you away. If you did not have a tour waiting for you it would be difficult to find transportation. Don't be angry with Princess as all the cruise lines do the same thing, for sure the cruise lines don't mind having a little monopoly on the market at this stop.... not so bad for the shore-ex department;)!

 

To get through the Locks to Gatun Lake will take about 1.5 to 2 hours. This from arrival at the Locks until clearing and not from the arrival at the breakwater (which will be early) and the passage of the approach channel. For a ball park time of reaching the Gatun Lake anchorage would be 9:30ish.

[Whimsy]

Thank you for the responses. It helps clear things up.

 

Can someone tell me what there is to do in Colon besides shopping? Is there time for tours? What is the must have item to bring back from the Panama area?

[caribill]

Thank you for the responses. It helps clear things up.

 

Can someone tell me what there is to do in Colon besides shopping? Nothing

 

Is there time for tours? No

 

What is the must have item to bring back from the Panama area?

 

see above in red

[BillB48]

Thank you for the responses. It helps clear things up.

 

Can someone tell me what there is to do in Colon besides shopping? Is there time for tours? What is the must have item to bring back from the Panama area?

 

Probably the easiest thing to find in the shopping mall adjacent to where the ship docks would be molas or carved tagua nuts that are a little more unique. Of course there will be a chance to buy the ubiquitous T shirt as well:D!

[gatour]

Why a panama hat, naturally. :)

 

Thank you for the responses. It helps clear things up.

 

Can someone tell me what there is to do in Colon besides shopping? Is there time for tours? What is the must have item to bring back from the Panama area?

[gatour]

The crowds as we entered the locks were interesting. Ended up using our balcony for most of it, and actually that was one of the reasons why I booked the cabin I did.

 

I then used the time that we were leaving to move around the ship to get additional photograps, that I could not get from the cabin. People were almost non-existent. So if you don't like crowds or want to sleep in, then waiting until the ship to leave is almost as good.

 

 

I can't answer your question about how long it takes to get through the first locks and into Gatun. I did a partial years ago when I was 13 and didn't really appreciate it. I also refused to fight the crowds that were watching us go through the locks but basically watched us leave through the locks by myself.

[skynight]

Why a panama hat, naturally. :)

 

A Panama Hat is a native product of Ecuador, where the real ones are made. While I'm sure you can buy them in Panama, they are really not the product of that country. When we were in Ecuador this past March we saw Panama hats for sale from the $25 range all the way to $500, for the real fine ones.

[riley2]

We were on the Partial Transit/Panama Canal cruise three years ago. We took the ship's tour of the Embera Indian Village from Gatun Lake. You tender off the ship, a bus picks you up and takes you to a river where you are met by natives who take you to the village in dugout canoes. This was the best ship's tour we have ever taken. Very interesting and enjoyable.

[Whimsy]

All good information I will share with our group. Thank you so much.

[generichandle]

S.S. Badger R/T from Manitowoc June 02:D

 

Hey Bill;

 

My friend and I were golfing in Michigan a few years back, and stopped to take this, our 1st cruise. Afterward, we had to try Alaska on the Coral, and we were hooked!

 

Sorry about the OT, just 1st time I have noted anyone else being on the Badger. "Big ship; more fun!"

 

Doug

[ChiefBoats]

You can cancel anytime on the personalizer. But there is a minimum time on board the ship.

[Kamloops50]

We booked our first partial transit and I was doing a little browsing last night. I found the following:

 

Disembarkation in Gatun Lake is restricted to passengers who have booked the following tours only: PC1-100, PC1-110, PC1-115, PC1-120, PC1-170, PC1-175, PC1-235, PC1-350, PC1-398, PC1-610, PC1-612, PC1-615. Passengers on these tours are taken ashore by tenders. Later in the day, the ship then retraces her route through the Gatun locks to dock at Pier 6 in Colon in the Caribbean. The tours return to this point. All remaining passengers are able to disembark in Colon, where they may explore the dockside shops. There are no tours offered in Colon.

 

Does this mean you are only allowed to tender off the ship from Gatun Lake if you have a Princess excursion? You are not able to book an independent excursion? I just don't want to waste time looking into indepedent excursions if we are only allowed to leave if we have a Princess excursion.

 

Can you also tell me approximately how long it takes to get thru the locks and to the lake? Any recommendation on excursions is appreciated as well.

 

It takes about 2 hrs each way. I heard that only Princess Tours are aloud to disembark in Gatun Lake. To many problems with private operators stranding passengers on shore with no way to get to Colon.