Excursions for Panama Canal January 2024

[sun&sea]

We haven't cruised for a while but we are booked on the Ruby Panama Canal January 29, 2024. I keep checking for excursions but there are only ones for Jamaica and Grand Cayman. Is it too early for the others? (Panama, Costa Rica, etc)

Thanks,

Janet

[Rick&Jeannie]

Probably too soon.  You did not say whether yours is a full transit or partial transit.  We just got back from a partial transit 2 weeks ago (RT Fort Lauderdale).  We had previously done a full transit pre-pandemic.

 

Either way...take a close look at the excursion "Panama Canal & Locks Transit by Boat" when it becomes available.  I'm pretty sure they offer this for both types of transit (not absolutely sure...)  You get off your cruise ship in Gatun Lake and are shuttled over to a small boat terminal where you board a boat that holds (I estimate) 200-250 people.  You then continue on through the rest of the Panama Canal in this smaller boat, continuing through the remaining locks.  Our ship (Caribbean Princess) entered the Canal from the Atlantic side using the new locks (we'd never done the new locks) and then the smaller boat transited on to the Pacific using the "old" locks.  A VERY interesting experience going through the locks on a smaller boat!  You then board a bus and are taken back to Cristobal where you reboard your "big ship".

[sun&sea]

4 hours ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

Probably too soon.  You did not say whether yours is a full transit or partial transit.  We just got back from a partial transit 2 weeks ago (RT Fort Lauderdale).  We had previously done a full transit pre-pandemic.

 

Either way...take a close look at the excursion "Panama Canal & Locks Transit by Boat" when it becomes available.  I'm pretty sure they offer this for both types of transit (not absolutely sure...)  You get off your cruise ship in Gatun Lake and are shuttled over to a small boat terminal where you board a boat that holds (I estimate) 200-250 people.  You then continue on through the rest of the Panama Canal in this smaller boat, continuing through the remaining locks.  Our ship (Caribbean Princess) entered the Canal from the Atlantic side using the new locks (we'd never done the new locks) and then the smaller boat transited on to the Pacific using the "old" locks.  A VERY interesting experience going through the locks on a smaller boat!  You then board a bus and are taken back to Cristobal where you reboard your "big ship".

Thank you for your response! It is the partial transit. I will certainly look into that excursion. Was the day really long? 

Thanks again,

Janet

[Rick&Jeannie]

27 minutes ago, sun&sea said:

Thank you for your response! It is the partial transit. I will certainly look into that excursion. Was the day really long? 

Thanks again,

Janet

It does make for something of a long day...but it's an experience you'll be able to tell all your friends about!

[claudia814]

6 hours ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

It does make for something of a long day...but it's an experience you'll be able to tell all your friends about!

Our worry about this excursion is locating a restroom. I doubt there’s one on the small boat so we’ll just wave to everyone. Sounds like a fabulous day!

[Potstech]

There was a restroom on the small boat.

[phabric]

I was on the same excursion, the small boat had a bathroom and we have lunch - Salad, pasta salad, chicken strips, cookie, apple, unlimited water, coke, beer $.

[jacpedigo]

I did the same excursion last March and, being 22 weeks pregnant at the time, I can confirm there is a restroom on board.  Can't speak for the men's room, but I believe the women's had 3-4 stalls.  As stated above, lunch was served on board- I recall chicken skewers, pasta salad, fruit, squash, mini cakes.   Water and soda were included and there was a local woman selling beer and souvenirs.  It was a very long day- tender off the ship to a dock.  Bus (probably 1.5 hours?) to ferry dock.  On the ferry for several hours, then bus from Panama City to port.  It was definitely dark by the time we got back on the ship.  However, I would HIGHLY recommend this excursion.  Though we'd traveled through the old locks in the morning (was on HAL Eurodam), it was a completely different experience being on the smaller vessel.  For efficiency moving through the locks, we were tethered to a sailboat that was traveling around the world and we got to chat with the crew from the deck of our ferry.

[Rick&Jeannie]

11 hours ago, claudia814 said:

Our worry about this excursion is locating a restroom. I doubt there’s one on the small boat so we’ll just wave to everyone. Sounds like a fabulous day!

Yes...it's a fair sized boat...with restrooms.  No worries on that front!