Panama Canal Excursions

[Swabia]

Good Morning Fellow Cruisers,

My wife and I will be doing a partial transit of the Panama Canal on the Rotterdam this December. We will be staying in an aft cabin. I've read here and elsewhere that some folks prefer to stay on the ship to enjoy the canal instead of getting off, getting on a bus, then onto a smaller ship to go through the locks again and then catch up with the Rotterdam someplace else. Seems like a hassle. It also seems as though the same (or similar) list of excursions is being offered each day the ship is in the canal area. So, are we better off staying on the Rotterdam or going on one of the excursions? If the former, any recommendations what we should do on board while many are off (e.g., specialty restaurant reservations, relax by the pool, just observe the canal from our aft cabin, etc.)? If the latter, what type of excursions might be worthwhile for us to experience?

Thanks in advance!

[CruiserBruce]

"Better off" is a totally subjective opinion,  and there is no right answer. Some get off for the excursions, some don't. It's up to you. Similarly,  what is "worthwhile " to you may not interest me at all. If it interests you, go for it.

 

You say same or similar excursions are offered for the days you are in the Canal area. You are only in the Canal area one day, right?

 

If you stay on board,  the focus is the Canal, and traveling through the locks.

[3rdGenCunarder]

I think the Rotterdam is too long for the old locks, so you would be going through the new ones. If so, a boat ride through the old locks would be worth doing, to watch the "mules" in action and watch the gates open and close. If you want to really appreciate the canal, that's worth doing. I've done partial and full transits, and I have done other excursions, but the canal is the main attraction for me.

 

Take another look at the itinerary. Usually, the ship is in the canal area for only one day. HAL breaks out the various stages--entering the locks, in the lake, going back out through the locks, etc. But it all happens on one day. I guess they're listing the excursions for all of those stages, but it's all that one day. 

 

Yes, there is some hassle to the excursions. You leave the ship by tender while it's in the lake. You cannot take independent tours because only people on HAL tours will be allowed to use the tenders. After your tour, you will end in Colon. Depending on the timing of your tour, your could get to Colon before the ship and have to kill time in the duty-free or Casino (to avoid the hot climate). There isn't anything to see our do around the port, and it isn't a great area. 

[OlsSalt]

Just read yesterday there was a back-up at both ends of the Canal due to drought - insufficient water to fill and refill the locks.

 

Check for updates on that second hand report. Or if this affects mainly cargo ships and not cruise ships. 

[CruiserBruce]

1 hour ago, OlsSalt said:

Just read yesterday there was a back-up at both ends of the Canal due to drought - insufficient water to fill and refill the locks.

 

Check for updates on that second hand report. Or if this affects mainly cargo ships and not cruise ships. 

Been discussed on the Panama board. Cruise ships still pay lots extra for priority slots with exact schedules. Nothing has changed. They are working to fix the rest of the problems. 

[shipshape sam]

I will give you my take of a partial transit of canal we took on Princess many years ago.  

 

We did the 3 Gatun locks (not sure of Rotterdam length, but I think max length (panamax) is 1,000. for the old locks.  After we rose (started around 7 am) the approx 82 ft to rise up to Gatun Lake water level we sailed to the left and passengers who had excursions, got on tenders and (from here not sure how their specific excursion worked).  We then basically exited the same locks  by going back down approx. 82 feet to the Caribbean.  Then we cruised to a port near by and waited till all the excursions came back to that port. There were a good number of vendors there at the port and we did get off ship and walked around the port area.  Also had a snack/drink off ship.

 

As to a pain, that is subjective.  I can tell you that I would not stay in my cabin balcony during the 3 locks rising to Gatun Lake.  I would be all over the ship getting different perspectives.  I touched the wall (don't tell) as were were entering the 2nd or 3rd one. AND if you are sailing back out, I again would plan to be all over the ship and for our 2025 trip, will scope out spots to be in.  

 

I can tell you that going into the locks early in the morning EVERYONE is up and up early to get primo positions, usually at the Bow.  If you do stay on, you can count on less people positioning for primo spots for pictures as ( my guess at least a few hundred would be off ship)

 

We have since sailed two full transits on Celebrity Infinity and both times we enjoyed being around ship.  On our full transits, there were no excursions and takes most of the day to get to the locks on the Pacific side.  

