Need info & tips for FEB 2020 Panama Cruise

[jdemps]

I'm planning for a panama canal cruise and would like to know if any of you have experience with the following:

 

Best side of ship to get balcony cabin for the canal?  Does deck matter too?

 

Best month for least humidity and hot weather/rains?  I've planned for FEB but can certainly change that

 

Beverage package or not?  Can you really hang strong with all that booze for 12 - 14 days?  lol

 

We're thinking of leaving from New Orleans, what is the best port to leave from and why?

We live in Denver so we have to fly to any departure port although we don't leave from FL very often because of the longer cross country flight. 

We typically sail on Carnival but we're open to other lines.

 

Thanks for any insight you may have for me.  

[Heidi13]

Been through the Panama Canal 20 + times - both directions throughout the year. Average temperature and humidity have narrow ranges throughout the year. I don't recall humidity levels below about 80 % and the temp was normally high 70's to low 80's.

 

In my experience it rained most afternoons, but the early months Jan to April probably had the least rain. February is a reasonable option.

 

I have always been through the original locks and to this day still enjoy the experience. Really have no desire to do the new locks, but will probably suffer a mega ship one day to see them. Personally, my preference is a Panamax ship that fits the existing locks. However, you could also end up in the new locks.

 

Selecting a port/stbd balcony is really personal preference, as we have experienced both sides. Generally I prefer to see the Canal from an open deck, preferably on one of the fwd decks below the bridge (sadly not available on many newer ships). Ones to avoid would be lower decks, as you will spend time facing the dock wall.

 

Although I have many transits, I am still one of the first out on deck, normally before entering the breakwater. Normally spend the entire transit on deck until passing under the Bridge of Americas.

 

Choice of cruise line is very personal and depends on your expectations. Our best cruises through Panama were on Island/Coral Princess, which were custom built for the Canal, however our current preferred Line is Viking Ocean.

 

Pros/cons of beverage packages depends on the cruise line.

 

Enjoy the Canal experience. 

[Essiesmom]

There is no best side for the canal...except for OUTside.  You do not want to spend your transit on your balcony as you would miss 75% of the scenery and activity.  I assume you are looking at Carnival Glory out of NOLA, which would be a partial transit through the new locks.  Personally, interesting as they are, I would choose a ship that uses the old locks for my first experience.  If you are set on Carnival, I would push the vacation to two weeks and take Miracle on a full transit from San Diego to Miami.  I have done full transits on Oosterdam, Infinity, Carnival Splendor (new locks) and a partial transit on Carnival Pride.  Neither Carnival transit will call at a port in Panama.  On Pride, we were very close to the walls of the canal, and people who just wanted to 'touch Panama' were reaching out to touch the wall.  My are wasn't quite long enough...but I've been ashore there on other transits.

 

 

Edited December 11, 2018 by Essiesmom

[Essiesmom]

Check out this website to see who is transiting and when.  There may be some NCL ships that don't show up on the schedule.

 

https://www.cruisetimetables.com/cruises-to-panama-canal-cruising-canal.html

[Oakman58]

For a first time through the Panama Canal I would do a full transit and choose a ship that will use the old locks and not the new locks.   That's just my opinion of course.

[cb at sea]

You will want to get OFF your balcony and roam the ship during the transit.  You'll be IN the canal..views everywhere!  Deck level doesn't matter either...but you will want to go from deck to deck and side to side to see everything!

 

The drink packages...if you are not a big drinker, then it may be more cost-effective to just buy a drink when you want one.  If you plan on drinking more than 5-6 per day, then it might be worth it....compare the cost of the package to the cost of "a la carte" drinks that you may imbibe!  See which makes sense for you.

[jlocole]

How can I tell if the ship will be using the old locks?  I am looking for a Panama cruise  April 2020 for our 40th anniversary celebration.  Can anyone lead me to the best choices?  

 

[CruiserBruce]

49 minutes ago, jlocole said:

How can I tell if the ship will be using the old locks?  I am looking for a Panama cruise  April 2020 for our 40th anniversary celebration.  Can anyone lead me to the best choices?  

