Panama Canal : Balcony or Inside

[anniegb]

Hi All

 

I will post this question on Norwegian board also.

 

Solo traveler currently booked in an Aft Balcony cabin on Norwegian Star - with UBP and OBC.

 

After the Star's azipod issues, considering switching to Celebrity - I am elite - but budget constraints mean it will be an inside cabin.

 

Does it have to be a balcony cabin for Panama?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Annie

[RickT]

While a balcony is always nice, when we did the Canal we spent the whole transit time on the upper deck to take it all in and didn't use our balcony.

[BillB48]

No doubt balconies are great, however at the Canal if you spend too much time on your balcony you will only see half of what you came to see. IMO for the Canal transit the cheapest inside cabin is just as good as the owner's suite:D!

[impatientlywaiting]

When we did the Canal many years ago, we had an inside cabin. Even if we'd had a balcony, we wouldn't have used it as we spent all our time up on the decks or we would have missed both sides of the canal.

[Bagwhan]

Just wondering....what about an Aft/stern balcony?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[BillB48]

Just wondering....what about an Aft/stern balcony?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

My only negative about an aft balcony is during your transit all the commentary provided is with a forward looking perspective. By the time it may come into your view it may not be as timely and other items of interest may have been added to what is in view. Any other time an aft balcony is prime real estate.

[Legend355]

When we did this cruise we had a balcony cabin and thoroughly enjoyed being able to have breakfast or a glass of wine on the balcony.............remember the actual transit through the canal is only one day of the cruise.

[pspercy]

Balconies were too hi-$$$ for us.

Booked a cat6 OV on deck 3, HUGE window (the "new" cabins 3112 - 3144):)

 

This is on Infinity, great itinerary as we stop in Colon for a day so we can take daytrips back into the Canal etc.

[bigbenboys]

We did this cruise on Infinity. We had a balcony on the north side as we went through the canal. We did spend time that day up on the top deck. I was not a big fan of the Canal. They had some guy talking for hours about the Canal. I found it very boring. But we do plan on taking the trip again with friends. I would go with Celebrity.

[Orator]

You might consider the far forward cabins on Deck 6. Some a quite large and you can see both sides of the canal. One warning: People can see into the cabins from the Helipad.

[Gonzo70]

This is not a cruise where a balcony is a must IMHO; I did a porthole only stateroom (oceanview) when I did the Panama Canal and did not feel as though I was missing out. Very different perspective taking in the views from different heights and locations while going through the canal. I found it best to move around the ship to different public places to maximize the experience. Also the weather is often quite hot during this itinerary, so unless you enjoy hot, humid weather you may not want to spend a lot of time hanging out on the balcony.

[C 2 C]

Hi All

 

Solo traveler currently booked in an Aft Balcony cabin on Norwegian Star - with UBP and OBC.

 

- I am elite - but budget constraints mean it will be an inside cabin.

 

Does it have to be a balcony cabin for Panama?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Annie

 

After a dozen transits, the best view is from

 

a) the Sky Lounge or whatever it is called today (Constellation Lounge on Infinity)

b) the gymn (fitness Centre)

c) oceanview cafe

d) any aft cabin

e) the helipad

f) the bridge (we have had the good fortune) several times

 

Go with the reasonably priced cabin and enjoy the view elsewhere.

 

We've done them all and like the view in a/c comfort with good seats.

 

 

We have had a concierge aft cabin and could not handle the heat.

 

Oceanview cafe lets you see while enjoying beverages, food and the ability to pop out for a picture

[cawags]

Just wondering....what about an Aft/stern balcony?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

We just returned April 2 from a canal cruise on Infinity and we had an A1aft cabin on deck 11. For us it was excellent. The best part was we could get out of the heat. When we came inside we tied our drapes back so we had a great view and kept the tv on the view from the front and we could hear all the commentary. We just saw it later. What an amazing trip.

[merinski]

Hi All

 

I will post this question on Norwegian board also.

 

Solo traveler currently booked in an Aft Balcony cabin on Norwegian Star - with UBP and OBC.

 

After the Star's azipod issues, considering switching to Celebrity - I am elite - but budget constraints mean it will be an inside cabin.

 

Does it have to be a balcony cabin for Panama?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Annie

 

It absolutely doesn't have to be a balcony. When we went it was an inside. We went to Deck 12 I think early morn.6am , then went to deck 6... moved around some to see the locks at different levels. It was amazing. You should go on Celebrity, you will love it.

[Baron Barracuda]

Arno has this right.

