What ships can transit the panama canal?

[vetcruiser7]

Hello everyone,

I recently took a cruise aboard Ruby Princess. This cruise was perfect. I was wondering if any of the grand class ships (Crown Princes, Ruby Princess, Grand princess etc.) are too big or big enough to go through the panama canal.

[SuiteTraveler]

For the original Panama Canal - they would be too large, however a second canal is being built to accommodate larger ships. It will be ready in 2016.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panama_Canal_expansion_project

[SantaFeFan]

For the original Panama Canal - they would be too large, however a second canal is being built to accommodate larger ships. It will be ready in 2016.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panama_Canal_expansion_project

 

To be more precise, sets of three large locks are being built at each end to accommodate larger ships. These are being added to the existing canal, which is also being deepened and widened where necessary. There is no new canal being built.

 

However, Nicaragua is contemplating building a competing canal. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/26/travel/26nicaragua-cover.html?_r=0

Edited August 9, 2015 by SantaFeFan

[Treven]

As a semi-side bar, the ships that do fit through the present canal, as a group, are called Panamax ships.

[fishywood]

To transit the current locks ships must be less than 980 ft long and 110 ft wide.

Princess has the Coral Princess and Island Princess which were specifically built to just those dimensions. The Grand class are all wider.

The newest and certainly the last ships (outside of luxury lines) built to the current Panamax limit are the essentially-quadruplets of HAL's Nieuw Amsterdam and Eurodam, and Cunard's Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth, all launched between 2008 to 2010.

 

Don't expect any scheduled cruises through the new locks until the cruise lines see them open with their own eyes; original completion date was to be late this year for the 100th anniversary of the canal's opening, but it will probably be late 2016 before a new estimated completion date is even mooted. And stand by for some serious sticker shock when the first fares are announced--Government Taxes and Fees, which are between $300-400 for current canal sailings, will likely be approaching four figures.

Edited August 9, 2015 by fishywood

[SantaFeFan]

.... And stand by for some serious sticker shock when the first fares are announced--Government Taxes and Fees, which are between $300-400 for current canal sailings, will likely be approaching four figures.

 

Most people do not realize that it costs a cruise line in excess of $300,000 to transit the canal in a Panamax sized ship. This cost includes the reserved time slot for the ship to transit (most ships transit on a first come first served basis, and can take three or more days for them to get to the front of the line), to hiring the pilots (the canal is the only navigable body of water where a captain is required to surrender total control of his ship - even military vessels), to use of the electric "mules" that guide the ships through the locks (most ships move under their own power - the mules simply keep the ship centered in the locks), to tugboat escorts (in case of engine failure). The cost is based on the number of berths the ship has (the number of people it can sleep).

Edited August 9, 2015 by SantaFeFan

[celle]

Royal Caribbean's Radiance Class ships are Panamax - Radiance of the Seas, Brilliance of the Seas, Jewel of the Seas and Serenade of the Seas.

[dorisis]

The Island Princess and the Coral Princess were purpose built for the Panama Canal cruises and are the perfect ships to take. Others do it but Princess does it best.

[Capt_BJ]

A vessel must pay a toll fee to use the canal, which is calculated based on the size of the ship, type of ship and the number of passengers or the amount of cargo onboard. The typical rates paid are as follows:

 

Yachts and Other Small Vessels: USD 1,300 to USD 2,500

Loaded Containerships: USD 50,000 to USD 250,000

Cruise Ships: USD 80,000 to USD 300,000

 

The most expensive toll fee ever paid was by the Disney Cruise Ship on 16 May 2008; of USD 331,200 for one West to East passage.

 

http://www.theshippinglawblog.com/2010/09/how-much-does-it-cost-to-use-panama.html

[CruiserBruce]

The Island Princess and the Coral Princess were purpose built for the Panama Canal cruises and are the perfect ships to take. Others do it but Princess does it best.

 

Somebody drank the Kool aid....;)

[leaveitallbehind]

Royal Caribbean's Radiance Class ships are Panamax - Radiance of the Seas, Brilliance of the Seas, Jewel of the Seas and Serenade of the Seas.

 

Correct that they are the largest RCI ships that are currently capable, but Vision class ships, which are smaller, also can - and one or two do -complete the full transit with a couple of itineraries. Certain Radiance class ships do so typically as re-positioning cruises for their Alaska itineraries.

Edited August 9, 2015 by leaveitallbehind

[BillB48]

Princess has really capitalized on their two ships "built" for the Canal. The bottom line is any ship that is in the neighborhood of 965'x106' is built for the Panama Canal. I'm sure Princess does a good job in any event!

 

For most cruise ships the toll is $134/passenger berth. There does not need to be a head in the bed for the there to be a charge at that rate. The $134 is for all passenger berths. If you have the misfortune to send your cruise ship through the Canal without any passengers (as Celebrity had to do a couple of years ago) you then get the deep discount rate of $108/passenger berth:eek:! Just having one paying passenger on board, the ship will be charged the $134 rate for all passenger berths.

 

Multiplying the $134 times the number of berths gives you the total you have to pay to go through the Canal... not exactly. Some of the other substantial items not included in the toll are... Reservation for a day certain... $35,000 (for Panamax cruise ships), $30,000 for daylight transit guarantee, approximately $12,000 for tugs, $300 per wire used from the mules... that comes to $4800 for a lot of cruise ships, another $4K for the Canal deckhands. If you would like the Canal to provide a narrator for the transit, that's only $400! Now you can see why the fee portion of your ticket is a wee bit high compared to other cruises about the same length.

