LIVE from Radiance Apr. 21, 2023 - The Panama Canal - Canal au Niveau de la Mer

[twangster]

6 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

Could that mean larger ships take the old canal and your ship is switched over to the new canal?

 

Larger ships can't take the old locks.   The new locks were added so that larger ships could use the canal.  

 

It isn't a lock problem really, it's the depth of water in between the locks on the Atlantic and Pacific - the waterways in the middle.  When the lake levels fall they implement draft restrictions so deep ships don't run aground.

 

Personally I prefer the old locks.  Watching the mules in operation and being eye level with them is the best part.  The new locks are new but lack the charm of the old locks. 

[twangster]

13 minutes ago, karena1 said:

We are doing Panama Canal out of LA to Tampa Oct 2024 and cannot wait.  Pictures would be great if you can send them.

 

Pictures shall be coming!  (if Starlink internet lets me).

 

Last time I had some cell coverage in places along the canal, especially near the ends where there is population.  I think cell coverage was light in the middle, but at any rate I will be taking pictures!

[Jimbo]

4 minutes ago, twangster said:

 

Larger ships can't take the old locks.   The new locks were added so that larger ships could use the canal.  

 

It isn't a lock problem really, it's the depth of water in between the locks on the Atlantic and Pacific - the waterways in the middle.  When the lake levels fall they implement draft restrictions so deep ships don't run aground.

 

Personally I prefer the old locks.  Watching the mules in operation and being eye level with them is the best part.  The new locks are new but lack the charm of the old locks. 

Do you know if new locks are faster then the old locks to get through if no ship traffic for each way?

[h20skibum]

3 minutes ago, twangster said:

Larger ships can't take the old locks.

Exactly this.  I think most of the cruise ships that transit the canal are Panamax size. Radiance should have about 2’ clearance on each side of the locks. Those new locks are designed for the neo-Panamax size. 

[twangster]

16 minutes ago, Jimbo said:

Do you know if new locks are faster then the old locks to get through if no ship traffic for each way?

 

If I recall both old and new locks use the power of gravity to do the heavy lifting while the new locks have additioanl resevoirs that are there to reduce water waste.  Being larger lock chambers the new locks hold more water so there is more water to move potentially depending on the ship and how low it is riding.   However being new and modern their plumbing and ability to move water may be more efficeint.

 

The new locks have to acheive the same lift and drop to reach the lake in the middle compared to the old locks. 

 

Gatun Lake and Culebra cut, the waterways that are used to cross Panama are the same and used by all ships large or small.  The only difference are the locks at each end.  The old locks have an extra small "lake" in between two sets of locks on the Pacific side while the new locks have all 3 sets of locks togther.  This may make them slightly more efficeint in terms of timing but ships are staggered and have to all fall in line to cross the lake in the middle so timing and speeds are carefully controlled.  There aren't many places where ships going the same drection could pass each other.

 

So I'm not sure if the new locks make for a faster overall transit.  I'll try to remeber to ask. 

Edited April 19, 2023 by twangster

[Jimbo]

8 minutes ago, twangster said:

 

 However being new and modern their plumbing and ability to move water may be more efficeint.

 

 

 

So I'm not sure if the new locks make for a faster overall transit.  I'll try to remeber to ask. 

That is what I was thinking, moving the water in and out of the locks with today's engineers has to be faster then how it was done years ago when the old locks were built.

 

Nevertheless I'm sure no matter which locks ships take it's still as amazing as the 1st time we went through the old locks. I will never forget just looking at the water level behind us as we were dumped down into the Atlantic after passing through our last lock.

 

Amazing how high the water level was.....................

 

With your cruise going East to West, you are going to like swimming up hill the entire time until you get to the Pacific.

Edited April 19, 2023 by Jimbo

[twangster]

Starting to feel real.

 

 

It's a 15 night cruise... I wonder how many bought the DX?  🙂

 

$1,593 each.

 

 

In fairness it was $62 not long ago, so only $1,100 per person.

 

[karena1]

49 minutes ago, twangster said:

 

Pictures shall be coming!  (if Starlink internet lets me).

 

Last time I had some cell coverage in places along the canal, especially near the ends where there is population.  I think cell coverage was light in the middle, but at any rate I will be taking pictures!

Thanks!!

[twangster]

Enrichment talks onboard:

 

[FionaMG]

4 hours ago, Another_Critic said:

Are you continuing on the Anthem TA?

 

Wish we were but we couldn't make the timing work for us, unfortunately. 😕

[ILCTCRUISER]

@twangster   The new locks are new but lack the charm of the old locks. 

 

Yes, most definitely….

