No Panamal Canal with Carnival?

[CrusinAgain]

I cannot find a itinerary for the Panama Canal with Carnival. All I find is one going to Colon but not going through the locks. Have they ever gone or are they planning to go?

 

Has anyone taken the one to Colon and taken an excursion to go through the locks? It seems like it just wouldn't feel the same not taking the ship through.

 

Comments?

[zydecocruiser]

One slight problem:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panamax

[wrp96]

I did a partial Panama Canal cruise on RCCL this past year, and then took the ferry through the rest of the Canal. It was amazing how much we saw from the ferry. I highly recommend it if you want to stick with Carnival and still see the Panama Canal.

[Cruising89143]

I cannot find a itinerary for the Panama Canal with Carnival. All I find is one going to Colon but not going through the locks. Have they ever gone or are they planning to go?

 

Has anyone taken the one to Colon and taken an excursion to go through the locks? It seems like it just wouldn't feel the same not taking the ship through.

 

Comments?

 

The only time that I have seen Carnival go throught the locks is when they are doing a full transit for repositioning a ship from one coast to the other. Does not happen very often though.

[caribbean dreams]

I always wondered why it is always the smaller ships for the Panama iteneraries.

[luvz2cruz637]

it is the smaller ships because the big ones are toooo BIG to go through the canal. Also the excursion is the best way to go throught it anyway!! Trust me. i have done it and would so do it again!!

 

Have fun with CARNIVAL!!

[CrusinAgain]

One slight problem:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panamax

 

Yes, I know the big ships cannot fit, but are you saying Carnival doesn't have any ships that would make it? The rest of the cruise lines do.

[CruiseIsGood]

The Spirit class fits but like the previous poster said, they only go through when they're repositioning, which they aren't doing.

[wrp96]

Yes, I know the big ships cannot fit, but are you saying Carnival doesn't have any ships that would make it? The rest of the cruise lines do.

 

Yes, Carnival has ships that will fit through the Canal. Not the Conquest class, but their other ships will. They don't currently have any cruises into the Canal planned for various reasons.

 

They can visit Panama without entering the Canal and still offer an inexpensive cruise (it would cost at least $100 to $200 more per person for the ship to actually enter the canal), and give people the opportunity to see the canal on an excursion like the ferry cruise if they are willing to pay for it.

 

They don't have any repo cruises planned because they already have 3 ships on the West Coast. During the summer, they send 1 up to Alaska and keep the other 2 going to Mexico. Since they don't have a big presence in Alaska they don't need to reposition ships from the Caribbean to Alaska like the other lines, so that is why there aren't any repo cruises.

[ParrotRob]

Yes, Carnival has ships that will fit through the Canal. Not the Conquest class, but their other ships will.

 

Triumph class are too large as well.

[kym05]

The reason not to many cruise companies do not go thru the canal is because its the only place that a captain has to relieve himself as captain and give control over to a captain from the panama canal. They charge a hefty fee for the navagation thru the canal.

[labmom]

I believe the only reason Carnival doesn't go thru at least Gutan Lock is because it costs them a hefty amount and they want to keep the price down for them. That way you can take the tour and go through the locks all the way from the Pacific. I'm going on the Legend in Jan 07 and will let every one know what I think.

[bphman]

One little bit of trivia is that the naval architect of the France which later became the Norway never took into account the width of the ship which was too wide for the canal, the first time this occured with a passenger ship. He eventually committed suicide.

[salty dingo]

One little bit of trivia is that the naval architect of the France which later became the Norway never took into account the width of the ship which was too wide for the canal, the first time this occured with a passenger ship. He eventually committed suicide.

 

As did the France/Norway, recently in Alang.

[richfret]

If you want a good tour of the canal, take the train that goes along the canal almost to Panama City. It also stops at one of the locks for about 45 minutes so you can take some pictures. You might see a ship or two go through the locks. The tour involves taking a bus to the train stop, then the train and then another bus to the lock and then back again. The tour is a bit pricy but when you consider buses and trains, the price is really not that bad.

