Any Panama Canal info out there?

[GoHuskies!]

We are booked for the Sun from L.A. through Panama Canal to New Orleans on September 28, 2006. Is there anyone who may also be booked for that repositioning cruise who'd like to talk about it? And particularly is there anyone who has information that they could share about making that trip?

 

The Canal trip is one I've hoped for all my life and we are really excited about it. I bore the ears off my DW--need others to talk to! :D

[bluehorizonlover123]

I can email you pixs of it as we went thru it if you want.

[tuffy88]

How many days in that cruise? Thanks.

 

Charles

[7SeasLover]

One of our fondest memories was our Panama Canal Cruise. I have pics somewhere of the locks. Great, great voyage though not on NCL. We traveled on the Vision of The Sea shortly after her maiden voyage.

[bluehorizonlover123]

We went thru the locks on an 8 day cruise thru the Coral Princess. Basically we went thru the lst 3 locks. Turned around in Gatun Lake for about 4 hours and then went back thru the original 3 locks back out. Some I know took a 12 hour tour which took them thru all 6 locks but they said it wore on and on and the boat they were on ran out of food and water and it is very hot and muggy in Panama and they wished they hadn't done this tour.

[captgeo]

It's an exciting and marvelous experience, especially when you consider the mechanics of it are more than 100 years old. I suggest you read the book "The Path Between the Seas" by David McCullough. It's a fascinating read, and illustrated. He also narrates a video -- "A Man, A Plan, A Canal, Panama." On our trip from Los Angeles to Maimi in 2002, there was a narrator onboard who described the whole thing as we went through.

Enjoy!

[GoHuskies!]

Yes, it was a fantastic engineering feat for its time, or even today. I understand that malaria was such a serious problem that it kicked off great medical developments. I'll look for that book, Capt. Geo. I remember seeing a great Discovery channel program on the canal.

 

I've e-mailed you, bluehorizonlover, and look forward to the pix. Thanks. I think I'd rather pass through the canal on a ship rather than a tour as you described.

 

Tuffy88, the cruise that I'm on, September 28, is 17 days from Los Angeles to New Orleans. A number of sea days, but not too many in a row. We're looking forward to it especially because the last cruise we took (our first) was the 7-day cruise around Hawaii where every day was spent in port except for after 3 pm leaving Kauai to see the Na Pali coast. Things got a lot quieter on the ship in port and many venues were closed. Although we love Hawaii, we've been there on land many times (20 in 25 years) and wanted to try the sea--and port--experience.

 

By the way, my DW claims she's not THAT bored after all; she's a pretty good sport.;)

[CruisinMatt]

I did the canal transit on the NCL Dream in 2003 and it was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that's for sure! You'll have a canal expert come aboard for the entire day to narrate your passage. We had a lovely lady who was extremely well versed on the canal and it's history. She also had an informative q&a session in the afternoon.

 

Be sure to find a comfy spot on deck and wear plenty of sunscreen!! :D

[bluehorizonlover123]

You might like to view this. I will find some others to view also.

 

http://briefcase.yahoo.com/WazAnOkie

[bluehorizonlover123]

Here's a link to the Panama Canal webcam where you can watch the ships going through the locks real-time.

 

http://www.pancanal.com/eng/photo/camera-java.html

[bluehorizonlover123]

If you want to see a quick clip of the Coral going thru the Gatun locks click on the 'Panama' link at

 

http://briefcase.yahoo.com/WazAnOkie

 

 

Another cruisers friend saved all of the web cam shots from the Bridge Cam as well as the Gatun Locks cam and stitched them all together into a movie. It is really cool

 

he took the Executive Railway excursion and really enjoyed it.

[HNDRMHSE]

Hi,

 

I read your post - I was booked on the Crown for April 2007- I switched my booking today. My husband and I are now with you. Panama Canal

was something I've always wanted to do. I love the Crown, but was not

looking forward to flying from NY to Chile. When I read LA to New Orleans, I was hooked . Thanks for posting! Is there a link for a specific

thread for this cruise yet?

 

Happy sailing!

 

Nancy:) :)

[GoHuskies!]

Glad you're coming along! I'll bet the Panama Canal is one of those always-wanted-to-do-it things for many people (like me). I haven't seen a roll call thread for this cruise yet but we may see one started soon, I hope.

 

Thanks for the pictures and websites.

[tumeroll]

We are booked for the Sun from L.A. through Panama Canal to New Orleans on September 28, 2006. Is there anyone who may also be booked for that repositioning cruise who'd like to talk about it? And particularly is there anyone who has information that they could share about making that trip?

 

The Canal trip is one I've hoped for all my life and we are really excited about it. I bore the ears off my DW--need others to talk to! :D

 

Just returned from doing the Panama Canal on the QE2. Won't begin to discuss the ship on this thread as that is not fair (see review on Cunard thread) but the trip through the canal was super. We went in the opposite direction from the way you are going but it will still be exciting. Be sure to get up in the front of the ship when you go through the locks as that is the best view.

 

Hopefully the ship will have someone on the loudspeaker describing the action as that is instructive.

 

Also do not know about whether you will be staying anday on the aAlantic side or a day before the Canal on the Pacific side but if so and the ship offers the train ride across the canal as a tour - take it. It is pricey but excellent as you get to see the canal not only by ship but now by train and then by bus as you return back across the Ismus. Three different views of the area plus an up front look at the canal locks from the groud.

[GoHuskies!]

Hi,

 

Is there a link for a specific

thread for this cruise yet?

 

Happy sailing!

 

Nancy:) :)

Now there is:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=290006