Have you done the Panama Canal on a Carnival Spirit Class ship?

[Tapi]

Hello:

 

I’m researching a Panama Canal cruise aboard the Carnival Pride. I came across a photo that shows passengers allowed all the way forward on the bow of the ship (I think that the photo was taken on the Carnival Miracle). 
 

Has anybody transited the Panama Canal on a Spirit class ship, and if so, did you have access to the front of the ship? Is it something available to all passengers, or to a select few? (Platinum/Diamond/Suites, etc)

Thanks for any input that you may provide! 

[maluhia87]

We just did Panama canal on the Miracle in October.  I think only the crew was allowed in the front area on that deck, or at least crew were the only people I saw.  

[coevan]

looks like crew to me

[Hooked Already]

I did a partial transit on the Pride in 2017. 

Only crew members were allowed up in the Bow.

They did have a higher forward deck set aside for Dimond.

Everyone else including Plantinum were on their own.

Edited December 13, 2019 by Hooked Already
Spelling

[Garth2]

We were on the Sunrise, which is not a Spirit class ship, but there was an area near the front of the ship.  However, it was hard to see unless you had a position at the rail.  The viewing was much better on the open decks at the back of the ship.  Yes, you were looking backward but you could also move around to the sides as well.

[Tapi]

1 hour ago, Hooked Already said:

I did a partial transit on the Pride in 2017. Only crew members were allowed up in the Bow.

Darn, I should’ve zoomed in on that photo. It does look like crew members now that I look closely. 😂

 

Thanks for all the feedback everybody! 

[grandmarnnurse]

I was actually looking at the Pride 14 day Journey cruise out of Baltimore for a partial Panama Canal transit, and did a mock booking to see my cost. Apparently the only inside cabins left are on Deck 1, which I do not want. 😢 Looks like this cruise is out for us. I have sailed a Spirit class ship before. Actually, it WAS the Spirit, and we enjoyed it. 

[grandmarnnurse]

Do you think any more cabins will open up? I was quite shocked to see all the decks Sold Out, as this cruise is not until January 2021! 

[crzndeb]

3 hours ago, grandmarnnurse said:

I was actually looking at the Pride 14 day Journey cruise out of Baltimore for a partial Panama Canal transit, and did a mock booking to see my cost. Apparently the only inside cabins left are on Deck 1, which I do not want. 😢 Looks like this cruise is out for us. I have sailed a Spirit class ship before. Actually, it WAS the Spirit, and we enjoyed it. 

I see a few interiors on higher decks in front and back of ship for your sailing. Just not the middle of ship. Look again.

Edited December 14, 2019 by crzndeb

[grandmarnnurse]

44 minutes ago, crzndeb said:

I see a few interiors on higher decks in front and back of ship for your sailing. Just not the middle of ship. Look again.

Thank you! 

[coevan]

4 hours ago, grandmarnnurse said:

Do you think any more cabins will open up? I was quite shocked to see all the decks Sold Out, as this cruise is not until January 2021! 

 

 

I am on the CCL website and if this is your cruise there are balconies like this: https://www.carnival.com/BookingEngine/Booking/Book?abCode=&durDays=14&embkCode=BWI&evsel=J&isMilitary=N&isOver55=N&isPastGuest=Y&itinCode=JP0&numGuests=2&offerCode=&promoCode=&rateCode=&sailDate=01102021&sailingID=86459&shipCode=PR&subRegionCode=T#/meta-upgrade

[grandmarnnurse]

12 hours ago, coevan said:

 

 

I am on the CCL website and if this is your cruise there are balconies like this: https://www.carnival.com/BookingEngine/Booking/Book?abCode=&durDays=14&embkCode=BWI&evsel=J&isMilitary=N&isOver55=N&isPastGuest=Y&itinCode=JP0&numGuests=2&offerCode=&promoCode=&rateCode=&sailDate=01102021&sailingID=86459&shipCode=PR&subRegionCode=T#/meta-upgrade

No balconies for this retired couple on a retirement budget! Lol! Only insides! But as someone else pointed out, I must have only been looking in my preferred area of middle ship. There were still cabins available aft and fwd. 👍 

[Roz]

I'm doing a full transit on the Miracle next February.  The Journeys cruises do tend to sell out fast.  I sail solo, so on longer cruises like this I can only afford an inside.  Fortunately, Carnival has roomy insides.  I couldn't stay in a tuna can for 13 days.  I'm in a 4D on Empress deck, but have had cabins on Riviera deck and enjoyed them.

