YooHoo....Husband said go for it

[wernew2cruising]

My husband finally said yes to a cruise..after debating between NCL-Alaska, RCI-Southern Caribbean, and Princess- Panama Canal he chose Princess. We are booked on the Coral for November. I am so excited. I know this is the rainiest time for this cruise but who cares.... we are going on a cruise!!! Yipeeee!

 

Anyone done this before in November? Any advice for a first timer to Princess. We only have 2 cruises under our belt, both with RCI. We will be gone for Thanksgiving, which is why we can do this particular one, less vacation days needed. Does anyone know if the ship will get decorated for Christmas?

 

Thanks everyone for your help.

 

I need a countdown clock!:)

[cindep]

Congratulations! You will really enjoy the Coral.

 

The first time we did the Panama Canal was on the Sun and we left the Saturday after Thanksgiving. The ship will probably not be decorated yet for Christmas, although they may start decorating while you're on board. They stopped and picked up the decorations from a warehouse while we were on our cruise.

 

Yes, it is the rainy season in Panama. However, it seems to ALWAYS be the rainy season in Panama. That is one of the reasons Panama is such a perfect location -- lots of rain water to run the canal! Just be prepared for rain and have a fabulous time!

[Druke I]

Coral and her sister Island are perhaps the ideal ships for the Panama Canal.

 

Suggest you read McCullough's Path Between the Seas before your trip. It is an excellent account of the building of the Canal.

 

I still think Jimmy Carter was wrong to give the Canal back to Panama; after all, we stole it fair and square, and had we not built it, Panama might still just be a province of Columbia.

[wernew2cruising]

ok I know this is probably a really stupid question but I have read somewhere that some of the Canal cruises don't even go in to the first set of locks. Does the Coral Itin. go at least up to the lake and turn around? How can I tell from looking at the itin? Or do I just need to call Princess and ask?

[Pia1913]

 

I need a countdown clock!:)

 

Try using the CC clock or go to *****. Click on mine for help.

 

Pia

[flamomo]

You will have a great cruise on the Coral. She's beautiful, and well appointed.

If you are saiing out of FLL, you will have a sinilar itinerary to what we had, and yes, that itinerary goes through the locks from the Caribbean and into Gatun Lake. If you can, take a serious look at the ship's excursion that gets you off the Coral in the lake, and you are bussed to another dockage where you board a smaller ship that will take you through the rest of the Canal, out the locks on the Pacific side and docks at Panama City. Passengers are then bussed back across Panama to rejoin the Coral. That was an excursion that was worth every penny. You get to traverse the entire Panama Canal for the price of a partial transit cruise. That was my very first cruise, I loved it and would do it again in a heartbeat.

[wernew2cruising]

"You will have a great cruise on the Coral. She's beautiful, and well appointed.

If you are saiing out of FLL, you will have a sinilar itinerary to what we had, and yes, that itinerary goes through the locks from the Caribbean and into Gatun Lake. If you can, take a serious look at the ship's excursion that gets you off the Coral in the lake, and you are bussed to another dockage where you board a smaller ship that will take you through the rest of the Canal, out the locks on the Pacific side and docks at Panama City. Passengers are then bussed back across Panama to rejoin the Coral. That was an excursion that was worth every penny. You get to traverse the entire Panama Canal for the price of a partial transit cruise. That was my very first cruise, I loved it and would do it again in a heartbeat."

 

 

Thanks flamomo. I was just on the phone with Princess and the girl didn't know the answer to my question. She said, "I am just as confused as you are". I was confused by the shore excursion that took you through the locks. I understand now what you are saying and that is probably exactly what you are talking about.

 

And thanks Pia1913 I am going to check it out!

[YoPhilly]

We sailed on the Coral Nov. 2005 on a partial transit of the canal and loved it so much that we're doing a full transit this November from Acapulco to San Juan on the Island Princess. You'll have a fantastic time! Don't worry about the rain...it's not a big deal. November is a great month to cruise.

 

The ships that go through the canal (they're called "Panamax" sized ships) are smaller than what you undoubtedly sailed on RCI, but that's part of their charm.

 

Be sure to look behind you as you approach the locks. You'll see a very long line of ships waiting their turn.

 

Enjoy!