Why Panama Canal?

[mrsalexb]

I just booked our next cruise with Princess for a 10 day Southern Caribbean. However, I noticed that there are so many 10 day cruises to the Panama canal. What is so special about this itenarary? I looked at some images online and it looks like a continuation of the western caribbean itenarary... IMHO compared to eastern or southern caribbean...not that impressive. Am I missing something? Please let me know.

 

BTW - Not trying to upset anyone with my internet surfing based observations.

[busymomofboys]

Well for me as a child I studied the Panama Canal and thought the history was amazing about all the building. I always wanted to go see how it operated and never really thought I would be able to so this is that opprotunity and get to see other countires at the same time.

[donna5]

I just booked our next cruise with Princess for a 10 day Southern Caribbean. However, I noticed that there are so many 10 day cruises to the Panama canal. What is so special about this itenarary? I looked at some images online and it looks like a continuation of the western caribbean itenarary... IMHO compared to eastern or southern caribbean...not that impressive. Am I missing something? Please let me know.

 

BTW - Not trying to upset anyone with my internet surfing based observations.

 

If you have ever watched PBS or other documentaries on the Panama Canal, some of the technical stuff didn't make sense, and then you go through the canal and they narate it and you start really understanding.

[wallygator]

I just booked our next cruise with Princess for a 10 day Southern Caribbean. However, I noticed that there are so many 10 day cruises to the Panama canal. What is so special about this itenarary? I looked at some images online and it looks like a continuation of the western caribbean itenarary... IMHO compared to eastern or southern caribbean...not that impressive. Am I missing something? Please let me know.

 

BTW - Not trying to upset anyone with my internet surfing based observations.

 

We sailed the Panama canal from San Diego to Fort Lauderdale. Before we sailed we read and watched video's on the canal love the idea. I'm not crazy on some of the ports we stopped at but love Aruba. The history and purpose of the canal be part of it. Don't miss it. To see sights like the sight below from Paris, France priceless.

 

And no Paris will not be seen on the canal just an example of the sights around the world

[cruiserjanet]

Knowing what they went through to build this canal and to see it in action right before my eyes is a memory I will have for a lifetime. There are two books that people have been recommending and I will also recommend one of them and that is "Panama Canal By Cruise Ship" by Anne Vipond. It touches on the history and the ports and is a quick read. It really helped enhance my cruise experience and I appreciated even more what went into building the canal.

[RickEk]

I just booked our next cruise with Princess for a 10 day Southern Caribbean. However, I noticed that there are so many 10 day cruises to the Panama canal. What is so special about this itenarary? I looked at some images online and it looks like a continuation of the western caribbean itenarary... IMHO compared to eastern or southern caribbean...not that impressive. Am I missing something? Please let me know.

 

BTW - Not trying to upset anyone with my internet surfing based observations.

 

What's special about the itinerary?? It's the Panama Canal itself! It's an engineering marvel considering it was completed almost one hundred years ago. As others have said, the more you learn about the building of the Canal, the more respect you'll have for the folks who built it. It's an awesome structure and certainly should be a part of everyone's "bucket list". I'm quite lucky that I've been able to do the partial transit twice. I'm looking forward to the day that I can complete a full transit! Another special part of that particular itinerary is visiting Costa Rica... quite beautiful...

 

Panama Canal 195 by RickEk, on Flickr

[Pam in CA]

The Panama Canal is an engineering marvel that not only joined two oceans but made a huge impact on shipping, transportation and history, including medical history. The engineering used a century ago was so far-advanced it's still in use today. The scope of the project is mind-boggling. I've been through the Panama Canal three times and it still enthralls and amazes me. I don't care about the ports; it's enough to go to or through the Canal.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Hope I am not moving into thread drift here...

but I have a question about the Canal as well.

We did it a while ago , 1984 to be exact, and in those days there were no shore tours offerred.

Looking at doing it again but would like to do some of the shoreside tours.

How does Princess, or any other cruise line , work these?

Does the ship stop, or are you tendered ashore...or

Do you need to book a cruise that stops for a day at either end of the canal?

