RCCL Rhapsody of The Seas Panama Canal March 2024 questions

[karenna00]

Hello.

We just booked RCCL Rhapsody of the Seas 7 day Panama Canal cruise for March 2024 from Feurte Amador to Colon
Which side of the ship is best to book a balcony cabin in terms of sun/shade and which side is best for the view? It’s supposed to be a full transit from 4 am to 4 pm. If we wake up early for the 4 am entrance to the canal, will the canal be lit up enough to see anything? 
Is it best to fly in and out of Panama City? What areas are best/safest to stay pre and post cruise? What is the best way to get to and from the cruise terminals?

We will be traveling with Tween age children. If you’ve done this trip with tweens (or kids in general) do you have any family friendly tips?

thanks in advance.

[Essiesmom]

Yes, the canal will be well lit all night.  From many, many observations of canal transits, your ship will probably not be in the canal until 0700, possibly not into the first locks (Miraflores) for another hour.  Sun will be on the starboard side, but that might also be the best side for views in that set of locks.  But it has been stated many times here, the best views of the locks and the transit are not on your balcony, but moving all around the ship.  
 

There is an excellent Live from by @DaKahunaon the Celebrity board, onboard the Millennium doing a westbound transit.  He shows you why you should not spend your transit on your balcony.  EM

[karenna00]

36 minutes ago, Essiesmom said:

Yes, the canal will be well lit all night.  From many, many observations of canal transits, your ship will probably not be in the canal until 0700, possibly not into the first locks (Miraflores) for another hour.  Sun will be on the starboard side, but that might also be the best side for views in that set of locks.  But it has been stated many times here, the best views of the locks and the transit are not on your balcony, but moving all around the ship.  
 

There is an excellent Live from by @DaKahunaon the Celebrity board, onboard the Millennium doing a westbound transit.  He shows you why you should not spend your transit on your balcony.  EM

Thank you for your response.

Yes, I understand the ideal would be moving around the ship throughout the day.

We will also be traveling with tweens who are interested in the canal but I doubt they will be 12 hours interested. The question is asked so that was the adults in the family will have options if the kids get bored and want to go back to the room. 

[DaKahuna]

29 minutes ago, karenna00 said:

Thank you for your response.

Yes, I understand the ideal would be moving around the ship throughout the day.

We will also be traveling with tweens who are interested in the canal but I doubt they will be 12 hours interested. The question is asked so that was the adults in the family will have options if the kids get bored and want to go back to the room. 

 

Of course there will be options for the adults depending on how closely you feel you have to supervise you tweens.  

 

As for side of the ship, the best side will depends on whether the ship is assigned to the East of West lock.  We were lucky in that our stateroom is on the starboard wide and we were in the left lock.  That meant from our balcony we could see the area between the locks where the ‘mules’ operated, as well as could see what was happening in the adjacent lock.

 

My one regret is that I did not venture to the Sunset Bar and get pictures of what was happening behind us in the locks.

 

Another thing to keep in mind is that the transit through the lake is not that interesting.  There is a lot of jungle with no development so those are the times to go have lunch, meet up with tweens, other family traveling with you, etc..

 

 Just some random pictures from the Retreat Sundeck and from our starboard side balcony

 

 

 

 

 

[Essiesmom]

Just to add to DaKahuna’s reply, his pics are of the Gatun Locks, the last set you will transit, and that is the time to be aft facing as you pull out of the final lock.  His pics start on page 13 of his blog/thread.  EM

[karenna00]

48 minutes ago, DaKahuna said:

 

Of course there will be options for the adults depending on how closely you feel you have to supervise you tweens.  

 

As for side of the ship, the best side will depends on whether the ship is assigned to the East of West lock.  We were lucky in that our stateroom is on the starboard wide and we were in the left lock.  That meant from our balcony we could see the area between the locks where the ‘mules’ operated, as well as could see what was happening in the adjacent lock.

 

My one regret is that I did not venture to the Sunset Bar and get pictures of what was happening behind us in the locks.

 

Another thing to keep in mind is that the transit through the lake is not that interesting.  There is a lot of jungle with no development so those are the times to go have lunch, meet up with tweens, other family traveling with you, etc..

 

 Just some random pictures from the Retreat Sundeck and from our starboard side balcony

 

 

 

 

 

Great points to keep in mind. Thank you.

At 10 and 12, I’m not sure I’d want the kids roaming the ship on their own. I trust them to behave but it’s still potentially 2000+ strangers on board. I know everyone has their own comfort level on this type of thing though. So, for as long as the kids are still happy to hang out with us, we will happily take it! Their willingness doesn’t last forever!

