Panama Cruise/Partial or Full Crossing?

[Saskriders]

Just in the planning stage of a cruise to the Panama Canal. Can't decide which option is best? Both appear to have good benefits. Has anyone done both or can provide any insight as to which a person should select? I would appreciate any info. Thanks

[CruiserBruce]

If it fits in your time and budget, a full transit is far superior.

 

Lots of info on the Panama Canal board, here:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=89

[Saskriders]

Thanks I will check it out. I am guessing you did the full? Who did you cruise with any recommendations? I have heard it takes the better part of a day to actually get through all the locks...is this what you experienced? Thanks again.

[marco]

We've done both. While the transit through the Gilliard Cut (I think that's what it's called) is quite picturesque, going through the locks is the highlight. Going into Gatun Lake from the Caribbean and then back out is pretty much the same amount of "lock experience" as sailing one-way, all the way. Also, for us, flying to the west coast one way and home from Fla is a lot less desirable then a R/T flight to Fla, and we VERY MUCH preferred the additional other ports in the Caribbean that the partial transit (in from Caribbean, sail around Gatun Lake, then back out into the Caribbean) stopped at. Didn't care much at all for the west coast Mexico ports. I;m glad we did a full transit, but overall we preferred to total cruise experience much more when we did the partial.

Edited April 12, 2014 by marco

[Saskriders]

We are from Canada so we will be flying a lengthy distance regardless however flights from home to California/Texas etc are lots cheaper than to Florida...in some cases half the price. I did find a cruise that leaves LA and ends up in Houstan...only thing is 3 sea days in a row before you hit Houstan. But perhaps if the weather is warm we will enjoy time out on the deck relaxing??

[CruiserBruce]

Thanks I will check it out. I am guessing you did the full? Who did you cruise with any recommendations? I have heard it takes the better part of a day to actually get through all the locks...is this what you experienced? Thanks again.

 

 

We have been on two full transits and one partial, with two cruises on HAL and one on RCI. A full transit is 8-10 hours. It takes that time to transit the full length of the Canal. The locks are timewise, a relatively small, but VERY interesting portion of the transit.

Edited April 12, 2014 by CruiserBruce

[momofmeg]

Just in the planning stage of a cruise to the Panama Canal. Can't decide which option is best? Both appear to have good benefits. Has anyone done both or can provide any insight as to which a person should select? I would appreciate any info. Thanks

 

I did the partial. I loved it but I want to do a full for sure. I think that it really depends on budget and the full is considerably more but it is more days, so for those not yet retired, it can come down to time. If you can't do the full, they do offer an excursion on a smaller boat that does the full transit.

 

At one time Princess offered a one way that started in Ft. Lauderdale and ended in Mexico on the Pacific coast that was 10 day. You should check and see if any line offers that.

[Saskriders]

Thanks for the info. I am sure both crossings have good points about each. We might only get to do this once so I want to pick the option that sounds the best. You mention you have cruised Eastern Canada....we are book for September. Do you have any suggestions? I am in the midst of booking excursions. We are still new at the cruise thing...did Alaska (loved it) and Greece (loved it) so I am sure we will love East Coast and Panama! Tks

[Suitcasefull]

Thanks for the info. I am sure both crossings have good points about each. We might only get to do this once so I want to pick the option that sounds the best. You mention you have cruised Eastern Canada....we are book for September. Do you have any suggestions? I am in the midst of booking excursions. We are still new at the cruise thing...did Alaska (loved it) and Greece (loved it) so I am sure we will love East Coast and Panama! Tks

 

We've only done the full PC Transit but loved it and would recommend. Were on NCL Pearl.

Depending on where you stop on the NE cruise...........we enjoyed a day trip into Lunenberg when at Halifax. Also liked the Bay of Fundy. Fell in love with Quebec City and the area around it. Don't think there were any stops we were disappointed with although rain one day prevented a boat trip. Enjoy!

[Coveguy4]

I've done the full transit twice. Perfect cruise both times, once from Accalpolco and once from LA. You will remember it fondly forever.

[Shmoo here]

We've done 2 full transit Panama Canal Cruises. First with Disney (Port Canaveral to Los Angeles), and the second with Holland America (Boston to San Diego).

 

We prefer long repositioning cruises going westbound, as you gain time that way.

 

We're quite likely to do the Canal again someday.

[OCruisers]

The partial transits are fine if you just want to see a lock and be in the canal.

Full transits give you the complete experience. We like the Caribbean to the Pacific ones best.

LuLu

~~~

[thinfool]

Princess stopped the Ft Lauderdale to Acapulco run about the same time the drug cartels started 'live fire' practice in the streets.

 

Frankly, we prefer the transit (full) that sails from US port to US port as the airfare home is way better.

 

Our PC trip was, IMO, our best trip of the 13 we have done, so far.

[Coveguy4]

True....I did it on Sitmar 30+ years ago B4 all the trouble, but the memories of it are still great...lol I did it last April on the Coral and would recommend the Coral or Island as a perfect ship to do the ditch...

Princess stopped the Ft Lauderdale to Acapulco run about the same time the drug cartels started 'live fire' practice in the streets.

 

Frankly, we prefer the transit (full) that sails from US port to US port as the airfare home is way better.

 

Our PC trip was, IMO, our best trip of the 13 we have done, so far.

[OCruisers]

Princess stopped the Ft Lauderdale to Acapulco run about the same time the drug cartels started 'live fire' practice in the streets.

 

Unfortunately, Acapulco became very unsafe because that 10 Day was so easy to make into a B2B .... FLL to Acapulco (10 days) and Acapulco back to FLL (10 days). We were on one of the last ones and did NOT get off the ship in Acapulco.

LuLu

~~~

[Laurie S.]

