Panama Canal

[GORDONCHICK]

The things I hear was the Mecury was run down and had bad smells. Ofcourse I heard bad things about the zenith and I really enjoyed my little 5 day cruise on the Zenith before she was sold away.

 

Do you know the differance between Gatun Lake and Cristabal, does the ship go through the same amount of locks if Cristabal is listed but not Gatun Lake?

 

 

Well, you go through the Gatun locks from the gulf and end up in Gatun Lake. It's not officially listed as a stop, because technically it's not. But the ships do hang out for a while before sailing back out the way they came in. Cristobal is a port city, very industrial. You can hire cabs right outside the pier or shop in the market there. But you can book excursions where you get off the ship onto one of the lifeboats and they take you to a dock and off you go on the different excursions. Only ships' excursions though. I think there's usually a canopy tour, and some other options. It's very hot and humid, and insect repellant with DEET is a must if you do a ships excursion. After the ships excursion, you will be taken to Cristobal Pier where the ship is. So if you do an excursion from the ship, you will not be on the ship when she sails back through the locks for the second time. I will warn you - sometimes the canal entry time is very early. Ours was 7am, but we were there early and lined up and were entereing before 6:30. So if you see an early entry time, be up and on deck way before that!

[momofmeg]

Well, you go through the Gatun locks from the gulf and end up in Gatun Lake. It's not officially listed as a stop, because technically it's not. But the ships do hang out for a while before sailing back out the way they came in. Cristobal is a port city, very industrial. You can hire cabs right outside the pier or shop in the market there. But you can book excursions where you get off the ship onto one of the lifeboats and they take you to a dock and off you go on the different excursions. Only ships' excursions though. I think there's usually a canopy tour, and some other options. It's very hot and humid, and insect repellant with DEET is a must if you do a ships excursion. After the ships excursion, you will be taken to Cristobal Pier where the ship is. So if you do an excursion from the ship, you will not be on the ship when she sails back through the locks for the second time. I will warn you - sometimes the canal entry time is very early. Ours was 7am, but we were there early and lined up and were entereing before 6:30. So if you see an early entry time, be up and on deck way before that!

 

so Cristabal and Gatun Lake is really the same thing? I am just wondering if the ship goes to Cristabal if Gatun Lake is further so not as far in the Panama canal? Hopefully I clarified myself. I am just wondering if all the ships all go the same distance. I am not even thinking about excursions but the Panama canal itself. I am just trying to decide if one line lets you see more of the Panama Canal then another.

[richwmn]

so Cristabal and Gatun Lake is really the same thing? I am just wondering if the ship goes to Cristabal if Gatun Lake is further so not as far in the Panama canal? Hopefully I clarified myself. I am just wondering if all the ships all go the same distance. I am not even thinking about excursions but the Panama canal itself. I am just trying to decide if one line lets you see more of the Panama Canal then another.

Cristobal and Gatun Lake are not the same thing. As you approach Panama, Cristobal and Colon are the port cities on the Atlantic side. Cristobal was in the former Canal Zone, while Colon was in the Republic of Panama. After you pass thru the Atlantic side locks, you are in Gatun Lake which was formed by the flooding necessary for the Panama Canal. It is large enough for the ships to cruise around, and some tender passengers to shore for shore excursions. The best parts of the Canal (IMHO) are past Gatun Lake and are seen only on a full transit. I believe there might be an excursion which takes you thru the rest of the Canal on a small boat.

Hope this helps

Rich

[GORDONCHICK]

Cristobal and Gatun Lake are not the same thing. As you approach Panama, Cristobal and Colon are the port cities on the Atlantic side. Cristobal was in the former Canal Zone, while Colon was in the Republic of Panama. After you pass thru the Atlantic side locks, you are in Gatun Lake which was formed by the flooding necessary for the Panama Canal. It is large enough for the ships to cruise around, and some tender passengers to shore for shore excursions. The best parts of the Canal (IMHO) are past Gatun Lake and are seen only on a full transit. I believe there might be an excursion which takes you thru the rest of the Canal on a small boat.

Hope this helps

Rich

 

Cristobal is on the Gulf side. I haven't been to Colon, so I don't know. But you go into the canal via the Gatune locks and then Gatun Lake. Cristobal is outside the locks. If the ship went directly there (which they don't but I'm trying to give you a visual), they wouldn't have gone through any locks. It's the locks that you want to see.

