NCL Sky - 11-Day Panama Canal Round-trip Miami Question

[OnFlight1978]

Hi friends - Has anyone taken the Norwegian Sky on the 11-Day Panama Canal Round-trip from Miami?  I am trying to get some details in regards to the actual "Panama Canal" portion of it.  The itinerary seems vague.  It speaks to the Panama Canal/Gatun Lake.  Pardon my ignorance on this and/or geography LOL.   Does anyone know if you actually go through the Panama Canal to get to Gatun Lake?  I wanted to experience the various (or at least a few) Panama Canal locks and curious if this particular itinerary offers that.  Any insight/help would be greatly appreciated. 🙂

[MeHeartCruising]

Many cruise lines offer these “partial Panama Canal” cruises.  Yes, you will pass thru one set of locks from the Atlantic Ocean side and the enter Gatun Lake.  The lake is part of the canal path.  The ship will briefly stay in the lake long enough to unload excursion passengers who will get on busses to the excursion.   Then the ship will pass back thru the same locks back into the Atlantic.  The ship then likely docks at Colon (outside the canal) and stays there until the evening return of the excursion passengers.   
 

The ship will NOT pass all the way thru the canal.  Actually, you will only experience a small portion of it on the ship.  There are excursions that will transit more of the canal on smaller boats and even all the way into the Pacific.   Those will then return to the ship by bus.  I did this excursion and loved it.  But be prepared for a very long day and a lot of idle time on the canal.  Passage thru the canal is a slow process. 
 

Even if you don’t do the long excursion, you will indeed experience the basic process of the locks.  But just one set of those locks.  The excursion will pass thru 3 (I think) addition sets of locks.

Edited August 1, 2022 by MeHeartCruising

[OnFlight1978]

23 minutes ago, MeHeartCruising said:

Many cruise lines offer these “partial Panama Canal” cruises.  Yes, you will pass thru one set of locks from the Atlantic Ocean side and the enter Gatun Lake.  The lake is part of the canal path.  The ship will briefly stay in the lake long enough to unload excursion passengers who will get on busses to the excursion.   Then the ship will pass back thru the same locks back into the Atlantic.  The ship then likely docks at Colon (outside the canal) and stays there until the evening return of the excursion passengers.   
 

The ship will NOT pass all the way thru the canal.  Actually, you will only experience a small portion of it on the ship.  There are excursions that will transit more of the canal on smaller boats and even all the way into the Pacific.   Those will then return to the ship by bus.  I did this excursion and loved it.  But be prepared for a very long day and a lot of idle time on the canal.  Passage thru the canal is a slow process. 
 

Even if you don’t do the long excursion, you will indeed experience the basic process of the locks.  But just one set of those locks.  The excursion will pass thru 3 (I think) addition sets of locks.

 

Awesome!  Thank you so much!  I greatly appreciate the information you provided.  Makes perfect sense!  

[BillB48]

MeHeartC. summed up what the Sky's Canal cruise entails well.  I'll just go into a little more detail and hopefully provide a little better understanding.

 

The Sky will arrive at the Atlantic entrance to the Canal, normally a little before dawn.  The ship will travel the next 7 miles to reach Gatun Locks.  You will lock up the three chambers of Gatun Locks to the level of Gatun Lake.  Once in Gatun Lake the ship will sail a short distance to the Gatun Lake Anchorage.  At this point you will tender off the ship and board a bus for the trip to the Pacific side to meet your excursion vessel.  This part of the your excursion may operate in one of two ways... leave from Ft. Amador, sail the Pacific entrance, under the Bridge of Americas, lock through Miraflores and Pedro Miguel Locks and then sail through Gaillard (Culebra) Cut, disembarking at Gamboa.  This portion of the excursion can operate in reverse which is equally satisfying.  After disembarking your excursion vessel you will return to Colon by bus.

 

Ditto on it can be a long day!  IMO it is worth it, in fact this excursion gives you a unique opportunity to experience passing through the locks from two different points of view.  One, on your ship at Gatun Locks and a completely different perspective from the excursion vessel at Miraflores and Pedro Miguel.  Your ship will seem to almost overwhelm the lock at Gatun and the locks will seem to overpower you on the Pacific side. 

[OnFlight1978]

Thank you BillB48 for outlining even more additional details about my inquiry.  You and MeHeartCruising have provided details the Personal Cruise Consultant at NCL had challenges with!  Thank you for taking the time to respond. 😀