Can we talk about the Full Transit Panama Canal cruise? :)

[rafinmd]

If you transit the Panama Canal you will get a few glimpses of the new canal but they will be relatively brief.

 

On the Pacific side there are brief views on the new lock entry/exit between the lowest Miraflores lock and the Bridge of the Americas. Look on the shore towards North America.

 

On the Caribbean side the entry exit of the new locks is on the South American side about 2 miles from the lowest Gatun lock.

 

My most intriguing view of the new canal was from the short canal between the Miraflores and MIguel locks. The 3 new Pacific locks are all bunched together; after leaving the new locks ships pass through a canal on a ledge higher than the old canal. It's probably rare right now to see a ship there but there seems to be quite a bit of tug traffic. From my vantage point they looked a bit like golf carts scooting along the landscape:

 

 

Roy

[I_r_a]

Hi Venn,

 

>Can anyone allay some of my concerns?

 

We navigated the Canal in April, 2015

 

We visited some interesting places, saw some interesting things and met some nice people.

 

It was hot, hot, hot.

 

OTOH, San Francisco was wonderful - 68 F. :)

 

Ira

[Underwatr]

San Francisco is over 100F this weekend. Many people doing have air conditioning so it's difficult.

 

I spend a Labor Day (US - first Monday in Sept) weekend in San Francisco once. Almost froze.

[JimAOk1945]

We did the partial transit in December 2014. The heat was horrible but we enjoyed the cruise! We plan to do the full transit soon.

[crystalspin]

Venn:

 

While the temperatures in Panama itself are nearly flat year round, the humidity is considerably lessened from late January to late March, as can be seen on WeatherSpark (scroll halfway down to the bright-colored humidity/comfort graph):

https://weatherspark.com/y/19385/Average-Weather-in-Panam%C3%A1-Panama-Year-Round

 

 

The "only muggy, not oppressive or miserable" window is narrower for some Mexican Riviera-and-south ports, Puerto Chiapas (weather station = Puerto Madero) for example is pretty much restricted to the very end of January/early February.

https://weatherspark.com/y/10526/Average-Weather-in-Puerto-Madero-Mexico-Year-Round

 

 

You can use the search functions on that websites for the rest of your ports.

 

We did the full transit Atlantic to Pacific over Thanksgiving. Second the recommendation for a light-colored umbrella, even a golf umbrella, and I would take the cooling neckscarves were I going again -- although they work by evaporation and that will not be fast in the humidity. We never used our raincoats at all and I would not take them again as neither November nor March is rainy season and the parasols will be enough for any small rain you get.

 

If your itinerary includes Guatemala, pre-book a trip to the higher elevations of Antigua city!

 

[VennDiagram]

JimAOk1945, I_r_a and crystalspin.

 

 

Thanks so much. I appreciate the honesty and insights. We've got family stuff we are dealing with this week >sigh< but this weekend, we are going to either commit, or cancel ....

[crystalspin]

Consider the HAL 10-day Panama Sunfarer, and take their excursion that leaves the ship in Gatun Lake to go through the Pacific Locks in a smaller boat, then buses you back to Colon to join the ship. The other ports are the private island Half Moon Cay (said to have the best sand in the world), Aruba, Curacao, and Limon Costa Rica. It's what I have decided we will do (eventually) instead of the west coast of Central America and Mexico, although I am sorry to miss Antigua Guatemala.

 

https://www.hollandamerica.com/details?webItineraryIdForAudit=C7F10F&fromSearchVacation=true&guestsCount=2&voyageCode=U810&selectedMeta=Interior&shipId=UU

[Keroppi2011]

Recommended reading before your cruise : The Path Between Two Seas, by David McCullough. It is a bit of a slog, but excellent information about the history and building of the canal.

[CruiseMGM]

Recommended reading before your cruise : The Path Between Two Seas, by David McCullough. It is a bit of a slog, but excellent information about the history and building of the canal.

