Questions re: Upcoming Panama Canal Zuiderdam

Hi......

Very excited about our upcoming 10 day Panama Canal. We leave on Sunday. I am so looking forward to going thru the locks. I want to get a good view, so I'm planning on going to the bow. What time does the ship get to the locks? I heard that it is about 5:00am.

We are not planning on doing an excursion in Panama, so after going thru the locks, the ship turns around in the lake and then what?

Any other helpful hints when going thru the locks?

Thanks

Happy Sailing!!!:cool::cool::cool:

We're on the same cruise as you. I'm not sure that the ship gets to the first set of locks that early...I think it's scheduled to get to the breakwater near the first lock around 5:30am. After the ship clears the locks and gets to Gatun Lake, we will be at anchor while those taking excursions are tendered off. Once that's complete we'll probably prepare for the return journey through the locks and on to docking at Colon.

I did the 11 night on the Zuiderdam last November that did the partial transit.

If memory serves me, we were indeed at the approach to the locks that early (between 5 - 5:30), but it was a while before we were actually in the 1st lock.

After it goes through the locks, the ship maneuvers into Gatun Lake, discharges those folks on tours, then sits around doing nothing for a few hours, then heads back out of the locks. Interesting evolution to say the least.

If you are going to observe from the bow make sure you dress for the day (it will be hot), make sure you apply/re-apply sunscreen, have water AND drink it. One last thing. Unlike the dummy writing this post, make sure your cameras are ready to film, AND that includes charging and extra batteries. I, unfortunately, did not get all the video I wanted.:loudcry:

Oh yeah, if you have a verandah cabin, and depending how you go through the locks, you might even think about staying in the cabin, so you can get out of the heat. (i.e., If your cabin is facing the inside of the lock as opposed to the outside). Hope that makes sense.

OP: we got back a month ago from our first transit of the Canal (it was a full transit). My advice for the locks (besides all the great advice above about using sunscreen, staying hydrated, charging your camera batteries -- to which I would add: wear a hat) is to see the locks from different perspectives. High, low, fore, aft, along the sides. Don't stay in one place the entire time.

In the event it may be helpful, my review thread, with lots of photos, is here:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2456255

The Canal is amazing; have a great trip!

LOVED this cruise. Did it last January. You DO want to be up at 5am and the sun is just coming up and the lights are on at the locks.

I second the recommendation to move around. I didn't go out on the bow though. I spent most of my time on the little front balcony on Deck 5 (my cabin was on 5 forward.) Fewer people, less jostling for position, not as far to walk to get out of the sun. I found it to be a nice intermediate position, where you get the feel of the locks and the whole transit perspective. If you tuck yourself in the starboard corner of the balcony you are very close to the "mules" (Noisy little buggers) You can also see the ropes being tied to the mules. I think there are several other balconies like the one on 5, but since it was close to "home" it's where I went. I like that it's lower than the one off the fitness center.

The rest of my time I went to the aft deck to watch Amsterdam go through the other lane behind us. I was busy waving at some friends on that ship. Later when we were lolly-gagging around Lake Gatun, Amsterdam passed us and we had the obligatory HAL exchange of toots. They of course were heading out on the first leg of the World Cruise, thus doing a full transit.

I hope my DH will do the partial with me later this year. And I still would stay on the ship rather than touring.

Thanks for the info. I am on deck 5 in a balcony, so that suggestion of deck 5 is great! I will move around too, in order to get all angels, I am soon excited to see the locks!!!

Keep the info. coming

thanks

Happy Sailing!!!:cool::cool::cool:

We were on the Zuiderdam in Feb of this year. Going through the canal was great. You do not actually start into the Canal until around 7:00 am but u will be able to see and watch other ships prior to that.

People get up early that day and the bow was packed. One word of caution: if it is sunny, it will get hot. With that said, Deck 7 has a forward facing public balcony like 5 and 6 but 7 IS Shaded for the most part!!!!! Great spot for watching.

