Panama Canal 2022

[Canadianmama3]

I noticed some interesting Panama Canal cruises in 2022 that leave from Panama. They look interesting because of the additional ports you get since you aren’t travelling from and back to Florida.

 

Has anyone done a cruise leaving from Panama ?

 

 

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[All-ready2cruise]

I'm not sure that NCL has offered these cruises before. Pretty sure this is a new itin. 

[oteixeira]

I am looking at the Bliss Panama Canal but that is a traditional 16 day start in Miami end in LA.

Edited July 26, 2020 by oteixeira

[farmersfight]

2 hours ago, Canadianmama3 said:

 

I noticed some interesting Panama Canal cruises in 2022 that leave from Panama. They look interesting because of the additional ports you get since you aren’t travelling from and back to Florida.

 

Has anyone done a cruise leaving from Panama ?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

 

Do they return back to Panama or end somewhere else? Also, which port in Panama - Balboa (Panama City) or Cristobal (Colon)?

[Canadianmama3]

3 minutes ago, farmersfight said:

 

Do they return back to Panama or end somewhere else? Also, which port in Panama - Balboa (Panama City) or Cristobal (Colon)?

They are round trip so end in Panama.  I believe it was out of Colon. 

[farmersfight]

14 minutes ago, Canadianmama3 said:

They are round trip so end in Panama.  I believe it was out of Colon. 

 

Thanks. Interesting. I have never seen round trip cruises out of Panama. I'll bet they include a partial transit of the Panama Canal (since you're already down there) - lock through Gatun locks, turn around in Gatun Lake, lock again through Gatun locks, return to Colon.

Edited July 26, 2020 by farmersfight

[coin ops]

Haven't been to Panama yet, but we're looking forward to boarding the Jewel in Panama City and sailing through the canal to NYC in January 2022.  We were going to be on the Joy for a partial transit in January 2021, but decided to wait another year.  

[farmersfight]

4 minutes ago, coin ops said:

Haven't been to Panama yet, but we're looking forward to boarding the Jewel in Panama City and sailing through the canal to NYC in January 2022.  We were going to be on the Joy for a partial transit in January 2021, but decided to wait another year.  

 

You'll love the experience of fully transiting the Panama Canal (perhaps a "bucket list" item). When my dad was still alive and still working, he worked as a Panama Canal pilot. He took me on many transits with him. So for me, the Panama Canal transit bucket list item has been fully checked off (definitely more than once).

[Turtles06]

T

3 hours ago, Canadianmama3 said:

 

I noticed some interesting Panama Canal cruises in 2022 that leave from Panama. They look interesting because of the additional ports you get since you aren’t travelling from and back to Florida.

 

Has anyone done a cruise leaving from Panama ?

 

 

 

In case you're not aware, there's a Panama Canal forum here on CC with lots of helpful info and Canal experts, and I would be reading and asking questions over there:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/54-panama-canal/

 

I was just looking at the Jan. 2022 itinerary for the Jewel.  While it says it starts and ends in "Panama City," the parentheses make it clear that it starts on the Atlantic side of Panama, in Colón, which is not Panama City (that's on the Pacific side) and, from what I've read, is not a place where you'd want to venture outside the port gates (so I wouldn't call that an additional port), and ends on the Pacific side (in Fuerte Amador, which is an island of Panama City). 

 

The rest of the ports include a number you'd find on many PC itineraries (not to mention a number of Caribbean cruises).  The good thing is that this cruise includes a full transit of the Canal, but you have to make your way to and from Panama for it.  Personally, I don't know that it would be worth it.  (Just by way of bkg, we've done two full transits of the Canal, one from Miami to LA, the other from NY to San Fran.  Awesome trips.)  

 

Anyway, however you do it, a full transit of the Canal is amazing.  Do read The Path Between the Seas before you go.  Enjoy the planning!

 

[Canadianmama3]

1 hour ago, farmersfight said:

 

Do they return back to Panama or end somewhere else? Also, which port in Panama - Balboa (Panama City) or Cristobal (Colon)?

Sorry I was a little wrong in my answer.  It looks like some start in Panama Colon and end in Colon, some the other way around, and some begin and end in the same port.(depends on the itinerary). I’m looking at two different dates one starts in Panama City, and ends in Colon and the other starts in Colon. 
 