 

 

My bolding, LOL! Yes, the book is definitely a bit of a slog but the history it offers is quite incredible. Unfortunately, I only got through the French occupation before our actual cruise... and (hangs head in shame) I ultimately never finished it. Still, what I read was fascinating!

 

 

OP, we did a partial transit on HAL in March 2013, then took a competing line's cruise for a full transit in February 2015 (with the mother in law, :eek:). Both trips were amazing and we really enjoyed both. The full transit (from Fort Lauderdale to San Diego) was a bucket list item for my mother in law, and my mechanically-inclined husband especially enjoyed the trip. You'll have a great time. Be prepared for the heat and humidity while in the canal itself. As some others have mentioned, it's hot, Hot, HOT! Just take it easy, take plenty of rests and stay hydrated. And marvel at accomplishment!

 

 

Have a GREAT trip!

[VennDiagram]

Consider the HAL 10-day Panama Sunfarer, and take their excursion that leaves the ship in Gatun Lake to go through the Pacific Locks in a smaller boat, then buses you back to Colon to join the ship. The other ports are the private island Half Moon Cay (said to have the best sand in the world), Aruba, Curacao, and Limon Costa Rica. It's what I have decided we will do (eventually) instead of the west coast of Central America and Mexico, although I am sorry to miss Antigua Guatemala.

 

https://www.hollandamerica.com/details?webItineraryIdForAudit=C7F10F&fromSearchVacation=true&guestsCount=2&voyageCode=U810&selectedMeta=Interior&shipId=UU

 

Thanks, no, we want to sail from San Diego. Then fly from FLL to visit family. That's really the primary reason we are considering the full-transit -- sailing from SD and still getting to visit family :) We picked the date we did since the suspicion is that DH's dad will be at the tipping point about moving, after another winter in his home. We're being enlisted to help "convince" him.

 

It works well for a bunch of reasons, but the heat/humidity isn't one of the reasons :D

[VennDiagram]

Recommended reading before your cruise : The Path Between Two Seas, by David McCullough. It is a bit of a slog, but excellent information about the history and building of the canal.

 

Thank you! Sounds like something we would enjoy reading. Especially DH. :)

[Polaris1.5]

We took a Panama cruise last year in December and happened to be in Cartagena on exactly the same day as the year before. The difference in temperature was incredible, the previous year it was a lovely warm day last year I thought I had a heat stroke. Weather as always is very unpredictable!

[Vict0riann]

Loved the PC - which we have done twice. Definitely you need a cooling neck band - I always now have one with me, along with a small plastic zip-lock bag, which I put some ice in before leaving the ship, and add the dry neck band. Then, in a moment of great heat, I can take it out and put it around my neck for instant relief! Just amazing!

 

Also a fan and an umbrella/parasol - better than a plastic poncho, which puts you in a sauna! I hate hats, too, so the parasol is great, although I prefer a smaller umbrella, just for one, so I'm not poking others in the eye!

[VennDiagram]

We took a Panama cruise last year in December and happened to be in Cartagena on exactly the same day as the year before. The difference in temperature was incredible, the previous year it was a lovely warm day last year I thought I had a heat stroke. Weather as always is very unpredictable!

 

It is definitely the "heat stroke" kind of days that have me concerned!

[VennDiagram]

Loved the PC - which we have done twice. Definitely you need a cooling neck band - I always now have one with me, along with a small plastic zip-lock bag, which I put some ice in before leaving the ship, and add the dry neck band. Then, in a moment of great heat, I can take it out and put it around my neck for instant relief! Just amazing!

 

Also a fan and an umbrella/parasol - better than a plastic poncho, which puts you in a sauna! I hate hats, too, so the parasol is great, although I prefer a smaller umbrella, just for one, so I'm not poking others in the eye!

 

We have those neck bands -- I think I will put them in my carry-on this weekend, so they aren't forgotten! Thanks for the tip about ice in a ziploc too :)