10-day Panama Canal cruise

[vjh8799]

I have booked the 10-day Panama Canal cruise on Brilliance in 3/16/07. I will be traveling with my 8-year-old grandson. I am no sure what “Panama Canal (cruising canal) 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and then Cristobal Pier 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 pm really means” - would someone who is knowledgeable about this part of my itinerary explain it to me.

Also do are their any suggestions for excursions that he would enjoy.

[Nitemare]

Generally the "cruising" part means you go through a lock to Gatun Lake, and sail around there, the Cristobal Pier is after you go back out to the Carribbean and tie up to the pier there where there's some shopping.

 

If you have a Travel Agent and they didn't tell you this you should fire them immediately. This is the biggest and most exciting part of your trip and you should have known specifically what you would be seeing/doing while you were in Panama.

[BillB48]

After locking up to Gatun Lake, usually there are a number of tours that orginate at this point. Those on tours will tender to shore and rejoin the ship when it docks later in Cristobal. Those that remain on the ship do the "cruising Gatun Lake," then lock back down Gatun Locks, docking at Cristobal.

 

I'm sure the cruise line or your agent may be able to supply a list of what tours are available.

 

Enjoy!

[Sue L]

I am taking the 11 day on 3/26/07 You will be getting off and I will be getting on!

 

 

If you go to www.royalcaribbean.com and check the destinations page you will see a list of all the tours being offered in Panama Canal. There are quite a few.

 

You can NOT get off the ship in Lake Gatun if you don't have a ship's shore excursion booked.

 

If you choose to stay on the boat they will dock at Cristobel Pier where I have read that there is alot of shopping and such.

[chet the jet]

Hi vjh8799

We are going on the same cruise with you. I am going to stay of the ship and go thought the lock twice. I am staying there to save money and just eat. Hope to see you there.

[vjh8799]

Thanks everyone for the information. We have decided to stay onboard and go through the locks twice.

Chet the jet thanks for your note, hopefully we’ll meet up somewhere on the ship. Can hardly wait - snowing here this morning!

[FinelyRetired]

It is now May and have read this thread with interest.

 

We are just planning for our partial transit and the notion to just stay on board and go thru the locks twice is our thought, now, as well.

 

I'd love to hear from either "vjh8799" or "Chet the Jet" .... Were you glad you made that decision? Hope your cruises were wonderful.

[Sue L]

It is now May and have read this thread with interest.

 

We are just planning for our partial transit and the notion to just stay on board and go thru the locks twice is our thought, now, as well.

 

I'd love to hear from either "vjh8799" or "Chet the Jet" .... Were you glad you made that decision? Hope your cruises were wonderful.

 

 

I believe you misunderstood. They are going on the cruise next March 16,2007. They haven't gone yet. I am also going next March on the 11 day which goes to islands that I have never been before (except Aruba) They are going to stay on the ship, we on the other hand are planning on doing the Emberra Indian village, because we want to see some of the country. We will get the joy of seeing the locks in the morning from our aft balcony and then spend the afternoon on shore. Can't wait!!!

 

I am not sure where in the planning process you are or what ship you are leaning towards but RCCL has two different itineraries, being 10 day and alteranating with the 11 day and they go to very different places. We chose the 11 day because we have been to all the 10 day ports several times. Have fun planning!

[producegirl]

Hi!

We are going on the same cruise also. I didn't know that you didn't have to sail thru the locks. I've been thru twice; so now maybe I have to regroup and maybe take a tour. Thanks for the info!

[wrp96]

When I did this cruise in February, I took the Panama Canal by Ferry tour and it was amazing. After the ship goes through the Gatun Locks (amazing, get up early to watch!), you then leave the ship in Gatun Lake and drive a little ways and board the ferry. The ferry then takes you through the rest of the locks of the canal all the way to the Pacific Ocean. You then get off the ferry (basically on the outskirts of Panama City) and board a bus to take you back across Panama to where the ship is now docked at Cristobal Pier. It was amazing and I highly recommend it, if you want to get off the ship.

 

If you want to take a tour in Panama, you have to do it through the ship as the only people they allow off the ship at Gatun Lake are those with excursions booked through the ship. You don't have to take a tour though and can stay on the ship.

 

For some insights into how great this cruise is, I posted live from the ship here http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=299889. My review is at the end of the thread.

[cck0000]

:) I appreciate all the info! Thanks for telling me to book through the ship for an excursion here!

We are looking forward to it.

I think we'll do the monkey watch.

Still gathering information

Best wishes!

[gizmo]

I did a 10 cruise on Hal, same principle. You go through the locks early in the morning, then anchor in the Lake. Shore excursion got tendered in. We were anchored for a little while then went back through the locks and sailed to Colon.

 

I stayed on the ship and did not regret it for a second. We enjoyed going back through the lock. There was plenty to see.

[mycruz]

We are planning on doing the Ferry excursion and I was wondering if there is any time or place to shop once we arrive back at the pier. Also, on the ride back from Panama City to Cristobal, what's the ride like?

Mary

[wrp96]

How much time you will have to shop at Cristobal once you get back, depends on how long it takes to transit the canal. On ours we had about 30 minutes to an hour after we got back for shopping, but we had to sit for over an hour at one of the locks waiting for a spot. You may have more time if you don't have to wait for any of the locks, or no time at all if it takes longer to transit.

 

The bus ride was nice. We drove through the outskirts of Panama City so got to see that in the distance and our tour guide told us about different things we saw on the way back.

[lisad63]

We're also on the 10-day cruise on Brilliance, but in January '07. We are planning to stay on ship and go through the locks twice also. We're booked in an aft balcony, so we may watch from the back of the ship one way, and go up to the front for the other lock.

 

Am also looking forwarding to the shopping in port.