Panama Canal Question

[Lunur]

Hello,

 

Recently booked a balcony for Coral Princess March 2017 Panama Canal. Any recommendations for Port or Starboard side?

 

Thanks!!

[TracieABD]

Either side is just fine. You will see lots of action no matter where you are parked. You can also go up on deck to see it from both sides.

[Colo Cruiser]

Does not matter. The ship will be directed to either lock as they approach.

Best to get different perspectives around the ship during the transit.

[Pam in CA]

It's much better to be out on deck so that you can see everything and get the Panama Canal's expert's commentary. You won't get that if you're on your balcony. (Leaving your balcony door open is a No-No as it screws up the A/C system for the cabins near yours.)

[taxatty]

Make sure you check out both sides of the ship as well as both forward and aft while going through the locks as each has a different perspective. Note that the forward open areas can fill up very early in the AM.

[Essiesmom]

All the March 2017 Coral cruises are partial transit. I would recommend port side, because the new locks are on the port side of the Gatun Locks and there might be some interesting views to be seen. If you were doing a full transit, it would not make a difference because the new locks on the Pacific side are to starboard. EM

[zigpar]

Best spot in the canal is Lotus Spa. Spend the buck, get a good seat, enjoy. They take care of you in the pool area, you hear everything, and when it's hot you take a dip!

[neverbeenhere]

Panama Canal Transit.

 

Read: The Path Between the Seas

 

Go to: Any pre-transit info, naturalist, speaker available on the ship

 

Be Ready: For a long day. The transit is not a 15 minute thing. It is a day long experience.

 

Where to be: Up top at least for a while.

 

Check out: The clearance for the ship in the lock. The closing of the lock doors.

 

Take a break: As the transit is a long experience.

[seamwoman]

Suggest you get a spot as early as possible on the front of the ship.

On the Coral I watched from my balcony and listened to the speaker on the tv.

It was great! Enjoy! Karen

[js10]

VERY much agree about reading Path Between The Seas. Seeing the tiny remnants of the failed French canal as we entered the initial lock gave me goose bumps. Get on deck well before sunrise. Seeing the distant lights of the Gatun locks as you approach in the datk is breathtaking. Sign up for the full transit by ferry if your cruise is a partial.

 

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[skynight]

We have done the P.C. 4 times. Port or starboard, no difference. The best views are from the open decks where you can move around and view the transit from all angles, not from your balcony.

[azbirdmom]

We were in a suite on the Coral last February as we were traveling with family and thought that the lovely port side suite balcony would be a great place to be while going through Gatun Locks. As it turns out, the view was so much better aft on Caribe deck so that is where we went. And we avoided the crowds who opted to go forward.

[germanyboy]

When I read path between the seas, I Xeroxed the two maps that were in the book so I could follow along as we went through. Gave a set to the cruise director, who hadn't seen them

[JF - retired RRT]

Hello,

 

Recently booked a balcony for Coral Princess March 2017 Panama Canal. Any recommendations for Port or Starboard side?

 

Thanks!!

 

We had an aft balcony on the Pacific Princess on our first Panama. It was amazing! The ship is so small, our balcony was literally IN the lock. We got an up close and personal view.

But we also went to several viewing areas to make sure we didn't miss anything.

[Colo Cruiser]

Suggest you get a spot as early as possible on the front of the ship.

 

 

It tends to thin out pretty fast out in that heat.

[ar1950]

All the March 2017 Coral cruises are partial transit. I would recommend port side, because the new locks are on the port side of the Gatun Locks and there might be some interesting views to be seen. If you were doing a full transit, it would not make a difference because the new locks on the Pacific side are to starboard. EM

 

Just did the Canal on the Coral the end of April. The topography makes it pretty much impossible to see much of the new locks except the entrance to them and the exit from them.

[ar1950]

Hello,

 

Recently booked a balcony for Coral Princess March 2017 Panama Canal. Any recommendations for Port or Starboard side?

 

Thanks!!

 

Since it appears that you are doing a 10 day round trip, either side will work. Best viewing was the forward viewing areas on the Baja or the Caribe deck. Just go forward through the "super secret doors". Not a whole lot of people knew about those areas, but, enough did that you needed to get there early to get a spot. We were on the Baja level where the naturalist was doing his commentary that was broadcast throughout the ship. Oh, and wear comfortable footwear because you will be standing.

 

We also went aft for a while on the same decks for a different perspective. We did find the forward view more interesting.

 

The Panama Canal is a fascinating experience. Enjoy.

[BillB48]

Many of the previous posters have given good advice about moving around the ship to take in the various vantage points. Since it appears you are on a partial transit cruise don't worry about which is the best side for the Canal, I fell you will be better served by not homesteading your balcony. While there will be things to see that are interesting on either side of the ship, your chosen side could perhaps be less interesting. For example if you are on the side of the ship that faces one of the side wall of the lock, you will completely miss the operations in the other lane of the lock, or be on the wrong side to see the remains of the French effort.

 

Being able to move about the ship during your passage through Gatun Locks is even more important if you are electing to take a shore excursion once the ship reaches Gatun Lake as this will be your only chance to experience your ship in the locks.

 

Whatever your decision... enjoy!

[Eagle_and_hawk]

I would also suggest looking for the "secret doors" and try to be in that viewing area during the transit, especially if you want to take pictures.

 

This is one of the forward viewing areas and the glass is blue tinted, making it difficult to take pictures as you have to try and aim through the gaps between the panes of glass.

 

C18 by Cool Runnings, on Flickr