Can we talk about the Full Transit Panama Canal cruise? :)

[VennDiagram]

We have a 16 day Panama Canal cruise booked for March 2018. Leaving from San Diego, which is a relatively easy port for us to get to.

 

How hot is it likely to be once we get to the Mexican coast and further south? (We thought we were going to die from the heat and humidity in the Caribbean the last time we were there.... so this is a big concern for us.)

 

We've never done any cruise longer than 12 days, and found 12 days to be a bit on the longish side. Encouraging words, anyone?

 

We chose this cruise because the timing works, the embarkation port works, and the trip home will include a stopover to visit family. Also the obligatory "you've got to see the Canal" pressure ;)

 

Can anyone allay some of my concerns? Would be appreciated a lot!

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have done quite a few full transit cruises -- all at least 21 days. We love them.

March will still be cool for 2 or 3 days as you head down the coast.

The transit itself is hot and humid. Remember that the ship is not traveling very fast as it goes from the Pacific to the Caribbean (and vice versa).

[opusX]

Once you get South of Puerto Vallarta it's going to be hot, 90's with the humidity almost as high. It will be that way all the way to Ft Lauderdale. We live in Central Florida and the heat here starts the end of March and goes pretty much goes through Thanksgiving, we often have humidity over 90 percent. The dew point in Panama and the Carribean is often around 80 or higher.

With all that said doing the full canal is great. Just an amazing feat of engineering. It's been about 12 years since we cruised the opposite of your cruise. Once you get through the canal and get into the carribean there is almost always a ocean breeze. We are getting to the point that we are not interested in less than a 14 day cruise.

[muffin]

We did a 16 dayer 8 years ago and are booked for another in January. The trip is fabulous, and we enjoyed it immensely. However, I can totally identify with you as I also do not do welll in heat and humidity. WhEn you say you thought you may die in the Caribbean, the test is did you really mean that? Were you beyond dizzy feeling faint, needed help walking,, sweating profusely or even worse, not sweating at all? Could you find a place in the shade, rest for a few minutes, have some water and continue? Or did you need to rest a long time, then return to the ship with difficulty? If you truly feared for you well being, I would not go. Life is precious!

 

When on the ship you will be fine...simply go to an air conditioned area if you get hot...better still, seek shade on the ship at all times, so you never GET that hot and have to start from a higher temperature to get cooler. Drink, drink, drink. More water than anything else. If you stop peeing you are in trouble. Get help.

 

I find sticking around the port areas the worst idea on land. They are usually quite open, little shade, often concrete, few places to rest. However, they are close to the ship. Some have carts, bicles with cart, or another ways to get back to the ship. Run by locals for a small fee. Don't be tooo proud to take advantage of help,if you need it.

A tour can be okay if air conditioned.. ask, and check it out....if you get uncomfortable at the place you are going shade is usually available In the countryside. How about taking a shade umbrella? They are much more comfortable than a hat which I find just makes my head hit and sweaty.

Hope you feel you can handle it...the Central American stops are great, and the new canal should be fun to see too. Happy travels.

[VennDiagram]

We did a 16 dayer 8 years ago and are booked for another in January. The trip is fabulous, and we enjoyed it immensely. However, I can totally identify with you as I also do not do welll in heat and humidity. WhEn you say you thought you may die in the Caribbean, the test is did you really mean that? Were you beyond dizzy feeling faint, needed help walking,, sweating profusely or even worse, not sweating at all? Could you find a place in the shade, rest for a few minutes, have some water and continue? Or did you need to rest a long time, then return to the ship with difficulty? If you truly feared for you well being, I would not go. Life is precious!

.......

 

A tour can be okay if air conditioned.. ask, and check it out....if you get uncomfortable at the place you are going shade is usually available In the countryside. How about taking a shade umbrella? They are much more comfortable than a hat which I find just makes my head hit and sweaty.

Hope you feel you can handle it...the Central American stops are great, and the new canal should be fun to see too. Happy travels.

 

Thank you SO much for your detailed reply. That "thought we were going to die" was an overstatement when considered against clinical indicators ;) We kept sweating ;) The whole "very hot and very humid" was a shock, and we never did get acclimated. We were pretty uncomfortable for the entire cruise except when inside the ship.

 

 

We did make certain the couple of tours we went on offered A/C :)

[VennDiagram]

Once you get South of Puerto Vallarta it's going to be hot, 90's with the humidity almost as high. It will be that way all the way to Ft Lauderdale. We live in Central Florida and the heat here starts the end of March and goes pretty much goes through Thanksgiving, we often have humidity over 90 percent. The dew point in Panama and the Carribean is often around 80 or higher.

With all that said doing the full canal is great. Just an amazing feat of engineering. It's been about 12 years since we cruised the opposite of your cruise. Once you get through the canal and get into the carribean there is almost always a ocean breeze. We are getting to the point that we are not interested in less than a 14 day cruise.

