Panama Canal Itinerary help ...

[VTX-AL]

Island Princess Fort Lauderdale to Vancouver (April 19) published itinerary shows (after Cartagena departure) arrive at Panama Canal on cruise day 6, full transit at 0600 with departure at 4:30 pm on Monday. The next day on cruise day 7 (Tuesday) arrive at 7:00 am Fuerte Amador Panama (for Panama City) .

 

So, what is going on during the time period from 4:30 Monday to 7:00 am Tuesday ? Does this mean that the canal transit happens overnight ? Sure hope not !!! Hopefully someone who has recently done an east-west full transit on the Island Princess can clarify this for me.

 

Just for info, the days and times listed above are taken word for word from the Princess published itinerary for this cruise.

 

...VTX-Al

[XBGuy]

The way I read it--and if somebody has better info, I will yield to him/her--you will enter the eastern locks of the Panama Canal from the Caribbean at 6:00 am on Monday, the 24th. You will be "Scenic Cruising" most of of that day, i.e., you will be traversing through the Panama canal during the daytime hours. It looks like the plan is for you to pass through the western locks at 4:30 pm. You will then be in the Pacific Ocean. Presumably, you will anchor there for the night, and at approximately 7:00 am on Tuesday, the 25th, tenders will begin taking passengers to Fuerte Amador for a port visit.

 

Have a great cruise.

Edited February 5, 2017 by XBGuy
Fixed typo

[JF - retired RRT]

Cruise ships don't transit the canal at night (so XBGuy probably got right).

[toothmaker]

XBGUY is correct. We have done this cruise twice and that is what happens. You spend the day transiting the canal, then anchor off the West coast of Panama City for the evening. The next day tendering begins for excursions. Enjoy your cruise, the canal and all of your port visits.

[kathyt939]

Exactly right. Have fun.

 

 

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[Essiesmom]

Cruise ships don't transit the canal at night (so XBGuy probably got right).

 

Almost right. BIG cruise ships don't. But little ones can/do. Windstar's little girls (former Seabourn ships) regularly did night transits last year. A disappointment for many onboard who were not expecting that, so this year they mostly do them during the day. EM

 

Tere Moana

 

Star Breeze

 

 

Star Pride

Edited February 5, 2017 by Essiesmom

[Colo Cruiser]

As stated sounds like an over night off Panama City.

[Jasperdo]

My wife and I did this a few years ago on the Coral Princess. After passing under the Bridge of the Americas, we circled around the Fuerte Amador peninsula, and anchored offshore from the Fuerte Amador Marina. At 7AM the next morning the tenders to the Marina began. You will have a wonderful view of downtown Panama City that evening. Here are a few photos I took after we were anchored off Fuerte Amador:

 

 

 

[BillB48]

The larger ships shell out an extra $30,000 in addition to the toll for a daylight transit guarantee.

[TLCOhio]

The larger ships shell out an extra $30,000 in addition to the toll for a daylight transit guarantee.

 

Appreciate from super expert Bill this important "factoid" related to the Panama Canal and its passage. Very interesting!!

 

Picked up last week from the library and am getting ready today to finish 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 reading more about what an accomplishment was this project and all related historic and engineering 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. Look forward to seeing it "up close and personal" during our early March sailing through the canal.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

From our Jan. 25-Feb. 20, 2015, Amazon River-Caribbean combo sailing over 26 days that started in Barbados, here is the link below to that live/blog. Lots of great visuals from this amazing Brazil river and these various Caribbean Islands (Dutch ABC's, St. Barts, Dominica, Grenada, etc.) that we experienced. Check it out at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2157696

Now at 47,325 views for these postings.

 

 

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.:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Essiesmom]

I read that book before my first transit. Sure wish there was a Cliff Notes version... EM

[zigpar]

You go through the canal all day. Best spot is to reserve a seat in the back lotus spa area and be spoiled all day long. From snacks to lunch to anything it's worth the money. Plus you don't have to fight for a seat or rail time. Only ones back there are those who already have a seat. This was one of our favorite ships and trips!

 

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[TLCOhio]

You go through the canal all day. Best spot is to reserve a seat in the back lotus spa area and be spoiled all day long. From snacks to lunch to anything it's worth the money. Plus you don't have to fight for a seat or rail time. Only ones back there are those who already have a seat. This was one of our favorite ships and trips!