[ILCTCRUISER]

@twangster  So I'm not sure if the new locks make for a faster overall transit.  I'll try to remeber to ask. 

 

Just did a PC on NCL this Feb/March.  Didn’t seem significantly faster.

[Cherful59]

@twangster Did a turn around on Splendor of the Seas in 2003 in and out of Gatun Lake from Galveston.  We were all over that ship looking as we were going thru the locks.  Look forward to your pictures and posts as it will bring back good memories.  

[Tree_skier]

On 4/16/2023 at 10:02 AM, firefly333 said:

I googled the address and gave uber the address on 10th street. I believe the 14th street address is the parking area some drop off. It's in my uber app I can look if you cant find it. Uber I read isnt supposed to be official until may 1st but it's been approved now. 

I thought Uber didn't service Galveston.  I thought it was Lyft only.

 

[Tree_skier]

Great!  I love a Twangster live review.  Nobody does photos and videos like Twangster!  Can't wait for this to get underway.  

[firefly333]

10 minutes ago, Tree_skier said:

I thought Uber didn't service Galveston.  I thought it was Lyft only.

 

They approved uber now. ..though someone from Galveston said it's not supposed to go into effect until may 1st. I used it both ways for radiance. May 1st its official uber is good. 

[twangster]

19 minutes ago, Tree_skier said:

I thought Uber didn't service Galveston.  I thought it was Lyft only.

 

 

My understanding is that the port and Uber have agreed on terms and conditions so that Uber can now service the port.  I'll be shopping both on Friday morning from my hotel.  I'll let you know 🙂 

[twangster]

40 minutes ago, Cherful59 said:

@twangster Did a turn around on Splendor of the Seas in 2003 in and out of Gatun Lake from Galveston.  We were all over that ship looking as we were going thru the locks.  Look forward to your pictures and posts as it will bring back good memories.  

 

Splendor is coming to Florida!  Well sort of. 

 

Marella Discovery will be home ported from Port Canaveral soon for TUI.  It doesn't look like we (US citizens) can book her, she's being offered with packages from the UK that bundle airfare to MLB airport near the port.     

 

Nonetheless Splendor a.k.a Marella Discovery will be back in the US and operating from PCN the day after we disembark from Radiance in LA.

[Tree_skier]

33 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

They approved uber now. ..though someone from Galveston said it's not supposed to go into effect until may 1st. I used it both ways for radiance. May 1st its official uber is good. 

Awesome, thank you.

[twangster]

TGIF - Thank Goodness It's Fly Day

 

One day to go...

 

 

Later evening flight, still have to finish packing.  

[kernow]

Following along with interest as we are going from LA to Miami on Serenade in Nov. I always enjoy your reviews. 

I've looked at that Cartagena excursion too so will be interested to hear what you think of it.

[Jimbo]

1 hour ago, twangster said:

TGIF - Thank Goodness It's Fly Day

 

One day to go...

 

 

Later evening flight, still have to finish packing.  

Are all Southwest Flights back on schedule now compared to other day?

[John&LaLa]

13 hours ago, twangster said:

 

Splendor is coming to Florida!  Well sort of. 

 

Marella Discovery will be home ported from Port Canaveral soon for TUI.  It doesn't look like we (US citizens) can book her, she's being offered with packages from the UK that bundle airfare to MLB airport near the port.     

 

Nonetheless Splendor a.k.a Marella Discovery will be back in the US and operating from PCN the day after we disembark from Radiance in LA.

 

As I recall, she was originally planned to start cruising from PC in 2020

[John&LaLa]

2 hours ago, twangster said:

TGIF - Thank Goodness It's Fly Day

 

One day to go...

 

 

Later evening flight, still have to finish packing.  

 

It's an hour till Starship😉

[Cherful59]

15 hours ago, twangster said:

 

Splendor is coming to Florida!  Well sort of. 

 

Marella Discovery will be home ported from Port Canaveral soon for TUI.  It doesn't look like we (US citizens) can book her, she's being offered with packages from the UK that bundle airfare to MLB airport near the port.     

 

Nonetheless Splendor a.k.a Marella Discovery will be back in the US and operating from PCN the day after we disembark from Radiance in LA.

Good to know she is still cruising around.  We had an awesome 11 nights on her, so I remember her fondly.  Not the landing on the flight home however.  A sinus infection caught me near the end of the cruise and although the doctor gave me an antibiotic, he didn’t give me a decongestant.  I thought my head was going to burst.  2 Sudafed a 1/2 to an hour before I flew would have taken care of it, but I didn’t even think at the time to take any as the antibiotic had me felling pretty good by time we flew.  
 

Safe travels and enjoy!