Panama Canal 1/2 transit or full transit question

[hazeleyes]

Panama Canal 1/2 way or full transit question. I'm looking into booking a cruise for the Panama Canal and id like some imput on which is best full transit or 1/2 way. If you have done either of these id like to hear about your experience. And which would you suggest.

[pieshops]

i do not know which is better but i would alos like to do this trip so here is my opinion.

 

For us this will be a once in a lifetime trip so we want to do it all the way, full transit. I am sure the half transit is great but for us if you are going to do it you might as well do it.

 

We had the same problem with Alaska a few years back, wanted to go on NCL but they only had roundtrips and we wanted to take some time and explore the interior of Alaska after the cruise and boy are we glad we did, another once in a lifetime trip.

 

Hope this helps

[gemini g]

I agree with Pieshops. I wrestled with full or 1/2 transit Question for years. I did not want to do 18 days or more. Finally found 14 day trip on Pearl that leaves April 19th and has most of the ports that I wanted. I,m booked and ready to go.

[zumaqueen]

Do the full transit if you have the time. and, if Costa Rica is a port option, do the jungle trek, we had a great guide and it was great--a non-shopping trip.

[salty dingo]

There is a third option, which is what I have booked for November, 2009. Your ship does not actually enter the canal, but you dock at the mouth of the canal.

 

From there, you can take an excursion which could include a ferry ride through the canal locks.

 

I am not saying this is a better option, only that it is another way to see the canal, if the circumstances do not permit one of the transit cruises.

[easygoesit]

Panama Canal 1/2 way or full transit question. I'm looking into booking a cruise for the Panama Canal and id like some imput on which is best full transit or 1/2 way. If you have done either of these id like to hear about your experience. And which would you suggest.

 

 

While all the comments above are legit , try going to the Panama board. Lots of info there. Also look for posts by "Richard" on the Panama board, he also has a website with a wealth of info on Panama. He usually puts his url on his replies.

 

We are doing the full transit in Jan 2010. There is also a fantastic book written by Anne Vipond it's called Panama by cruise ship and its kept updated.

I have the book but haven't read it yet as I'm reading her book on the Caribbean. I have used her cruise book Hawaii by Cruise ship and it was bang on. I also like the books because there well made, high gloss paper, lots of pictures and I have been jotting notes in them as I go along for memories down the road.

[newmexicoNita]

Richard does have a lot of information. Now to answer your question as I see it and this is only my opinion. We did 1/2 canal and that was certainly fine with us. I have talked to a few who have done the entire canal and have said 1/2 is ok. There really isn't that much difference, but this is just opinion. As for Costa Rico, I think most itineraries include this port whether it is a 1/2 or a full crossing. Our choice to do the 1/2 had to do with length of cruise. 18 or more days is a long time to spend on a ship.

 

Nita

[Mystic cruisers]

We just did the full PC crossing on the Sun last month, and I think it's way better than a 1/2 crossing which only takes you thru the Gatun locks into Gatun Lake and then back out again. The full crossing takes you across the lake, down the Gaillard Cut, under the Centennial bridge, thru the Pedro Miguel and Miraflores locks, under the Bridge of the Americas and past Panama City. But a full crossing usually means taking a repositioning cruise so you have to have the time.

 

See my review at http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=41935