How would that work with flights? I’m guessing we would fly into Panama City 

[Canadianmama3]

I should also add I’m not sure we will do a cruise like this.  We are actually considering a med cruise in the summer of 2022.  I just happened to notice this and it seemed interesting. 
 

I should also add as we are Canadian it would be an international flight no matter what cruise we go on if we wanted to do the canal.  

[All-ready2cruise]

3 hours ago, Canadianmama3 said:

Sorry I was a little wrong in my answer.  It looks like some start in Panama Colon and end in Colon, some the other way around, and some begin and end in the same port.(depends on the itinerary). I’m looking at two different dates one starts in Panama City, and ends in Colon and the other starts in Colon. 
 

How would that work with flights? I’m guessing we would fly into Panama City 

There are airports at either end of the Panama Canal. You'd simply book your return flight from the closest airport.  Or, if NCL offers airfare for this cruise, just book through them and they'll take care of it for you. 

[farmersfight]

3 hours ago, Turtles06 said:

While it says it starts and ends in "Panama City," the parentheses make it clear that it starts on the Atlantic side of Panama, in Colón, which is not Panama City (that's on the Pacific side) and, from what I've read, is not a place where you'd want to venture outside the port gates (so I wouldn't call that an additional port)

 

I can personally attest to the fact that Colon is not a place you want to venture outside the port gates. When I used to visit my Dad in Panama, I had a girlfriend (who was Honduran) who lived with her uncle and sister in Colon. I remember driving my Dad's big white '72 Thunderbird into Colon to see/visit her. Back then, there was still the U.S. controlled Panama Canal Zone and I remember feeling very uncomfortable once I crossed that boundary line into Colon. Fortunately, nobody attacked my Dad's car when I drove into Colon but I always worried about it. I doubt that it has gotten any better in Colon, but when I was there, the tensions between the Panamanians and Americans were pretty high because the Panamanians wanted to take over the Panama Canal (since it was within their country's borders) and wanted the Americans out. Yeah, probably not a good idea to take a stroll along the streets of Colon, even today.

 

40 minutes ago, All-ready2cruise said:

There are airports at either end of the Panama Canal. You'd simply book your return flight from the closest airport.

 

Whenever I flew down to visit my Dad, I always flew in to and left from the airport in Panama City, even when he lived near Cristobal (Atlantic side, near Colon). Things may have changed but I don't recall a major airport on the Atlantic side (if there was, I would've used it since my Dad lived on the Atlantic side). I think it had to do with Panamanian customs they had at the airport and all international flights (especially from the U.S.) had to come in and leave out from their major airport in Panama City. Again, things may have changed since I was flying down to Panama every summer to visit my Dad, "back in the day".

Edited July 26, 2020 by farmersfight

[timf2001]

The idea behind these itineraries is you would fly into and out of Panama City, which is why they are listed as starting and ending in Panama City even if they actually dock in Colon.  The ones I've been looking at include free or reduced airfare (and is actually free at least from Detroit).  It looks like it's only about an hour farther away to get to Panama City airport from Colon than Fuerte Amador, so it's doable that way.

[coin ops]

The cruise we are on is an 11 night repositioning cruise from Fuerte Amador through the canal to New York.  Right now, NCL is providing reduced airfare.

https://www.ncl.com/cruises/11-day-panama-canal-from-panama-city-to-new-york-curacao-and-cartagena-JEWEL11FAMCTGSMRWILKRASTTSJUGDTNYC?destinations=4294961383&embarkationport=4294936975&sailMonths=4294940504&numberOfGuests=4294953449&sortBy=price_high_low&autoPopulate=f&from=resultpage&itineraryCode=JEWEL11FAMCTGSMRWILKRASTTSJUGDTNYC

 

 

[farmersfight]

9 hours ago, timf2001 said:

The idea behind these itineraries is you would fly into and out of Panama City, which is why they are listed as starting and ending in Panama City even if they actually dock in Colon.  The ones I've been looking at include free or reduced airfare (and is actually free at least from Detroit).  It looks like it's only about an hour farther away to get to Panama City airport from Colon than Fuerte Amador, so it's doable that way.

 

Sounds like things haven't changed. I remember those hour long cross isthmus drives from the Panama City airport to my Dad's house on the Atlantic side. And then the drive back across the isthmus to the Panama City airport to catch your flight back to the U.S.

 

Not too many places where you can drive from the Pacific ocean to the Atlantic ocean (and vice versa) in about an hour.

