Regatta: Panama Canal

[mgfraser]

Hi Everyone,

 

Would someone recommend where on the Regatta is the best place to view the Panama Canal crossing? We are on the Regatta Panama Canal cruise Aug 22nd.

 

Thank you.

 

Malcolm

[JimandStan]

Hi Everyone,

 

Would someone recommend where on the Regatta is the best place to view the Panama Canal crossing? We are on the Regatta Panama Canal cruise Aug 22nd.

 

Thank you.

 

Malcolm

 

The very best place would be from the Veranda of an Owners Suite, a Vista Suite, or one of the four "Standard Veranda" cabins 6000,6001, 6090 & 6093 on Deck 6, or 7000, 7001, 7116 & 7121 on Deck 7 which face directly forward or aft.

 

If you are speaking about Public Spaces, however, then the best views would be from the Horizons nightclub on Deck 10, if you prefer to be indoors:

Or the Terrace of the Buffet Restaurant on deck 9

Alternatively, the private Cabanas up on the Deck 11 Sundeck provide seating which is much more comfortable and a semblance of climate and Sun control.

These Cabanas may be rented out for either the full cruise or by the day at rates which are cruise dependent (check with Oceania or your Agent for actual costs), but you will never secure one for the single day of your Canal Crossing, unless you reserve the full voyage.

[mgfraser]

Thanks Jim & Stan!

[Marebear]

We reserved a cabana for the entire cruise during the Panama Canal crossing and on that particular day we were asked to leave all the curtains open so that others could see also which we were happy to do.

[Mura]

We were on Regatta for the Panama Canal back in 2003 ... or was it 2004?

 

Anyway, we had a towards the rear PH (8057). We started out up top for the approach, and then after a while we went down to our veranda. I did get good shots from there but it's true that forward or aft is the best.

 

For the end we went up to Terrace ...

 

If an Owner's or Vista isn't in the offing, then there are plenty of places from where you can get great photos. Or views!

 

Mura

[YoHoHo]

A significant drawback to the cabanas is the blue glass for the windscreens. Your camera if like ours might well be more sensitive to the blue than your eyes. Check the first few photos. The photos from our main camera are so much bluer than what we saw with our eyes the photos are mostly useless. So we had a great view but to get a photo had to find a place on the (possibly crowded) rail.

 

As for climate control we fortunately did not need the mister except for a couple of times. Ours did not mist but shot a stream of water direct onto the lounger. Despite several complaints & requests for follow-up it was never fixed - we booked the cabana for the whole cruise. Near the end a crew member from engineering came to look at it and was surprised when I told him him it did not work from day one. The fix was to turn off the water completely. I heard from friends who had a cabana on the other side that had more afternoon sun that the mister was very enjoyable. If it had been more needed I would have been more insistent but I hate to turn into a complainer. After a couple of requests it should be fixed so it was part my fault that I let it go.

 

As for booking just for a day there were only two of the cabanas booked the whole cruise.

 

Other than the transit day it was very quiet up there (exception being the happily partying occupants in the other cabana (hi TKS :) ) So the fun is what you make of it. All the cabanas were booked for the day of the transit, some shared with another couple. I don't know if they booked ahead or on board.

 

If you want one, for the day or the whole cruise I definitely suggest booking ahead.

 

As for leaving the curtains open only the two of us who had booked the whole cruise did this on our own; no one from the ship asked if we would. All the others had them closed and firmly kept them closed. I say this because I am sure they could hear the comments from pax who passed by hoping they could see forward.

 

I could not imagine closing them and shutting everyone else out. In fact I felt somewhat uncomfortable as it was with everyone standing behind the rope and us on the other side lounging. It did end up being a bit of a party atmosphere leaving the curtains open.

 

early on on transit day at one point I left for a bit and left the rope open. When I returned the cabana was mostly filled with folks all standing at the window with DW on the lounger with the only view being their back-sides. I was so astounded I was a little louder asking them to leave than I would have liked (sometimes the take-charge in me takes over). Still I was polite and tried to be light about it but even at that there were a couple who lingered. Lesson learned.

 

Other than transit day we did have the curtains mostly closed. We enjoyed using the cabana for our own quiet time for the rest of the cruise though it was expensive and we did socialize less with others on the ship.

 

I would book a cabana for at least a few days on our upcoming Alaska cruise for the great views but hesitate because of the blue glass.

 

I would book it again for the canal transit and take more advantage of the included services. They will serve tea time to you up top, an attendant daily will set you up with drinks and fruit skewers, and likely most everything else you ask for, i.e. the wonderful hand made hard ice cream milkshakes or fruit smoothies or a burger from Waves, but we tend to be reserved with such requests. Making good use of the offered services I am sure adds to the enjoyment.

[orchestrapal]

If you can get an Owners Suite, or be invited in by someone that has one, you can leave the TV on showing the front of the ship entering the canal and then watch the best part, the ship leaving and the ships behind the Regatta entering! Refreshments will always supplied for both the cabin and large balcony! :D

[Iceberg 3]

A significant drawback to the cabanas is the blue glass for the windscreens. Your camera if like ours might well be more sensitive to the blue than your eyes. Check the first few photos. The photos from our main camera are so much bluer than what we saw with our eyes the photos are mostly useless. So we had a great view but to get a photo had to find a place on the (possibly crowded) rail.

 

I believe there are photo services companies who can get the blue out of those pictures. With the right software it is very doable

[RetiredFL]

When we did the canal on Regatta those who reserved cabanas were not too happy as large groups of people were standing behind each cabana and often going into the cabanas to take pictures. There was no ship's crew to stop them.

Actually, with the blue glass, other areas of the ship are just as good. We did a lot of viewing from the running track and the terrace cafe.

The canal is somewhat boring for most of the trip as you are in the lake where you really don't see much. The first couple of locks are interesting and then it is sort of ho-hum. By the exiting set of locks there were few people up on deck as it was happy hour/dinner.

 

That being said, the cruise is still very worth while and the canal is definitely worth a transit. It is still one of the wonders of the world. We have done it twice.

 

A good book on the canal such as "The Path Between the Seas" will make the transit much more interesting.