 

I bolded the part of your post that is one of the significant reasons we would do this cruise :) I know my DH would love it. Thank you for the weather information :)

[VennDiagram]

We have done quite a few full transit cruises -- all at least 21 days. We love them.

March will still be cool for 2 or 3 days as you head down the coast.

The transit itself is hot and humid. Remember that the ship is not traveling very fast as it goes from the Pacific to the Caribbean (and vice versa).

 

Thanks! I can't imagine 21 days :)

[angelbearmom]

What are the temperatures like in October-first half. I, my mom and a friend are doing a 21 day full transit which starts in Vancouver Sept.30 (one month from tomorrow!!!!!!) I've checked weather in Costa Rica and have seen that it's likely to be rainy in October. That's one of the only places we've got excursions booked. We'll pack rain ponchos. What about the other countries-Mexican Riviera and down to the canal? I find the heat and humidity shortens the amount of walking I do. Just curious as to actual weather and temps.

[thinfool]

I've checked weather in Costa Rica and have seen that it's likely to be rainy in October. That's one of the only places we've got excursions booked. We'll pack rain ponchos. What about the other countries-Mexican Riviera and down to the canal?

 

I suggest you become familiar with the location of Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, etc...and then sit down and watch the Weather Channel or other weather radar reporting channel. Observe the tropical storm path through Central America. The 'rainy season' for most of Central America lasts, at least, till the end of November.

 

Having said that, we did a full transit in November a few years ago and, other than a shower or two, had no real rain events.

[Scrapnana]

I love longer cruises and seldom take any less than 3 weeks. There is always lots to do onboard (or just sit and watch the ocean:)).

 

When you are transiting the canal be sure to observe from different parts of the ship. Start the transit out on the bow of the ship (HAL will have "Panama Rolls" available). Spend some time watching on the highest deck. Also as you go through one of the locks be sure to be on a low deck to look out and watch as you are either going up or down.

[RMLincoln]

I loved our canal cruises! But I don't do heat well, that's why we live in the mountains. The canal zone is always hot, it's not seasonal, it's tropics. You might hit a cooler day like we did once, some clouds and a bit of drizzle but plan for the heat.

 

I bring a neck band to soak, and wear it to help keep me cooler. I have the plain cloth type bandanas and the gel type that you soak in the sink for 5 minutes before you put it on. An umbrella is useful, as is a fan, any type of fan... I use a stiff paper/flat cardboard fan I picked up in Guatemala - actually they gave them out at the port; or they sell battery powered fans one wears on a lanyard.

 

I stayed inside a lot, especially near an exit to an outside deck and only ran outside to take a few photos, drank ice water a lot, then back into the air conditioning.

 

We did an excursion in Costa Rica that made several stops but none for too long, so always the bus to return to with the AC on!

 

DH thinks that of all our cruises he liked the rhythm of the PC cruise the best... mostly a day at sea then a day in port, repeated, excellent. We like longer cruises, lots of sea days, less intense, less rushed, don't have the feeling we have to cram everything in a week. But they may not be for everyone so I can't address your concerns about this 16 day cruise. If you could give some specifics, we might be able to make some suggesitons. m--

[Krazy Kruizers]

What are the temperatures like in October-first half. I, my mom and a friend are doing a 21 day full transit which starts in Vancouver Sept.30 (one month from tomorrow!!!!!!) I've checked weather in Costa Rica and have seen that it's likely to be rainy in October. That's one of the only places we've got excursions booked. We'll pack rain ponchos. What about the other countries-Mexican Riviera and down to the canal? I find the heat and humidity shortens the amount of walking I do. Just curious as to actual weather and temps.

 

 

One of our full transits started in Seattle and ended in Ft Lauderdale.

We had rain in Vancouver, and down the coast until we got to LA where the weather improved.

This was in October. And the Panama Canal part was hot and humid. The other ports were not too bad.

[kazu]

We did the full Panama and we really enjoyed it.

 

Yes, it's hot but when you get to a couple of ports if you tour you go to the higher levels and it's not as hot at all. In fact, I nearly needed a sweater in one ;)

 

We got by quite well - only found a couple of days over bearing and after that we were home free.

 

We enjoyed every second of that cruise. I did a live thread at the time if that is of any help I can give you the link.

Do it! You only live once.

 

I will totally confess that Panama was not on our bucket list and then, we got encouraged to do it. We have never regretted it and it was a great cruise and a great adventure. I hope you enjoy it.

[ronmaca]

We have a 16 day Panama Canal cruise booked for March 2018. Leaving from San Diego, which is a relatively easy port for us to get to.

 

How hot is it likely to be once we get to the Mexican coast and further south? (We thought we were going to die from the heat and humidity in the Caribbean the last time we were there.... so this is a big concern for us.)

