Panama canal Cruise

[traveler2100]

I am looking for recommendations for Panama Canal cruises.

I am ok with starting on the east coast and ending on the west coast or vice versa.

I see they can be expensive with the canal taxes etc but I can live with that.

This is just something I have wanted to do for years.

 

Anybody care to share good or bad experiences and which cruise line?

[sfaaa]

Not many kids and young couples. Not your typical Caribbean party cruise with plenty of beach time. Great for history buffs. Expensive cruise.

[LHT28]

Loved the ports of call on the full transit have done the trip 3 X on Oceania

Good food good company onboard a relaxing trip for us

[cb at sea]

The "taxes" are included in the fare..that's why those cruises are expensive. If you are REALLY into the canal, you will have researched what you want to see that's a "not miss" for you. Otherwise, it's a long cruise in a hot climate. A "partial" is a good way to see the canal, too..and you don't need an "across the country" flight!

[thinfool]

We have done a full transit once....on Princess.

 

Our traveling companions want to do it again...Fort Lauderdale to LA or San Diego, then reboard or take a different ship back through to Fort Lauderdale.

 

The idea of different ports using different cruise lines coming and going is appealing.

[Velvetwater]

We did a full transit Canal cruise with Carnival and even though it had a higher ration of older cruisers we met people our age and everyone was having a great time partying (esp canal day) so it didn't matter.

 

It was a rare August sailing and in peak holiday season and was reasonably priced tbh...no more expensive than our Med cruise with the same line and same number of days. Cruise lines charge $80 or so per passenger included in the price so people think it could be more expensive.

 

You are more likely to get a cheaper price if its repo cruise rather than a planned voyage.

[sail7seas]

The pp fee Panama charges for cruise ships when they transit is quite high and is included in the fare, if I remember correctly.

[Shmoo here]

I am looking for recommendations for Panama Canal cruises.

I am ok with starting on the east coast and ending on the west coast or vice versa.

I see they can be expensive with the canal taxes etc but I can live with that.

This is just something I have wanted to do for years.

 

Anybody care to share good or bad experiences and which cruise line?

We've done the full transit twice. Once on Disney, once on Holland America. Both times east to west (love gaining those hours as opposed to losing them).

 

Loved both.

 

Would do it again.

 

As noted, it's more for those who are into history/engineering/cruising. Not so much a "beach cruise".

[OCruisers]

As long as you are doing a FULL transit, either way is fine! :D

[Silver Sweethearts]

I am looking for recommendations for Panama Canal cruises.

I am ok with starting on the east coast and ending on the west coast or vice versa.

I see they can be expensive with the canal taxes etc but I can live with that.

This is just something I have wanted to do for years.

 

Anybody care to share good or bad experiences and which cruise line?

 

At least for us, we prefer sailing from west to east on a full transit (e.g. Los Angeles to Miami) because you are going with the current down the Pacific coast and the ride can be a lot smoother than bucking the current heading up the coast. A daylight transit is best, and do check to see that it is specified that your ship's transit will be during the day. We've done it on a freighter; with Sitmar way back when; with Silversea and, just this past January, with Regent (the Pacific was very cooperative and smooth as glass for that one).

[easyboy]

As long as you are doing a FULL transit, either way is fine! :D

Ditto.

 

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Forums mobile app

[jlb91454]

I am looking for recommendations for Panama Canal cruises.

I am ok with starting on the east coast and ending on the west coast or vice versa.

I see they can be expensive with the canal taxes etc but I can live with that.

This is just something I have wanted to do for years.

 

Anybody care to share good or bad experiences and which cruise line?

 

We did the full transit from Ft Lauderdale to Los Angeles on Princess and loved it

[Essiesmom]

I have done full eastbound transits on HAL and Celebrity. And a partial transit on Carnival. We have another full transit booked for Jan, westbound on Carnival Splendor, through the new locks. EM

[Shorex]

Panama Canal is a great cruise. Now that you have chosen the itinerary, remember that the cruise line is as it does on every itinerary. Princess food is Princess food, HAL food is HAL food, Crystal food is ...... you get the idea. Same applies to entertainment, enrichment, service, specialty restaurants, and on and on. If you specific questions about a specific line, go to that board and ask. People love to promote their favorites. Because, well, they have favorites.

 

The bigger picture is to narrow down choices between main stream, premium, slightly more premium, and luxury lines. Do a spread sheet comparing per diems and value. Occasionally when you compare what charges are included vs what charges are a la carte, a higher initial fare is a good value. For example, Crystal has a great per diem for its canal cruise in 2018 when you factor in all inclusive for alcohol, tips, internet, and more. It's so good that there is a waiting list in all or most categories. I don't know whether Viking Oceans is doing the canal, but people seem to love the line.

 

Start by being open to many lines, then narrow the field to find the right line for you.

[teachberry]

We did the canal on the Norwegian Jewel in February and loved it. If possible, get an aft cabin. You will have your own private viewing of the canal and will not have to stand out in the sun with the crowd.

[jagsfan]

We did a partial transit at the end of March on Coral Princess. Ft Lauderdale to Ft Lauderdale. We transferred to an excursion boat in Gatun Lake and continued to the Pacific. That way we got the experience of the locks from a different perspective. Then we motorcoached back to Colon to reboard the ship. It was wonderful, and so was Coral. Best food we've had on a cruise ship in several years.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Lady Chew]

Make sure to read The Path Between the Seas by David McCullough before you go. It is an excellent history of the building of the canal, and will give you a better understanding & appreciation of what you are seeing as you are making the transit. It really makes a difference, especially if you are interested in the engineering/technical aspects of the canal.

[Hflors]

I have don't two full transits one west bound on the old HAL Statendam and once east bound on Amsterdam. I loved both and would do it again in a heartbeat. We have also done two partial Canal trips both on Zuiderdam. Each time we went into the first set of locks and then took a tender to shore. The first time we took the train to the west coast of Panama and back. Great experience. The second time we also took the train to the west coast, but the return was by bus. It was ok, but not as exciting as the train. We had a guide on the train who explained the whole "canal zone" and history. Very interesting!!!