Panama Canal Partial Transit and Ferry

[riddle]

We are booked on a partial transit on the Jade in a week to Panama Canal.  We have booked the ferry after we get off the ship in the lake to take us through the rest (I think) of the canal.  I am concerned as I have read that the bus ride to the ferry is 3 hours and then a wait for the ferry.  I have also read no bathrooms.  Is this correct?  My husband has bladder cancer and while well controlled could not go 3-4 hours without a bathroom.  Anyone who has done this tour if you could explain more about it to us it would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks

[BillB48]

The bus ride is about an hour and a half each way.  There had been a time or two that the ferry was not in position to receive passengers and I remember reading about it here on CC where they had to wait on the bus for a period of time without rest room facilities.  I am not aware of this being a regular issue.

 

It is not quite the rest of the Canal... you are taken to the Pacific side, either to Gamboa or Ft. Amador for the ferry.  The ferry will take you through the two locks on the Pacific side and through Gaillard Cut.  After your time on the ferry you will go back on the bus (another approx. 1.5 hrs) and board the ship in Colon.  The part of the transit you not complete is the Gatun Lake section from Gatun Locks to Gamboa.

[cb at sea]

Unless you intensely want to see ALL of the locks, there's little reason to take an excursion and spend the entire day off of the ship.  The partial transit gives you a great overview of the canal...and the trip back OUT is so much less crowded than the trip into Lake Gatun will be....it's really a lovely day on the ship, once everyone else has gone!

[pieshops]

I am so up in the air about this.  We sail in the Jade on the 24th of December, we are booked on this excursion.  I keep going back and forth on whether I want to cancel.  The minute I hear a great review or report there is another one telling how bad it was with waiting, no bathrooms, crowded etc - AHHHHHHHHH

[ajtaylor29]

9 hours ago, pieshops said:

I am so up in the air about this.  We sail in the Jade on the 24th of December, we are booked on this excursion.  I keep going back and forth on whether I want to cancel.  The minute I hear a great review or report there is another one telling how bad it was with waiting, no bathrooms, crowded etc - AHHHHHHHHH

Let us know what you decide, i'm having the same dilemna about our January cruise!!!

 

[irisb]

We took the ferry from Gatun Lake (Island Princess) to the Pacific in 2014 and the trip was awesome.

The ferry provided a different perspective and I have pictures touching the side of the canal.

I recommend the excursion!