partial Panama Canal question by newbie cruiser

[some1else]

We have never cruised and are just starting to research. We would like to travel in January 2012 to celebrate my husband's and a friend's 60th birthday. We are mainly interested in the Panama Canal. I see Princess offers a Ft.Lauderdale trip that is a reasonable price but only does 1 of 3 Panama Canal locks.

 

Has anyone done this cruise? Would we be disappointed by only doing 1/3 of the canal on the ship or do the ferry excursions give the full experience?

 

I look forward to hearing your opinions and please feel free to offer up any other first time cruising advice. Thanks. :)

[Pam in CA]

No, you won't be disappointed since you'll have a full day and can book a tour to go all the way to the Pacific through the locks in a small boat. There are other tours you can take that will go up close and personal to the locks but if it were me, I'd take the small boat tour.

[letscruiseagain&again]

I absolutely agree with Pam. I took the small boat excursion that took us through the locks to the Pacific. Sitting in a smaller boat as the locks fill give a great perspective on the lock system.

[-Lew-]

We did a partial transit of the Panama Canal on the Island Princess in January / February of this year. it was a 10-day cruise with calls in Aruba, Columbia, Costa Rica and Jamaica.

 

If your purpose of taking a Panama Canal cruise is to experience going through the locks, one set of locks should satisfy you...it did us. Transiting the locks was very interesting and quite enjoyable. Although we were scheduled to make a port call in Panama, we didn't.

 

We did ship sponsored excursions in Columbia and Costa Rica that were very interesting. In Ocho Rios we just did a little shopping close to the ship. If you haven't been to Jamaica, there were some interesting excursions available.

 

Lew

[Mindy43]

We did the roundtrip 10-day Panama Canal trip from Ft. Lauderdale and were not disappointed. Sailing through the one lock was an experience that we really enjoyed. We really didn't want to go to Mexico to do the full transit!

[Loonbeam]

There are also a number of threads on this, do a search on partial transit...

 

We're signed up for a partial in 2 months. Given the timeframe, its the best option if you can't take 2 weeks plus...

[spunkie4]

We have taken this cruise twice out of Ft. Lauderdale. Never disappointed. You can take a small boat to the other locks. You will enjoy this cruise, good ports, just enough sea days to rest.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

 

Shirley

[texanslovetotravel]

We did this cruise last November. One set of locks is enough IMO. We did a train ride into Panama City and stopped at one of the other locks for a tour. Really enjoyed seeing the country and people of Panama.

[UpcountryTravelers]

We did this cruise last November. One set of locks is enough IMO. We did a train ride into Panama City and stopped at one of the other locks for a tour. Really enjoyed seeing the country and people of Panama.

 

Agree. We did the same thing on the Island Princess and thoroughly enjoyed it. Aboard ship through one set into the Lake. Then tendered ashore, a bus trip to the Pacific coast including a closeup look at boats transiting another set of locks. Then a train ride back through the jungle to the Gulf side. Awesome trip! In my opinion, a closer look at Panama than would be afforded by a complete transit trip.

[doubletree07]

I absolutely agree with Pam. I took the small boat excursion that took us through the locks to the Pacific. Sitting in a smaller boat as the locks fill give a great perspective on the lock system.

 

 

Pam is right. Take the small boat excursion and you get the best of both worlds. We were on the Coral in March and did just that. You will not be disappointed.

[Richard in Panama]

If you are even thinking about a Panama Canal cruise you need to check out the CC Panama Canal forum under Ports. There is a wealth of information there and at one time or another almost every question has been asked . . . and most answered!

 

A Canal Cruise isn't just another cruise to the Caribbean, but a destination cruise and to get the most out of your voyage you need to do some advance reading and preparation and the CC Panama Canal forum is a good place to start!

 

Regards, Richard

[UandMe4Ever]

We did a partial transit of the Panama Canal on the Island Princess in January / February of this year. it was a 10-day cruise with calls in Aruba, Columbia, Costa Rica and Jamaica.

 

If your purpose of taking a Panama Canal cruise is to experience going through the locks, one set of locks should satisfy you...it did us. Transiting the locks was very interesting and quite enjoyable. Although we were scheduled to make a port call in Panama, we didn't.

 

We did ship sponsored excursions in Columbia and Costa Rica that were very interesting. In Ocho Rios we just did a little shopping close to the ship. If you haven't been to Jamaica, there were some interesting excursions available.

 

Lew

Hi Lew ~

 

Doing this on the IP 10-10, Partial. Sounds perfect to do 1 lock! we also have 2 ship sponsored excursions: Pirate Boat and narration in Columbia and Pontoon ride down the river to banana plantation in Costa Rica.. In Ocho we'll decide later on in the cruise....probably on our own.

 

Thanks so much for posting~ Would love the ferry, but it's way to long a day for us "older folks" and no facilities on either bus for the looooong ride back to the ship LOL..

 

safe sails and thanks again!

 

PS Fell free to add your coments about 1 lock only. Love to know more.

[luvtravel88]

We are doing the partial transit in November and are very excited. We are taking the ship sponsored tour at the canal on the ferry to we can traverse the remaining locks to the Pacific. I'm actually more excited to be doing it this way than going through all the locks on the ship. We'll get a different perspective this way.

[cibaygirls]

Hi, After a couple of weeks of doing the same research, i decided to do a partial transit vs. the full. There were many factors: time off from work, still able to get the "through the canal" experience through smaller boat excursion, airfare.

 

In making the decision I am now very comfortable with doing a partial! Hope you are confident in whatever decision you make.

[UandMe4Ever]

We did a partial transit of the Panama Canal on the Island Princess in January / February of this year. it was a 10-day cruise with calls in Aruba, Columbia, Costa Rica and Jamaica.