After going through the locks we sat in Gatun Lake for at least two hours before going back. We went to Deck 3 and touched the wall on the way back. Going back you get a completely different view. Instead of being low and rising up, you are up and go down. Really cool getting both views.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

If memory serves me, we were indeed at the approach to the locks that early (between 5 - 5:30), but it was a while before we were actually in the 1st lock.

 

After it goes through the locks, the ship maneuvers into Gatun Lake, discharges those folks on tours, then sits around doing nothing for a few hours, then heads back out of the locks. Interesting evolution to say the least.

 

:loudcry:

Oh yeah, if you have a verandah cabin, and depending how you go through the locks, you might even think about staying in the cabin, so you can get out of the heat. (i.e., If your cabin is facing the inside of the lock as opposed to the outside). Hope that makes sense.

We did the partial transit in December and I agree with all DocJohnB said above.

We got out and about the ship going into the locks. Got our Panama Buns that way too :D Going in you can see the channel to the new locks from the port side. We were able to see a HUGE container ship going our way into their locks.

We had lunch while we were in Gatun Lake - it's 2 or 3 hours.

Our balcony faced the inside of the locks as did DocJohnB's so we too spent the transit back out on our balcony sipping cold drinks and waving to the crew of the container ship in the other "lane".

It was one of the best days we'd ever spent on board a ship !!

The narrative the guide gives out on the bow plays on the TV in the cabins. At one point going into the locks returning we turned the TV up and propped the door open for a little while.

Be sure to take your binocs !!

OP: we got back a month ago from our first transit of the Canal (it was a full transit). My advice for the locks (besides all the great advice above about using sunscreen, staying hydrated, charging your camera batteries -- to which I would add: wear a hat) is to see the locks from different perspectives. High, low, fore, aft, along the sides. Don't stay in one place the entire time.

 

In the event it may be helpful, my review thread, with lots of photos, is here:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2456255

 

The Canal is amazing; have a great trip!

I did not think to do this. I am doing a full transit starting 4/5 on Veendam. Want to guess what I will be doing?

We have done quite a few full transit Panama Canal cruises as well as several partial transits including a few on the Zuiderdam.

We approached the break waters by 5 AM. It is interesting to see so many freighters with their lights -- some waiting to enter the locks and others just anchored there.

Our approach around 7 AM and it was still dark -- lights were still on indicating what side we would taking through the locks:

Sorry -- but for days I can not do an "edit".

Definitely try the Panama Buns -- they are only available on that day.

The transit is truly the single thing I am looking most forward to once we board on Sunday. Don't get me wrong...it will be wonderful to visit Half Moon Cay again, and finally see two of the three ABC's...and we've booked a wonderful excursion in Costa Rica.

But the canal...the "big ditch". I know it won't be the full monty as we won't see anything more than the Gatun Locks and Gatun Lake...but its THE CANAL!!!

Here's my review from our cruise last month on the Zuiderdam: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2459411

We had a great time. Our day at the Panama Canal was overcast with periods of drizzle. It was not too hot. I'm glad I brought binoculars to get a better view of some things. The time exiting the canal was even better than going in. The people we spoke to who took excursions offered mixed reviews. Some of them had a good time, but others said that their excursions were too long and did not offer much. So don't feel like you're missing something exciting by not doing one.

But the canal...the "big ditch". I know it won't be the full monty as we won't see anything more than the Gatun Locks and Gatun Lake...but its THE CANAL!!!

We felt the same way ... anything above and beyond the "big ditch" was gravy :D:D ... and it definately lived up to expectations.

We opted not to get off in Gatun Lake for that reason - we wanted to ride the locks both ways :cool:

I agree with posters who say move around. It is fun to see the first lock from the bow, but once you've seen that procedure, it's going to be the same for the other locks, so there's no need to stay on the bow. Move to where you can watch the "mules." On Deck 3, they'll go right by you--wave to the driver!

