Expanded Panama Canal

[CHEZMARYLOU]

The expanded Panama Canal opened today. Wonder what the 1st cruise ship through it will be. Would love to do a PC cruise on a Solstice class ship.

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=7087

[Jim_Iain]

I was reading last night that at this point there is only one ship scheduled to sail through the new canal.

 

"Princess Cruises' Caribbean Princess is scheduled to make a series of thirteen 10-day cruises through the canal beginning Oct. 21, 2017."

 

"Only one cruise ship has reserved space to move through the new locks, which are open to one cruise ship a day starting in June 2017, according to the Panama Canal Authority."

 

http://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-T...ma-Canal-locks

[TeeRick]

We sailed through the canal end of April on M-class Infinity. Great experience. Congrats to the Panamanians today! The problem with larger cruise ships is that they might very well fit in the new locks but they are too tall to get under the Bridge of the Americas on the Pacific side. I think that one S-class ship (Solstice) had its height modified to fit under the Lion's Gate Bridge in Vancouver. Perhaps it will fit under the Bridge of Americas too - probably depends on the tide.

 

http://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Just-one-cruise-ship-scheduled-to-use-new-Panama-Canal-locks

 

http://www.vancouversun.com/Cruise+ship+mast+will+altered+under+Lions+Gate+Bridge+next+year/8303017/story.html

[WestLakeGirl]

Don't look for Solstice class ships to go through the new canal. The ship itself is not too wide but the lifeboats stick out too far

[BillB48]

Right now the first cruise ship to use the expanded portion of the Canal is the Disney Wonder with a southbound transit in late April. Suppose it is always possible a cruise ship could come out of nowhere and beat them from being first. The Caribbean Princess is only doing partial transits starting in October next Canal season.

 

The Solstice had some sort of modification to clear the Lions Gate Bridge, since the LGB has slightly less clearance than the Bridge of Americas that should not be a problem for the Solstice or any similar ship with that modification.

 

The lifeboat overhang is high enough above the water where they won't cause a problem negotiating the new locks.

[TFLG]

They rotate a portion of the Antenna mast backwards on the solstice to get under that bridge in Vancouver. It's nothing major and a few of the crew have it back up pretty quick once the ship clears the bridge.

[dh1drill]

Looks like the new norwegian bliss may 15 2018 will be the next mega ship going thru after princess.

[TLCOhio]

The expanded Panama Canal opened today. Wonder what the 1st cruise ship through it will be. Would love to do a PC cruise on a Solstice class ship.

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=7087

 

Appreciate so much Mary Lou's excellent update on the new Panama Canal construction and competition. Only a month away till we depart from Ft. Lauderdale for our first trip in this part of the world. We will do the old canal, but we should be able to see some of the new canal in operation.

 

Just picked up yesterday from the library and started reading the David McCullough book titled "Path Between the Seas". Fascinating!!! It's really a very special history in the context of the shrinking world at that time as railroads and canal were being built, etc. And, the health and weather conditions there were really challenging. Love to be reading more about what an accomplishment was this project and all related aspects.

 

Below are some graphics showing the cover of this book, a picture of its author and then three different visuals from that period of the construction and its early use. Great to be learning so much more about this period of time and what it took to make it all happen.

 

Everyone says this book is a must-read. Other agree?

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

AFRICA?!!?: Lots of interesting and dramatic pictures can be seen from my latest live/blog at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2310337

Now at 28,983 views for this reporting and visual sharing that includes Cape Town, all along the South Africa coast, Mozambique, Victoria Falls/Zambia and Botswana's famed Okavango Delta area.

 

 

From the Bing website's visual library, here are some pictures of the book cover, the author and three samples of the canal construction and its early use. Looking forward in early March to seeing it all "in person", "up close and personal", etc.:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

Absolutely agree that The Bath Between the Seas is must reading prior to transiting the canal. It will make you appreciate the experience all the more.

 

[TeeRick]

Yes this book is a must read for those interested in the history of the canal. I really enjoyed it and it put the transit in perspective. That being said - I think it would be disappointing to go through the fancy new locks. You will not get the true Panama Canal experience unless you transit the old locks!

[cruisestitch]

The chief Engineer told me yesterday that the lifeboats on the S class ships extend too far out for the new canal.

 

He also related an interesting story about the lifeboats: when the ships left the yard and were moving to the open sea for the first time, the lifeboats couldn't be in place because the ship channel was too narrow. They followed behind and were raised into position later.

[BillB48]

The chief Engineer told me yesterday that the lifeboats on the S class ships extend too far out for the new canal.

 

He also related an interesting story about the lifeboats: when the ships left the yard and were moving to the open sea for the first time, the lifeboats couldn't be in place because the ship channel was too narrow. They followed behind and were raised into position later.

 

Had a similar discussion in part over on the Royal board where the captain of the Anthem said the Quantum class ships would not be using the Canal because of the over hang of the lifeboats as well as the cost involved to transit. While the lifeboats do protrude a bit from the side of the ship, they are high enough where the ship can moor against the lock wall during the transit. A couple of pictures to illustrate... the first is the Caribbean Princess which is scheduled for a partial transit early October 2017, the second is the Solstice. The lifeboats are similarly configured on both ships.

 

 

 

A link to the thread... not a very long thread...

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=52147924#post52147924