Panama Canal Cruise - Direction of cruise & best month for weather??

[Gardening Girl]

We are looking into a cruise to the Panama Canal possibly in April and we are wondering what the pros & cons are in choosing to cruise either West-East or East-West, please explain your preference! Which months would be better for less rain, less heat & less humidity?? I know I don't ask for much! Thanks!

[kestrel]

The dry season is around mid-December to mid-April. I don't think the direction matters much. However, cruises do tend to stop at different ports in different directions.

[sptrout]

We are looking into a cruise to the Panama Canal possibly in April and we are wondering what the pros & cons are in choosing to cruise either West-East or East-West, please explain your preference! Which months would be better for less rain, less heat & less humidity?? I know I don't ask for much! Thanks!

 

I would recommend the middle of the winter months to try to make sure that you are in the least wet period. Remember that Panama is mainly a rain forest (if it was not the Panama Canal would be a dry ditch) so it does rain there nearly every day.

 

East vs. west (actually more north vs. south): When we did the full transit version cruise we went from the Pacific to the Atlantic. We entered the Canal Zone just after sunrise and the views were stunning. Panama City off to the right in the not too far distance, the Bridge of the Americas ahead, and the sun slowing rising in the east, what great experience. I have been on 16 cruises and that experience, and sailing into the Bora Bora Island area, are the two most remarkable cruise experiences I have had.

[BillB48]

The only preferences in direction would lie with the itinerary of the ship, in other words which of the other ports are you most interested in beyond the Canal. The other consideration would be the ease of making arrangements to get to the port of embarkation and you transportation home. I believe those are the things that are the biggest items of consideration. The transit itself will be just as rewarding in either direction.

 

In the April time frame you are more likely to find complete transits from the Atlantic to the Pacific with the cruise lines starting to reposition ships for the Alaska season. You find the reverse is true in late September to November when they return to warmer climates after the Alaskan season. Of course that's not to say you may be able to find Canal transits out side of that time frame.

 

If weather was your only considerstion, the best time in the weather department would be the end of December to the middle of February. That would be in my opinion a very minor consideration. Anyone from a temperate climate will think it is humid. As far as heat goes, it's not too bad if you seek a little shade when the sun is blazing and it's usually fairly easy to catch a breeze on deck and air conditoning is not too far away. Don't worry about April being the end of the dry season, the shift to rainy season is gradual. Even the dry season doesn't mean no rain, just less rain;)! The bottom line is I would not really let the weather enter into your plans, you should be fine.

[Northender]

I would recommend the middle of the winter months to try to make sure that you are in the least wet period. Remember that Panama is mainly a rain forest (if it was not the Panama Canal would be a dry ditch) so it does rain there nearly every day.

 

East vs. west (actually more north vs. south): When we did the full transit version cruise we went from the Pacific to the Atlantic. We entered the Canal Zone just after sunrise and the views were stunning. Panama City off to the right in the not too far distance, the Bridge of the Americas ahead, and the sun slowing rising in the east, what great experience. I have been on 16 cruises and that experience, and sailing into the Bora Bora Island area, are the two most remarkable cruise experiences I have had.

 

If you don't mind I have a few questions.

What month did you do the PC

What Cruise Line & Ship

How many days

 

Thanks in advance:):)

[sptrout]

If you don't mind I have a few questions.

What month did you do the PC

What Cruise Line & Ship

How many days

 

Thanks in advance:):)

 

1. January 2000, just a few days after the official US turnover of the Canal to Panama.

 

2. Celebrity's Zenith (no longer in the fleet)

 

3. 14 days, San Diego to San Juan.

[Northender]

Thank you very much.:)

[sandyj55]

Thank you for all the information also. We are looking at March for our Panama Canal cruise. One thing I would like your opinion is the type of room. Money for a balcony versus an inside cabin...which would you do and why?? We usually are happy with the inside cabin but for Alaska we got a balcony on the suggestion of experts that had done Alaska. Will we be on the top deck watching the crossing most of the time? Will the view be limited on a balcony? Thanks in advance for all your expert advise!!!!