 

Sky lounge was best place for us followed by helipad and Oceanview cafe. Tried a different vantage point for each lock. Transit takes 1/2 day so plenty of time to move around.

[Bagwhan]

My only negative about an aft balcony is during your transit all the commentary provided is with a forward looking perspective. By the time it may come into your view it may not be as timely and other items of interest may have been added to what is in view. Any other time an aft balcony is prime real estate.

 

 

Good point, thanks Bill...I'd just like to do this cruise, as the Panama Canal is on my bucket list... as well as a cruise sailing in/or out of Venice and Istanbul on the one itinerary...and a Suez transit (which I have done on a warship, without a porthole or drinks package)....I'll keep dreaming....:ship:(y)

[anniegb]

Thanks everybody. After my last cruise on the Millie, M class ships have lost a little of their shine - I loved the Connie.

 

I will research ports further before I decide, however I have one further question:

 

If I decide on the Infinity the cruise will be in November 2017 which I know is the rainy season.

 

I live in Scotland, so I do rain but how badly could the weather impact on the trip??

 

Thanks in advance

 

Annie

[floridatravelersforlife]

Things we did during our Canal Passage on the Infinity

 

Verandah - Aqua Class newest cabins aft. Had room service twice brunch, PM snack - listened to commentary on TV. Several hours

Deck 5 - watched the canal wall go up and down fascinating breaking out to daylight

AquaSpa - had a discount acupuncture watching the ship go down in one of the locks, fun watching the people in the bleachers at Mira Flores

Aft Bar - sipped cocktails as we left the canal

 

You can do many things in either situation.

[captdave]

We did Celebrity Infinity Aqua 1 Cabin 1125 (left side aft). San Fran to Florida 17 Night Panama Canal Cruise (great ship & crew). Eastbound get left side cabin, like we did. The best is do Florida to California with a right side cabin. Time zone changes makes this the best way to go.

 

We don't do Inside anything, not worth the time for us. Any cabin on the Infinity is fine for the Panama Canal, we just did it better than most!

 

ELEGANT SW PANAMA leaving 1913 Pedro Miguel Lock (3 of 6) from Celebrity Infinity Aqua 1 Cabin 1125 Panama Canal, Panama 9-30-2015.

 

 

Alicia Sony A6000 shooting Miraflores Locks (1 of 6) from Celebrity Infinity Panama Canal, Panama 9-30-2015.

 

 

CapDave

[JMG]

Fond memories of our trip through the canal! We reached the canal in the early hours of the morning. Sprayed ourselves with repellent and headed to an outside deck and stood at that railing for hours. It was about 5:30am so it was still dark. As we got closer to the locks, from the front of the ship, we could see an illuminated arrow that pointed out which side of the lock the ship would enter. After the ship was headed toward the proper lock, the arrow changed directions for the ship behind us. Both ships entered the locks and went through the canal together. The other ship was the Island Princess. Turns out, passengers on that ship took pictures of our ship and we took pictures of their ship. After arriving home we looked at cruise critic and found a CC member that was on the Princess. We swapped pictures to get a great photo of the ship in the canal. Friends of ours were in an aft stateroom. I sent them copies of the photos and they were totally amazed to see photos of themselves on their aft deck at the railing as the ship went through one of the locks.

 

We were amazed at how quickly the ship rose to the higher level. When the ship had to rise up...the views were great. You could see the ship move into the lock, watch the entire process. As the ship went to a lower level, the view was not as good. We looked forward and saw the horizon. Once the ship was lowered, we got to see more of the lock.

 

Our ship actually hit the side of the locks. The ship was stopped for at least an hour while the ship crew and canal authorities checked the ship for damage. At our next port, we could see a scrape mark on the ship. Within hours, the ship had been repainted and there was no sign that anything had happened.

 

Based on our experience, you do not know for sure which side of the ship will be better. As many have noted, being in a place where you have front and side views will definitely give you a total appreciation of the canal experience.

[shipshape sam]

During the actual transit of the canal, there are 2 parts: the locks and cruising through Gatun Lake. Then there are the many other ports of call and open water sailing. Thus, if you like a balcony is just a feature you can use the whole cruise. I could sail in an inside cabin if that got me on a 14/15 day cruise on Celebrity!

 

You will want like many have mention, to be all over the ship during the actual lock transit. We like up top to get 360 degree perspective and also on low decks when we are at the bottom and looking up at the locks. Also we have been on lower decks and touched the side of the locks just to say we have done it.

 

Have a great cruise!