Panama Canal Cruise - Beyond?

[Treacher1]

We are booked for  March 2024 Panama Canal cruise on Beyond.  We sailed Beyond previously and had a wonderful experience and very much looking forward to this cruise.  I saw that Royal Caribbean cancelled Panama Canal cruises in February - supposedly because water levels are low and many ships are waiting to go through the canal.  I am NOT trying to start a rumor - just hoping that our Panama Canal cruise in March is still a GO!   It would be disappointing to not go through the canal, however, I would hope Celebrity would not totally cancel the cruise; instead add another island or 2 to visit.  Just crossing fingers that water levels get better till March.  I guess only time will tell.

[paulh84]

The water level issues are hardly rumor. It has been a problem for several months and will likely worsen in the next few months. 
 

https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/panama-canal-water-levels-historic-lows-restrictions-remain-2023-09-06/

[cruizingOmi]

we are on the March 11-22 cruise. I know its a while yet lets hope things improve or they decide sooner rather than later.For me it was more about the Islands, the Canal was a bonus, if they come up with great other stops thats fine as well.

[Treacher1]

We are on the same sailing - agree with your comments - canal a bonus - would be happy to visit yet another island or an overnight would be nice in ARUBA - love the beach there

 

[miched]

We booked a Panama crusie in 2025.

 

If they cancel the partial canal transit  I hope we can cancel the cruise without any penalty.   We are paying a hefty premium for that cruise compared to other Caribbean cruises because of the canal. 
 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅
 

 

[DaKahuna]

We sailed on the Panama Canal East to West transit this past April/May on Millennium.  There was water issues on the Pacific side that were brought up on our cruise.  So this is not something new but the issue, was then and is now, continuing to slow things down as they have to regulate more closely the water usage in the locks. 

 

[jmh2006]

18 hours ago, Treacher1 said:

We are on the same sailing - agree with your comments - canal a bonus - would be happy to visit yet another island or an overnight would be nice in ARUBA - love the beach there

 

Also on this sailing and keeping fingers crossed nothing changes!🤞

[prmssk]

Cruise ships pay a lot of money (quite a bit more than freight), get priority and a daytime slot.  I think water levels have to get a lot worse before we see it affecting many cruises (and by that point, we will have much larger issues).  Since the one Royal Caribbean ship is the only one I've heard of cancelling, I suspect there was more to that particular cancellation than just water levels.

 

(Now your Amazon order options may be a different story.)

[buncosquad]

Hopefully, they'll engineer a water recapture solution within each lock to stave off the issue as a long term solution.

 

Until then, I'm on this cruise as well in early 2025. Eleven nights of R&R on a really nice ship.

 

Bunco Squad reporting for duty (and this cruise).

[Cruise till you drop]

We did the Panama Canal on the Edge in March and it was cool to see and go through it but now that it’s done, not sure I’d rush to do it again.  Really loved the ABC island stops on that cruise though.

 

As for water levels and going through the locks, there are 2 locks.  Smaller ships go through one set of smaller locks and larger ships like Edge and Beyond go through the larger locks, and I assume requires more water.

 

As for going through the locks on an E class ship, unless you’re in the Retreat area, you don’t really have a view looking forward from the ship so you’re mostly looking sideways and back.  Found that a big disappointing .

 

As for the stops in Colon and Cartagena, they were ok but not sure I’d rush back (just our opinion)

 

Hope it works out for you

[shipshape sam]

15 minutes ago, Cruise till you drop said:

We did the Panama Canal on the Edge in March and it was cool to see and go through it but now that it’s done, not sure I’d rush to do it again.  Really loved the ABC island stops on that cruise though.

 

As for water levels and going through the locks, there are 2 locks.  Smaller ships go through one set of smaller locks and larger ships like Edge and Beyond go through the larger locks, and I assume requires more water.

 

As for going through the locks on an E class ship, unless you’re in the Retreat area, you don’t really have a view looking forward from the ship so you’re mostly looking sideways and back.  Found that a big disappointing .

 

As for the stops in Colon and Cartagena, they were ok but not sure I’d rush back (just our opinion)

 

Hope it works out for you

Bummer about not having a forward viewing area other than Retreat area.

[prmssk]

2 hours ago, Cruise till you drop said:

As for water levels and going through the locks, there are 2 locks.  Smaller ships go through one set of smaller locks and larger ships like Edge and Beyond go through the larger locks, and I assume requires more water.

The newer (larger) locks actually have retention ponds that are designed to recycle about 60% of the water so even though the new locks are larger, they actually use a little less water than the old locks.

[wrk2cruise]

3 hours ago, Cruise till you drop said:

As for going through the locks on an E class ship, unless you’re in the Retreat area, you don’t really have a view looking forward from the ship so you’re mostly looking sideways and back.  Found that a big disappointing .

 

Did they not open the helipad.  They did that for the 3 full transits I have done

[Cruise till you drop]

39 minutes ago, wrk2cruise said:

 

Did they not open the helipad.  They did that for the 3 full transits I have done

They didn’t on our cruise.  At least not for those of us in Schlub and Riff Raff classes

Edited October 12, 2023 by Cruise till you drop

[prmssk]

2 hours ago, wrk2cruise said:

 

Did they not open the helipad.  They did that for the 3 full transits I have done

There isn't much to the helipad on an Edge class ship, I can't imagine it would hold many people even if they did open it up.

[buncosquad]

On Edge Class, the spa has a deck outside in front and above the Iconic Suites. Probably good views from there, but no seats.

 

Of course, you may need a spa pass to get there. Then again, there's your advantage if traveling Aquaclass. Yay! Plus one for Celebrity Edge Class Panama Canal Aqua passenger perks!

 

I can see it in the advertising now...

 

Celebrity, if you're reading this thread, I'd like some split on pricing if you add this as an Aqua Man Class perk!

 

Bunco Squad, over and out.

Edited October 12, 2023 by buncosquad