 

I also took a tour of the canal on one of the last cruises of the Tropical. She was an old ship but small enough to just squeeze through. Most cruise ships do not go through the entire canal but only go to Gauton Lake, stay about 30 minutes and then head back. It is really some thing to see and I recommend it.

 

Note that the canal area has considerable rain and their are jungles all along the canal because of that. Makes for quite a sight.

 

Another amazing sight to see along the bus and train route are the many former US Army bases and their barracks. Panama sure got a deal.

[popcorngal]

We took the Legend and docked at Colon. From there, we took the tour that takes a boat through several of the locks and motorcoach back. We could actually see the Bridge of the Americas and the Pacific Ocean. I highly recommend if you're going to go clear to the Panama Canal, you take a tour that actually goes through the locks. It is truly an amazing journey.

 

Years back on the Royal Princess, we actually transited the entire canal, and there were only inches to spare on each side. It took all day to do the passage. They told us what the fee was, and I'm thinking it was in the $100,000 range. Mighty pricey, but a once in a lifetime trip!

[mac4cruise]

We took the Legend and docked at Colon. From there, we took the tour that takes a boat through several of the locks and motorcoach back. We could actually see the Bridge of the Americas and the Pacific Ocean. I highly recommend if you're going to go clear to the Panama Canal, you take a tour that actually goes through the locks. It is truly an amazing journey.

 

Years back on the Royal Princess, we actually transited the entire canal, and there were only inches to spare on each side. It took all day to do the passage. They told us what the fee was, and I'm thinking it was in the $100,000 range. Mighty pricey, but a once in a lifetime trip!

 

What was the cost of going on the tour I heard it was expensive We going on the Legend next Feb and are thinking of taking the bus tour of the canal

[PADutchman]

The highest Canal toll was $141,344.91, charged to a cruise ship called the Crown Princess, and the lowest toll ever paid was 36 cents by Richard Halliburton, who swam the Canal in 1928.

 

Don't know what year this was for the Crown Princess. So if you have 3000 people on a cruise ship cost you $47.11 ea. 2600 = $54.00 ea

Not as much as I thought. I am sure it is added to your cruise price.

 

CCL only did this cruise on reposition of cruise ships. We did it on the Spirit and was great.

[CrusinAgain]

If you want a good tour of the canal, take the train that goes along the canal almost to Panama City. It also stops at one of the locks for about 45 minutes so you can take some pictures. You might see a ship or two go through the locks. The tour involves taking a bus to the train stop, then the train and then another bus to the lock and then back again. The tour is a bit pricy but when you consider buses and trains, the price is really not that bad.

 

I also took a tour of the canal on one of the last cruises of the Tropical. She was an old ship but small enough to just squeeze through. Most cruise ships do not go through the entire canal but only go to Gauton Lake, stay about 30 minutes and then head back. It is really some thing to see and I recommend it.

 

Note that the canal area has considerable rain and their are jungles all along the canal because of that. Makes for quite a sight.

 

Another amazing sight to see along the bus and train route are the many former US Army bases and their barracks. Panama sure got a deal.

 

That is an excellent idea to take the train and so I guess it is air conditioned unlike the ferry? Do you get to see the bridge of the Americas that everyone talks about?

[montekat]

What was the cost of going on the tour I heard it was expensive We going on the Legend next Feb and are thinking of taking the bus tour of the canal

 

You can go on the Carnival website and check out the tours and prices. You can go ahead and book your tours if you are fully deposited and have your booking number. I love being able to book ahead. Everything is already paid for and you don't have to wait in line, or find out that it is already sold out.

[dansu]

What was the cost of going on the tour I heard it was expensive We going on the Legend next Feb and are thinking of taking the bus tour of the canal

 

We just booked the Panama Canal trip through CCL for January 2007. It was $175.00 pp.

[maynovmom]

Was that $175 for the train or the 7 hour ccl ferry tour? We are going on the 8 day Liberty in April and not sure what we are going to book yet