phabric Posted September 16, 2020 #1 Share Posted September 16, 2020 Thinking on cruising the Panama Canal. I have a cruise booked for March 2022 so it needs to be in the fall. Which month is better October or November? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EatonDoolittle Posted September 16, 2020 #2 Share Posted September 16, 2020 IMO, November would be better. That part of the world is verrrrry hot and humid, and the further away from summer, the better. Plan on hot, humid, and daily rain any time of the year (it is rain forest, after all), but there is a small bit of relief in the winter months. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macmax Posted September 16, 2020 #3 Share Posted September 16, 2020 October is still in hurricane season. Late Nov usually has great pricing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elevatorman Posted September 16, 2020 #4 Share Posted September 16, 2020 We went in Oct and then again in Nov, remember it is more like a tropical jungle and not a caribbean Island. Very hot and very very humid both times we went. We loved it and you will too. Research the building of the canal and you will enjoy it more, it’s a marvel, man overcomes unforgiving hardship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skynight Posted September 16, 2020 #5 Share Posted September 16, 2020 While November is still within the hurricane season, it historically has been past peak season. I would choose November, or even early December. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
metairiegal Posted September 16, 2020 #6 Share Posted September 16, 2020 We've cruised Panama both during Thanksgiving week (late November) and Christmas week (late December). Both were outstanding cruises despite all the rain & muggy weather. Really no temperature difference between the 2 months. Remember it's a tropical rain forest, so it rains a lot no matter when you visit. If you can, try to book one of the cruises that goes all the way through the Canal (Atlantic-to-Pacific or Pacific-to-Atlantic). It's much more interesting than just entering one side of the Canal & then turning around to go back out the same side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Potstech Posted September 16, 2020 #7 Share Posted September 16, 2020 Or you could take the Partial Transit and then take the ferry excursion the rest of the way to the Pacific Ocean for a totally different experience. Saves a lot on return flights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
voljeep Posted September 16, 2020 #8 Share Posted September 16, 2020 2 minutes ago, Potstech said: Or you could take the Partial Transit and then take the ferry excursion the rest of the way to the Pacific Ocean for a totally different experience. Saves a lot on return flights. that's what we did - long day ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thrak Posted September 16, 2020 #9 Share Posted September 16, 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, EatonDoolittle said: IMO, November would be better. That part of the world is verrrrry hot and humid, and the further away from summer, the better. Plan on hot, humid, and daily rain any time of the year (it is rain forest, after all), but there is a small bit of relief in the winter months. We've done the canal twice and never had any rain. The OP didn't ask be we also never saw a mosquito. Edited September 16, 2020 by Thrak Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nini Posted September 20, 2020 #10 Share Posted September 20, 2020 Since you are from Canada, (we are from the Pacific Northwest) I would wait until there is a year when you could go in January. We went in January and let me tell you, it was HOT and HUMID even then. When I would go from our cabin out to our balcony, my camera lens would instantly fog up. The only rain we experienced was a slight mist for a bit when we went through the canal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waltd Posted September 20, 2020 #11 Share Posted September 20, 2020 Pick the cruise with the best price and ship you like. As you can tell from the responses it will be hot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeachDiva101 Posted September 20, 2020 #12 Share Posted September 20, 2020 So I gather it will be hot no matter when you go? I want to do a big 14 day cruise for my 60th birthday. I was thinking maybe a panama cruise too, but in February. Good luck and have fun on whichever cruise you choose!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waltd Posted September 20, 2020 #13 Share Posted September 20, 2020 We have done a couple of 14/15 day cruises and we prefer Ft. Lauderdale to Los Angeles. No long flight home Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rdsqrl Posted September 20, 2020 #14 Share Posted September 20, 2020 I like FLL-LA better, too, even with the long flight home (but then I love long airplane rides) -- because I prefer getting to turn the clocks back versus turning them forward during the cruise. OP, you're near the equator: it's going to be hot, humid, and with a high potential for rain showers pretty much all year round. Even when it's wringing wet with humidity or sun blazing down or amidst a tropical downpour, it's still one of the most memorable destinations ever. Make sure to the The Path Between the Seas before you go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thrak Posted September 21, 2020 #15 Share Posted September 21, 2020 1 hour ago, rdsqrl said: I like FLL-LA better, too, even with the long flight home (but then I love long airplane rides) -- because I prefer getting to turn the clocks back versus turning them forward during the cruise. We haven't done the east to west transit. I'd like to give that direction a try. Flights from FLL to SMF (Sacramento) tend to take an insane amount of time. There's no such thing as a non-stop flight and I've had it take 13 hours. I'd much rather fly to Florida and sail back. A flight from LAX to SMF is short and not a problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Papa Yoda Posted September 21, 2020 #16 Share Posted September 21, 2020 We loved our 19 Day partial transit round trip from Los Angeles in November 2016 - the weather was fine - and it's 19 DAYS! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
riffatsea Posted September 21, 2020 #17 Share Posted September 21, 2020 We went in early December for my birthday and the weather was perfect! I'd pick Novembrr over October because of hurricane season but I'd really consider December over either one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JF - retired RRT Posted September 21, 2020 #18 Share Posted September 21, 2020 (edited) 16 hours ago, Thrak said: We haven't done the east to west transit. I'd like to give that direction a try. Flights from FLL to SMF (Sacramento) tend to take an insane amount of time. There's no such thing as a non-stop flight and I've had it take 13 hours. I'd much rather fly to Florida and sail back. A flight from LAX to SMF is short and not a problem. The first time we did the canal, we were lucky to find a B2B (LA-FLL-LA) on the Pacific Princess. The only way to go. It was great!! PS: plus it was in Nov/Dec/Jan. Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year on a ship. Yummy. Edited September 21, 2020 by JF - retired RRT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thrak Posted September 21, 2020 #19 Share Posted September 21, 2020 12 hours ago, Ferd Berfle said: We loved our 19 Day partial transit round trip from Los Angeles in November 2016 - the weather was fine - and it's 19 DAYS! We did that one in 2018. Loved it. Got to meet and hang out with Renmar (Theo) and his wife Anke. Great folks. We also did a 17 day full transit out of San Francisco. We booked the same cabin both times. The 17 day out of SF was in late September into early October. The 19 day was late November into early December. Weather was fine both trips. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wlewis5038 Posted September 21, 2020 #20 Share Posted September 21, 2020 Go in November. I was there last November and suffered from dehydration from the profuse sweating. October would be worse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare patrickmoran Posted September 21, 2020 #21 Share Posted September 21, 2020 The weather on the cruise is a crap shoot. Either month is fine. Pick the date that works best for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Papa Yoda Posted September 22, 2020 #22 Share Posted September 22, 2020 8 hours ago, JF - retired RRT said: The first time we did the canal, we were lucky to find a B2B (LA-FLL-LA) on the Pacific Princess. The only way to go. It was great!! PS: plus it was in Nov/Dec/Jan. Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year on a ship. Yummy. We were with you on the Star when you said you were doing a b2b - we were so jealous! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucky TGO Posted September 22, 2020 #23 Share Posted September 22, 2020 I say go in November when it’s colder in Canadian. Tony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JF - retired RRT Posted September 22, 2020 #24 Share Posted September 22, 2020 9 hours ago, Ferd Berfle said: We were with you on the Star when you said you were doing a b2b - we were so jealous! B2Bs. (We were jealous and amazed that you live full time in a RV). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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