[wallygator]

What's special about the itinerary?? It's the Panama Canal itself! It's an engineering marvel considering it was completed almost one hundred years ago. As others have said, the more you learn about the building of the Canal, the more respect you'll have for the folks who built it. It's an awesome structure and certainly should be a part of everyone's "bucket list". I'm quite lucky that I've been able to do the partial transit twice. I'm looking forward to the day that I can complete a full transit! Another special part of that particular itinerary is visiting Costa Rica... quite beautiful...

 

Panama Canal 195 by RickEk, on Flickr

 

 

 

A US sub as we went thru I was proud.

 

[RickEk]

A US sub as we went thru I was proud.

 

 

Cool!!

[IECalCruiser]

As others have said, the canal is the reason for the cruise. I would also highly recommend "Panama Canal By Cruise Ship" by Anne Vipond. The canal was the first major use of concrete and is still functioning like the day it was built almost 100 years after completion.

 

There is beauty to the design of the canal. The surrounding rain forest is the driver for the canal. Rain water is collected behind the Gatun Dam and generates the electricity to power the locks. The water also fills the locks and no pumping of water is required to raise ships in the locks.

 

This will change with the new, larger locks under construction. More water will be required than flows from the rain forest and they will need to start pumping water for operation of the new locks. The operation will no longer as simple and elegant but still amazing.

[smslms]

Whatever floats your boat. If it appeals to you do it, if not don't. We've been through the canal on three different ships with three different itineraries and would do it again if the right thing came along.:)

[Pam in CA]

Hope I am not moving into thread drift here...

but I have a question about the Canal as well.

We did it a while ago , 1984 to be exact, and in those days there were no shore tours offerred.

Looking at doing it again but would like to do some of the shoreside tours.

How does Princess, or any other cruise line , work these?

Does the ship stop, or are you tendered ashore...or

Do you need to book a cruise that stops for a day at either end of the canal?

Yes. Both the full transit and partial transit offer tours. The partial transit goes through Gatun Locks and disembarks passengers going on Princess tours; no independent tours or independent disembarkation. The ship then sails back through the locks and docks in Cristobal, where passengers can disembark and shop, etc. Tours end back at the ship. Full transit itineraries stop in Puerto Amador, near Panama City, for the day and you have the opportunity to do a number of different tours. There's no stop in the Canal on the full transit.

[BillB48]

Actually they do stop in the Canal on some full transits, namely the 10 day ACC-FLL itin. It operates much the same way the partial transits do by letting the touring passengers tender off to the Gatun Yacht Club to meet their tours just before the lockage at Gatun Locks. The tendering starts around noon with the touring passengers rejoining the ship in Colon. On many itins this has now been avoided with the ships building an extra day in the trip with a stop at either at Colon or Ft. Amador.

 

Now to close the loop as to why the Canal... The engineering marvel that it is as others have pointed out, but to me so many of the other stops in this part of the world involve sun, surf and sand. Nothing wrong with that but there is so much culture and history in the Panama stop and a Canal too!! When you stop and think that Spain's and really most of Europe's influence in this part of the world started in Panama and then spread out from there. A nice diversion from the sss.

[Infi]

I agree that Princess is unique in their emphasis on the Canal, but I'm glad they offer so many itineraries. Most lines do not offer regular Canal sailings (usually they're just for repositioning from coast to coast), much less on two ships like Princess does.

 

We recently returned from a Christmas cruise to the Canal, partial transit. The so-so itinerary did not matter to us when we booked: we were there for the Canal itself. (Honestly, I suspect most folks are.) It is an engineering marvel, and to see a piece of 100+ year old technology still in use today is fascinating. Watching the ship rise and fall in the locks is really a sight to see. Before this last cruise, I had last been through the canal several times on small ships (probably 25,000 tons) and to go through on a Panamax ship with just 2 feet of clearance on either side was an experience in itself.

I could go through the Canal hundreds of times and still be fascinated. In fact, we had such a great time, I'm looking to book the full transit for Christmas this year. So, as long as Princess or the other lines offer Canal cruises, I'll happily take them.

[geoherb]

We were on the partial transit cruise last month with Infi. We had a great time. The only change I'd suggest to the itinerary would be to skip Jamaica. If possible, add Princess Cays. If not, I'd rather have another day at sea than to go to Jamaica. (We stayed on the ship that day.)

