"New Canal" Question

[cp556]

I had asked this on the Holland America board, since we're avid HAL cruisers, and a very wise poster suggested I ask it here:

 

DH wants to cruise the Panama Canal (again) through the newest expansion, which should be 2015 as of what I read now.

 

My thought is that the cruise line does not know which "lane" the ship will use until very close to arrival. But DH thinks that cruise lines will be able to reserve the new Canal (even if the ship is not a post-Panamax vessel) ... to be able to use the "newness" as a feature and selling point to potential passengers.

 

I have since read that the newest HAL vessel (launching 2016) will be 35m wide, so it would not fit in the existing two channels of locks and would have to use the "new" sets of locks.

 

There are some savvy posters on CC ... anyone have any insight??

Thanks so much....

[BillB48]

I responded over in your HAL thread, in short the only way that you would be guaranteed a passage through the new locks would be to book a cruise on ship as you pointed out that would be too big for the present locks. However, just because a ship will fit through the present locks, won't necessarily preclude it from using the new locks. In the early stages of operation of the new locks I would think for the most part it will be used primarily by ships too large for the present locks. None of the cruise lines that I am aware of have run their schedules far enough to really cover 2015 and beyond, so we have no idea what their plans are. I would think they are also sort of waiting to see how things shape up with the new locks before they commit to bringing one of the larger ships through.

 

Of course there maybe a chance that some of the ships that are using the Canal now may have a chance to go through the new locks. The Atlantic set of locks will be finished before the rest of the expansion and I have read where they will begin using the new Atlantic locks for testing and developing techniques for handling the ships at the new locks prior to 2015. I have no idea as to how receptive the cruise lines would be to the prospect of one of their ships being used as a test bed.

 

In the mean time, not much insight... just a lot of second and third guessing:)!

[cp556]

I responded over in your HAL thread, in short the only way that you would be guaranteed a passage through the new locks would be to book a cruise on ship as you pointed out that would be too big for the present locks. However, just because a ship will fit through the present locks, won't necessarily preclude it from using the new locks. In the early stages of operation of the new locks I would think for the most part it will be used primarily by ships too large for the present locks. None of the cruise lines that I am aware of have run their schedules far enough to really cover 2015 and beyond, so we have no idea what their plans are. I would think they are also sort of waiting to see how things shape up with the new locks before they commit to bringing one of the larger ships through.

 

Of course there maybe a chance that some of the ships that are using the Canal now may have a chance to go through the new locks. The Atlantic set of locks will be finished before the rest of the expansion and I have read where they will begin using the new Atlantic locks for testing and developing techniques for handling the ships at the new locks prior to 2015. I have no idea as to how receptive the cruise lines would be to the prospect of one of their ships being used as a test bed.

 

In the mean time, not much insight... just a lot of second and third guessing:)!

 

 

I did read your response on the other thread ... thank you for your thoughtful comments. And I apologize for not acknowledging your post.

 

It was suggested to me that I post my question here on the Panama Canal boards, which made a lot of sense to me:)

 

I agree with you that we won't know until the locks open and we see what ships are funneled into which locks. But since DH is really desiring to sail through the new locks I think our answer (as you pointed out) will be to sail a ship that's too large for the present sets of locks.

[CruiserBruce]

BillB48 is one of the locals with great knowledge I was referring to when I recommended you come over here.

 

I guess, in the big picture, it is a) too soon to tell;, and b), perhaps just not public knowledge. If you see a cruise line advertising "Guaranteed to see the New Locks" we will know what is happening. But in a business sense, if it costs more, I don't the cruise lines will bite for it. Or the Canal Authority might want to be efficient, and only run the larger ships thru the new locks. Other than for testing purposes, as others have discussed.

[Northern Aurora]

My husband lived for several years in the Canal Zone when he was a child, and has great memories. We've done three full transits of the canal, and plan on another one once the new locks are completed since he would like to transit using the new locks. Our plan is the same as has been suggested -- book a cruise ship which is wider than the current locks to guarantee the ship will use the new locks.