partial transit

[Laurab23]

Doing a partial transit next May. How long does it take to get through the locks to get to the lake?

 

Laura

[BillB48]

To some degree it depends on which locks you are using, old or new. The old locks will take about 1.5 to 2hrs and at the new locks it can run up to 3 hrs. Since a lot of factors can come into play on the length of the lockage, perhaps a better guideline is the time you arrive in Gatun Lake. Using the old locks, it generally is somewhere between 9 and 10, while the new locks it is closer to 10-11 arrival in Gatun Lake. Bare in mind that these are just marks on the wall and the times can be rather elastic.

[Essiesmom]

You must be on Carnival Sunrise, transiting June 4. You will be using the new locks. EM

[Laurab23]

You must be on Carnival Sunrise, transiting June 4. You will be using the new locks. EM

Yes I am!

 

Laura

[AnitaVacation]

us too! may 27 - june 10? So how far do we go into the canal?

[chengkp75]

us too! may 27 - june 10? So how far do we go into the canal?

 

You will go through the Aqua Clara locks (Atlantic side), and anchor in Gatun Lake, probably about 1/3 of the total distance of a full transit. The ship will then return to the Atlantic via the Aqua Clara locks again.

[cb at sea]

The good thing about a "partial" is that the majority of passengers get off the ship in the Lake and go on LONG excursions, leaving the ship nicely free of crowds. You will have the ship almost to yourself, and have plenty of viewing areas for the trip back OUT of the lake. It's a lovely day to stay on the ship!

[Essiesmom]

us too! may 27 - june 10? So how far do we go into the canal?

 

Here is a basic map of the Panama Canal:

 

 

Your ship will go through the new locks and hover around the area that says Gatun. Here is a Google Earth pic of the locks and the Gatun Yacht Club where you will be tendered to get your tour buses. The Agua Clara locks are on the right

 

 

 

Here is an aerial picture of the same area

 

 

Not really a third of the way through, unless you are counting the anchorage area inside the breakwater at Colon/Cristobal. EM

[BillB48]

Not going to bet the farm on this... but IIRC on some of the previous Carnival partial Canal cruises they have not had excursions once the ship reaches Gatun Lake. They just locked up and then back down and off to the next port. Anyone shed some light?

[Essiesmom]

You're right...I was thinking of Caribbean Princess when I posted that...EM

[Laurab23]

us too! may 27 - june 10? So how far do we go into the canal?

That's the one!

 

Laura

[Essiesmom]

I've been through the new locks, but on a full transit. I did a partial on Pride, and when we cleared the Gatun (old) locks, we moved into the lake and loitered around beyond the dam area, which is at the lower left corner of the second picture, for an hour or so before going back through the locks. EM

[ski ww]

Some nice over head shots of the locks, thanks for posting.

[Noodle77]

How do you know if you're going through the old locks or the new locks? I am on a partial transit on the NCL Jade in November.

[Essiesmom]

How do you know if you're going through the old locks or the new locks? I am on a partial transit on the NCL Jade in November.

 

 

You will be using the original locks. The new locks are only used for ships that cannot fit into the old locks. EM