[richwmn]

If you will look at the attached map (provided by czbrats.com) Cristobal is now a section of the city of Colon. Prior to Panama taking control of the Canal Zone, they were two different cities, Cristobal within the Canal Zone and Colon within the Republic of Panama. By convention, the population of the Canal Zone and The Republic of Panama refered to the Pacific and Atlantic sides of the country. According to the attached web pages this is still true of the residents of Panama. Mention of the "Gulf" is infrequent. Until 2000, both Cristobal and Colon were independent major port cities.

 

References:

http://www.coloncity.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Col%C3%B3n,_Panama

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cristobal,_Panama

http://www.czbrats.com/Maps/CZaColon.jpg Larger map of Colon/Cristobal

 

Rich

(resident of Colon, RP July 76-Dec 77)

[momofmeg]

Then it sounds to me that I would prefer HAL Zuiderdam unless as one of you mentioned, I did a full transit.

[GORDONCHICK]

Then it sounds to me that I would prefer HAL Zuiderdam unless as one of you mentioned, I did a full transit.

 

 

I think that will fit you well, from reading all your other posts.

[momofmeg]

I think that will fit you well, from reading all your other posts.

 

Not necessarily. Look at my profile. I am no cruiseline loyalist. HAL and Celebrity may be a better "fit" for me now that I am older but seeing as much of the Panama Canal as I can is more important to me.

 

I just want to see as much as possible of the Panama Canal without doing a full transit as my husband does not have the time from work to do that and I don't want to wait another 15 years until he does retire.

[Go-Bucks!]

We're doing a full transit on the Coral Princess on 12/9/08 and it's 14 days. Not sure if that's better for you than 18. The itinerary looks very good and I hear nothing but raves about the ship. Just thought I'd add my .02 worth. :o

[GORDONCHICK]

Not necessarily. Look at my profile. I am no cruiseline loyalist. HAL and Celebrity may be a better "fit" for me now that I am older but seeing as much of the Panama Canal as I can is more important to me.

 

I just want to see as much as possible of the Panama Canal without doing a full transit as my husband does not have the time from work to do that and I don't want to wait another 15 years until he does retire.

 

I have read your posts for a couple of years now (knowing that you aren't a loyalist - neither am I though I may have a preferance), and I also remember what you have pointed out that you like and don't like. And if you look back, I said the Zuid had the best itinerary between it and the Island Princess. Their sizes are very comparable. I would agree that on a Panama Canal cruise, like Alaska and the Med, the itinerary should be put first.

[momofmeg]

[attach]78258[/attach]

If you will look at the attached map (provided by czbrats.com) Cristobal is now a section of the city of Colon. Prior to Panama taking control of the Canal Zone, they were two different cities, Cristobal within the Canal Zone and Colon within the Republic of Panama. By convention, the population of the Canal Zone and The Republic of Panama refered to the Pacific and Atlantic sides of the country. According to the attached web pages this is still true of the residents of Panama. Mention of the "Gulf" is infrequent. Until 2000, both Cristobal and Colon were independent major port cities.

 

References:

http://www.coloncity.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Col%C3%B3n,_Panama

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cristobal,_Panama

http://www.czbrats.com/Maps/CZaColon.jpg Larger map of Colon/Cristobal

 

Rich

(resident of Colon, RP July 76-Dec 77)

 

I found this very helpful. This told me more then anything.

[momofmeg]

We're doing a full transit on the Coral Princess on 12/9/08 and it's 14 days. Not sure if that's better for you than 18. The itinerary looks very good and I hear nothing but raves about the ship. Just thought I'd add my .02 worth. :o

 

Those 4 days make a big differance with my hubby. He does get a good bit of vacation time but we also do something with his mother every year and she is not into cruising. Last year we took 16 days for our transatlantic (it was 12 days) as we felt we could not fly all that way and not spend any time in Europe pre-cruise.

 

So we did not do anything with my MIL last year , she did not mind as we were celebrating our 25th. But we can't do that to her 2 years in a roll. She would not say anything-we would just feel too selfish. Besides, I know my hubby, he would want to spend time in California before we flew home so 14 days would turn into 18 days.

[richwmn]

I found this very helpful. This told me more then anything.

Thank you for your kind words

Rich

[momofmeg]

Thank you for your kind words

Rich

 

Yes, you had the info I was looking for. I guess I just am not very good at expressing myself. But you "got" me.