Panama Canal

[Bstein493]

Thinking about sailing on the Beyond January 2024 to the Panama Canal.  Would love some input

[cruisestitch]

Be sure to read all the comments about beyond state rooms that have unacceptably high noise levels, creaking and popping. Choose accordingly.

[hubofhockey]

My guess is that this ship is too big to do the inside locks.  I would do Panama Canal on an M Class ship or use another cruise line.  When I saw it was this new large ship, I decided to book on Azamara, which had a pretty good deal on December 2024 itineraries.  

[Arizona Wildcat]

Did the canal in the new locks.  Was disappointed.   For the best do a river cruise.  Mississippi or Columbia.  Panama Canal since widened felt like a giant lake.

[mahdnc]

6 hours ago, Bstein493 said:

Thinking about sailing on the Beyond January 2024 to the Panama Canal.  Would love some input

 

I do not believe that this itinerary includes the full transit of the Panama Canal.  In other words, I believe it will go through (the larger) Atlantic Ocean side locks and then turn around at Gatun Lake and then it will sail back through to the Atlantic.

 

I believe Celebrity does one full Panama Canal transit on an Millennium class ship each year in April (westbound) and then in October (eastbound).  The Millennium class ships are designed to fit through the original Panama Canal locks (Panamax standard). 

 

Here are the 3 full Panama Canal transit cruises currently on Celebrity's schedule: link

Edited February 27, 2023 by mahdnc

[alcpa1]

To get the full experience think about starting you cruise in the Pacific and sailing through the entire canal. Better yet start from Panama City. There are plenty of cruise lines that offer a full transit. It's easy to spend three or four days in the bustling city and its environs. 

[cgolf1]

We just did it on the Edge from a non retreat cabin. This means no forward views. We did find a good spot back in the sunset bar though and I stood on the couch to get good pictures looking down the side of the ship forward. A little surprised I didn’t get my hand slapped for doing that. To do a full transit we would go on an M or S class ship to get a different viewpoint. 
 

I think if you have access to the thermal suites you can go out on a little deck area out front accessed from the thermal suite area. 

[hubofhockey]

Wanted to add that the ports of call boards have a great area for the Panama Canal cruises. 

 

I realize the Celebrity M Class ships don't have the wow factor of the newer class ships or even the Solstice class, but they really are one of my favorite classes of ships on any cruise line.  Because they are smaller, they can do better itineraries and dock at better locations.  Also, Celebrity always updates these ships to conform to the newer classes.  In comparison, Princess has some smaller ships and doesn't update them.  

 

If you're looking for a typical Caribbean cruise, don't book M class, but for something like the Panama Canal, Japan, other Asian regions, or even unique Med ports, M Class hits the sweet spot.  We would have done Panama Canal with X but timing didn't work and found a great deal on Azamara, but I would never do it on the Beyond.

Edited February 27, 2023 by hubofhockey

[TeeRick]

Only M-Class does the full transit.  It has nothing to do with old or new locks.  It has everything to do with fitting under the Bridge of the Americas on the Pacific side of the canal.  We did Infinity a few years ago Miami to San Diego.  We went through the old locks which I enjoyed as more historical.

[Essiesmom]

Edge transit of new locks on 2/20

 

 

[Essiesmom]

Going back out

[DaKahuna]

22 hours ago, Bstein493 said:

Thinking about sailing on the Beyond January 2024 to the Panama Canal.  Would love some input

 

 We are doing a East to West Transit (Forr Lauderdale to Los Angeles) sailing on April 21 on Millennium and it is my current intention to do a live blog with lots of pictures.  

 

[mahdnc]

14 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

 

 We are doing a East to West Transit (Forr Lauderdale to Los Angeles) sailing on April 21 on Millennium and it is my current intention to do a live blog with lots of pictures.  

 

 

Then I will be following.  We are set to do the same cruise a year later on Summit.  We leave out of Miami however and I believe our sailing is one night shorter.

Edited February 27, 2023 by mahdnc

[Shiba_Lover]

14 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

 

 We are doing a East to West Transit (Forr Lauderdale to Los Angeles) sailing on April 21 on Millennium and it is my current intention to do a live blog with lots of pictures.  

 

Looking forward to reading that one!

 

[hubofhockey]

On 2/27/2023 at 3:21 PM, DaKahuna said:

 

 We are doing a East to West Transit (Forr Lauderdale to Los Angeles) sailing on April 21 on Millennium and it is my current intention to do a live blog with lots of pictures.  

 

I was hoping they would do that itinerary in December of 2024, but they doing the Beyond for the Panama Canal, which makes no sense.  I see you get Costa Rica on your itinerary.  Love the Millennium.  We're back on it next April in Japan.  Looking forward to your blog.

[Northern Aurora]

On 2/27/2023 at 11:21 AM, DaKahuna said:

 

 We are doing a East to West Transit (Forr Lauderdale to Los Angeles) sailing on April 21 on Millennium and it is my current intention to do a live blog with lots of pictures.  

 

 

I will also be following.  My husband and I have done 6 full transits, and it is one of our favorite itineraries. Nice balance of port and sea days.

[DaKahuna]

1 hour ago, hubofhockey said:

I was hoping they would do that itinerary in December of 2024, but they doing the Beyond for the Panama Canal, which makes no sense.  I see you get Costa Rica on your itinerary.  Love the Millennium.  We're back on it next April in Japan.  Looking forward to your blog.

 

 Thanks  We are really looking forward to the cruise as it will be our first sailing on a Millennium class ship. 

[hubofhockey]

20 hours ago, DaKahuna said:

 

 Thanks  We are really looking forward to the cruise as it will be our first sailing on a Millennium class ship. 

I hope you have a great time on the ship.  For us, these ships hit a great sweet spot in size, things to do on the ship, and the really nice itineraries.  Really looking forward to our Japan itinerary on the Millennium and I know we'll be on other M class itineraries.  

 

[DaKahuna]

1 hour ago, hubofhockey said:

I hope you have a great time on the ship.  For us, these ships hit a great sweet spot in size, things to do on the ship, and the really nice itineraries.  Really looking forward to our Japan itinerary on the Millennium and I know we'll be on other M class itineraries.  

 

 

We were scheduled to sail on Millennium in Japan this coming November but my wife has decided that instead we will go in 2025 and take a land based trip from top to bottom via rail.   So this November instead of sailing around Japan we'll be in a hotel on Waikiki Beach 

[Traveling Fools]

On 2/28/2023 at 5:17 PM, hubofhockey said:

I was hoping they would do that itinerary in December of 2024, but they doing the Beyond for the Panama Canal, which makes no sense.  I see you get Costa Rica on your itinerary.  Love the Millennium.  We're back on it next April in Japan.  Looking forward to your blog.

 

Took the Millennium from Tokyo to Vancouver in May of 2017.  I think they have changed the itinerary since then.  It got VERY cold and they had to pull winter coats out of storage to sell.  Got a great bargain...$25 for a $80 lined/hooded coat.  Also took the Millennium thru the cannel in Aug 2011.  Departed from San Diego.  I was really excited about passing thru the locks.  If you want a real experience transiting locks, rent a boat and cruise the Canal du Midi thru Southern France.