Enough time???

[Ferndale Girl]

Next Sept we're going on a Panama Canal cruise round trip from LA on Princess. We've done the full transit two times before. The itinerary says Scenic Cruising from 6:00 a.m. on Monday until 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday. My question is....do you think they will offer the six hour excursion to Old Panama City on Tuesday? We didn't go there the other times. Do they ever start excursions at 7:00 a.m.? That should give enough time to get back before the ship leaves at 2:00. I'd like to do something else the first day and still get to Panama City. It is too early for them to post the excursions for our particular cruise.

[CruiserBruce]

This is an exceptionally rare cruise....partial transit from the Pacific side. In fact I think at best it is offered once a year, and not every year. Good luck on getting info.

[BillB48]

As Bruce indicated this is not a frequent cruise so getting precise info on how the cruise operates just might be a bit sketchy. If we can use on how the cruise was operated in the past as a guide, then on the entry into the Canal on the Pacific side will be at 6AM on Oct. 2, the ship could conceivably reach the Gatun Lake anchorage (near Gatun Locks) before noon on day 1. This is where the ship will remain until it sails back out the following day. The tours will probably start at the time the ship reaches the Gatun Lake anchorage. I would think this would be a good time to possibly try and book the tour to Panama City as there really would not be any return to ship departure pressures for the tour. The second day perhaps be better suited for shorter tours if offered.

 

While the departure on day 2 (Oct 3) is listed as 2PM, I am of the opinion that is just a mark on the wall estimate for a departure and the departure time for the sail out of the Canal will be much earlier than that. My thinking on that is based on cruise ships usually pay extra for a daylight transit and a 2Pm departue from the GL anchorage would more than likely have the ship clearing the Pacific Locks in the dark.

 

Of course this is a unique transit so it very well could operate a bit differently than the way cruise ship transits are "normally" run.

[Ferndale Girl]

As Bruce indicated this is not a frequent cruise so getting precise info on how the cruise operates just might be a bit sketchy. If we can use on how the cruise was operated in the past as a guide, then on the entry into the Canal on the Pacific side will be at 6AM on Oct. 2, the ship could conceivably reach the Gatun Lake anchorage (near Gatun Locks) before noon on day 1. This is where the ship will remain until it sails back out the following day. The tours will probably start at the time the ship reaches the Gatun Lake anchorage. I would think this would be a good time to possibly try and book the tour to Panama City as there really would not be any return to ship departure pressures for the tour. The second day perhaps be better suited for shorter tours if offered.

 

While the departure on day 2 (Oct 3) is listed as 2PM, I am of the opinion that is just a mark on the wall estimate for a departure and the departure time for the sail out of the Canal will be much earlier than that. My thinking on that is based on cruise ships usually pay extra for a daylight transit and a 2Pm departue from the GL anchorage would more than likely have the ship clearing the Pacific Locks in the dark.

 

Of course this is a unique transit so it very well could operate a bit differently than the way cruise ship transits are "normally" run.

 

Thank you for this explanation. I had no idea how the timing might be. We'll just have to wait, I'm sure several months, until they post the excursions and go from there. We'll probably have to take the tour on the first day and just stay on the ship the second day unless they have something that would be an interest to us.

[Essiesmom]

Keep an eye on the the Princess board - or maybe here. Island Princess is doing that cruise this week, in Friday, out Saturday - if TS Otto allows...Feel sorry for Coral trying to do a partial tomorrow. EM