Because we had done full transits before, we opted to take a tour to the new locks. We did the tour that was to the locks and "old Panama Canal Zone" or something like that. Seeing the new locks and the video was interesting. But if there's no ship going through it isn't much to look at. A half hour before we were supposed to leave, a ship did come into the canal, but all we could watch was the closing of the gate and a drop of a few feet and then we had to go. Wish they'd let us watch more because the rest of the trip was a slow boring drive through the housing that was once a US military base.

For someone who wants to see the whole thing, there are excursions all the way to the Pacific. It makes for a long day, but many feel it's worth it to see "the cut."

msmayor,,

which excursion are you doing in costa rica? i want to see the rain forest and see as much as i can.

thanks

msmayor,,

which excursion are you doing in costa rica? i want to see the rain forest and see as much as i can.

 

thanks

We booked the Tortuguero Canals excursion thru HAL. I really wanted to see the rain forest area myself and read some good reviews of this tour. We booked the early morning tour to hopefully avoid the highest heat of the day.

We booked the Tortuguero Canals excursion thru HAL. I really wanted to see the rain forest area myself and read some good reviews of this tour. We booked the early morning tour to hopefully avoid the highest heat of the day.

We did this about a year ago and enjoyed it. Booking as early in the day as you can is the way to go! Others on our cruise who did the later ones were totally wore out by the time they got back on the ship (from the heat).

We did this about a year ago and enjoyed it. Booking as early in the day as you can is the way to go! Others on our cruise who did the later ones were totally wore out by the time they got back on the ship (from the heat).

That's what a lot of the reviews said. I believe our tour heads out at 7:30 am. We'll probably get breakfast via room service that day to save some time.

We were on the Zuiderdam in Feb of this year. Going through the canal was great. You do not actually start into the Canal until around 7:00 am but u will be able to see and watch other ships prior to that.

 

People get up early that day and the bow was packed. One word of caution: if it is sunny, it will get hot. With that said, Deck 7 has a forward facing public balcony like 5 and 6 but 7 IS Shaded for the most part!!!!! Great spot for watching.

 

After going through the locks we sat in Gatun Lake for at least two hours before going back. We went to Deck 3 and touched the wall on the way back. Going back you get a completely different view. Instead of being low and rising up, you are up and go down. Really cool getting both views.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

We were on this cruise too. We watched from deck 5 forward as that's the deck our cabin was on. We got to the front around 7 or so. We probably touched the walls with you on promenade on the way back. The trip back through the locks began around 1:00PM. By then it was hot! Our aft cabin was a cool vantage point but man was it hot back there. On Promenade you could talk to the operators of the mules. That was interesting.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

That's what a lot of the reviews said. I believe our tour heads out at 7:30 am. We'll probably get breakfast via room service that day to save some time.

We did this excursion last month. We received notice that due to the early departures room service would be very busy and slow. The recommendation was to eat at the buffet or MDR which was open early at 6:00AM.

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

My wife and I are booked for the April 9 cruise to the Panama Canal. We are planning to take the "The Canal Experience to Colon" excursion. When do we have to stop viewing and get ready to hop on a tender? Thoughts about the excursion?

My wife and I are booked for the April 9 cruise to the Panama Canal. We are planning to take the "The Canal Experience to Colon" excursion. When do we have to stop viewing and get ready to hop on a tender? Thoughts about the excursion?

Welcome to Cruise Critic!

They will be ready to launch tenders pretty soon after clearing the last lock. You will meet your tour in the theatre and be taken down to the tender as a group. Meeting time will be on your ticket but listen for announced changes because all printed times are approximate. Long tours tend to go off first.

I haven't done this excursion, but I think it's a great choice. I have done a full transit of the canal and this excursion is a good way to see the whole thing. If you haven't sailed "the cut," you haven't fully experienced the canal. Plus I think it would be fun to go through the locks on something smaller to get a different perspective on the process. Enjoy!!

msmayor,,

which excursion are you doing in costa rica? i want to see the rain forest and see as much as i can.

 

thanks

My son opted for the jungle cruise - great stuff there! I would not bother with the jungle canopy tour - all my wife and I saw were the top of the trees!