Full Transit

[PhillynBill]

Can someone let me know if going from FLL to San Diego or LA automatically means you do a full transit??

 

It is very confusing- I'm trying to pick a itenarary that doesnt do many Mexico Ports but I want a full transit.

 

Thanks,

 

Philly n Bill

[sptrout]

Yep, not much of any other way to get to those ports without doing a full transit. However, if you are looking at a month long cruise then they could go all the way around South America (just kidding:)). BTW - - San Diego makes for a great end (or start) to a cruise since it is so close to the airport and downtown.

[PhillynBill]

OK thanks !

[Richard in Panama]

An alternate way is to do a 10-day trip round trip from Florida. The ship will go through the Atlantic Locks (Gatun) and then disembark guests who want to do shore excursions in Gatun Lake. The ship then goes back through the same set of locks to Colon where late in the afternoon it picks up all those guests who got off in Gatun Lake for shore excursions.

 

You book the Panama Canal Ferry excursion which takes you, on a small ferry boat, through the rest of the Canal to the Pacific side, where you board a bus that takes you back across Panama to meet the ship. No Mexico. And you get a chance to see some of Panama as well as experiencing the Canal from both a giant cruise ship as well as a smaller ferry boat.

 

Regards, Richard

[BillB48]

Take a look here.. http://www.princess.com/find/itineraryDetails.do?voyageCode=6208&tourCode=&date=0312&noOfPax=2&resType=C&definition_name=&bID=PCPB&itinPort=&tourIds=

 

After you leave Puntarenas your next stop is LA, lots of sea days but that might be OK if you wish to bypass some of the Mexican ports.

[Arlened236]

We are doing the Coral princess from LA to FLL (full transit) with no MExican stops ...in Feb 2012...that is why we chose this itenarary. This cruise also goes in reverse from FLL to LA.

check it out.

[lcmslady]

I'm having the same struggle - want to do a full transit but really don't want to do the Mexican ports. But also don't want 5 or 6 sea days while we cruise along the Mexican coast.

 

Looked at the Princess 10 day but my travel partner wants to go to Guatemala (no clue why).

 

I'll probably end up staying on board and enjoying a quiet ship when we stop in Mexico.....

[pilotdane]

Don't count Guatemala out. Antigua is a beautiful colonial city without the heckling sales people of Cartagena or Acapulco once you get away from the bus drop off points. I'd get a ride to the city either privately or through a cruise excursion, find the bus pickup time & location and ditch their museum tour and walk around town free of the tourist mob. And, stop into a cafe and try the Xochitl (cho-chitel) soup (smoked turkey & jalapeno). It's my favorite.

[Richard in Panama]

Agree with Pilotdane, Antigua is great! The problem with the shore excursion is that you don't have enough time to just wander around. I've done it with the excursion but I've also done it where a group of the staff and entertainers just got together and found a van for the day: that was great!

 

Regards, Richard

[Cornishpastyman1]

I thought it was great too, and made this from a HAL excursion

Tony

[PhillynBill]

Thanks all - might do the Feb 2012 LA to FLL or what Richard suggested sounds good to me also! Still researching

 

PhillynBill

[lcmslady]

Don't count Guatemala out. Antigua is a beautiful colonial city without the heckling sales people of Cartagena or Acapulco once you get away from the bus drop off points. I'd get a ride to the city either privately or through a cruise excursion, find the bus pickup time & location and ditch their museum tour and walk around town free of the tourist mob. And, stop into a cafe and try the Xochitl (cho-chitel) soup (smoked turkey & jalapeno). It's my favorite.

 

thanks for the info!

Now the decision is to do it with Princess and have all those sea days or to do it with Celebrity and just stay on a quiet ship while everyone else gets off.

[AlanAllyn]

Thanks all - might do the Feb 2012 LA to FLL or what Richard suggested sounds good to me also! Still researching

 

PhillynBill

I have done what Richard suggests and enjoyed it very much.

[Quasar1011]

You book the Panama Canal Ferry excursion which takes you, on a small ferry boat, through the rest of the Canal to the Pacific side, where you board a bus that takes you back across Panama to meet the ship. No Mexico. And you get a chance to see some of Panama as well as experiencing the Canal from both a giant cruise ship as well as a smaller ferry boat.

