Difference Between Partial & Full Panama Canal Cruise

[greatful]

Is a partial good enough????????????

[timbo89]

We have done both (and enjoyed both immensely)

 

Advantages of Full

1. The experience of going all the way along the Canal cut.

2. The feeling of going from one ocean to another.

 

Disadvantages of full

1. Not leaving/returning to same port (often you have to fly to/from Costa Rica) unless you go on a longer trip along to coast of Mexico to California

2. Usually you can't do shore excursions at the Canal.

 

Advantages of Partial

1. Leave/return from same port

2. Usually a little shorter cruise

3. Exploratory shore excursions

 

Disadvantages of Partial

1. An "incomplete" feeling

2. Only going through one set of locks

 

I probably wouldn't elect to go on another Canal cruise for a while (been there, done that, etc...), but certainly enjoyed both cruises.

[psupa]

We did the partial 10-day canal cruise RT from Ft. Lauderdale which was the Lake Gatun Locks (3 locks on the Atlantic side), spent the afternoon cruising Lake Gatun and then back out the same 3 locks. A full canal cruise would be 14 days from east coast to west coast or vice versa and covers both the Atlantic and Pacific (Miraflores Locks) side of the canal. Whatever you decide you will not be disappointed.

[Nitemare]

Princess does the partials and has a great excursion, the Ocean to Ocean boat tour. You take a smaller (200 passenger) boat from Gatun lake to the Pacific, then they bus you back. I think it was better than doing a full transit on your cruiseship because you get right up to the locks and can sense the size of these things. In your cruiseship you dwarf the whole system.

[woodofpine]

If you do a partial, you'll almost certainly return and do a full - the canal is that compelling - although with the widening of the Gaillard Cut a little mystique is lost.

 

On the cruise ship dwarfing the system comment {true} on Ocean Princess 5/01 the ship was carrying a bit more fuel than it should have. As a result, the "wings" off the bridge took out a series of lighting polls along a section of locks before de-capitating an administration building. Needless to say the local authorities weren't to happy about it! I think it prompted our unscheduled stop in Balboa where the cruise line's fine check book was formally requested. Did no damage to the ship - paint scraps notwithstanding.

[canderson]

Is a partial good enough????????????

We've done both with Celebrity, and are about to do the "partial" again in December on Galaxy.

 

The 14nt trip, if time permits, is pretty hard to resist. Besides, you get a certificate, signed by the Captain, suitable for framing, for your transit ;)

 

Seriously -- the full transit was by mutual agreement the best cruise we've taken (Infinity, 12/03). It was nice to go down the west side for the first time since we'd never done the "Mexican Riviera" thing. Didn't find Acapulco any great shakes (probably a matter of expectations), but enjoyed all of the other ports. It was good fun to go through the locks from the Pacific side - perhaps a little more interesting to be under the Bridge of the Americas when you could just barely see, and approach the locks as dawn approached. The cut is really something to see -- you get a real appreciation for just how tough it was. Also, we got 3 excellent sessions from a guy who explained the entire project end to end in gory detail -- he packed the main theater for all 3 seminars!

 

We were on time, but were delayed getting into the locks, so we were a bit late getting out. I never realized that you could drive something that big like a ski boat. After exiting the cut, we moved through the islands on the west side of the lake, and the ship was heeling back and forth so that the coffee in our cups at the buffet was moving around noticably!

 

If you do the "partial" from the Atlantic side, you don't quite get the the same experience overall. That said, one side is better than none, but I'd sure think hard about how nice 14nts can be. We even got a midnight "chocolate lover's buffet" during that cruise. I don't typically do midnight buffets, but had to make an exception for that one.

 

I'd recommend SFO to FLA so that you can enter from the Pacific side (more dramatic), but take it any way you can get it!

[AFT_LOVER]

Boy do you have me super excited now for Nov 20th to get here.

[greatful]

From other board:

 

Thanks for reply you hit the nail on the head wife doesn't want to be gone 16 days, day before & day after + 14 for a total of 16. I double posted wasn't sure where I'd get the response. Thanks again.