 

If your purpose of taking a Panama Canal cruise is to experience going through the locks, one set of locks should satisfy you...it did us. Transiting the locks was very interesting and quite enjoyable. Although we were scheduled to make a port call in Panama, we didn't.

 

We did ship sponsored excursions in Columbia and Costa Rica that were very interesting. In Ocho Rios we just did a little shopping close to the ship. If you haven't been to Jamaica, there were some interesting excursions available.

 

Lew

 

Morning Lew,

I think I ppsted to you before. Your info is great!! If you are so inclined, we would very much appreciate it if you could please tell us how the Panama Canal day goes staying on the ship?? Are we docked or do we 'sail'' through the locks until we get to Colon (abouit 5:00, where we are docked till about 9:00 pm)... Any info about this day will be so important to us, as we have decided to stay on the ship... Still unsure about what we're doing in Ocho, as we've been to M'ville in Grand turk and I'm sure it's the same....

Thanks in advance for taking the time to help us out. Going on 10-10 Island Princess.

Safe sails to you always:)

[newmexicoNita]

We have never cruised and are just starting to research. We would like to travel in January 2012 to celebrate my husband's and a friend's 60th birthday. We are mainly interested in the Panama Canal. I see Princess offers a Ft.Lauderdale trip that is a reasonable price but only does 1 of 3 Panama Canal locks.

 

Has anyone done this cruise? Would we be disappointed by only doing 1/3 of the canal on the ship or do the ferry excursions give the full experience?

 

I look forward to hearing your opinions and please feel free to offer up any other first time cruising advice. Thanks. :)

 

We did a similar one on HAL and were very happy. In fact I don't know if we would do the full canal. Not because we wouldn't to see it, but because there are so many at sea days, getting from there to Mexico or wherever. Hubby isn't into sea days.

 

NIta

[Phyljim]

We have done both, partial and full. Both have great points. As many others have pointed out, on the partial it is ideal to transport to the other side, and take a small boat through the canal. You really get a feel for the canal when you are in a small boat. We were on a people ferry, sharing the lock with several tug boats, some smaller boats. Was quite an experience.

[itzmered]

We did this cruise last January and loved it. We felt going through the 1st set of locks was a wonderful experience and then chose to go to the Embera Village to see more of Panama. Here is my review of the cruise with some pics if you are interested http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1353078

[katisdale]

I think the partial is great. However you won't get to see the Gaillard Cut unless you take the small boat to the pacific. I read David McCullough's "Path between the Seas" and Richard Dietrich's "Cruising the Panama Canal" (not 100% certain on the last title but the author is correct).

[katisdale]

I think the partial is great. If you don't take the small boat to the pacific you will miss the Gaillard Cut which I think is worth seeing. I read the books "The Path Between the Seas" by David Mccullough and Richard Detrich's "Cruising the Panama Canal" before we went. Both books helped me enjoy the trip even more.

[caribill]

Are we docked or do we 'sail'' through the locks until we get to Colon (abouit 5:00, where we are docked till about 9:00 pm)... Any info about this day will be so important to us, as we have decided to stay on the ship.....

 

Thanks in advance for taking the time to help us out. Going on 10-10 Island Princess.

 

Safe sails to you always:)

 

Since yours is a partial transit, the ship will go through the three locks and into Gatun Lake. After a while there, the ship will go back through the locks and then dock at Colon.

[UandMe4Ever]

Since yours is a partial transit, the ship will go through the three locks and into Gatun Lake. After a while there, the ship will go back through the locks and then dock at Colon.

 

Thanks so much! That will be absolutely perfect for us:) Wondering if we should bother to get off (if we can) in Colon for a little bit? :confused: It's near dinnertime, but we have Anytime dining. If there's something to see right at the pier, we would consider it. Even if I can only get a "magnet" from Panama;)

Thanks again. Looking forward to your answer.

Safe sails always!

[jff50]

I think the partial is great. However you won't get to see the Gaillard Cut unless you take the small boat to the pacific. I read David McCullough's "Path between the Seas" and Richard Dietrich's "Cruising the Panama Canal" (not 100% certain on the last title but the author is correct).

I think focusing on whether or not you get to go through the 2 sets of Pacific locks misses the point. I like the small boat (or full transit) because it is the only way to go through the Culebra Cut (I've seen the cut referred to as both the Culebra and Gaillard Cut--I prefer using Culebra to naming the cut after a US Army engineer). The greatest challenge in building the canal was not the locks--it was the excavation of the cut. The small boat also takes you under the Centennial Bridge and the Bridge of the Americas, which is pretty neat.

 

I'd suggest reading The Path Between the Seas before you decide on what you do with your day at the canal. It gives you a good perspective on what was involved, and could affect what you want to see.

[RyGuy84]

Thanks so much! That will be absolutely perfect for us:) Wondering if we should bother to get off (if we can) in Colon for a little bit? :confused: It's near dinnertime, but we have Anytime dining. If there's something to see right at the pier, we would consider it. Even if I can only get a "magnet" from Panama;)

 

Thanks again. Looking forward to your answer.

 

Safe sails always!

 

There are port excursions that you can take...you actually get off the boat in Gatun Lake and I believe take a small boat to land. Then you go on an excursion and meet back up with the boat where it docks in Colon.

 

Alternatively, there are some shops and such near the port where you can get off for a bit and walk around and shop.

 

I will be going on this cruise in October.

[UandMe4Ever]

There are port excursions that you can take...you actually get off the boat in Gatun Lake and I believe take a small boat to land. Then you go on an excursion and meet back up with the boat where it docks in Colon.

 

Alternatively, there are some shops and such near the port where you can get off for a bit and walk around and shop.

 

I will be going on this cruise in October.

 

Thank you! We go 10-10! I'm sure it will all be amazing! Have a wonderful cruise:)