 

We've never done any cruise longer than 12 days, and found 12 days to be a bit on the longish side. Encouraging words, ving us ianyone?

 

We chose this cruise edthe timing works, the embarkation port works, and the trip home will include a stopover to visit family. Also the obligatory "you've got to see the Canal" pressure ;)

 

Can anyone allay some of my concerns? Would be appreci would be appreciatedated a lot!

Glad you asked....DH and I are doing the same but working in the opposite direction, ending in San Diego. Have never used Holland before and only have done 7 nighters on other lines. Anyone offering advice on anything would be apprecaited.

[RevNeal]

I've done full transits twice -- once eastbound and once westbound -- and loved it both times. Indeed, I'd love to do it again, and probably will in order to see the new locks. Make sure you're up EARLY for the entrance into the locks. Go forward and go high for a good view of the operation as you approach and enter the first lock. Then, when you've gotten through the first one, go to the stern and get a view from that perspective as you finish the steps. The trip through the canal is also great, and especially through "the cut," and can be easily experienced indoors or from the promenade, where you'll have a little shelter but will still be outside.

 

In any event, full-transits of the Canal are a great experience.

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

I have done several full transits of the Canal and like others never tire of it. It is an engineering feat of grand proportions.

 

It will be hot and humid and you may get rain showers. The thing to remember is that you do not have to be outside the entire transit. Also as Rev Neal posted, you want to see the entrance to the first locks from the bow end, keeping in mind so will everyone else. Some passengers stay in the Crows Nest the entire time.

 

I like to walk around the ship and get different views. I did not notice what ship you are on but you may also want to be on a lower deck when you are low in a lock so you experience the sides of the lock.

 

Usually mid-day there is not much to see, so my husband and I would have lunch in the Pinnacle Grill.

 

Ship personnel will remind you to keep hydrated, put on lots of sunscreen, and wear long sleeves and a hat for protection when you are on deck.

 

Enjoy this adventure and I think leaving from San Diego is a great beginning.

[Underwatr]

Just my preference, but if you're thinking about which way to transit, I think the westbound transit (Atlantic to Pacific; you actually head south and slightly east during the actual transit) "unfolds" in a way that holds your interest longer. In the other direction once you've gone under the bridge, up the locks and thru the cut into Gatun Lake it feels like you're done with the interesting cruising. But Westbound you climb the locks into the lake, then transit the lake to the cut and even coming down the locks on the Pacific end you still have a sea level transit as you head for the Bridge of the Americas.

[VennDiagram]

An enormous "thank you" to everyone who responded -- you all make it sound like a fabulous cruise. We will be doing a lot of discussing for the next few days :)

 

Undrwatr, we would definitely be going west to east. Flying to San Diego and out of FLL is one of the reasons we chose the cruise that we did.

[Lizzie68]

I have done 4 full transits and agree you need to be forward facing when going through the first locks. If you are on a Vista ship several of the forward decks will be open - we have never gone to the bow. Then you need to be all over the ship and both sides as you transit. It is a great cruise - enjoy.

 

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[kazu]

I have done 4 full transits and agree you need to be forward facing when going through the first locks. If you are on a Vista ship several of the forward decks will be open - we have never gone to the bow. Then you need to be all over the ship and both sides as you transit. It is a great cruise - enjoy.

 

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We went to the forward facing decks too that they opened.

 

they served the infamous panama buns there and they were great :)

 

Lizzie is spot on. Don't just sit on your balcony - enjoy the whole thing :) :D

[sansterre]

Do the HAL ships still go through the old locks? Or do they now use the Mega-ship locks?

[kazu]

Do the HAL ships still go through the old locks? Or do they now use the Mega-ship locks?

 

Other than the Koningsdam (which I am not 100% sure of) the HAL ships go through the old locks. I think the King does too, but not positive on that one.

[holacanada]

Hi fellow cruisers !

For my information, are the new (super max) locks built a year or two ago now usable by cruise ships ? Are the constructions finished ?

 

Holacanada

[thinfool]

Hi fellow cruisers !

 

For my information, are the new (super max) locks built a year or two ago now usable by cruise ships ? Are the constructions finished ?

 

 

 

Holacanada

 

 

 

Yes they are complete but only ships too big for the old locks will use them.

 

 

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[rafinmd]

Hi fellow cruisers !

For my information, are the new (super max) locks built a year or two ago now usable by cruise ships ? Are the constructions finished ?

 

Holacanada

 

I think the new locks opened late last year. On my last Canal cruise (May on Crystal Symphony) we had a port call in Panama City and I was on a tour which visited the new locks. I was lucky enough to catch some ships going through. Here's the E R Los Angeles entering one of the locks:

 

 

Next picture is the Fritzin in a lock chamber:

 

 

My last shot was taken while a gate was closing:

 

..

A very few cruise ships (all too big for the old locks) have gone through the new locks.

 

Roy