[Essiesmom]

15 hours ago, karenna00 said:

Great points to keep in mind. Thank you.

At 10 and 12, I’m not sure I’d want the kids roaming the ship on their own. I trust them to behave but it’s still potentially 2000+ strangers on board. I know everyone has their own comfort level on this type of thing though. So, for as long as the kids are still happy to hang out with us, we will happily take it! Their willingness doesn’t last forever!

You are a year away, and by that time you may have a better idea of how much you can trust the judgment of your tweens.  On the family board here, most recommend setting down guidelines.  You might consider allowing them specific freedoms…’yes, you can go get pizza, ice cream, etc. but come right back and stay together’.  EM

[jamin jul]

I will be doing this cruise also but in February 2024.  Anyone left Colon for their Panama Canal cruise? Anything interesting in Colon? I think we are flying into Panama City, spending the nite there then taxi/Uber? To Colon. Any recommendations for Panama City? Thank you.  
 

[BillB48]

Really the only thing in Colon for you to do or see is the cruise terminal.  There is really nothing for the average tourist to do and other than use the cruise terminal, Colon is really not a place for a tourist.  Embarking or disembarking your ship should be the extent of your visit to Colon.  Visiting attractions on the Atlantic side such as the new expansion locks or Portobelo can be done from the Pacific side (Panama City area) well enough.

 

I would recommend looking at your sailings Roll Call here on Cruise Critic for hotels some of your fellow cruisers are staying.  Don't know if it is feasible for you to arrange a transfer to Colon with the cruise line or not.  In any event the hotel you wind up staying at could assist in making arrangements to the cruise terminal in Colon.  I know Uber is available in Panama, but I am not familiar with it down there.

[son3cruisers]

We too are on the March 2024 sailing-  Panama City to Colon. We are flying in and out of Panama City. Good prices on flights with COPA airlines, ( Panama airline) with direct flights from a few US airports. 
I’m hopingRoyal will offer a transfer service back to the airport when we disembark in Colon. We have a 12 pm flight booked, and it appears it’s about 1 hr to the PTY airport from Colon. 
I’ve also read there is not much to do in Colon other than the locks.Not the safest port to be wandering around, although there is a Raddison Hotel at the Colon port with a mall attached. 
Our roll call is very quiet! 

Edited May 11, 2023 by son3cruisers

[BillB48]

You are right about Colon not being the garden spot of the Caribbean, however there is nothing inherently dangerous about driving through Colon to get to the cruise terminal/mall/hotel.  Colon is not the place for set out on your own and admire the "sights."  I have only passed by the lobby of the hotel and imagine it would be fine for a night.  The hotel is there primarily to serve people having business with the Colon Free Zone.

 

Only the new expansion locks, Agua Clara are open to visitors on the Atlantic side.  To see the original locks you need to visit Miraflores Locks on the Pacific side.

[lasnev]

On 5/11/2023 at 4:31 AM, son3cruisers said:

We too are on the March 2024 sailing-  Panama City to Colon. We are flying in and out of Panama City. Good prices on flights with COPA airlines, ( Panama airline) with direct flights from a few US airports. 
I’m hopingRoyal will offer a transfer service back to the airport when we disembark in Colon. We have a 12 pm flight booked, and it appears it’s about 1 hr to the PTY airport from Colon. 
I’ve also read there is not much to do in Colon other than the locks.Not the safest port to be wandering around, although there is a Raddison Hotel at the Colon port with a mall attached. 
Our roll call is very quiet! 

We are also hoping Royal will offer service back to Panama City. We have decided to stay there overnight before flying out Sunday Afternoon. 

[Ryson]

Just confirming English is the primary language on the Rhapsody of Seas for the March 2024 cruise. I only seem to find Panama canal cruises in Spanish on YouTube so got concerned.  I am pretty sure all RC ships use English as the primary language.

[Essiesmom]

Yes, English will be the primary language on all Royal Caribbean ships no matter where they sail.  EM

[cuterlmt]

We just booked the April 6th cruise on this same ship and itinerary, so I'm anxiously following this thread. Thank you for all the information.

[Debitoo]

On 6/7/2023 at 3:14 AM, cuterlmt said:

We just booked the April 6th cruise on this same ship and itinerary, so I'm anxiously following this thread. Thank you for all the information.

Hi there! We are also on the April 6 sailing. There is a roll call for it here: