Do all lines have this same tour?

[ihopfar]

 

Trying to decide on what partial transit of the canal to take in 2025.

 

I believe all the major cruiselines i.e. Princess, Celebrity, NCL etc. that have partial transits would offer a tour on a smaller boat through the pacific locks.

 

Would these be the exact same tour i.e. using the same boats and process?  If not, what are the differences?  (I know the cruise lines probably call them different things, but are they different?)

 

 

 

Thanks!

Brad

[BillB48]

You are correct, all the cruise lines have their own name for this shore excursion and is the same operation for each cruise line.  In each case it is a partial transit of the Pacific Locks and the Gaillard Cut.  Depending on the position of the excursion vessel the trip can operate from Ft. Amador to Gamboa  and then transportation back to the ship.  It can also operate from Gamboa to Ft. Amador and then transportation back to the ship.  Either direction is fine.  There are a couple of different excursion vessels that can be used but the operation is the same.

[ihopfar]

I have family who says years ago they boarded the excursion boat directly from their Princess ship.

 

Did it ever work that way or are they misremembering?

[BillB48]

Think a little misremembering, perhaps because you board a tender upon disembarking the ship.  What happens when the ship locks through the locks on the Atlantic side and reaches Gatun Lake, they will board a tender to go ashore to board the bus that will take them to the Pacific side.  This occurs whether you used the original locks of Gatun or the new expansion locks of Agua Clara.  The bus will take you to either Gamboa or Ft. Amador to board the excursion vessel.  While you are on the excursion the ship will lock back down the same locks and a short sail to Colon.  You will be taken back to the ship  by bus after the transit through the Pacific Locks and the Cut.  A side note: If you are on Princess using the new locks, they have been docking in Cristobal in order for the excursion passengers to rejoin the ship.  Cristobal is just another facility in the same general area, it is a container port and not a passenger pier as in Colon.