Port or Starboard for eastbound Panama Canal transit

[Worldtraveler 4727]

Hello fellow cruisers~

Can anyone tell me which side of the ship would have the most AFTERNOON SHADE on a (covered) balcony for a cruise through the Panama via west coast TO east coast? This would be a September cruise. I'm expecting it to be pretty warm yet. Would that be correct?

TIA

[CruiserBruce]

As the course is really not west to east, but somewhat south east to Northwest, the starboard side towards the stern could be the shadiest. However, the ship is moving, and not on a fixed course. I would say you are way overthinking this to try to book a cabin based on shade for a couple hours of a 15 or more day cruise.

 

 

Yes, the Canal will be hot and humid.

[dsrdsrdsr]

September, the sun is over the equator, and Panama is 6 degrees north of the equator, so you want the north side of the ship.

 

And crossing from west coast to east coast, you sail (counter-intuitively) on average in a north-westerly direction. So you want the starboard side of the ship for the shade, because the sun will be shining from the south and south-west, ie. the left hand side of the ship.

[Worldtraveler 4727]

September, the sun is over the equator, and Panama is 6 degrees north of the equator, so you want the north side of the ship.

 

And crossing from west coast to east coast, you sail (counter-intuitively) on average in a north-westerly direction. So you want the starboard side of the ship for the shade, because the sun will be shining from the south and south-west, ie. the left hand side of the ship.

 

Thank you dsrdsrdsr! Exactly what I was looking for. Much obliged.

[Velvetwater]

I would just like to add that on our cruise most people either camped up front or moved around the deck so I am sure whichever Balcony you choose it will be fine. :)

[Keith1010]

I would not worry about what side you are on.

 

When you view the Canal you will do so in the morning and maybe early afternoon.

 

You should view the Canal from various places on board the ship and I would not spend much of anytime viewing it from your balcony.

 

View it from the top open deck but not just from the bow (forward). Move around and view it from the stern (back) and from each side. Then view it from some of the lower decks.

 

My focus would be on getting a good cabin location in terms of where you are on the deck.

 

I have taken many a Panama Canal Cruise and this has been our experience.

 

Keith

[CruiserBruce]

September, the sun is over the equator, and Panama is 6 degrees north of the equator, so you want the north side of the ship.

 

And crossing from west coast to east coast, you sail (counter-intuitively) on average in a north-westerly direction. So you want the starboard side of the ship for the shade, because the sun will be shining from the south and south-west, ie. the left hand side of the ship.

 

 

Ah, the starboard side of the ship is the right side of the ship. Port side is left. Same advice as mine...

[dorisis]

Best advise is to get out of your cabin and move around while travelling thru the canal.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Either side will be fine.

Port side you will see some of the new canal.

Starboard side you may see the train.

[Worldtraveler 4727]

Hello fellow cruisers~

Can anyone tell me which side of the ship would have the most AFTERNOON SHADE on a (covered) balcony for a cruise through the Panama via west coast TO east coast? This would be a September cruise. I'm expecting it to be pretty warm yet. Would that be correct?

TIA

 

I am not concerned about the ONE DAY of passage through the Canal but more concerned about the sea days of the 18 day cruise and the shadiest side of the ship.

Starboard, it is.

[CruiserBruce]

I am not concerned about the ONE DAY of passage through the Canal but more concerned about the sea days of the 18 day cruise and the shadiest side of the ship.

Starboard, it is.

 

 

That is an entirely different question. As you sail down the west coast, the starboard side will be sunny in the afternoons. Probably port side would be best. Port is the LEFT side of the ship.

[marco]

As others have stated, the better views are from up on the top open decks. Especially whilst going down, coming up and being in a lock, all you'll see is a cement wall 5 ft away.

[MSN-Travelers]

I am not concerned about the ONE DAY of passage through the Canal but more concerned about the sea days of the 18 day cruise and the shadiest side of the ship.

Starboard, it is.

