Port or Starboard on Panama Canal

[JAYBEEPEA]

We are looking to book Island Princess in November for Eastbound Panama Canal from Los Angeles to Fort Lauderdale. Is there any preference to port or starboard side with regards to view, sun etc. We hope to be on Aloha deck.

[Colo Cruiser]

We are looking to book Island Princess in November for Eastbound Panama Canal from Los Angeles to Fort Lauderdale. Is there any preference to port or starboard side with regards to view, sun etc. We hope to be on Aloha deck.

 

It does not really matter for view as you could enter either side of the locks. They won't know until they approach.

Make sure you use the forward and aft viewing areas!

Because of the teen area on Aloha you they don't have an aft area, you would have to go down to Baja/Caribe/Dolphin or Emerald.

 

Here is a great website for the Island/Coral.

 

http://mysite.verizon.net/res76zxu/princessbalconies/index.html

 

 

Edited March 24, 2014 by Colo Cruiser

[Jim Avery]

I agree, it doesn't really matter. The lane used will be assigned by the Canal authorities. Both sides have very interesting views. It is a remarkable part of the voyage.

[OCruisers]

It really doesn't matter which side. No way to know in advance.

Will say we like a balcony on the lowest passenger deck. It's hard to see from too high up. It's a long day so you will probably enjoy spending some time in your cabin.

