Panama Canal Transit

[KatieBelle]

For those who have done the Panama Canal in the last few years:  Does Oceania open the bow to passengers during the transit?  

 

Thank you in advance

Katie

[Jancruz]

The Bow is open on deck 11

Jancruz1

[BenMurphy]

it's not that exciting

[Paulchili]

22 minutes ago, BenMurphy said:

it's not that exciting

+1 Maybe the first couple locks are but not so much after.

Scenery can be observed from many other places.

[alaskaca]

3 hours ago, BenMurphy said:

it's not that exciting

I respectfully disagree.
I found the locks fascinating and read David MC Cullough’s book, The Path Between the Seas, before the cruise.  Knowing the history of what it took to accomplish that construction, had me viewing and enjoying the entire transit.

[Hoyaheel]

Yeah, some of us are REALLY into weird engineering stuff - so OP, thank you for asking this question 🙂 My in-laws are booked on a holiday Panama Canal cruise for 2020; though I'm not sure if they'll actually take the cruise or not....

[Essiesmom]

Assuming that you mean the pointy place, the bow is not opened on Insignia

 

 

Marina

 

 

 

 Sirena

 

 

or Regatta

 

[RetiredLifer]

The Insignia (heading west) and the Marina (heading east) are both in Panama Canal today.  The Insignia is just now clearing the  Gatun locks and the Marina is just clearing the Pedro Miguel locks.  They should pass each other in canal in a few hours.  The Insignia and Marina will pass each other again in the South Atlantic on February 28th when the Insignia leaves the Falkland Islands heading for Uruguay and the Marina (which we will be on) will be heading to the Falklands from Uruguay.

[palakika]

RetiredLifer, Great photos of the ships passing in the Panama Canal.  We've transitted twice, once each way and found it really interesting.  We had the same very knowledgable woman, a canal expert, narrate the trip each time.  I agree The Path Between the Seas is a good book to read before going through the canal.

[Paulchili]

I agree with those above who say that the history of creating the canal is fascinating. It’s an amazing engineering accomplishment at a huge human cost and effort.

The locks on the other hand are more like - you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all.

There must be a dozen or more of them on the Rhine and they all are essentially the same (as are the ones in the Panama Canal).

Edited January 14, 2020 by Paulchili

[Hoyaheel]

And yet - some of us still love locks, no matter what. Even when they all look the same. Even when it's dark and you can't see clearly (that's what doing a Christmas markets river cruise will do for locks transit 😉 ) Sure, it's not for everyone. Nothing is. But details matter to the % of us who care.....No matter what the topic or question!

[KatieBelle]

OP here.  Let me just restate and clarify.  We are considering December 2, 2020 on Insignia through the Panama Canal.  For those who have sailed within the last 2 years:  Is the bow open to passengers during transit?

16 hours ago, Jancruz said:

The Bow is open on deck 11  

Deck 11 forward on Insignia is the putting green.  Deck 11 forward on Marina/Riviera is the bridge.  Neither would be appropriate.

13 hours ago, BenMurphy said:

it's not that exciting

 

4 hours ago, Paulchili said:

I agree with those above who say that the history of creating the canal is fascinating. It’s an amazing engineering accomplishment at a huge human cost and effort.

The locks on the other hand are more like - you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all.

There must be a dozen or more of them on the Rhine and they all are essentially the same (as are the ones in the Panama Canal).

Not asking for opinions of the trip.  DH is a civil engineer.  His company did CM work on the new canal.  Very important trip for him.  The question was "Is the bow open during transit?"

6 hours ago, Essiesmom said:

Assuming that you mean the pointy place, the bow is not opened on Insignia

Yes, Essiesmom, I did mean the "pointy place".  And thank you for all the pics.  You have answered my question quite efficiently.    

 

Thank you

Katie

[KatieBelle]

5 hours ago, palakika said:

We had the same very knowledgeable woman, a canal expert, narrate the trip each time.  I agree The Path Between the Seas is a good book to read before going through the canal.