 

While sailing south on the Pacific you will have direct sun on the port side in the morning and starboard side in the late afternoon. After the canal transit, you will be on a general easterly course with sun mostly overhead throughout the day. The final run north to Florida will be the reverse of the Pacific side.

 

So . . . You really have to decide if you want "more" shade in the afternoon at beginning of the cruise or at the end of the cruise. I don't know your exact itinerary but suspect you will have the majority of your sea days on the end of the cruise.

 

Enjoy!

Edited October 1, 2015 by MSN-Travelers

[Flatbush Flyer]

Ah, the starboard side of the ship is the right side of the ship. Port side is left. Same advice as mine...

 

 

Not when you are facing aft or, for a variety of reasons, are unsure which direction you are facing. This is a real issue in transmitting position (in relation to landmarks/traffic) to coast guards for all sorts of maritime emergencies on all sizes of craft. In fact, if at all, the only place you may ever see "left/right" displayed on a ship is on a sign in front of the helm (to assure correct language use in steering orders).

[CruiserBruce]

Not when you are facing aft or, for a variety of reasons, are unsure which direction you are facing. This is a real issue in transmitting position (in relation to landmarks/traffic) to coast guards for all sorts of maritime emergencies on all sizes of craft. In fact, if at all, the only place you may ever see "left/right" displayed on a ship is on a sign in front of the helm (to assure correct language use in steering orders).

 

 

The very common application of direction on the ship is as if your are looking from the stern forward to the bow. In which case the port side is the "left" side of the ship.

 

 

Use of the phrase "port side" or "starboard side" eliminates such confusing issues as you are stating.

[BillB48]

4727, 18 days... are leaving from Seattle? Anyway, while you are traveling south off California the PM sun will be on the starboard side. As the ship gets further south on the Mexican coast, say around Puerto Vallarta you will start to head more towards the southeast, this will cause the PM sun to start to walk towards the stern. You will keep that general heading until you get near the Costa Rica/Panama border where you will be headed in a more easterly direction causing the sun to move more towards the stern, this will be about the last sea day and a half or so before you get to the Canal. After you round Panama's Azuero Peninsula mostly headed north here, but no sun worries because this will be the evening/night before transit.

 

After the transit and depending on your route back to Florida the PM sun will favor the port side.

[Worldtraveler 4727]

4727, 18 days... are leaving from Seattle? Anyway, while you are traveling south off California the PM sun will be on the starboard side. As the ship gets further south on the Mexican coast, say around Puerto Vallarta you will start to head more towards the southeast, this will cause the PM sun to start to walk towards the stern. You will keep that general heading until you get near the Costa Rica/Panama border where you will be headed in a more easterly direction causing the sun to move more towards the stern, this will be about the last sea day and a half or so before you get to the Canal. After you round Panama's Azuero Peninsula mostly headed north here, but no sun worries because this will be the evening/night before transit.

 

After the transit and depending on your route back to Florida the PM sun will favor the port side.

 

No--not Seattle. SF to NYC.

This has been an interesting discussion. No consensus...but interesting....

Thanks to all who chimed in with their ideas. Some food for thought here.

[dsrdsrdsr]

Hello fellow cruisers~

Can anyone tell me which side of the ship would have the most AFTERNOON SHADE on a (covered) balcony for a cruise through the Panama via west coast TO east coast? This would be a September cruise. I'm expecting it to be pretty warm yet. Would that be correct?

TIA

If you're going west coast to east coast, the sun will by and large be on the starboard side and the shadier side is the port side. The way your question was phrased, I interpreted it to mean you were asking about the canal transit, and for that part of the tour the starboard side is shadier.

[dsrdsrdsr]

Not when you are facing aft or, for a variety of reasons, are unsure which direction you are facing. This is a real issue in transmitting position (in relation to landmarks/traffic) to coast guards for all sorts of maritime emergencies on all sizes of craft. In fact, if at all, the only place you may ever see "left/right" displayed on a ship is on a sign in front of the helm (to assure correct language use in steering orders).

 

No, the right hand side of the ship is always starboard, because the ship always faces forward. The right hand side of you varies depending which way you are facing. ;)