 

 

If the ship fits in the old locks (probably 98% of the ships that sail through the Canal), they will use the old locks. Discussed here frequently.

 

"Best" is a vague term...could you define what "best" means to you? 

[Oakman58]

2 hours ago, jlocole said:

How can I tell if the ship will be using the old locks?  I am looking for a Panama cruise  April 2020 for our 40th anniversary celebration.  Can anyone lead me to the best choices?  

 

 

The Holland Volendam, the Coral Princess, and the Pacific Princess will be doing full transits of the canal in April 2020 and should be using the old locks.

     I am not an expert but I believe the only ship going through the Panama Canal in April of 2020 that will be using the new locks is the NCL Bliss.  She’s way too big to fit in the old locks.

     We celebrated our 40^th anniversary a few years back by doing a PC trip on the NCL Star and had a great time.

 

TIP:  Because of the time zones, your cruise will be 3 hours longer if you depart from the east coast of the United States going to the west coast.  Naturally it will be 3 hours shorter going from west to east.

 

 

[BillB48]

4 hours ago, jlocole said:

How can I tell if the ship will be using the old locks?  I am looking for a Panama cruise  April 2020 for our 40th anniversary celebration.  Can anyone lead me to the best choices?  

 

 

The easiest way to be relatively sure which locks your ship will use is to compare the length and beam of the ship.  A ship with the dimensions L 965' x 106' B  or under almost certainly will use the original locks.  I say almost certainly because that is current Canal policy, I just don't want to say that there could be some special circumstances where a ship of that size could possibly use the new locks.  If any one or both of those dimensions are greater, the ship will use the new locks.  You have to carefully look at the beam figure, often times the figure that is referenced is the ship's beam at the widest point, perhaps including the bridge wings or other overhang that is not the beam at the waterline.

 

Perhaps just look for a Canal cruise on a cruise line you have used previously.  If you were pleased with them, then they should do a good job for you at the Canal.

[jlocole]

5 hours ago, Oakman58 said:

The Holland Volendam, the Coral Princess, and the Pacific Princess will be doing full transits of the canal in April 2020 and should be using the old locks

These must be longer cruises.  I am looking for ones under 14 days and have only seem Island and Caribbean Princess and  ms Zuiderdam.

 

7 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

"Best" is a vague term...could you define what "best" means to you? 

I mean best itinerary I think.   Some go to Aruba and Curacao, and others don't.  I haven't been to many of the ports (other than Half Moon) so I don't know much about the ports. I don't know whether to be swayed by "perks" or to go with a nicer ship, itinerary, etc. 

 

I should add - Feb - April months are all options for my cruise.

Edited January 2, 2019 by jlocole
Left out a thought.

[CruiserBruce]

It is not possible to do a full transit in under 12 days, most do full transits in 14-16 days. The cruises you are seeing on Zuiderdam, for example, are partial transits...you sail through the Gatun Locks into Gatun Lake from the Atlantic side, drop off pax for shore excursions, then sail back through the Gatun Locks, dock in Colon (typically) and pick up the pax who went ashore. 

 

A full transit must stop in the ABC (Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao)islands or Cartagena for legal reasons.

 

Some reading around the board would give you lots of info on the options and the other issues.

[jlocole]

This is the 10 day itinerary I may go with:

Fort Lauderdale, Florida - Half Moon Cay, Bahamas - At Sea - Oranjestad, Aruba -Willemstad, Curacao- At Sea - Panama Canal - Gatun Lake, Panama - Panama Canal -Colon, Panama - Puerto Limon, Costa Rica - At Sea - At Sea - Fort Lauderdale, Florida

[BillB48]

That would be a partial transit cruise as Bruce mentioned.   While most would recommend a full transit over a partial transit, there are some good reasons to take the partial transit cruise.  Of course the biggest reason is that it only takes 10 or 11 days... much easier to juggle with work.  A couple of other reasons... it is a round trip cruise, so no open jaw airline flights and if you take the shore excursion that takes you through the Gaillard Cut and the Pacific Locks, you really get to see a large part of the Canal.  Another added benefit of the shore excursion I just mentioned is going through the Pacific Locks on a smaller vessel gives you a completely different perspective in passing through the locks.