Some confusing news about 4/21/2008 cruise

[mauiedin87]

I contacted our TA about this Island Princess cruise when I began to wonder about "full transit", "partial transit", "no transit". She tells us it does not go into the Canal or any of the locks at all! Our Panama Canal Princess flyer states "Day 10, arrival Panama Canal 7 a.m.

(overnight onboard ship), Day 11 Panama Canal 4:30 p.m., Fuerte Amador 5 p.m. to 10 p.m."

 

Does anybody have any clue about this and what to expect?! I'm sure many people would appreciate knowing more, even though it's still so far in the future!

 

Thanks in advance.

[LHT28]

Could not get into Princess site about the cruise for some reason but VTG has it as a full transit through the locks looks like you go in from Pacific side then spend the night in the canal/lake and return to Pacific side.

I would call Princess if your TA cannot check into

[mauiedin87]

Hi there:

 

I just read the most incredible cruise review of a trip with the identical itinerary on the Regal Princess taken last year in September. It's listed as Posting # 200 under Roll Call for Island Princess (sub-heading "Earliest posting for 4/21/2008?") and answers absolutely every question one could have.

 

I think (and fervently hope) that our TA is quite wrong about no locks!!!:rolleyes:

[Sandy R]

We will be going on the same itinerary as you, on 9/20/07. I spoke at length with Princess (went pretty far up the chain of command). I found out that the 19 day Panama cruise enters the locks from the Pacific side, goes through the Gatun Locks and remains in Gatun Lake overnight (the ship never reaches the Atlantic). In the morning, the ship returns to the Pacific Ocean at 4:30 pm and at 5 pm, reaches Furte Amador, where it stops for 5 hours (Passengers can get off the ship, take a ship's tour or take a taxi into the city). During the time the ship is in the Canal, there are no ship excursions... again, this is only for the 19 day Panama Canal cruises.

 

Sandy

[mauiedin87]

:) Thank you for taking it upon yourself to contact Princess. We and our 4 cruise companions are happy to hear what you found out! I will let them know right away.

 

We hope to hear about your experiences when you return from your September 19-day cruise.

 

Our e-mail is: mara@wbhsi.net

[jff50]

We will be going on the same itinerary as you, on 9/20/07. I spoke at length with Princess (went pretty far up the chain of command). I found out that the 19 day Panama cruise enters the locks from the Pacific side, goes through the Gatun Locks and remains in Gatun Lake overnight (the ship never reaches the Atlantic). In the morning, the ship returns to the Pacific Ocean at 4:30 pm and at 5 pm, reaches Furte Amador, where it stops for 5 hours (Passengers can get off the ship, take a ship's tour or take a taxi into the city). During the time the ship is in the Canal, there are no ship excursions... again, this is only for the 19 day Panama Canal cruises.

 

Sandy

This doesn't entirely make sense. The Gatun Locks are the locks on the Atlantic side. If you went through the Gatun Locks, you would be in the Atlantic. It sounds more like it may go through the 2 sets of Pacific Locks, across the Culebra Cut to Gatun Lake, stays there for some amount of time, and returns to the Pacific. It seems interesting that they spend so much time at Gatun Lake but don't have any shore excursions from there.

[Sandy R]

I merely reported what a Princess rep told me. The majority of Princess employees have never been on a Princess cruise, much less the 19 day Panama Canal cruise, so I don't heavily rely on information I'm told by Princess.

 

I think you're correct, that we enter Gatun Lake, rather than go through the Gatun Locks. But I think the information I received about staying in Gatun Lake overnight, is probably correct. We spend 2 days traversing the canal... arrive Panama Canal 7 am Saturday, Sept. 29th - depart Panama Canal 4:30 pm Sunday, Sept. 30th - arrive Furte Amador 5 pm, depart Furte Amador 10 pm. If we just sailed into the canal and then out again the same day, it would take far less time than the 2 days Princess has allocated for the Panama Canal transit.

 

Our final payment is due July 7 and shortly after that we'll be able to book shore excursions. I'll post to this thread again when I know if shore excursions can be booked during our canal transit.

 

Sandy