[BillB48]

I could easily live with an inside room, however DW much prefers a balcony cabin and in the spirit of marital bliss we compromise. On one trip we get a balcony and on the next trip we get a balcony;):rolleyes:! Seriously, I'm sure you would enjoy a balcony, but if you are getting it just for the Canal, I think you would enjoy your transit more by being out on the different decks. For example, usually a lot of passengers will congrgate on the upper decks when you enter the first lock in the morning. If your ship permits access to the bow it will be hard to get a spot at the rail at the first lock. The best time to go forward is in the afternoon when you are going down at the other locks. It's warm so you won't have to jockey for position as much. At one point in the locks you would want to go to one of the lower outside decks to see how close you are to the lock wall and where you can really notice the ship rising or lowering in the chamber. During the passage across Gatun Lake and Gaillard Cut, I believe being somewhere on the upper decks gives you the best oportunity to see whatever is of interest. We have completed two partial transits and two complete transits and the only time I was in the cabin was to get more sun screen. Unless you are in an aft cabin, you will only see half the picture! Balconies are great but just for the Canal, I guess it really depends on how much you think you will use it for the entire cruise.

 

Hope you enjoy!

[sandyj55]

Thank you..you helped me a lot in making a choice of what we wanted to do. We have decided on inside cabins and we are going on Jan 16th. Thank you so much for the help...

[Northender]

Bill, you hit the jackpot with: Unless you are in an aft cabin, you will only see half the picture! Balconies are great but just for the Canal, I guess it really depends on how much you think you will use it for the entire cruise.

 

When I talked to my TA he said, get the aft if that is what you want. Don't book a cabin for one day, you are booking it for the whole trip:)

 

By the way I wanted the aft anyway;)

[Konarina]

We've done the Panama Canal both directions; liked the east to west a bit better but really there isn't that much difference.

 

Balcony is nice on the shady side in afternoon, as it's very nice to sit and watch the activity. Most everyone congregates on the bow at first but after awhile they move around to other parts of the ship, depending upon what is going on or how interested they are in the operation of the Canal.

 

We went in May, 2009 and weather was ideal while going through the canal and along the coast of Mexico. Didn't really cool off until we were off the coast of N. Calif.

[kestrel]

I will suggest a balcony cabin for Panama Canal crossing. Yes, you do need to run around the ship to get views from different angles. However, the crossing is a whole day event. I found it's very difficult to be on the run the entire day. It is great to have your own balcony to relax part of the time.

[D&N LUV 2 TRAVEL]

Just back from the IP and we did the full transit from Acapulco to Fort Lauderdale. We had perfect weather as we only had a couple of afternoons on sea days where there was just a few rain drops. Mid 80's for the 1st 8 days and then mid to high 70's when we went from Ocho Rios to Fort Lauderdale. They say stay away from May to October as that is their rainy season.

Port intensive for the 1st 4 days then relaxing after that with 3 sea days out of 6. I believe if you go the other way it is relaxing up front and then port intensive at the end.

[seaweavers]

We are looking forward to our Panama Canal cruise this September. We chose SD to FLL because we live in Florida and can bring back souvenirs, etc. more easily. We chose a balcony on the port side because we can see land all the way down Mexico. Good luck with your plans.

[Senior Citizen]

We just came back from a cruise that transited the Panama Canal. This is our second time going through. The first time, we did it in late October. Each time, it was hot and muggy. Thank goodness we didn't hit rain.

 

Our first trip was in an inside cabin. At first, we spent a lot of time outside at the front of the ship (with EVERYONE else) as we went under the Bridge of the Americas and went through the first lock. We saw the ship going through the locks from the side windows in the buffet restaurant and also from the top deck lounge looking out the windows and relaxing with tea. This last time in late March, we had a low deck (4), oceanview cabin. You see a whole different perspective from there because the sides of the canal are almost in your cabin! Our first transit was the best because the commentator who came on the ship at the beginning of the transit was much more informative than the one we just experienced. And, apparently, it's just the luck of the draw.

 

To really appreciate the journey, you might want to read The Path Between the Seas and buy or rent a copy of the DVD narrated by that author. Then, you'll have a true appreciation for the marvel that the canal is.

 

The transit is only a day so pick whatever cabin you want to be in for the entire cruise. It doesn't make a difference when you are going through the canal because you will probably be out on deck or in a front lounge so you can see the whole process. If you are out on your balcony, you only see what is happening on that side and you miss whatever is going on on the other side.

[flyinggrandma]

We are looking forward to our Panama Canal cruise this September. We chose SD to FLL because we live in Florida and can bring back souvenirs, etc. more easily. We chose a balcony on the port side because we can see land all the way down Mexico. Good luck with your plans.

 

We are booked on your cruise:p. Are you doing excursions going thru the canal? This being our first time, we don't know if we should stay on the ship thru the whole canal or take an excursion.

 

Betty