[georoc01]

If you do a full transit, you also get some Pacific ports you wouldn't see in the Caribbean too.

 

Plus there can be a preference for the size of ships that do the Panama Canal over the larger ships that cruise the caribbean.

[DeepWaterMariner]

I think most cruisers eventually want to do a Panama Canal cruise but that probably comes after their interest in island cruising wears thin and they look for new places to sail. We like the canal cruises because of the canal experience and because we'll stop at some Central American ports which, unlike a lot of islands in the Caribbean, have a very different culture in each of their countries. Obviously the demand exists for these cruises or the cruise lines would sail on more profitable itineraries.

[LisaH]

What's special about the itinerary?? It's the Panama Canal itself! It's an engineering marvel considering it was completed almost one hundred years ago. As others have said, the more you learn about the building of the Canal, the more respect you'll have for the folks who built it. It's an awesome structure and certainly should be a part of everyone's "bucket list". I'm quite lucky that I've been able to do the partial transit twice. I'm looking forward to the day that I can complete a full transit! Another special part of that particular itinerary is visiting Costa Rica... quite beautiful...

 

Panama Canal 195 by RickEk, on Flickr

 

And you will love the full transit as well. I hope you get to check this off your "bucket list". We have had the priviledge of doing a full transit twice. We would also like to go back a 3rd time and do a partial. I have no desire to do another full transit due to having to deal with Acapulco on most of them.

[poodlewamp]

We have done all the Caribbean, it was wonderful, but found the Panama Canal fascinating. It really is something you should do at least one time

and I am sure you will thoroughly enjoy it !!!

 

B.J.

19 cruises

[FLACRUISER99]

And you will love the full transit as well. I hope you get to check this off your "bucket list". We have had the priviledge of doing a full transit twice. We would also like to go back a 3rd time and do a partial. I have no desire to do another full transit due to having to deal with Acapulco on most of them.

I'm doing the Canal for the 5th time and headed to Lima on HAL's Rotterdam. You can also book a 30day RT from Ft Lauderdale and get 2 full transits.

[LisaH]

I'm doing the Canal for the 5th time and headed to Lima on HAL's Rotterdam. You can also book a 30day RT from Ft Lauderdale and get 2 full transits.

 

AAAHHHHH, that would be wonderful...but unfortunately (or fortunately) work gets in the way. Maybe when we retire. Thanks for the tip!

[KruzPrincess]

I've done both a full transit and a partial. I'm going back this year. I don't bother much with Caribbean ports anymore and often just stay on the ship. I love the Panama Canal because it's different. I love the day where we go through the locks in the morning, lounge in Lake Gatun for the day and then dock in the afternoon to shop at the market on the pier. I just really enjoy the relaxing day. The Panama Canal is absolutely worth seeing. I like the full transit better, but with limited days off I am choosing the partial transit. If you don't like this kind of thing, maybe another itinerary would be better for you. Also, I agree that they could drop Jamaica and I'd be happy. I'd prefer another sea day.

[LisaH]

I've done both a full transit and a partial. I'm going back this year. I don't bother much with Caribbean ports anymore and often just stay on the ship. I love the Panama Canal because it's different. I love the day where we go through the locks in the morning, lounge in Lake Gatun for the day and then dock in the afternoon to shop at the market on the pier. I just really enjoy the relaxing day. The Panama Canal is absolutely worth seeing. I like the full transit better, but with limited days off I am choosing the partial transit. If you don't like this kind of thing, maybe another itinerary would be better for you. Also, I agree that they could drop Jamaica and I'd be happy. I'd prefer another sea day.

 

 

Yep I agree...and the Canal day is so nice and relaxing and a kind of party atmosphere. On one of our transits, they played Andrea Bocelli's Con Te Partiro (Time to Say Goodbye) and it was really beautiful and brought tears to my eyes.

[texasgirl29]

I appear to be in the minority here but we loved the ports of Mexico, Central America and Jamaica. The Canal was great, relaxing, and interesting. The full transit from Acapulco to Fort Lauderdale was wonderful -- all of it. The flavor of Central America is not like the Caribbean.