Panama Canal-Partial Transit

[DancersImage]

We will be on the Edge for a Partial Transit of the Panama Canal. The itinerary shows us Canal Cruising on that day from 6am - 3pm and then in Colon from 5pm-9pm. Our question pertains to whether or not we will have time to take a tour of the Canal and if there are any recommended tours. We appreciate any input that can be provided. Thanks.  

[Jim_Iain]

It might be tight and would recommend a ships tour out of abundance of caution.   You normally have to be back aboard 1/2 hour before sailing which would cut your time docked to 3 1/2 hours.  

 

The Gaston Locks are about 15 miles away and driving time is about 25-30 minutes by car.

 

 

[CHEZMARYLOU]

This is one time when I would highly recommend a ships tour.  Due to the distance and traffic you could be late getting back to the ship.  If you are on your own tour the ship will not wait.  We once waited for 5 busses of Celebrity tours to return.  They were at least an hour late getting back.

[Turtles06]

2 hours ago, DancersImage said:

Our question pertains to whether or not we will have time to take a tour of the Canal and if there are any recommended tours.

 

Are you talking about during the time the ship is docked in Colon?  I encourage you to do some reading over in the Panama Canal Ports of Call board, and inquire there as well.  I think you'll be advised that Colon is not someplace you want to wander out of on your own.  Also, I think you'll find that on a partial transit (we have only done full transits), a ship will typically stop in Gatun Lake after going through the Gatun Locks, and that there will be some ship's tours that guests can take from there.  (You are limited to ship's tours there.)  A very popular tour on partial transits is one that puts you on a smaller boat to go through the locks on the Pacific side; you are then bused to Colon to join the ship.   

 

If you haven't already done so, please do read David McCullough's "The Path Between the Seas" before you go. You will appreciate the Canal even more.

[RGEDad]

2 hours ago, DancersImage said:

The itinerary shows us Canal Cruising on that day from 6am - 3pm and then in Colon from 5pm-9pm

Every thing I have read about the Panama Canal points to the fact that the times are "suggestive" only - the ship has little control as to when the initial transit will actually happen, or when the return transit will happen. 

In reading various Internet articles on Canal operations - the cruise lines (and cargo ships) pay (extra) big bucks for transit reservations - but stuff happens that can impose delays.

There is a whole discussion group on the panama canal here on CC.

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/54-panama-canal/

 

Petty consistent comments that meandering about outside the colon port area is both uninteresting, and dubious - safety wise.  Trying to schedule a tour when the ship docks in Colon may be...sub-optimal. 

 

Since our goal was to see the canal in operation, we have opted to stay on the ship for both in and out transits and forgo any other cruise line excursions. YMMV

 

[Essiesmom]

1 hour ago, Jim_Iain said:

It might be tight and would recommend a ships tour out of abundance of caution.   You normally have to be back aboard 1/2 hour before sailing which would cut your time docked to 3 1/2 hours.  

 

The Gaston Locks are about 15 miles away and driving time is about 25-30 minutes by car.

 

 

There is no observation area at Gatun locks, I doubt you could get close enough to see anything.  It’s also possible access is restricted.  EM

[Jim_Iain]

13 minutes ago, Essiesmom said:

There is no observation area at Gatun locks, I doubt you could get close enough to see anything.  It’s also possible access is restricted.  EM

While not large there is a covered observation area.   I've been there and found it very interesting and good some good photos.  

 

 

https://www.anywhere.com/panama/attractions/gatun-locks-cultural

"The Gatún Locks are about a mile (1.5 km) long and raise ships some 85 feet (26 m)—it takes two sets of locks to do the same thing on the Pacific side of the canal. Each of the three Gatún locks is 1,000 ft. (305 m) by 112 ft. (34 m).
There is no museum here, but there is a covered observation deck. This deck has great views not only of the locks, but also of Lake Gatún and the Caribbean entrance to the Panama Canal. Watching enormous ships pass through the locks – with seemingly no room on either side – is fascinating. ****

The locks are usually uncrowded, making it easy to take photographs and have a close-up look. There are sometimes bilingual guides on hand to explain the locks to visitors"

Edited November 19, 2021 by Jim_Iain

[Denny01]

I agree with Jim_lain. We’ve done the Locks tours and good views of the locks and the new locks. 
 

den

[Essiesmom]

46 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

While not large there is a covered observation area.   I've been there and found it very interesting and good some good photos.  

 

 

https://www.anywhere.com/panama/attractions/gatun-locks-cultural

"The Gatún Locks are about a mile (1.5 km) long and raise ships some 85 feet (26 m)—it takes two sets of locks to do the same thing on the Pacific side of the canal. Each of the three Gatún locks is 1,000 ft. (305 m) by 112 ft. (34 m).
There is no museum here, but there is a covered observation deck. This deck has great views not only of the locks, but also of Lake Gatún and the Caribbean entrance to the Panama Canal. Watching enormous ships pass through the locks – with seemingly no room on either side – is fascinating. ****

The locks are usually uncrowded, making it easy to take photographs and have a close-up look. There are sometimes bilingual guides on hand to explain the locks to visitors"

That was dismantled several years ago.  Yes, it was there in 2013 when we went through on Infinity, stopped in Colon and took the tour to the new locks construction.  But no longer.  EM

Edited November 19, 2021 by Essiesmom

[DancersImage]

Thanks to all for the input, insights and references. It was very helpful. Happy Sailings.