 

Regards, Richard

 

Richard,

I'm hoping to do a cruise out of Colon, but my plane from Los Angeles lands in Panama City. I was thinking of doing the Gray Line Transit one

way, and the Panama Canal Railway on the way back. We would arrive an

extra day early to do the Gray Line. Do you recommend this as a comprehensive transit?

[doodlesinkentucky]

An alternate way is to do a 10-day trip round trip from Florida. The ship will go through the Atlantic Locks (Gatun) and then disembark guests who want to do shore excursions in Gatun Lake. The ship then goes back through the same set of locks to Colon where late in the afternoon it picks up all those guests who got off in Gatun Lake for shore excursions.

 

You book the Panama Canal Ferry excursion which takes you, on a small ferry boat, through the rest of the Canal to the Pacific side, where you board a bus that takes you back across Panama to meet the ship. No Mexico. And you get a chance to see some of Panama as well as experiencing the Canal from both a giant cruise ship as well as a smaller ferry boat.

 

Regards, Richard

 

 

Richard please help!!! We want to see the most of the canal we can in 10 days. Would you suggest the Coral in March 2013. It is a round trip from Fla. Thanks much

[BillB48]

As you can probably tell this isn't Richard but maybe I can help. I looked at the Coral for the time frame you noted and that is a partial transit cruise. That cruise will take you through Gatun Locks in the morning and if you wish to see more of the Canal you will need to take this tour:

 

PC1-615 | Panama Canal, Panama

 

from $159

approx. 6 hours

 

 

 

Experience the full wonder of the Panama Canal with a crossing of the canal by tour boat on this daylong adventure. This is the only tour that enables you to experience the other two sets of locks that control ship traffic and cruise through "The Cut." Sail across Miraflores Lake to the Miraflores Locks and enjoy a light lunch during your scenic cruise.

 

If you have the time, a full transit is best to see the Canal, but this cruise and tour at the Canal is an excellent alternative. In doing this cruise/tour you will have seen about 70% of the Canal and some of the best parts of the Canal at that. The only portion of the Canal you will miss is the sail across Gatun Lake from Gatun Locks to Gamboa. The trip across the Lake is great but in all honesty that is the portion of the transit where passengers tend to take it easy and just sit back and watch the scenery go by.

[doodlesinkentucky]

As you can probably tell this isn't Richard but maybe I can help. I looked at the Coral for the time frame you noted and that is a partial transit cruise. That cruise will take you through Gatun Locks in the morning and if you wish to see more of the Canal you will need to take this tour:

 

PC1-615 | Panama Canal, Panama

 

from $159

approx. 6 hours

 

 

 

Experience the full wonder of the Panama Canal with a crossing of the canal by tour boat on this daylong adventure. This is the only tour that enables you to experience the other two sets of locks that control ship traffic and cruise through "The Cut." Sail across Miraflores Lake to the Miraflores Locks and enjoy a light lunch during your scenic cruise.

 

If you have the time, a full transit is best to see the Canal, but this cruise and tour at the Canal is an excellent alternative. In doing this cruise/tour you will have seen about 70% of the Canal and some of the best parts of the Canal at that. The only portion of the Canal you will miss is the sail across Gatun Lake from Gatun Locks to Gamboa. The trip across the Lake is great but in all honesty that is the portion of the transit where passengers tend to take it easy and just sit back and watch the scenery go by.

 

 

 

Bill, thanks so very much. I really wish we could take a full transit but we can only take 10 days and we like the idea of leaving from Fla! Again, greatly appreciate your help and these boards to help me sort things out:)

[Azulann]

Just booked a full transit on the Celebrity Century.Got a SV state room on the aft of ship!! It is over Christmas 2012. We will be going thru the canal on Christmas eve. A sea day on Christmas day and New Year Eve we will be in Puerto Vallarta, one of my favorite places in Mexico. Been to both Guatemala and Costa Rica, looking forward to Columbia and Colon Panama.

 

Those who are nervous about Mexico ports,relax. I have been going to Mexico each winter to resort areas and they are fine. Any problems are in the northern part of country. Wish we were stopping in Huatulco MX. It is a wonderful quiet area.

 

What I am worried about is getting half way decent airfare during this upcoming holiday season. Will try to book as soon as airfares are posted. Hope to use some FF miles for one of the flights...

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Yes you will and it is great .