 

We are sailing Rotterdam in 2025 for the partial transit and will look to get off for 2 main reasons for us. We have done the in/out of Gatun Locks before.  We are interested in  seeing what excursions there are.  We want to do a tropical excursion and see some of the colorful birds and other animals.  

 

In Limon, we are going to look at some the excursions that also are tropical there. I do not count Cartagena as similar, but could be mistaken, depending on what you are wanting to see.

 

There were some small boats  going through the locks when we were there, but do not know if they were people from our ship on the heading back through the Gatun locks to the Caribbean.  That would pretty interesting too to be basically on the water vs. 4+ stories above the water.

 

A tidbit that I recall is there are no mules.  They have train engine like machines that did the work in 2006 and 2009, our full transits. We did the partial transit on Island Princess in 2004.

 

I would definitely look at all the excursions to see if there are 2 (can't miss) and if so, then you have to weigh what is more important, going back through the locks or one of the two can't miss excursions.  As  you mention, it your interested is similar excursions at Panama Canal and Limon, then staying on would seem to be a good choice  for you.  My reason would be that there are other ship itineraries that do Limon ( check to see if I am correct on this point) and do not go into the Panama Canal that you might consider or like us doing now our 4th Panama Canal.  

 

Have a cruise!

Edited August 21, 2023 by shipshape sam

[3rdGenCunarder]

45 minutes ago, shipshape sam said:

A tidbit that I recall is there are no mules.  They have train engine like machines that did the work in 2006 and 2009, our full transits. We did the partial transit on Island Princess in 2004.

 

 

The locomotives that guide the ship through the canal locks are called mules, a reference to the animals that did the job on canals a long time ago. 

 

Panamax for the old locks is less than 1000 feet, 

What Are Panamax and Post-Panamax Cruise Ships? (cruisecritic.com)

[shipshape sam]

47 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

The locomotives that guide the ship through the canal locks are called mules, a reference to the animals that did the job on canals a long time ago. 

 

Panamax for the old locks is less than 1000 feet, 

What Are Panamax and Post-Panamax Cruise Ships? (cruisecritic.com)

Thanks for that tidbit.

 

As for canal lock sizes, just repeated from a Wikipedia.org article.  

 

Panamax is determined principally by the dimensions of the canal's original lock chambers, each of which is 110 ft (33.53 m) wide, 1,050 ft (320.04 m) long, and 41.2 ft (12.56 m) deep. The usable length of each lock chamber is 1,000 ft (304.8 m). The available water depth in the lock chambers varies, but the shallowest depth is at the south sill of the Pedro Miguel Locks and is 41.2 ft (12.56 m) at a Miraflores Lake level of 54 ft 6 in (16.61 m). The clearances under the Bridge of the Americas at Balboa, the Centennial Bridge near the Culebra Cut, and the Atlantic Bridge in Colon, are the three limiting factors on a vessel's overall height for both Panamax and Neopanamax ships; the exact figure depends on the water level.

 

 

It looks like it is evolving for the new locks as to what dimensions are being used.  And if the above article is correct, then a cruise ship being limited to 965 ft is a self imposed restraint, not a structural restraint.

[LocoLoco1]

Stay on board. Stroll the open decks and be amazed while having a cool one, grab a bite. OR get trundled into a group onshore event and be prepared to be HOT!!  

[Turtles06]

3 hours ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

The locomotives that guide the ship through the canal locks are called mules, a reference to the animals that did the job on canals a long time ago. 

But never in the Panama Canal. In fact, one of the most amazing things about the original locks is that the technology developed for the Canal more than a century ago is still in use today. 
 

No mules are used in the new locks, just tugs. Many folks consider going through the original locks a much more interesting experience, especially for a first timer. 
 

@Swabia The Rotterdam will use the new locks. It’s a good reason to give serious consideration to a shore excursion on a small vessel that will take you through more of the Canal, including the original locks on the Pacific side. 
 

