Will the Norwegian Encore go thru the Panama Canal on the new or old locks?

[Lonzay]

Dose anyone know if the new Encore ship will go thu the Panama Canal on the old locks? And will they have an excursion that goes through the rest of the Canal?

[Essiesmom]

She will go through the new locks.  EM

[Host Kat]

Howdy Lonzay!

 

Thank you for your post on the Need Help Using the Forums? Check Here! forum and welcome back to the Cruise Critic message boards! 👍 I see it has been a while since you posted on the boards.

 

Please note the information at the top of the first page of the Need Help Using the Forums? Check Here! forum:

Note:  This area is intended only for questions and answers relating to technical assistance in using these message boards.  Please do not post general cruise-related questions or Roll Calls here.

 

Since your inquiry concerns one particular ship with one particular cruise line, I have moved your thread to the Norwegian Cruise Line forum where it will be on topic. Also, the majority of your fellow Cruise Critic members that have or are going to sail NCL frequent this forum and hopefully will be able to help you.

 

Cruise Critic is a great resource and we are so glad you came back to our new "look" due to the software change in October 2018.   Please feel free to browse the Categories list. Read a few threads in various forums to get a feel for what each forum is about. Make sure you read any pinned threads on the top of the first page of threads in a forum. You will find very important instructions or information there.

 

Please remember the following stated in the Guidelines we all agreed to follow when registering for our free memberships:

 

Browse Before You Post
Browse a topic first to see if your question has already been asked or answered by someone else. Also, many of the major cruise lines forums have a FAQ (Frequently Asked Question) topic that has been created by our members. Give that a try first. Browsing is your #1 best resource! Please post your messages in an appropriate topic so that you'll receive the best possible response. It is very time consuming to move misplaced messages that are in the wrong topics.

 

Anytime you want to start a new thread on any forum, make sure you are on the correct forum for your topic. Word your new thread title in a way to help the members know exactly the information you seek just as you did. This greatly helps the members that know the information so they will reply to you. It is best to limit each inquiry to only one topic or concerning one cruise line, ship, port of call, etc. and of course, on the correct forum.   You will get more replies that way. Be sure to mention your cruise line, ship, port or sail date in your inquiry if it will help the members with their answers.

 

And don't forget, after your cruise be sure to go to our Member Cruise Reviews section and submit your review for publication!

 

I sincerely hope this information will be helpful and so glad to have you back aboard Cruise Critic!

 

Happy sails,

 

Host Kat

 

Edited November 11, 2019 by Host Kat
Typo due to fat fingers & skinny keys!

[tallnthensome]

The new locks . A full transit will travel the full length of the Canal.

Edited November 11, 2019 by tallnthensome

[SouthLyonCruiser]

I believe that this ship is too big for the original locks. I wanted the original lock experience as I am very into the history of the canal. We booked a 10 day Panama a couple of years ago on the Jade and got the original lock experience.

[don't-use-real-name]

16 minutes ago, SouthLyonCruiser said:

I believe that this ship is too big for the original locks. I wanted the original lock experience as I am very into the history of the canal. We booked a 10 day Panama a couple of years ago on the Jade and got the original lock experience.

Except for the canals itself all ships use the same waterways between the Seas (Also a great book to read about the canal)

From the top deck of the ENCORE you should be able to see the old canal system - on the Pacific side the canals are not

that far apart. Hopefully someone who has transit the canal on the BLISS or JOY may have pictures. 18 some decks high

should be a good vantage point for seeing the old canal system. 

[SouthLyonCruiser]

On 11/12/2019 at 9:00 AM, don't-use-real-name said:

Except for the canals itself all ships use the same waterways between the Seas (Also a great book to read about the canal)

From the top deck of the ENCORE you should be able to see the old canal system - on the Pacific side the canals are not

that far apart. Hopefully someone who has transit the canal on the BLISS or JOY may have pictures. 18 some decks high

should be a good vantage point for seeing the old canal system. 

I read Between the Seas and you are spot on; a great book; loaded with Canal facts. It made me buy a few other books by the same author, David McCullough.

[Turtles06]

44 minutes ago, SouthLyonCruiser said:

I read Between the Seas and you are spot on; a great book; loaded with Canal facts. It made me buy a few other books by the same author, David McCullough.

 

It's a great book and I highly recommend people read it before their first time transiting the Canal, but just a small clarification: the name is "The Path Between the Seas."  

 

 

[boeckli]

Norwegian Joy is in the locks on the Pacific side right now

 

 

 

 

[bonvoyagie]

So far the Bliss has been the largest cruise ship through the canal - The Joy must be smaller either in dimension or GTW - How about the Encore? 

 

BTW we will be on the Gem in Jan for the Pacific to Atlantic canal crossing - looking forward to seeing the old locks - I am also reading the Path Between the Seas and are about half way through. 

[roger001]

The Jewel and Dawn class are the biggest for the old locks.  And they barely fit.  Right?

[julig22]

40 minutes ago, roger001 said:

The Jewel and Dawn class are the biggest for the old locks.  And they barely fit.  Right?

Went through the old locks on the Pearl last year- clearance was in inches!

[boeckli]

4 hours ago, bonvoyagie said:

So far the Bliss has been the largest cruise ship through the canal - The Joy must be smaller either in dimension or GTW - How about the Encore? 

 

 

From what I can find Bliss is slightly larger in gross tonnage than Joy, with Encore being a bit larger than Bliss again.

Following info from the DNV website (https://www.dnvgl.com/)

 

 

 

 

Edited November 14, 2019 by boeckli

[www3traveler]

The Bliss is heading through the locks now..  Very different perspective at night-- looks beautiful.

[boeckli]

Norwegian Joy earlier today heading out of the canal

 

 

 

Norwegian Bliss now in the same lock (heading in the opposite direction)

 

 

Edited November 14, 2019 by boeckli
added more images