Panama Canal Cruise

[vpearlkc]

Am considering booking a cruise from Miami to LA on the Encore and wonder which side of the ship has the better view as we pass through the canal or are they about the same. Should I book a balcony facing north or south?

[Oakman58]

Personally I don't think it really matters which side of the ship your balcony is on as you cruise through the canal.  Don't just stay on your balcony when you go through the new locks, views from the front the back and both sides of the ship are interesting too.

Edited April 11, 2019 by Oakman58

[www3traveler]

Totally agree  Wonder all over the ship.  Lately the bow has been opened to passengers also.  That would be a once in a lifetime experience.  

 

ENJOY  It is a wonderful adventure.

[tallnthensome]

I’m on the Panama Canal cruise right now from Miami to LA. Side of the ship hasn’t mattered especially in the Canal. Great viewing all around. The bow opened up for the locks but it was crowded and hot and you were better off viewing from decks above like the observation lounge and even the buffet and waterfront viewing area. What side you book your balcony on doesn’t matter .

[BillB48]

Your best bet for the better views is to be available to go to what ever side of the ship has something of interest.  That may be on the bow or other forward location, on an upper deck, on the lowest public deck (in one of the locks, perhaps) or even on the stern.  There will be numerous things that will attract your attention and there is just no way to say on which side they will be.  Things happen at a leisurely pace so you will be able to position yourself to see items of interest.

 

Pick your balcony for how you prefer the sun, of course it will shift all around during the cruise... there won't be a perfect selection.  The geography of the Canal plays tricks with people's mental GPS... the Canal runs north and south in a general direction (for the purest out there, it actually runs from northwest to southeast in the direction you will going).  If you want to pick a balcony side based on the Canal alone, then in the direction you are going at the Canal (south), I would choose a port side balcony.  This will be facing the east bank of the Canal during your transit.  Probably the best time to enjoy the  balcony would be during you crossing of Gatun Lake after the ship leaves the Agua Clara Locks.  This is the best time to view ships passing you in the opposite direction.  For the remainder of the transit be mobile!

[vpearlkc]

Thanks for the info. I went ahead and booked  a port side large balcony. There will be only 4 large balconies on the Encore and there is not even a list of bars and restaurants etc. 

[Turtles06]

1 hour ago, vpearlkc said:

I went ahead and booked  a port side large balcony.

 

For the reasons BillB48 said above, I think this was a good move.   As others have noted, you won't want to be in your cabin when you go through the locks, but after you have transited the locks on the Atlantic side, it will be around lunch time, and a good time to come in from the heat, cool off, and have some food.   The crossing of Gatun Lake takes a bit of time, and, as Bill said, it's when you'll be able to see traffic coming in the opposite direction.   So sitting on your balcony for a bit and having lunch would work.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[zqvol]

8 hours ago, vpearlkc said:

Am considering booking a cruise from Miami to LA on the Encore and wonder which side of the ship has the better view as we pass through the canal or are they about the same. Should I book a balcony facing north or south?

 

The view is pretty much the same, but as an FYI you don't want to be on your balcony or in your cabin when you go through the locks, you want to be outside.  Doing a full transit, the view is about the same from either side (lots of jungles) except as you transit the locks.  BTW the way the canal runs N-S so you would either get an east facing cabin or a west facing cabin.

Edited April 11, 2019 by zqvol

[nwcruiselover]

I have done a Panama Canal cruise and so far it’s my favorite cruise out of the 45 cruises I have taken.  One thing I wish I had done prior to the cruise is to read up on the history and construction

 of the canal.  Several people I met on the cruise had done so and they had interesting stories to tell.  

[www3traveler]

David McCullough's The Path Between The Seas  The Creation of The Panama Canal 1870-1914 is a tough read (very wordy) but worth the effort.  

[trimom30]

We are doing the Miami to LA Panama Cruise on the Joy this November.  We’ve been watching documentaries and Nat’l Geo programs on the construction of the original canal as well as the new locks.  Fascinating!  And it makes us super excited for this trip!

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[Turtles06]

4 hours ago, nwcruiselover said:

I have done a Panama Canal cruise and so far it’s my favorite cruise out of the 45 cruises I have taken.  One thing I wish I had done prior to the cruise is to read up on the history and construction

 of the canal.  Several people I met on the cruise had done so and they had interesting stories to tell.  

 

3 hours ago, www3traveler said:

David McCullough's The Path Between The Seas  The Creation of The Panama Canal 1870-1914 is a tough read (very wordy) but worth the effort.  

 

I second the recommendation to read "The Path Between the Seas."  You'll appreciate even more how extraordinary an accomplishment it was to build the Canal.

 

And BTW,  when you are entering the Canal from the Atlantic, just before you get to the Gatun Locks, you can see, on the starboard side, the only remaining remnant of the original French excavation; it will look like a small creek:

 

 

(photo by turtles06)

[ellenw]

I loved our Panama Canal cruise we did last year. The thing I didn't realize beforehand was that it is pretty much an all day event to go through the canal. So you  have plenty of time to move around the ship to see everything. And do whatever you want.

[Mum81]

We also booked this trip today for April 2021 and chose a port side balcony. Looking forward to this once in a lifetime opportunity (as we are coming from Australia).

[bonvoyagie]

Well we are going west to east next Jan on the Gem - have a suite on the starboard aft corner. Hoping to have my reading on the canal done by then - may have to either buy the book and take it along or check it out from the library.

 

I am hoping that the concierge will open the Haven area for all suite guests - that space would be awesome - but I am not holding my breath.  

[vpearlkc]

3 hours ago, Mum81 said:

We also booked this trip today for April 2021 and chose a port side balcony. Looking forward to this once in a lifetime opportunity (as we are coming from Australia).

 

Maybe we will see you on the ship.

[Turtles06]

7 hours ago, bonvoyagie said:

Well we are going west to east next Jan on the Gem - have a suite on the starboard aft corner. Hoping to have my reading on the canal done by then - may have to either buy the book and take it along or check it out from the library

 

You’ll be getting on when we are getting off. 

 

Do read McCullough’s book before you leave, you’ll be glad you did! 

[Newleno]

Some ships go through the old locks, some the new, there is a totally different system for getting the ships through, so if this matters to you, you might want to research what ship and what locks

[bonvoyagie]

2 hours ago, Turtles06 said:

 

You’ll be getting on when we are getting off. 

 

Do read McCullough’s book before you leave, you’ll be glad you did! 

Have you visited the roll call page? There are some people doing this as a B2B- while I love cruising I can't imagine that long in a small cabin and seeing the same ports. The 21 day part is why we went with a suite.

[Turtles06]

18 minutes ago, bonvoyagie said:

Have you visited the roll call page? There are some people doing this as a B2B- while I love cruising I can't imagine that long in a small cabin and seeing the same ports. The 21 day part is why we went with a suite.

 

Yes, I’m on our Roll Call.   We in fact would have considered the B2B but it wouldn’t work with our schedule. For us, this cruise is more about a winter escape than the ports (some of which we visited on our first Panama Canal Cruise).  I hope you enjoy your cruise! 

[bonvoyagie]

31 minutes ago, Turtles06 said:

 

Yes, I’m on our Roll Call.   We in fact would have considered the B2B but it wouldn’t work with our schedule. For us, this cruise is more about a winter escape than the ports (some of which we visited on our first Panama Canal Cruise).  I hope you enjoy your cruise! 

For us this is a bucket list - just pre retirement cruise - I plan on retiring at the end of 2020.