I encourage anyone going to the Canal for the first time to do some reading over in the Panama Canal ports of call forum. You will find descriptions of the shore excursions, more information about the Canal, etc.

 

And please read David McCullough’s masterful book “The Path Between the Seas” before you visit the Canal. You will appreciate the Canal even more.

[3rdGenCunarder]

Yes, McCullough's book is a great warm-up for the canal. On Eurodam this winter (partial transit), they showed a couple of documentaries about the construction of the canal. Lots of vintage photos. Definitely worth seeing. 

[TiogaCruiser]

1 hour ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

Yes, McCullough's book is a great warm-up for the canal. On Eurodam this winter (partial transit), they showed a couple of documentaries about the construction of the canal. Lots of vintage photos. Definitely worth seeing. 

The book is also available on Audible with a superb reader.

[3rdGenCunarder]

8 hours ago, TiogaCruiser said:

The book is also available on Audible with a superb reader.

 

Ooh! I love audiobooks. I've walked many a mile on deck listening to a book. Who's the reader?

[TiogaCruiser]

30 minutes ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

Ooh! I love audiobooks. I've walked many a mile on deck listening to a book. Who's the reader?

Nelson Runger

 

 

[BillB48]

15 hours ago, shipshape sam said:

It looks like it is evolving for the new locks as to what dimensions are being used.  And if the above article is correct, then a cruise ship being limited to 965 ft is a self imposed restraint, not a structural restraint.

 

True, it is an imposed limit of 965' at the original locks and ships that were in excess of that dimension have transited those locks.  The bottom line is the Canal will not accept you as a regular customer if the vessel doesn't fit within the posted limits.  Actually the 965' figure is only for cruise ships and container ships, all others are limited to 950'.  Prior to the completion of the new locks Canal authorities were more apt to grant exceptions to the dimension limits as there was not any real alternative, however now the new locks provide that as the alternative if you can't quite squeeze in the original locks.

 

The new locks are 1400'x180', when first opened vessel limits were 1200'x160', those limits have been increased to 1215'x167'.  Don't know if any more increases are in the works.

22 hours ago, Swabia said:

what type of excursions might be worthwhile for us to experience?

 

I would second Turtles' suggestion about taking the small boat excursion to the original locks on the Pacific side.  Not only will this give you the experience of the original locks but you will also pass through Gaillard Cut which was where the bulk of the excavation occurred.  As you are in the "Cut", just imagine what is was like for 200 trains hauling out spoils to be dumped elsewhere every day.  Just imagine the computer needed for that operation😉!

 

Since you will be transiting on the Rotterdam, the new locks really offer less visual attractions.  There is only one lane so you can't watch the ship in the other lane pass through the locks, no mules to pull you along and your ship will not imposingly fill up the lock chamber as it would at the original locks.  Don't get me wrong it is still an impressive operation to lift you up over 80', but there is just not as much for you to visualize.  Your partial transit will only provide about 8 miles of a 50 mile Canal.  I encourage you to see as much of it as you can.

Edited August 22, 2023 by BillB48

[P&PNH]

We did a partial transit of the canal  back in 2020 on the Zuiderdam.  Our last cruise before Covid shut things down.  IMHO if you have not been all the way though the canal before, and don't know if you get the chance again, than take the excursion where you get onto a smaller boat and go all the to Panama City. We did it, and it was well worth the time and money.  You see a lot more, and it is an amazing adventure. You are noting going on a cruise to sit in your cabin, but to explore the world around you.

[OlsSalt]

17 hours ago, LocoLoco1 said:

Stay on board. Stroll the open decks and be amazed while having a cool one, grab a bite. OR get trundled into a group onshore event and be prepared to be HOT!!  

 

One certainly is getting closer  to the equator, just like Cartagena, Columbia.  Hot, hot, hot.  Easy to forget with all that water and lush green vegetation around you. 