[MSUjohn]

21 hours ago, farmersfight said:

 

You'll love the experience of fully transiting the Panama Canal (perhaps a "bucket list" item). When my dad was still alive and still working, he worked as a Panama Canal pilot. He took me on many transits with him. So for me, the Panama Canal transit bucket list item has been fully checked off (definitely more than once).

I did a 3 week san Francisco to new York cruise in January/February (2020) with my father for my 40th birthday.

it was really enjoyable; this was just prior to the covid19 shutdowns quarantines. 

[farmersfight]

7 hours ago, MSUjohn said:

I did a 3 week san Francisco to new York cruise in January/February (2020) with my father for my 40th birthday.

it was really enjoyable; this was just prior to the covid19 shutdowns quarantines. 

 

Glad you were able to do that cruise with your father before covid19 shutdowns. I flew down to Tucson, AZ and got to visit with my two sons in late Dec 2019 -- I am grateful I got to see them right before the covid19 shutdowns, as well.

 

Was it an NCL cruise ship you went on with your father? Also, I see you're in Michigan...what part? (I'm in Muskegon).

[Turtles06]

10 hours ago, MSUjohn said:

I did a 3 week san Francisco to new York cruise in January/February (2020) with my father for my 40th birthday.

it was really enjoyable; this was just prior to the covid19 shutdowns quarantines. 

By chance, did you board the Gem on Jan. 24? If so, that was the day we disembarked in San Fran from the three-week cruise that started in New York. What a great cruise.  And who knew it would be our last for the foreseeable future? ☹️  I’m so glad we at least had that this year.  I’m sure you are too.

[MSUjohn]

11 hours ago, farmersfight said:

 

Glad you were able to do that cruise with your father before covid19 shutdowns. I flew down to Tucson, AZ and got to visit with my two sons in late Dec 2019 -- I am grateful I got to see them right before the covid19 shutdowns, as well.

 

Was it an NCL cruise ship you went on with your father? Also, I see you're in Michigan...what part? (I'm in Muskegon).

I was on the NCL gem.  not my video, but my cruise

 

[MSUjohn]

12 hours ago, farmersfight said:

 

Glad you were able to do that cruise with your father before covid19 shutdowns. I flew down to Tucson, AZ and got to visit with my two sons in late Dec 2019 -- I am grateful I got to see them right before the covid19 shutdowns, as well.

 

Was it an NCL cruise ship you went on with your father? Also, I see you're in Michigan...what part? (I'm in Muskegon).

 

I have been in Jackson for a few years now. lived in Muskegon (lakeside) a couple of years before that like 2015-17. I bounce all over the lower peninsula. 

[MSUjohn]

8 hours ago, Turtles06 said:

By chance, did you board the Gem on Jan. 24? If so, that was the day we disembarked in San Fran from the three-week cruise that started in New York. What a great cruise.  And who knew it would be our last for the foreseeable future? ☹️  I’m so glad we at least had that this year.  I’m sure you are too.

yes, we where on the California to new York return trip; and yes we (my father and I) are grateful that we where able to squeeze it in. 

[farmersfight]

6 hours ago, MSUjohn said:

I was on the NCL gem.  not my video, but my cruise

 

 Thanks for sharing the video. Interesting seeing the famous fog of SF at the end of the video. I shipped out from SF as a state maritime cadet (Texas) in the summer of 1981. Was on the Letitia Lykes (break bulk freighter) and we sailed to the far east - Japan, South Korea, Indonesia & the Philippines. We returned to Oakland. One of the greatest experiences of my life. Thanks again.

[breakiron]

You would definitely fly into and out of Panama City.  Flew down last year and stayed for 6 nights.  I would definitely book my hotel in Panama City and get a transfer to Colon the morning of the cruise.  On the way you could plan a visit to the new visitor center for the new locks on the Colon side before you embark.  Would not stay in Colon, Panama City has many improvements over the years but somehow Colon has not.  There is now a major highway between the 2 cities. Copa Airlines now flies from many destinations in the U.S. to Panama City nonstop and is less then a 5 hour flight from Washington, D.C.

 

[bonvoyagie]

We were also fortunate enough to be on the Gem through the canal in Jan - SFO to NYC It looks like the Jewel is going to do several different itinaries in March of 2022 including  both full transits and partial transits of the locks at Gutan. I think I could handle the full transit that ends in Bonaire - we loved it so much on our last trip that we just might move there.