[Bostwick girl]

We did the partial transit on Miracle last year, it was awesome! We had a balcony room on deck 4 starboard, had a fantastic view from the balcony. It was also broadcast on the cabin tv so if you wanted to see what was ahead, you could go in the cabin for a few minutes. There were crew on deck 3 below us enjoying it as much as we did. 

 

[Tapi]

1 minute ago, Bostwick girl said:

We did the partial transit on Miracle last year, it was awesome! We had a balcony room on deck 4 starboard, had a fantastic view from the balcony. It was also broadcast on the cabin tv so if you wanted to see what was ahead, you could go in the cabin for a few minutes. There were crew on deck 3 below us enjoying it as much as we did. 

 

Thanks for that info! Right now I’ve pinpointed 2 cabins within the specific category that I want. One is midship, but you can see the lifeboats a couple of decks straight down, and the other one is towards the very aft but with no lifeboats. I’m wondering if it’s better to sacrifice the midship location in order to have a straight down unobstructed view. Any suggestions? Thanks! 

[Bostwick girl]

8 minutes ago, Tapi said:

Thanks for that info! Right now I’ve pinpointed 2 cabins within the specific category that I want. One is midship, but you can see the lifeboats a couple of decks straight down, and the other one is towards the very aft but with no lifeboats. I’m wondering if it’s better to sacrifice the midship location in order to have a straight down unobstructed view. Any suggestions? Thanks! 

 

Personally I would definitely do the aft with unobstructed view! You are so close to the sides of the locks, and as you go on to the next lock, you're able to see the gates close. It was the best cruise ever for me, and would love to do it again one day.

 

[Tapi]

4 minutes ago, Bostwick girl said:

 

Personally I would definitely do the aft with unobstructed view! You are so close to the sides of the locks, and as you go on to the next lock, you're able to see the gates close. It was the best cruise ever for me, and would love to do it again one day.

 

Awesome, thank you for that information. That was my gut feeling. Glad to get some reassurance! 

[iamsteph]

I have a forward extended balcony on deck 5 for the 14 day on the Pride in October 2021. It's a partial Panama Canal transit and the last Pride cruise out of Baltimore. She's been a favorite ship of mine and I'll miss her 😭

[coevan]

4 hours ago, grandmarnnurse said:

No balconies for this retired couple on a retirement budget! Lol! Only insides! But as someone else pointed out, I must have only been looking in my preferred area of middle ship. There were still cabins available aft and fwd. 👍 

 

 

sorry, I misread your original post

[linz98144]

They opened the front of the ship to Diamond and maybe Platinum on our Panama cruise. 

[NWACruiser]

Please read my review of the Legend.

 

 

 

[tlw440]

On 12/14/2019 at 9:04 AM, Tapi said:

Thanks for that info! Right now I’ve pinpointed 2 cabins within the specific category that I want. One is midship, but you can see the lifeboats a couple of decks straight down, and the other one is towards the very aft but with no lifeboats. I’m wondering if it’s better to sacrifice the midship location in order to have a straight down unobstructed view. Any suggestions? Thanks! 

We just got off the Legend Sunday, a partial canal journey cruise. We were on deck 4 toward the back starboard, we had a great view. 

[nissach]

We did a cruise into the Panama Canal on HA and were allowed onto the bow of the ship just like the picture.  It was awesome!

[Nevada Jen]

It might be worth also checking other cruise lines.  The partial on carnival you can't get off at the canal.  I didn't think twice about it at the time, but when we were there, I was dying to get off and learn about the canal and see the area.  And on Miracle, that front area was crew and their guests.  Our cruise had someone's family on it as passengers and I saw them down there.  Not sure if Pride is the same but on the deck with Red Frog Pub, there was an area right outside it with porthole windows.  It was pretty dang cool to watch the locks from there in one direction (and way cooler physically).

[Tapi]

On 12/15/2019 at 5:13 PM, NWACruiser said:

Please read my review of the Legend.

 

 

 

Awesome! Thank you. Reading material for tonight! 😀