Have any of you done the Panama canal partial transit roundtrip Ft. lauderdale?

[Billy and Charlie's Mum]

We will be doing a full transit FLL to LA on the Coral in February 2010.

 

Another CC'er gave me a link which is really interesting. You might want to have a look. I have it on my favourites now and look at it all the time and have watched many ships go through in real time.

 

Enjoy.

 

http://seacruisechat.com/

[momofmeg]

We will be doing a full transit FLL to LA on the Coral in February 2010.

 

Another CC'er gave me a link which is really interesting. You might want to have a look. I have it on my favourites now and look at it all the time and have watched many ships go through in real time.

 

Enjoy.

 

http://seacruisechat.com/

 

I do want to do a full transit one day- but because of the airfare and extra cost-this is what we have in our budget. Of course we would want to do a full transit- but unfortunately budget does come into it.

[momofmeg]

On my several Panama partial transits on the Coral --- yes, you go through the first set of locks at around 6 or 7 a.m. on the Coral, then once you are thru the locks, the ship anchors in Gatun Lake and tenders the passengers to shore who have booked ship's tours. Nobody else can tender in to land.

 

The ship stays anchored for several hours in the lake (I know this as I stayed on the ship!), then turns back, and goes back thru the same set of locks. It docks around 4ish and passengers can get off and shop at the port (it's sort of a handmade crafts type of open market in a warehousey type building). People who have taken tours are dropped off there and everyone is back on the ship to sail around 6ish.

 

So, it's not a separate day, it's the same day that all this happens on Princess.

 

Did that answer the question?

 

Thanks for the info. You have been a big help.

 

I guess we will go with HAL. Maybe we can do Princess when we can afford a full transit.

[2BSailin]

Thanks for sharing the web cam's - Billy and Charlie's Mum, and helpmesailaway!!

I now have them on my favorites so I can check in once in awhile. Also the map included really helps us see how we are going through there!

[Joy R]

You can do a full transit - the ship anchors in Gatun Lake, after going through three locks (I think), then those passengers who have booked tours take a tender to the shore. We did this. A coach then takes you to the other end of the lake (about half an hour), you get on another, small boat which takes you through the Miraflores Locks right through to the Pacific. You then have the coach take you back to the Atlantic side of the Canal where the ship awaits you.

 

It's a long day, and we found it quite tiring, but it is fascinating. You get a completely different view of the locks from the small boat, and a different feeling. You also see some of the flora and fauna of the area on the coach trip between the two vessels. So although the Coral (or whichever other ship it is) has only done a partial transit, you have done the whole one.

 

You must book this tour with Princess - you can't get off the ship and do any other sort of tour in the Panama Canal area. All tours must be ship's tours.

[sha88]

I was told that after this season she will not go through the locks. Besides I have been to Grand cayman a zillion times- Aruba is more appealing than Grand cayman to me-as I have not been to Aruba.

 

 

Me, too, I was originally booked on the Jewel and then found out RCCL was not doing the partial transit so I switched to Island Princess and happy I did! Can' wait.

[momofmeg]

You can do a full transit - the ship anchors in Gatun Lake, after going through three locks (I think), then those passengers who have booked tours take a tender to the shore. We did this. A coach then takes you to the other end of the lake (about half an hour), you get on another, small boat which takes you through the Miraflores Locks right through to the Pacific. You then have the coach take you back to the Atlantic side of the Canal where the ship awaits you.

 

It's a long day, and we found it quite tiring, but it is fascinating. You get a completely different view of the locks from the small boat, and a different feeling. You also see some of the flora and fauna of the area on the coach trip between the two vessels. So although the Coral (or whichever other ship it is) has only done a partial transit, you have done the whole one.

 

You must book this tour with Princess - you can't get off the ship and do any other sort of tour in the Panama Canal area. All tours must be ship's tours.

 

But I would miss the ship going back through the locks-I want to be on the ship for the whole deal and ALSO take an excursion-so I guess it is HAL since they spend 3 days in the Panama Canal area.

[momofmeg]

Me, too, I was originally booked on the Jewel and then found out RCCL was not doing the partial transit so I switched to Island Princess and happy I did! Can' wait.

 

Well in early 2010 we will do the HAL cruise and then late 2010 we plan to cruise Radiance of the Seas for a little 4 day. It only goes to Cozumel, but I will get to do a radiance class ship and we can do this cruise with our daughter who works in the school system, as it is over the Christmas holidays. We try to do a cruise with her every other year.

[Crzn-Life]

Thanks to the posters who gave the two urls. Good stuff

[BillB48]

The Coral Princess offers a 1 day stop at Ft. Amador for tours of Panama City and such, then transits the Canal the following day. This is a full transit,(15 Day in November) as opposed to a partial transit.

[m steve]

going thru the locks while having breakfast? Any good ports for duty free shopping?

[sha88]

Well in early 2010 we will do the HAL cruise and then late 2010 we plan to cruise Radiance of the Seas for a little 4 day. It only goes to Cozumel, but I will get to do a radiance class ship and we can do this cruise with our daughter who works in the school system, as it is over the Christmas holidays. We try to do a cruise with her every other year.

 

We were on the Serenade last year, and wow, loved that ship which I think is the Radiance class. The solarium was my very favorite spot. Enjoy your cruises!!

[momofmeg]

We were on the Serenade last year, and wow, loved that ship which I think is the Radiance class. The solarium was my very favorite spot. Enjoy your cruises!!

 

Yes, I am happy they are moving that ship to Tampa. A great ship for shorter cruises. I bet it will sell well, and rarely be discounted, as for the shorter cruises only older ships not so great are offered.

[shumdit1]

I have done the full transit twice, also the partial transit on the Coral.

I thought the partial was more enjoyable then the whole transit.

We took the excursion that took us thru the other three locks on a small ship. First three locks on the Coral and then the last three on the little ship. An entirely different perspective. When we got to the Pacific side we boarded a bus and return back to the port where the ship had docked.

Round trip air to Fort Lauderdale made it much more affordable. Do the Coral.