[PTMary]

The Island Princess and the Coral Princess were purpose built for the Panama Canal cruises and are the perfect ships to take. Others do it but Princess does it best.

 

Somebody drank the Kool aid....;)

 

I often read that "Princess does it the best", or that "Royal Caribbean does it the best", or that "Celebrity does it the best", or that "Holland America does it the best", etc., etc.

 

I don't want the "best". I want the "bestest". Which one is that? :D

Edited August 9, 2015 by PTMary

[paul929207]

The only Princess ships that ccan go thru the existing canal are the Pacific, Ocean (being sold next March), Island and Coral

[Shmoo here]

A vessel must pay a toll fee to use the canal, which is calculated based on the size of the ship, type of ship and the number of passengers or the amount of cargo onboard. The typical rates paid are as follows:

 

Yachts and Other Small Vessels: USD 1,300 to USD 2,500

Loaded Containerships: USD 50,000 to USD 250,000

Cruise Ships: USD 80,000 to USD 300,000

 

The most expensive toll fee ever paid was by the Disney Cruise Ship on 16 May 2008; of USD 331,200 for one West to East passage.

 

http://www.theshippinglawblog.com/2010/09/how-much-does-it-cost-to-use-panama.html

 

I was on that cruise! It was our first cruise ever. It was, however, an east to west transit. The ship was repositioning to the west coast.

[Mary Ellen]

I was on that cruise! It was our first cruise ever. It was, however, an east to west transit. The ship was repositioning to the west coast.

That would make sense. Logic would dictate that unless the Disney ship (the Wonder?) was built at a Pacific shipyard, or was doing an eastbound round the world cruise, she would be sailing east to west.

[Shmoo here]

That would make sense. Logic would dictate that unless the Disney ship (the Wonder?) was built at a Pacific shipyard, or was doing an eastbound round the world cruise, she would be sailing east to west.

 

Well, actually, that Panama Canal cruise (and the one in 2005) were done on the Magic. She was repositioning to do the Mexican Riviera cruises.

 

The Wonder didn't start coming to the west coast until DCL started doing the Alaska cruises. I believe that was in 2011.

[paul929207]

I believe that the Pacific end of the canal is actually east of the Caribbean end.

[thinfool]

A vessel must pay a toll fee to use the canal, which is calculated based on the size of the ship, type of ship and the number of passengers or the amount of cargo onboard. The typical rates paid are as follows:

 

Yachts and Other Small Vessels: USD 1,300 to USD 2,500

Loaded Containerships: USD 50,000 to USD 250,000

Cruise Ships: USD 80,000 to USD 300,000

 

The most expensive toll fee ever paid was by the Disney Cruise Ship on 16 May 2008; of USD 331,200 for one West to East passage.

 

http://www.theshippinglawblog.com/2010/09/how-much-does-it-cost-to-use-panama.html

 

Inflation wreaks havoc with records.

 

Our Island Princess, full transit, cost, according to the Captain, $380,000, in advance, for our November 2012 trip.

 

Maybe the increase was because we were using the new mules. :D:D

Edited August 9, 2015 by thinfool

[Mary Ellen]

Well, actually, that Panama Canal cruise (and the one in 2005) were done on the Magic. She was repositioning to do the Mexican Riviera cruises.

 

The Wonder didn't start coming to the west coast until DCL started doing the Alaska cruises. I believe that was in 2011.

 

I knew both of our west coast DCL cruises were on the Wonder, but I wasn't sure if she was the only DCL ship that had gone through the canal. Thanks for clearing that up.

[CruiserBruce]

I believe that the Pacific end of the canal is actually east of the Caribbean end.

 

That is correct.

[Treven]

Princess has really capitalized on their two ships "built" for the Canal. The bottom line is any ship that is in the neighborhood of 965'x106' is built for the Panama Canal. I'm sure Princess does a good job in any event!

 

For most cruise ships the toll is $134/passenger berth. There does not need to be a head in the bed for the there to be a charge at that rate. The $134 is for all passenger berths. If you have the misfortune to send your cruise ship through the Canal without any passengers (as Celebrity had to do a couple of years ago) you then get the deep discount rate of $108/passenger berth:eek:! Just having one paying passenger on board, the ship will be charged the $134 rate for all passenger berths.

 

Multiplying the $134 times the number of berths gives you the total you have to pay to go through the Canal... not exactly. Some of the other substantial items not included in the toll are... Reservation for a day certain... $35,000 (for Panamax cruise ships), $30,000 for daylight transit guarantee, approximately $12,000 for tugs, $300 per wire used from the mules... that comes to $4800 for a lot of cruise ships, another $4K for the Canal deckhands. If you would like the Canal to provide a narrator for the transit, that's only $400! Now you can see why the fee portion of your ticket is a wee bit high compared to other cruises about the same length.

OUCH! I guess I shouldn't complain.

[Shmoo here]

I believe that the Pacific end of the canal is actually east of the Caribbean end.

 

Yeah, I know, but, typically, if you take a cruise from the east coast of the United States to the west coast of the United States it's called a Westbound transit.

[Capt_BJ]

I remembered reading the factoid and hung it here for interest

 

I'm fairly sure with inflation that number has been beat by now!

[Shmoo here]

I remembered reading the factoid and hung it here for interest

 

I'm fairly sure with inflation that number has been beat by now!

 

I would think so, also.

 

Another little tidbit - about a month out from that cruise DCL notified everyone that the canal fees had gone up and everyone was being charged an additional $100 (would be applied to the onboard account). There was quite an uproar about that, and DCL rethought their position.