Question for Panama Canal sailings

[Princess_gal]

Can anyone tell me are you allowed to be on your balcony when transversing the Locks

[BillB48]

You are able to use your balcony the entire transit including the locks.  Now a but!  I see your screen name includes Princess and that is where the "but" comes in.  I am pretty sure it is the Island Princess that has had additional cabins added and some of these cabins can be a little to close to the cables from the mules.  As a result access to the balcony is restricted during the time the ship is in the locks.  The Coral Princess does not have this issue since she wasn't modified and any ships using the new locks would not have this issue with the cables.

 

The Island and Coral are the only ships left in the fleet that would use the original locks, all other Princess ships would have to use the new locks.

 

[CruiserBruce]

Absolutely able to be on your balcony! You definitely want to wonder your ship to look at the process from all angles...there are amazing things to see. But you can be on your balcony.

 

Curious why you think you couldn't?

[Essiesmom]

It is some of the new aft balcony cabins on Island that can’t use their balconies.  EM

[CruiserBruce]

30 minutes ago, Essiesmom said:

It is some of the new aft balcony cabins on Island that can’t use their balconies.  EM

Because of crew handling ropes?

[BillB48]

Been looking for a photo that shows the proximity of the cables from the locomotive to the balconies affected.  This one shows the Coral Princess or the Island Princess before the addition of the new cabins.  Where the two men are standing is now balconies of the new cabins that begin with PR and in the lower 700s.

 

[Princess_gal]

12 hours ago, BillB48 said:

You are able to use your balcony the entire transit including the locks.  Now a but!  I see your screen name includes Princess and that is where the "but" comes in.  I am pretty sure it is the Island Princess that has had additional cabins added and some of these cabins can be a little to close to the cables from the mules.  As a result access to the balcony is restricted during the time the ship is in the locks.  The Coral Princess does not have this issue since she wasn't modified and any ships using the new locks would not have this issue with the cables.

 

The Island and Coral are the only ships left in the fleet that would use the original locks, all other Princess ships would have to use the new locks.

 

Hi Thanks for your reply…I will be booking the Emerald Princess Jan 2 2023. It will transit the new locks. I have already did a full transit via the historic locks long ago but i had an ocean view cabin

[Princess_gal]

10 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

Absolutely able to be on your balcony! You definitely want to wonder your ship to look at the process from all angles...there are amazing things to see. But you can be on your balcony.

 

Curious why you think you couldn't?

I did a full transit through the locks long ago but i had an ocean view. I remember looking out my window and just seeing the wooden rails..I of course was up front on deck watching us transit through but something was just nagging at me that that was a possibility we may not be able to be on balcony..This time i wanted to go through new locks and would like to book a balcony for Jan 2023 on the Emerald Princess. Thanks for the reply

[Princess_gal]

8 hours ago, Essiesmom said:

It is some of the new aft balcony cabins on Island that can’t use their balconies.  EM

Thank you

[Heidi13]

On 9/19/2021 at 7:33 AM, CruiserBruce said:

Because of crew handling ropes?

 

Affirmative - you don't wan't to be anywhere close to those lines if they part. Not a pleasant experience and something never forgotten.

[Kamloops50]

On 9/18/2021 at 10:32 PM, Princess_gal said:

Can anyone tell me are you allowed to be on your balcony when transversing the Locks

No problem using your balcony when transiting the locks.