NCL Panama Canal

[coloradocruiselover88]

Happy Sunday! I am hoping I can get some information from the cruise critic community. When aboard a NCL ship going from east (Colon) to west (Fuerte Amador) through the canal is there lectures on board? Do you get to learn about the making of the canal?

 

The reason I ask is I am trying to set up a pre-cruise excursion for my group who is really interested in the history, how the locks work, the difference between the new and old locks and the culture of the area.  So trying to to duplicate too much.  Can anyone tell me about their experience?  We are on the Jewel in January of 2022.

 

Thank you in advance!  Have a wonderful Sunday!

 

 

[jy0ung1]

When we went through on the NCL Jewel in 2016, someone from the Canal Authority came on board and narrated on the PA of the ship.  It was very informative.  They also played a 1 hour long video  repeatedly a day or two prior (on a special tv channel).  Both were very informative.   They came on in a pilot tug boat like vessel upon our entry and left as we exited the Canal.  They spoke throughout our  transit.

[www3traveler]

If you are interested in the history of the "Original" Canal, I would suggested reading David McCullough's "The Path Between The Seas  'The Creation of the Panama Canal 1870-1914'.  This is a very detailed account of the building of The Canal.  

 

I am on my 2nd reading.  Enjoy

 

Mandy

[deefer]

We were on the Star in 2019 - (west to east)

Every Sea Day before Day 11 (that was the Panama Canal Day) a lecture at 930a was offered in the Stardust Theatre.  These were the topics:

 

Day 2 - The Panama Canal: How it Works

Day 4 - Why Panama? Why not Nicaragua?

Day 6 - Panama Canal:  How it was built

Day 10 - Panama under American Occupation

 

I found the information very good, the presentation was a little on the flat side but went to all the lectures and would recommend them.   Don’t worry if you miss a lecture - they played on a loop on Channel 33. On our ship they were still available to watch even after we had gone through the Canal.

 

If you are going East to West I am not sure how this would work as you are probably entering the canal much earlier than Day 11. 

 

As jy0ung1 mentions in their post - during the actual transit there is someone from the Transit Authority on board over the PA system telling you to “look over on the port side” and you will see X then explains the history/significance of what you are looking at.  

 

For us, with our own little precruise reading/watching documentaries it was enough.  But I feel it may be a little on the “light” side for those who want as much information as possible.

 

The night before the transit through the canal a tentative transit schedule is listed on the Freestyle Daily - you can see it in the lower right hand corner.  Helps you plan your day

 

And we also got a map …. It was cool to follow where we were on it in real time.

Enjoy planning and have an amazing cruise!

 

[coloradocruiselover88]

1 hour ago, deefer said:

We were on the Star in 2019 - (west to east)

Every Sea Day before Day 11 (that was the Panama Canal Day) a lecture at 930a was offered in the Stardust Theatre.  These were the topics:

 

Day 2 - The Panama Canal: How it Works

Day 4 - Why Panama? Why not Nicaragua?

Day 6 - Panama Canal:  How it was built

Day 10 - Panama under American Occupation

 

I found the information very good, the presentation was a little on the flat side but went to all the lectures and would recommend them.   Don’t worry if you miss a lecture - they played on a loop on Channel 33. On our ship they were still available to watch even after we had gone through the Canal.

 

If you are going East to West I am not sure how this would work as you are probably entering the canal much earlier than Day 11. 

 

As jy0ung1 mentions in their post - during the actual transit there is someone from the Transit Authority on board over the PA system telling you to “look over on the port side” and you will see X then explains the history/significance of what you are looking at.  

 

For us, with our own little precruise reading/watching documentaries it was enough.  But I feel it may be a little on the “light” side for those who want as much information as possible.

 

The night before the transit through the canal a tentative transit schedule is listed on the Freestyle Daily - you can see it in the lower right hand corner.  Helps you plan your day

 

And we also got a map …. It was cool to follow where we were on it in real time.

Enjoy planning and have an amazing cruise!

 

Thank you so much!!! Great information!

[coloradocruiselover88]

1 hour ago, www3traveler said:

If you are interested in the history of the "Original" Canal, I would suggested reading David McCullough's "The Path Between The Seas  'The Creation of the Panama Canal 1870-1914'.  This is a very detailed account of the building of The Canal.  

 

I am on my 2nd reading.  Enjoy

 

Mandy

Thank you so much; yes I am reading this now!

[coloradocruiselover88]

1 hour ago, jy0ung1 said:

When we went through on the NCL Jewel in 2016, someone from the Canal Authority came on board and narrated on the PA of the ship.  It was very informative.  They also played a 1 hour long video  repeatedly a day or two prior (on a special tv channel).  Both were very informative.   They came on in a pilot tug boat like vessel upon our entry and left as we exited the Canal.  They spoke throughout our  transit.

Thank you so much!!!!

[coloradocruiselover88]

This is why I love cruise critic, the amazing people who are filled with information and are always willing to help!  Thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart!

❤️

[sfaaa]

You get a personalized Panama Canal cruising certificate signed by the ship captain at the end of the cruise. I still have mine.

[roger001]

As mentioned, A Path Between the Seas is a must read before the trip. Also, a few good documentaries have been made regarding it.  The American Experience, Panama Canal is one. Check Amazon for that. About 10 years ago I took all these pictures going through the old locks.  We were traveling East to west.  They begin early morning approaching the first locks and end early evening just exiting into the Pacific.  We were on the Pearl.  
 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/V5l9FvWTTfueZGqO2

[deefer]

…….if you’re curious as to what the certificate looks like (pen strategically covers my name😀)

 

[sfaaa]

Leeeeeeeeets go. Cruise like a Norwegian.

