Radiance Panama Canal

[CFLRetired]

Would you all recommend Radiance of the Seas for a 16 day Panama Canal cruise?

[Cayman1]

The Radiance class is a great class if you don't like all the hustle and bustle of the new mega ships. You aren't going to have the water slides, surfing, etc., as this class is more of an intimate ship.

 

We did our very first Christmas/New Years cruise on Serenade, her sister ship, and it was the best cruise we have taken to date, and we like the bigger ships, so I think that says a lot. 

[welshrich]

5 minutes ago, CFLRetired said:

Would you all recommend Radiance of the Seas for a 16 day Panama Canal cruise?

Yes, we are sailing on Brilliance next month doing the PC, we sailed Radiance in Alaska last year and it was fantastic to see the scenery.

 

[smokeybandit]

If you want to do the Panama Canal, then your ship options are limited.

[karena1]

Booking it next Friday when on Liberty!  Panama Canal is a bucket list item for us, and even better we will be on the ship for our 43rd Wedding Anniversary!  Going on Wonder for our 42nd this.  Cruising is the best way to spend our Anniversary and to be able to check off a bucket list item will make it even more special.

 

Booking a ton of cruises next Friday, but Radiance will be the first one!

 

[MiniChunks]

Radiance Class is hands down my favorite and the class I've spent the most time on. We are early 40's and while we enjoy and participate in the amenities the larger ships offer, we appreciate the simplicity and elegance of the Radiance sisters. 

[CFLRetired]

Thank you all very much.  I just booked a Panama Canal cruise.  

[BillB48]

Radiance and any of her sisters are an excellent choice for a Canal transit.  Not only does it have ample open deck spaces both upper and lower, but it also has passenger access to the bow.  Another plus it will do the original locks which would be my choice particularly if it is your first transit.

Edited February 23, 2023 by BillB48

[patattack]

1 hour ago, CFLRetired said:

Thank you all very much.  I just booked a Panama Canal cruise.  

I am booked on the 16 night Panama Canal Cruise on Radiance 10/7/2023.  I have also been on the Radiance to Alaska.  I love the larger ships, but the Radiance is a beautiful ship, and we enjoyed it.

 

Pat

[CFLRetired]

Pat, thank you.  We'll be on a year later.

[Ashland]

We did the Panama Canal full transit this past October 2-15 2022 onboard Serenade. We had some great ports, loved our OS and booked it when it first opened at a great price and the best thing was it sailed from San Pedro our home port.

[hmorrow]

32 minutes ago, CFLRetired said:

Pat, thank you.  We'll be on a year later.

We're booked for April 2024. And then to Vancouver and Alaska!

[hoosier sailor]

Radiance is my favorite ship and going through the canal was the absolute best cruise I have ever been on. As a matter of fact I am thinking about booking the 24 cruise through too.

[2travelcats]

This is a bit off topic, but for those of you who have done Panama Canal cruises, is there much difference in weather between spring and fall cruises?

 

Thanks for sharing your experiences.

[Ashland]

1 hour ago, 2travelcats said:

This is a bit off topic, but for those of you who have done Panama Canal cruises, is there much difference in weather between spring and fall cruises?

 

Thanks for sharing your experiences.

Our October cruise we had good weather only rained in the afternoon in one of our ports but it was no big deal.

[Jimbo]

7 hours ago, BillB48 said:

Radiance and any of her sisters are an excellent choice for a Canal transit.  Not only does it have ample open deck spaces both upper and lower, but it also has passenger access to the bow.  Another plus it will do the original locks which would be my choice particularly if it is your first transit.

How do you know all ready if they are going through new or old locks?

[ILOVESHIPS]

The Radiance class ships go thru  the  historic old locks. Which I think are more interesting.   RCCL  has  not taken one of their  larger  ships thru  the new locks  yet.

[neverbeenhere]

[njkruzer]

We love this class of ships. Years ago did a partial transit on the Brilliance.   In October we're on the Radiance from San Diego for a full transit.  Can't wait.

[kastke]

9 hours ago, CFLRetired said:

Thank you all very much.  I just booked a Panama Canal cruise.  

 

We will also be on the Radiance for Panama Canal in Oct 2024. Booked this morning, We sailed Radiance in 2018 for Alaska, and the bow was a great location for the glacier viewings, It will also be a great location for viewing both sides of the canal at same time. 

 

Edited February 24, 2023 by kastke

[njkruzer]

12 minutes ago, kastke said:

 

We will also be on the Radiance for Panama Canal in Oct 2024. Booked this morning, We sailed Radiance in 2018 for Alaska, and the bow was a great location for the glacier viewings, It will also be a great location for viewing both sides of the canal at same time. 

 

We're on this October,  2023, which supposedly is sold out.

[CFLRetired]

8 hours ago, kastke said:

 

We will also be on the Radiance for Panama Canal in Oct 2024. Booked this morning, We sailed Radiance in 2018 for Alaska, and the bow was a great location for the glacier viewings, It will also be a great location for viewing both sides of the canal at same time. 

 

Great, Maybe we'll run into each other and get a chance to say hi.  

[BillB48]

10 hours ago, Jimbo said:

How do you know all ready if they are going through new or old locks?

Presently the Canal can only handle about 12 ships that cannot use the original locks per day.  Since there is normally a backlog of the larger ships they won't use one of those slots on a vessel that can use the original locks.

 

Since the new locks opened in 2016 there has only been one instance where a passenger ship that could use the original locks end up using the new locks.  That was an extraordinary situation and hopefully a "one of" occurrence. 

[BillB48]

13 hours ago, 2travelcats said:

This is a bit off topic, but for those of you who have done Panama Canal cruises, is there much difference in weather between spring and fall cruises?

 

Thanks for sharing your experiences.

 

The biggest difference in those seasons is the chance of rain.  The Rainy season runs from May through mid December.  Canal cruises that occur at the end of the Alaskan season (Sep-Oct) probably have the greatest chance of rain.  When it does rain it usually is more of a local event and won't be an all day deluge.

 

IMO the absolute best time for a Canal cruise based on weather alone would be January and February.  Just use that as a tie breaker if you have more than one particular date under consideration.  The differences are slight and the chances of drier weather are still pretty good.

[hoosier sailor]

13 hours ago, kastke said:

 

We will also be on the Radiance for Panama Canal in Oct 2024. Booked this morning, We sailed Radiance in 2018 for Alaska, and the bow was a great location for the glacier viewings, It will also be a great location for viewing both sides of the canal at same time. 

 

The last time we went through the locks we were on the bow from about 4 in the morning through the first sets of locks. It was amazing!!!  Especially seeing all the ships lined up to go through.

From the first set of locks until Gutan Lake we were in the Schooner lounge watching the sites. Including several crocodiles on the side of the canal.

During the Gutan Lake "stop" we did the eco monkey tour walking through the jungle and by the time we were back the ship was going through the next lock, we were able to walk under the ship and that was amazing.