Can you see the new Panama Canal locks?

[valleyvillage]

We are on the Star Panama Canal Jan 18th cruise. We approach from Miami. If you have done this recently, can you see much of the new locks? What is the best spot to see them, if possible? 

[mertziek]

We were just on the Pearl and went through the older locks.  We could see the entrance to the new system on deck 10 forward from our balcony as we entered on the Pacific side and saw ships going through that system but tough to see the channel itself.  If you want a chance to see the new channel, I would try to get as far forward and as high up to see anything of it.  This picture shows you ships in the new channel.

[luv2kroooz]

Was on Pearl in September. Pearl will use old locks. The ecocruise of Gatun lake tour stops at the visitors center for the new locks, Agua Clara. Great 10 minute video and then one hour of free time. Great viewpoints, staff around to answer questions. Well worth a visit. We we're lucky there was  a huge freighter transiting when  we were there. Admission is $15 if u aren't on a tour .

[valleyvillage]

11 minutes ago, blcruising said:

Was on Pearl in September. Pearl will use old locks. The ecocruise of Gatun lake tour stops at the visitors center for the new locks, Agua Clara. Great 10 minute video and then one hour of free time. Great viewpoints, staff around to answer questions. Well worth a visit. We we're lucky there was  a huge freighter transiting when  we were there. Admission is $15 if u aren't on a tour .

Is this only on partial transits?

[Turtles06]

We did a full transit on the NCL Jewel a couple of years ago, from Miami to LA.   You can't really see the new locks from a ship in the old locks; you'll be able to see ships heading to the new locks. Here are a couple of photos:

 

This is very early in the day, as we approached the Gatun locks (on the right); the Island Princess is ahead of us.  On the very far left, you can see a ship approaching the new Atlantic locks (Agua Clara).

 

 

And much later in the day, we are entering the Pedro Miguel locks (still behind the Island Princess of course).  To the far right you can see a ship heading for the new Pacific locks (Cocoli).

 

 

The Canal is extraordinary. Have a great trip!

 

(photos by turtles06)

 

[pizza123]

They only offer tours on partial transits. We did a partial on the Jade last year and took a tour and saw the new locks. We just returned from the Star on a full transit and you cannot really see the new locks.

[don't-use-real-name]

It would stand to reason that the new locks would not be fully visible from the old and v-v.

The old and the new are still at Sea level and using Lake Gatun and its channels to elevate ships

for the transit. Ships at the Lake Gatun level would be visible above the walls of the canal locks

and while transiting the canal. At sea level going thru the canal only the upper structure of a ship

would be visible not the canal itself.

My understanding is the partial transits cruises only occur on the Atlantic side - Lake Gatun (Colon).

There is a considerable cost to the cruise fare for these Canal cruises - the full transit is in the

thousands of dollars.

Don't miss the opportunity to cruise the canal it should be on every cruisers bucket list !

 

[chengkp75]

1 hour ago, don't-use-real-name said:

It would stand to reason that the new locks would not be fully visible from the old and v-v.

The old and the new are still at Sea level and using Lake Gatun and its channels to elevate ships

for the transit. Ships at the Lake Gatun level would be visible above the walls of the canal locks

and while transiting the canal. At sea level going thru the canal only the upper structure of a ship

would be visible not the canal itself.

My understanding is the partial transits cruises only occur on the Atlantic side - Lake Gatun (Colon).

There is a considerable cost to the cruise fare for these Canal cruises - the full transit is in the

thousands of dollars.

Don't miss the opportunity to cruise the canal it should be on every cruisers bucket list !

 

Cost to transit for a ship is the same whether it does a full transit or a partial transit, and is in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.   Base tariff for the Pearl would be around $380k, then add in the daylight guarantee charge, the tugs, pilots, line handlers, etc, etc.

[thinfool]

3 hours ago, don't-use-real-name said:

 

My understanding is the partial transits cruises only occur on the Atlantic side - Lake Gatun (Colon).

 

 

Princess is now offering 19 day round trip, partial transit sailings from Los Angeles...about twice a year.

[Oakman58]

20 hours ago, valleyvillage said:

We are on the Star Panama Canal Jan 18th cruise. We approach from Miami. If you have done this recently, can you see much of the new locks? What is the best spot to see them, if possible? 

 

My last Panama Canal cruise was from Miami to L.A. in December 2017 on the Star.  The pictures Turtles06 posted (great pics) of the Agua Locks is pretty much the view you will see with your naked eye.  If you want a better view bring a set of binoculars or a camera with a strong zoom lens.  Here are a couple of pictures of the Caribbean Princess as she was entering the Agua Locks.

 

 

\

Later in the day as we entered the Pedro Miguel Locks the skies opened up and the rain came down in buckets.  It rained so hard you could barely see the locks we were in.

Don’t just view the passage through the locks from one spot.  Be sure to roam all over the ship. 

Edited December 22, 2018 by Oakman58

[mertziek]

8 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

Cost to transit for a ship is the same whether it does a full transit or a partial transit, and is in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.   Base tariff for the Pearl would be around $380k, then add in the daylight guarantee charge, the tugs, pilots, line handlers, etc, etc.

 

We were told by our Captain on our October PC transit the Pearl paid $250,000.

[chengkp75]

1 hour ago, mertziek said:

 

We were told by our Captain on our October PC transit the Pearl paid $250,000.

Doubt it.  Tariff is based on maximum passenger capacity, whether occupied or not, and is $138/berth.  I took slightly more than Pearl's nominal (double occupancy) figure times this tariff to get $380k.  And, again there are extras, like the daylight guarantee, which is about $65k.

[mertziek]

16 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

Doubt it.  Tariff is based on maximum passenger capacity, whether occupied or not, and is $138/berth.  I took slightly more than Pearl's nominal (double occupancy) figure times this tariff to get $380k.  And, again there are extras, like the daylight guarantee, which is about $65k.

Just telling you what our Captain told us but perhaps the company does not tell him what they pay.