I've done both. The full transit is terrific and well worth it.

[OCruisers]

Another option is to take a cruise with a port stop (not doing a partial transit ... just a port stop) in Colon, Panama. Shore excursions can be taken from there to see the Panama Canal.

LuLu

~~~

[LHT28]

We have done 3 full transit cruise on Oceania

2 from the west coast (L.A. & SFO) to Miami

 

1 from Miami to L.A.

 

we enjoyed all of them ...

If you have the time do the full transit

[BillB48]

Have done a number of partial transit cruises and full transit cruises, both are great cruises and I would hop on either in a New York minute. Having said that, I would pick the full transit as my first choice. Another thing I would recommend on a full transit cruise is look for an itinerary that offers a full day port call in Panama in addition to your transit. That will give you a chance to take in other aspects of the Canal or see something else of Panama.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have done quite a few full transits of the Panama Canal -- HAL and Princess.

We have also done a few partial cruises on HAL. HAL goes through the Gatun Locks and anchors for a couple of hours in Gatun Lake to allow passengers to tender ashore for excursions. Your excursions end in Colon where your ship will be. You can not get off the ship unless you book a ship excursion -- Panama rules. The partial cruises gives you a nice introduction as to how the locks work.

On a full transit, there is no stopping anywhere in the Canal anywhere for shore excursions.

[BillB48]

 

On a full transit, there is no stopping anywhere in the Canal anywhere for shore excursions.

 

That certainly may be the case in many instances, however I have been on northbound transits (Pac-Atl) where the ship will stop at the Gatun Lake anchorage just before Gatun Locks and offer shore excursions in the same manner as on a partial transit. The passengers on the shore excursion will then rejoin the ship in Colon. Of course if you have not been through the Canal before, I don't believe I would take a shorex at that point. On full transit cruises Princess offers what is called a 2 Day Canal Experience which is a port call at Ft. Amador either the day before or day after the transit, depending on the direction of the transit. This itinerary is not offered on every cruise. Celebrity and RCI have a full day stop in Colon in addition to the transit. HAL was one of the first cruise lines to offer this option, but looking at their most recent offerings it seems like they are no longer offering a full day stop in addition to the transit.

[NMLady]

Thanks I will check it out. I am guessing you did the full? Who did you cruise with any recommendations? I have heard it takes the better part of a day to actually get through all the locks...is this what you experienced? Thanks again.

 

We've done the full transit twice, both times from Atlantic to Pacific.

Yes, it takes a full day. Both times we entered the first lock before 7am and sailed under the Bridge of Americas and out into the Pacific about 5pm. There was a narrator onboard all day to explain what we were seeing.

 

We sailed both times on NCL, on Sun and on Star, because the price was right for us. I think whichever cruise line and ship you choose the transit will be a memorable experience for you.

 

The Panama Canal is a more expensive itinerary because the ship has to pay an astronomical price to transit the canal so that means fare is higher for passengers.

[momofmeg]

We've done the full transit twice, both times from Atlantic to Pacific.

Yes, it takes a full day. Both times we entered the first lock before 7am and sailed under the Bridge of Americas and out into the Pacific about 5pm. There was a narrator onboard all day to explain what we were seeing.

 

We sailed both times on NCL, on Sun and on Star, because the price was right for us. I think whichever cruise line and ship you choose the transit will be a memorable experience for you.

 

The Panama Canal is a more expensive itinerary because the ship has to pay an astronomical price to transit the canal so that means fare is higher for passengers.

 

when we were on Zuiderdam they said it worked out to a tax of $248 per passenger and that was only halfway and back to east coast.

 

I know some lines only go to the port near the Panama canal because of that. Hubby and I have discussed doing one of them and then taking the smaller boat through the locks and the train ride back to save money. I am just afraid we wouldn't be satisfied and it would be better to spend the extra. I have come to the point that I am willing to wait longer between cruises and take a better cruise less often than to keep doing Caribbean cruises we have done before.

[Saskriders]

Thanks so much for the wonderful information. It really sounds like most enjoy the full versus the partial and/or finding a cruise that includes a day at Panama after the crossing. Length of cruise is not an issue for us as we are retired. The issue will be more related to flight deals getting out of Canada. Way cheaper for us to fly to Western USA than Eastern USA unless we decide to do so in the shoulder season.

 

Glad to hear good comments about NCL. We are trying them this fall when we do the Canada/New England. They had the best itinerary for what we wanted to see as well the better pricing. I realize that they are not on the same level as HAL or some other higher ends because of the free style cruising but at the same time they do offer higher end dining if one chooses to want that. We are both healthy eating freaks so as long as there is lots of fruit, salad, chicken and fish we will be happy.

[BillB48]

when we were on Zuiderdam they said it worked out to a tax of $248 per passenger and that was only halfway and back to east coast.

 

 

On ships the size of the Zuiderdam the Canal the toll charges is $134 per passenger berth. As long as there at least one paying passenger on the ship, the 134 figure is applied to the total number of passenger berths. If for some reason there are no paying passengers on board then the toll drops to the rock bottom price of $108 per passenger berth!

 

As for a ship such as the Z'dam only going into one set of locks, turning around and exiting the same set of locks... no special consideration in the tolls at all. The Canal's policy is, they lifted you from one ocean... you can go back to the same ocean if you choose. Actually the reasoning for that is the fact that while you did not go from one ocean to another, it still took the same amount of fresh water to accomplish the "partial" transit as it would for a full transit.

Edited April 15, 2014 by BillB48