Port or Starboard?

[augies]

We're doing the Panama Canal partial transit in Dec., 2014 round trip from Ft. Lauderdale. Is port or starboard better for viewing the canal?

Thanks.

[Colo Cruiser]

We're doing the Panama Canal partial transit in Dec., 2014 round trip from Ft. Lauderdale. Is port or starboard better for viewing the canal?

Thanks.

 

Here is a new thread from yesterday on the same thing....

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2065881

[PoohUnderstands]

In a nutshell, you will not want to be on your balcony during your transit thru the Gatun locks. Usually your trip starts very early in the a.m. You want to be up early and go to the bow of the ship on the buffet area and secure a table. Here you can have a breakfast as you watch your approach to the locks. As the time goes on you will want to go aft and get that view of where you have been. Also you will want to go out on the promenade, both sides and watch as you go higher and lower, very cool. You really don't even want to be on your balcony as you will miss too much! Maybe on your return you can just stay on your balcony as you will have seen everything. Have a great cruise.

 

Pooh

[Keith1010]

It does not matter what side of the ship you are on.

 

The key is to view the Panama Canal from the open deck and that includes bow, aft port and starboard and not only from one of the top open decks but also from lower decks.

 

Keith

[onefine89]

Yes.........be up early am at sunrise as the ship will be proceeding towards the locks early sunrise. Your cabin can be anywhere cause you need to be moving around on the decks from all view points on the ship to get different pics of the scenery and the process of moving ships thru the locks.

 

A great experience!

[skynight]

We're doing the Panama Canal partial transit in Dec., 2014 round trip from Ft. Lauderdale. Is port or starboard better for viewing the canal?

Thanks.

Neither, the upper open decks are the best location to view and experience the canal, and hear the commentary. You need to be able to walk from side to side, front to back, to get the full experience. When you are in your cabin you are able to tune into the commentary on your cabin TV. The channel should be mentioned in the Princess Patter.

 

Be prepared to wake up very early. I've been through the canal 4 times and each time we started our entrance around 6am.

[nukesubsailor]

If you want to view the approach to the locks while eating breakfast in the Horizon Court, you will have a good view. You may find, as I did, that you will have a hard time finding a seat. It seems there are a good sized number of inconsiderate passengers who hog the tables even if they are not eating or have finished eating.

[satxdiver]

We have done both the partial and thru canal trips. Both times the ship started the approach to the first locks before daybreak. The ship camera broadcast on your TV is pointed at the bow and commentary is provided on the progress to and through the canal. The ship's photographers get off the ship first and will be standing on the lock walls taking pictures. Pax are encouraged to make signs to be displayed on their balconies when going through the locks. Maybe your picture will show up in the photo gallery later.

 

The popular excursions book up fast so don't delay getting a reservation. On the partial we did the train and it was closed weeks before the ship left port.

 

In answer to the OP's queston, it does not matter which side of the ship you are on. The canal has two parallel locks at each location and the ship will either be in the left or right set of locks depending on what they get assigned that morning. There will be another ship, usually container ship, in the other lock when you go through headed in the same direction you are. At the Gatun locks traffic is east to west in the morning and they reverse it in the afternoon.