Panama canal cruise question?

[Yazoo cruiser]

Think I have heard that there is one side of the ship that is preferable when going through the canal. Is this true and if so, which side is it. THANKS.

[cb at sea]

NO, that's not true at all! You are IN a canal, with stuff on BOTH sides! The view of the locks will be in front or behind you. Therefore, trying to stay on your balcony will cause you to miss 3/4's of the sights! You will want to go all over the ship...front to back, side to side and on different deck levels for optimum viewing. The canal passage is NOT a quick affair...you will have tons of time to roam the ship!

[Yazoo cruiser]

Thank you.

[Essiesmom]

If you are doing a partial transit from the Caribbean side, in a ship that goes through the old locks, Port is better than starboard. However, that does not guarantee that you will have perfect weather, or that there will not be a huge container ship to your left blocking the view. If you are going on a ship that has to use the new locks, side doesn't matter. What does matter is that you need to get out and move around the ship. EM

[lgdick54]

If you are doing a partial transit from the Caribbean side, in a ship that goes through the old locks, Port is better than starboard. However, that does not guarantee that you will have perfect weather, or that there will not be a huge container ship to your left blocking the view. If you are going on a ship that has to use the new locks, side doesn't matter. What does matter is that you need to get out and move around the ship. EM

Doesn't matter with partial transit as port will face south as you go into the lock and north as you exit. As said you'll want to wander fore & aft to get the full experience. There is a viewing stand where those touring the lock can watch the ships go by on the south side of the old lock. Viewing stand comes up to about deck 5 so you maybe eye to eye with them!

 

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[AD5ZA]

There is more to view from the port side when going from the Atlantic to the Pacific. From starboard side going opposite side. Transited Canal 4 times and also lived in Panama several years.

 

 

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[BlerkOne]

With the new locks, side doesn't matter so much.

 

 

With the old, side by side locks, a ship could be routed through either side. So it depends.

[Lottacruises]

Going from Atlantic to Pacific through new locks, the locks open from right to left. To the left there seems to be more buildings, to the right the old locks. There is a place where observers on land can watch, it is on the left.

 

All that being said, it is so slow in crossing we watched from deck 10 for an hour, lido for an hour, deck 3 for an hour, during a nap for an hour... You understand...lol it is a lot of fun to see. Hopefully you will have a big container ship in front of you like we did to watch also.

[dezertcruzer]

When we did a full transit, we had an aft-facing balcony cabin which gave us a 180 degree view. We spent part of the time wandering the ship and part of the time watching from the comfort of our own balcony. We enjoyed it very much.

[BlerkOne]

Going from Atlantic to Pacific through new locks, the locks open from right to left. To the left there seems to be more buildings, to the right the old locks. There is a place where observers on land can watch, it is on the left.

 

All that being said, it is so slow in crossing we watched from deck 10 for an hour, lido for an hour, deck 3 for an hour, during a nap for an hour... You understand...lol it is a lot of fun to see. Hopefully you will have a big container ship in front of you like we did to watch also.

 

If doing a full transit, I believe on the Atlantic side they are on the starboard side. After Lake Gatun, they are on the port side.