 

Essiesmom: I read that book before my first transit. Sure wish there was a Cliff Notes version... EM

 

YES to Essiesmom that this "Path Between the Seas" is a long and highly-detailed version. Most of the time it moves fairly well' date=' but a few areas in its total 617 pages do get a little slow and too details. Overall, I found it to be a great read with so many unique twists and turns.

 

Appreciate this [b']tip on the spa area[/b]. Have copied and pasted that tip in my laptop trip file. Will check it out!! Great sharing.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Dozens of nice visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc. We are now at 220,553 views for this live/blog re-cap, including much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

[tnfcruise]

I read that book before my first transit. Sure wish there was a Cliff Notes version... EM

 

 

As I read TLCOhio's post, I thought the very same thing! [emoji851]

 

But, slogging through some of the *dry* parts, it sure did enhance my transit, and I was glad I had the fortitude!

 

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[FirstCruiseBeth]

deleted

[FirstCruiseBeth]

Island Princess Fort Lauderdale to Vancouver (April 19) published itinerary shows (after Cartagena departure) arrive at Panama Canal on cruise day 6, full transit at 0600 with departure at 4:30 pm on Monday. The next day on cruise day 7 (Tuesday) arrive at 7:00 am Fuerte Amador Panama (for Panama City) .

 

So, what is going on during the time period from 4:30 Monday to 7:00 am Tuesday ? Does this mean that the canal transit happens overnight ? Sure hope not !!! Hopefully someone who has recently done an east-west full transit on the Island Princess can clarify this for me.

 

Just for info, the days and times listed above are taken word for word from the Princess published itinerary for this cruise.

 

...VTX-Al

We did the full transit in the reverse direction; Long Beach to Florida. We had a day to do excursions in and around Panama (we went to monkey island) and then we were overnight off the coast before starting the canal transit early next morning. There was a deck party that evening which was fun.

We also spent the canal transit moving about the ship to get views and photos from all aspects; the front, the rear and sides. It was busy at the front rails for the first set of locks but by the afternoon and the last locks there was plenty of space everywhere.

 

Hope that helps.

[LeeW]

This cruise was advertised as a "Two Day Panama Canal Experience." Instead of just going through the Canal it will go through the Canal and stay an extra day on the Pacific end. Typically enter the first lock around sunrise - last couple of times we did the approach at around 5 AM and in the first lock by 7.

[COMBOY]

Island Princess Fort Lauderdale to Vancouver (April 19) published itinerary shows (after Cartagena departure) arrive at Panama Canal on cruise day 6, full transit at 0600 with departure at 4:30 pm on Monday. The next day on cruise day 7 (Tuesday) arrive at 7:00 am Fuerte Amador Panama (for Panama City) .

 

So, what is going on during the time period from 4:30 Monday to 7:00 am Tuesday ? Does this mean that the canal transit happens overnight ? Sure hope not !!! Hopefully someone who has recently done an east-west full transit on the Island Princess can clarify this for me.

 

Just for info, the days and times listed above are taken word for word from the Princess published itinerary for this cruise.

 

...VTX-Al

 

Yes, that's a very interesting with timing. I'm going to assume that on day 6 the full transit will begin at 6AM and is completed by 4PM on the Pacific side. Either the ship then docks in Fuerte Amador sometime after 4PM on day 6 and overnights allowing disembarkation starting at 7AM on day 7 (or) sits outside of the harbor and then docks at 7AM the following morning on day 7. How that exactly works only Princess' marine operation would know the details. Whatever the case I doubt any the canal transit would take place at night. If they did I can only assume Princess' would have a lot of upset passengers.

[Appalachian Mountain Mama]

Been a number of years since I was stationed down in the Zone but there used to be a wonderful restaurant not far from the military bases called Las Cascades. Whole side of the building was build to look like a cliff, trees and other plants growing there around the small waterfalls. The water fell down into a "moat" which surrounded a small "island". There was a bridge over the moat and the tables on the island were surrounded by foliage creating little private areas for 2. You could watch the fish in the moat while eating. Larger tables were available in the main area. The food was not fancy but very good, plentiful and reasonably priced. They made awesome fresh squeezed lemonade. If I ever make it back down that way and it's still there I will eat there again even if it's the only thing I get to do!

 

 

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