Partial Canal Transit

[liquorstore]

I'm looking a a couple of Carnival cruises that include a partial Panama Canal transit. Has anyone here take one of these trips and what is the canal part like..

Edited January 18, 2017 by liquorstore

[cb at sea]

We did a partial on RCI.... you go thru 3 sets of locks into Lake Gatun, where anyone doing a ship's excursion tenders off. (That leaves the ship nice and uncrowded for those who stay aboard!) You will stay in the lake for several hours, then go back out the same locks you entered, where you will dock. At that point, you can get off the ship and shop at the dockside marketplace...you are NOT allowed to leave that area..nor would you want to! That's where the excursion folks will re-join the ship.

 

I don't see a need to pay for an excursion. You get a running narrative as you are going into the lake..there is a navigator onboard who will be giving you facts and interesting tidbits about the canal. If you plan on staying on the ship, don't try and fight for a place to see everything...the railings will be packed and jammed....but on the trip OUT...you will have your choice of viewing spots! Do roam about the ship and see the sights from all sides and deck levels!

 

Remember...it's it HOT and HUMID....VERY HOT AND HUMID! Be prepared!

[Essiesmom]

Carnival's partial transits do not have a stop after leaving the lake, so there are no excursions offered. The transit is the excursion. EM

[joepeka]

Carnival's partial transits do not have a stop after leaving the lake, so there are no excursions offered. The transit is the excursion. EM

True and I think cb at sea's experience was on a different cruise line. Unlike some others (HAL, Princess), Carnival does not have any shore excursions on partial transits which depart the ship via tender in Gatun Lake nor does it stop in Colon Panama after exiting the Lake and locks on the Caribbean side.

[Essiesmom]

This is the Pride going through on Jan 9:

 

 

 

 

 

Coming back out

 

 

[GradUT]

If Carnival doesn't offer any excursions at Gatun Lake, I'd choose a cruise line that does. The highlight of our partial transit cruise with Princess was the narrated excursion we took on a ferry through the rest of the Canal. You get a whole other perspective going through the Canal on a small boat as opposed to a cruise ship.

[JandPB]

HAL offers excursions from Gatun Lake that end in Colon. We are doing that cruise in a little less than 4 weeks. We are staying on the ship for the passage back out through the locks.

 

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