 

We would hope to have a knowledgeable person onboard.  The Path Between the Seas in already coming our way.  Any other suggestions for books/maps?

 

Thanking you in advance

Katie

[palakika]

There was also a documentary made several years ago based on the McCullough book.  It was very interesting to see in film and photos what folks went through building the canal.  Don't remember when it was shown, but on PBS.

[KatieBelle]

4 minutes ago, palakika said:

There was also a documentary made several years ago based on the McCullough book.  It was very interesting to see in film and photos what folks went through building the canal.  Don't remember when it was shown, but on PBS.

 

Thanks!

[Beagle5]

We went through the canal on the Marina. I did find it annoying that I could not find a place with an unobstructed forward view.

All decks either have some sort of screening to protect from wind or are internal (ie Horizons). The best you could do was try and balance on a small table or lift you camera above the screens

[Essiesmom]

4 hours ago, palakika said:

There was also a documentary made several years ago based on the McCullough book.  It was very interesting to see in film and photos what folks went through building the canal.  Don't remember when it was shown, but on PBS.

It's called A man, a Plan, a canal.  On NOVA, released in 1987.  check Amazon,  EM

[ORV]

The answer to your question is no. If this is really important to you and your husband perhaps you might want to look at Celebrity or another line that does these. 

[Paulchili]

Just a thought (and I am sure I’ll get flamed for it) 😀

The ship’s aft is readily accessible. Are the gates at the rear of the lock different from the front?

Edited January 15, 2020 by Paulchili

[palakika]

Thanks for the info EM.

[Mura]

Or you could book a Vista Suite... LOL!  I'm not being snarky!  I know what a VS costs. But the views from a VS are fabulous and your view will only be blocked by guests you invite to join you.

 

I am another who is happy to watch the view "backwards" from an aft suite ...

 

Our first time through the Canal was on a PH on an "R" ship (Regatta, not that that matters).  Very early in the morning -- around dawn -- we went up "top ship" to watch the approach.  Stayed there for quite a while, then went back to our cabin to watch from our veranda for a while.  Later on we went aft to watch from Terrace ... All views were great.  (We're not engineers ... although DH *was* an engineer but he was an aerospace engineer which is rather different ...)

 

Our second time was -- I forget! Again we were in a PH (not sure which ship) and that time spent more time just on our veranda.  Maybe just because it was our second trip ...

 

You can get great views from many places.

 

Mura

 

 

 

[BenMurphy]

They show the film 'A man a plan etc ' on board before you reach the canal

[princeton123211]

11 hours ago, Mura said:

Or you could book a Vista Suite... LOL!  I'm not being snarky!  I know what a VS costs. But the views from a VS are fabulous and your view will only be blocked by guests you invite to join you.

This is a good suggestion. You can also book one of 4 concierge cabins that are forward facing and are sandwiched in between the Vista suites-- 6000,6001,7000,7001. They will be less expensive than the suite and you will still have the same view on a smaller, forward facing private balcony. 

 

Have to imagine these are popular on this itinerary though. 

[Hawaiidan]

On 1/13/2020 at 11:36 PM, BenMurphy said:

it's not that exciting

If you book  deck 7  and a B-3 foward cabin you can run tour feet along the top of the locks... your maybe 18 inches away and right on the same level as your veranda !       I was excited to go throught the canal  but like Ben  found to to be less than exciting... even boring    Hot humid  and repetitious

[Hawaiidan]

1 hour ago, princeton123211 said:

This is a good suggestion. You can also book one of 4 concierge cabins that are forward facing and are sandwiched in between the Vista suites-- 6000,6001,7000,7001. They will be less expensive than the suite and you will still have the same view on a smaller, forward facing private balcony. 

 

Have to imagine these are popular on this itinerary though. 

Windy as heck...  Lockheed  books them when their wind tunnel is down. Bring goggles to protect your eyes