[Turtles06]

10 hours ago, coloradocruiselover88 said:

Happy Sunday! I am hoping I can get some information from the cruise critic community. When aboard a NCL ship going from east (Colon) to west (Fuerte Amador) through the canal is there lectures on board? Do you get to learn about the making of the canal?

 

The reason I ask is I am trying to set up a pre-cruise excursion for my group who is really interested in the history, how the locks work, the difference between the new and old locks and the culture of the area.  So trying to to duplicate too much.  Can anyone tell me about their experience?  We are on the Jewel in January of 2022.

 

Thank you in advance!  Have a wonderful Sunday!

 

 

 

We've done two full transits of the Canal on NCL, both westbound.  I don't recall any lectures on either prior to transit day.  (I love NCL but, quite frankly, it's not known for on-board lectures.)  On Canal day, all the cruise lines have a "narrator" come on board from the Canal Authority, as others have noted above.

 

I absolutely agree with the recommendation to read "The Path Between the Seas" before your trip.  You will appreciate the Canal even more.

 

I posted a detailed review, with photos, of our first transit (in 2017 aboard the Jewel).  Here's the link, in case you find it helpful:

 

 

 

I hope you have a wonderful cruise!  

[don't-use-real-name]

For those of you with cameras binoculars and other optical devices - - -

probably not so much cell phones 

 

BEWARE THE HUMID ZONE

 

Taking you camera binoculars and even for those wearing glasses

when coming out of your air conditioned stateroom onto your balcony

or hurriedly rushing from your inside cabin to the outdoors - bring along

one of those hand towels from the bathroom to wipe the heavy humidity

off your optics !

It rains quite frequently in Panama you may need that hand towel to

wipe down your equipment if outdoors without shelter for a period of time.

 

Just one of the little details to spoil a photo-opt - fog on the lens.

 

There maybe times when the humid fog will fog up the ships windows.

 

Anticipate it so you don't miss that photo memory.

[sfaaa]

Bring insect repellant. Yellow fever may be history but Zika is still around.

Edited May 24, 2021 by sfaaa

[JackHamilton]

12 minutes ago, sfaaa said:

Bring insect repellant. Yellow fever may be history but Zika is still around.

Yellow Fever is still around too, just not in the Canal Zone at present. Some South American itineraries still require the vaccine.

[davencl]

On our trip Feb. of 2020 there was a humanities professor on board giving numerous lectures.  Was very informative.  Also read the book mentioned.  A must read.

[MagnoliaBlossom]

On 5/23/2021 at 11:35 AM, www3traveler said:

If you are interested in the history of the "Original" Canal, I would suggested reading David McCullough's "The Path Between The Seas  'The Creation of the Panama Canal 1870-1914'.  This is a very detailed account of the building of The Canal.  

 

I am on my 2nd reading.  Enjoy

 

Mandy

That was a fabulous book!  I recommend it to people all the time.   I wasn’t aware of a fraction of the problems they encountered during the process.

it is a MUST read for anyone doing the canal.

The speaker we had on our first PC cruise was excellent and the theater was standing room only for each of his talks.  He looked and sounded just like John Bolton.  We only had a speaker on our full transit.  The other two were partials and only had someone onboard during the transit.

[roger001]

1 minute ago, MagnoliaBlossom said:

That was a fabulous book!  I recommend it to people all the time.   I wasn’t aware of a fraction of the problems they encountered during the process.

it is a MUST read for anyone doing the canal.

The speaker we had on our first PC cruise was excellent and the theater was standing room only for each of his talks.  He looked and sounded just like John Bolton.  We only had a speaker on our full transit.  The other two were partials and only had someone onboard during the transit.

I've read the book twice it was that interesting.  The French sure get and A for effort in their initial attempt to build the canal.   They were just too early to have the later technology that was needed  available.  

[MagnoliaBlossom]

All the financial stuff was crazy.  Amazing it ever got built.  I remember that the first time a sitting president left the country was to tour the Canal Zone.  He took four secret service agents and was criticized by congress for taking so many. 🤣 times certainly do change.

[Turtles06]

10 hours ago, sfaaa said:

Bring insect repellant. Yellow fever may be history but Zika is still around.

 

10 hours ago, JackHamilton said:

Yellow Fever is still around too, just not in the Canal Zone at present. Some South American itineraries still require the vaccine.

 

As @JackHamilton said, Yellow Fever is still around in certain countries.  Also malaria and dengue fever.

 

I find it helpful before a trip (especially one like this) to check the CDC's web site, by country, for a list of health notices, recommended (or required) vaccines, etc.   (Right now, of course, much of this is dominated by Covid.)

 

https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/list

 

I will add that we brought plenty of mosquito repellant on both of our full transit Canal cruises, and never saw a single mosquito on either trip.  We will still be bringing the stuff the next time we transit the Canal and visit this area of the world.   (We prefer picaridin to DEET, fwiw.)

[coloradocruiselover88]

On 5/23/2021 at 5:13 PM, roger001 said:

As mentioned, A Path Between the Seas is a must read before the trip. Also, a few good documentaries have been made regarding it.  The American Experience, Panama Canal is one. Check Amazon for that. About 10 years ago I took all these pictures going through the old locks.  We were traveling East to west.  They begin early morning approaching the first locks and end early evening just exiting into the Pacific.  We were on the Pearl.  
 

https://photos.app.goo.gl/V5l9FvWTTfueZGqO2

Thanks for sharing

[kochleffel]

And before you embark, watch Arsenic and Old Lace.

 

[Trueblueky]

Has anyone taken an NCL cruise that starts and ends in Panama?  They begin in Panama City and end ten days later in Colon.  How does one get back to Panama City?

[Indyopie]

We are using the NCL transfers, not much more than what a taxi would be from what I've read.