LuLu

~~~

[Putterdude]

We had a starboard side on an east west transit and were very pleased with it. Next time we will do port side but we certainly didn't feel we missed anything being on the starboard side.

[f-mattox]

I think Putterdude missed the point that it doesn't matter which side you are on because there is no way of knowing in advance which side of the canal you will be going through.

[GradUT]

Unless you plan to spend all day on the ship and will want a place to relax, it doesn't really matter where your room is located because you'll probably want to be on the forward deck listening to the commentary as you go through the locks. We found that location was the best on the ship--much better than our balcony.

[Pam in CA]

I disagree with the others to a certain extent. No matter which set of locks you go through, I think the more interesting side to view the locks when sailing from LA to FLL is the starboard side. However, you don't want to stay on your balcony as you'll miss the commentary which is broadcast only on public decks. You should move around the ship, go forward and/or aft to the public decks and/or Promenade deck.

[Colo Cruiser]

Yes by all means travel around the ship during the transit.

[Yehootu]

We are on starboard side for LAX-FLL next month. Only negative I've heard is sun. We booked late and have a uncovered Dolphin mini. I have 2 6 foot beach umbrellas and bungee cords to set them up on my balcony for shade. At the beach almost everyday, but you have to protect your skin.

Tim

[Colo Cruiser]

We are on starboard side for LAX-FLL next month. Only negative I've heard is sun. We booked late and have a uncovered Dolphin mini. I have 2 6 foot beach umbrellas and bungee cords to set them up on my balcony for shade. At the beach almost everyday, but you have to protect your skin.

Tim

 

 

Yes that will be sweet, are they the same colour?

[Putterdude]

I think Putterdude missed the point that it doesn't matter which side you are on because there is no way of knowing in advance which side of the canal you will be going through.

 

I don't think I missed any point at all, perhaps you missed the point, i was pointing out our experience and what we would do next time.

[f-mattox]

Fair enough. :)

[MSN-Travelers]

Was stationed in the Canal Zone and have cruised it on the LA to FLL itinerary.

 

The locks are the locks and being in the right or left lanes doesn't change where the maintenance & admin buildings are located. The majority of the infrastructure supporting the CZ and the individual locks will be located on the starboard side of the ship on the LA-FLL route.

 

After that, Pam is correct. You may want to spend some time on your balcony but you really want to be out and about viewing things from bow/stern other vantage points.

 

Enjoy!

[as19111]

Everyone is correct in that you want to move around the ship as you transit the canals.

 

On our sailing from LA to FLL we had a port side cabin. As we sailed through the Gatun Lake, we passed the QE sailing from FLL to LA. It was a great moment that I was able to capture on video. The two ships blew their horns and all of us cheered each other from our port side balconies and public decks. You also see all the other ships that are passing through on their way to LA. The distance across is not that far. The ships are very close! My grandson loves to watch this video...two years later!

 

In addition, we did not have the intense afternoon sun until we reached the Atlantic. At that point we had to keep the drapes drawn to maintain a cooler cabin temp, whether or not we were on the balcony.

[Putterdude]

Just picking up on the point of moving around the ship while in the locks, one thing that a found fascinating was viewing the walls of the locks from one of the interior lounges windows as we descended.

[swedish weave]

As you enter the canal from the Pacific side, you will need to go to the port side of the ship if you want to see the new lock construction.

[Gimer]

It takes about 8 to 10 hours to transit the canal. You can move port to starboard to view it. Since it's an Engineering's Marvel, we took the cruise east and west bound. Spectacular:D.

Some facts:

1. 48 miles long.

2. United States uses it the most.

3. Average usage per day - 40 ships.

4. 26,000 died during it's construction.

5. Highest paid toll was the Disney Magic 2008---$331,000 USD

6. Smallest toll, 1928 R. Halliburton swam the canal.--.36 Cent. His weight.

7. 60 million pounds of dynamite used.

8. Fastest transit--2 hr. 41 min. by the US Navy Hydrofoil Pegasus in 1979.

Have a great cruise, you'll love it.

[IECalCruiser]

I'll add my two cents worth. Going through the locks it probably doesn't make much difference. However, if you are doing a full transit on the ship the side of the ship you are on does make a difference. The Panama Canal actually runs mostly north to south rather than east to west. When you transit east bound you will actually be sailing north and slightly west during your transit. Many of the sights are on the east side of the canal including Panama City, some of the maintenance facilities along the way and the Chagres River. You can also wave at the people in the viewing stands on the east side as you pass through the Miraflores locks. As a result, I would recommend a balcony on the starboard side for an eastbound transit. Your balcony will also be in the shade during the afternoon.

 

You do want to move around the ship during some of your transit to see the sights, but it takes around seven hours and you will want to relax in you cabin some of the time. As someone else said, go down to the the Patisserie on Plaza deck and watch as that part of the ship drops below the locks. You can get up close and personal with the canal. We had a Plaza deck oceanview cabin and did that for the Pedro Miguel lock. As you near the Gatun locks the Chagres river dam is on the port side. We actually did the Gatun locks transit from the Horizon Court which is forward on Lido deck. There are windows all around and it was cool and comfortable. There were doors on both sides and you could go out for a better view or to take pictures. Out table was back from the windows but still worked well.

[JAYBEEPEA]

Thank you all for your replies. Cruise is booked and have taken starboard option but we will certainly be outside as much as possible passing through the canal.

[BillB48]

Thank you all for your replies. Cruise is booked and have taken starboard option but we will certainly be outside as much as possible passing through the canal.

 

I would agree that there are a few more visual nuggets on the starboard side going in the direction you will be traveling. However that doesn't mean the port side is a throw away:D! As pointed out earlier, if you wish to see anything of the construction of the new expansion locks and all the earth moving that is going on Pacific side, you will need to check out the port side. Depending on which lane your ship will use at each of the locks will also determine as to how much interaction with the locks you will be treated to as your ship locks through. IMO the side of the ship that faces the center wall usually offer more to look at in terms of the "mules" and other ships in the lock. You may use the same lane at all the locks or you may be treated to a mixture of lanes. After you clear Gaillard Cut and begin your passage across Gatun Lake, if you go and homestead your balcony which would seem like a good time for that, you will miss seeing the ship traffic coming the opposite way.

 

One other little treat if the clouds in the morning cooperate... Be sure to catch the sunrise on the starboard side while you are still in the Pacific. Later that day when the ship has cleared the Canal, be sure to watch the sun set in the Atlantic (ok, Caribbean to be precise). Try that anywhere else without some sort of supersonic aircraft!

 

Enjoy.

[Baronbob]

Traveling LA to FLL Dec 2018. Can someone give advice as to LA to canal, port or starboard regarding sun? Is one side cooler and oneside warmer?

 

Thanks so much

[cruisingthomas]

There is not much difference, but sailing East-West, I’d suggest Port by a bit (original canal).

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[that]

I disagree with the others to a certain extent. No matter which set of locks you go through, I think the more interesting side to view the locks when sailing from LA to FLL is the starboard side. However, you don't want to stay on your balcony as you'll miss the commentary which is broadcast only on public decks. You should move around the ship, go forward and/or aft to the public decks and/or Promenade deck.

 

 

Agree with Pam 100% on almost everything ever posted

 

Starboard!

[Sacto Rick]

This is an old thread, I wonder how the OP enjoyed it.

 

Anyhow, we did the canal from the starboard side when we went from east to west. For the most part it doesn't really matter as you can wander the ship and see from both sides.

 

This time we were going to do the same thing(portside but same view) but the Future Cruise Consultant told us to get the starboard side for the transit from SF to Ft. Lauderdale. This way, we could view Panama City from the room if we chose.

Edited January 31, 2018 by Sacto Rick