[Essiesmom]

Hot is only relative.  I live in coastal GA and we have hotter summers than on the equator.  It will be humid, it might rain off and on.  Just looked up temp in Colon, Panama:  83 and rain, expected high 80’s for the week.  Our temp right now I’d 93, feels like 101.  EM

[3rdGenCunarder]

4 hours ago, BillB48 said:

Since you will be transiting on the Rotterdam, the new locks really offer less visual attractions.  There is only one lane so you can't watch the ship in the other lane pass through the locks, no mules to pull you along and your ship will not imposingly fill up the lock chamber as it would at the original locks.  Don't get me wrong it is still an impressive operation to lift you up over 80', but there is just not as much for you to visualize.  Your partial transit will only provide about 8 miles of a 50 mile Canal.  I encourage you to see as much of it as you can.

 

I got a look at the new canal from the visitor/info enter a few years ago. and you're right about there being less to see. On the drive to the center, we went over a low bridge--it was actually the top of a lock gate, and I didn't realize it until I was up on the hillside, looking down. The gates slide, which is less dramatic than the two leaves slowly opening. And instead of an eye-level look at the mule (and maybe a wave from the driver!), you have to look down to the water to see the tug. 

 

I'm looking forward to a transit of the new locks on Queen Anne in 2025, just for the sake of doing it. But there's a sort of romantic sense of history about the old locks that I will miss. And if you want a spectacular locking (without mules), check out the Welland Canal. There's a flight of 3 locks with a 40-foot drop/rise EACH. And because the locks are shorter than the Panama locks, you get a real sense of a steep drop.

[shipshape sam]

On 8/21/2023 at 10:34 AM, Swabia said:

Good Morning Fellow Cruisers,

My wife and I will be doing a partial transit of the Panama Canal on the Rotterdam this December. We will be staying in an aft cabin. I've read here and elsewhere that some folks prefer to stay on the ship to enjoy the canal instead of getting off, getting on a bus, then onto a smaller ship to go through the locks again and then catch up with the Rotterdam someplace else. Seems like a hassle. It also seems as though the same (or similar) list of excursions is being offered each day the ship is in the canal area. So, are we better off staying on the Rotterdam or going on one of the excursions? If the former, any recommendations what we should do on board while many are off (e.g., specialty restaurant reservations, relax by the pool, just observe the canal from our aft cabin, etc.)? If the latter, what type of excursions might be worthwhile for us to experience?

Thanks in advance!

Hope you have a great cruise which ever choice you make.  Would very much appreciate your feedback once you return from your cruise and anyone else to give their thoughts on the excursions.

 

I am thinking we might try the small boat excursion that goes through the locks and then do a tropical excursion in Limon, Costa Rica.  Will have to look into those excursions.  Our sailing  on Rotterdam is not till  early 2025 though

[3rdGenCunarder]

3 hours ago, shipshape sam said:

Hope you have a great cruise which ever choice you make.  Would very much appreciate your feedback once you return from your cruise and anyone else to give their thoughts on the excursions.

 

I am thinking we might try the small boat excursion that goes through the locks and then do a tropical excursion in Limon, Costa Rica.  Will have to look into those excursions.  Our sailing  on Rotterdam is not till  early 2025 though

 

I agree that the canal day should be about the canal. You've got good tropicalnature options at other ports.

 

When you look at the Limon excursions, check gogglemaps before you choose one. I did an excursion that was supposed to be "less than an hour's ride," but was more than an hour and a half, a significant difference because much of the trip was on a winding bumpy badly paved road. By the time we got there, animals were all hiding from the heat. The only animals we saw were in cages or enclosures. A tour that's closer to the port and very worth it is the Tortuga Canal and rainforest hike. Don't be swayed by bad reviews. People complain that the canal boat ride doesn't go very far, just back and forth a small distance. It isn't about going somewhere, it's about moving slowly past a habitat with lots of creatures. We saw howler monkeys, both kinds of sloths, lots of birds, and even a small crocodile. 

 

For Cartegena, if you don't want a city tour, consider the National Aviary for some nature. I did this 5 years ago. I wasn't sure it was a great choice because their website wasn't inspiring, but I had already done city tours, so I tried the aviary trip. I am so glad I went! it's beautiful. The birds are in large aviaries, some of which you can walk through, not little cages.