Panama Canal Excursion

[JPB]

Booked on the Miracle October 30, 2007. We elected to sign up for the 8 hour canal transit. I would appreciate any pro-con comments regarding this tour.

[Cruiser from MS]

We did that last January during our cruise on the Liberty. You will love it. Our guide on the fairy told us indepth the history of the canal and Panama. It is hot so be prepared. It was 90 degrees in mid January, but worth every penny. We booked through Carnival and the fairy had free cold water and sold items on board the fairy. You should also have the opportunity to buy Panama Canal items onboard the ship when you return. I was afraid I would not be able to purchance anything from there that we rushed through one shop, but when we got back on the ship they had several items including t-shirts. Have a great curise.:) :)

[deedle7544]

It was very cool, but I got bored towards the end. after you go through the locks it is a long boat ride. And it was hot at the end of November - bring sun screen. They did sell Panama beer on the boat. And you can touch the sides as you go through the locks.

 

I would not do it again, but I am very happy that we did it. Got some great pictures too!

[BigDoug]

Booked on the Miracle October 30, 2007. We elected to sign up for the 8 hour canal transit. I would appreciate any pro-con comments regarding this tour.

This is a LONG excursion and pricey but well worth it. The guides are very good and will answer any and all questions. You get a real, up close and personal trip through the locks. Loved it.

[KatSt]

Booked on the Miracle October 30, 2007. We elected to sign up for the 8 hour canal transit. I would appreciate any pro-con comments regarding this tour.

We took this excursion last July. It was fun for a few hours, but then we had to wait 45 minutes for a tanker to come through the locks. It was so hot and our boat was standing still. There was not air or breeze. The enclosed sections of the boat we NOT air conditioned. The Guide told us the generator had broke down. There were 2 Ferry boats and the people on the other boat said they had no air conditioning either. It's hard to believe that both boats had broken generators.

 

Anyway, everyone was miserable by the time the trip was over.

 

It started out as a good trip. Going through the first set of locks was great. Just be prepared for a long and very hot trip.

[gusandgidgetsmom]

We took this trip in June. Well worth the money but the time was a little much. Our trip turned out to be 9 1/2 hours as we had to wait for the dock to be cleared of another boat(ferry) at the end of our trip. It was a great experience but I got bored after we went thru the locks.

I am glad that I did it but once is enough.

[JPB]

Thank You All For The Input...i Kow What I'am In For Now...

[denisey]

I'm thinking of taking this excursion also. Could someone tell me what the price was per person. The Carnival website has $$$$ which is $150 or more, but that could mean anything!

 

Thanks for the info. It will be good to be prepared for heat and slow times!

 

Denise

[gusandgidgetsmom]

175.00 pp

[Brneyznfl]

I'm interested in finding out about anyone's experience with Carnival's excursion "Two Oceans by Railroad". in Panama. We're going on the Liberty the end of October and excursion info. on this port and Costa Rica has been a little hard to find.

[beaufortcruiser]

I'm interested in finding out about anyone's experience with Carnival's excursion "Two Oceans by Railroad". in Panama. We're going on the Liberty the end of October and excursion info. on this port and Costa Rica has been a little hard to find.

 

A group of us took the ocean to ocean excursion a couple of years ago. The railroad ride was an experience in itself. The tour guide (owner) is very knowlegeable and easy to understand. A box lunch with drink (bottled water) is provided. Beer and soft drinks are for sale. Panama City can be seen from across a bay. You don't actually go into the city. There are stops along the ride for you to get out and take pictures. A great excursion. Have a great time.:)

[45014]

I guess I am in the minority, I did not think it was GREAT. I was bored after about an hour. We went in Februry of this year and it was HOT, HOT, HOT.

Take my opinion with a grain of salt, though. I am not a history buff, that was not at all interesting to me. It cost us $350.

[Brneyznfl]

A group of us took the ocean to ocean excursion a couple of years ago. The railroad ride was an experience in itself. The tour guide (owner) is very knowlegeable and easy to understand. A box lunch with drink (bottled water) is provided. Beer and soft drinks are for sale. Panama City can be seen from across a bay. You don't actually go into the city. There are stops along the ride for you to get out and take pictures. A great excursion. Have a great time.:)

 

Thanks for responding! A couple of more questions if you don't mind. I'm assuming the train does have A/C and restrooms? Do you mind giving a little more detail about what you saw? I'm assuming you felt this excursion was worth the price? Thank you!

[highcountrycruiser]

Are there any other options to go through a smaller portion on the canal instead of 8 hours. We have two kids 8 and 10 and I think this trip might be to long. Does anyone know if the Miracle goes through any locks on the way to Gatun (sp?) lake. Also, is this a tender port? Any info would be appreciated.

[wrp96]

Are there any other options to go through a smaller portion on the canal instead of 8 hours. We have two kids 8 and 10 and I think this trip might be to long. Does anyone know if the Miracle goes through any locks on the way to Gatun (sp?) lake. Also, is this a tender port? Any info would be appreciated.

 

The Miracle does not enter the canal at all. It just docks at Colon. The only option to actually go through any of the locks is to do the Panama Canal by Ferry tour. There are however some excursions that will take you to some of the locks where you can see them (you stay on land and watch them operate). Look for excursions that say Gatun Lock or Miraflores Locks. You might also look into My Friend Mario and see if he can't take you to the locks.

[KatSt]

Are there any other options to go through a smaller portion on the canal instead of 8 hours. We have two kids 8 and 10 and I think this trip might be to long. Does anyone know if the Miracle goes through any locks on the way to Gatun (sp?) lake. Also, is this a tender port? Any info would be appreciated.

Panama is not a Tender port.

[thepeach]

The tour lasts far longer than 8 hours-they tell you 8 hours, but it's far longer. We did this tour last October, and it lasted 11 hours. We just got off the Liberty this AM, and the tour lasted around 9 1/2 hours. Like others have said, it's great to go through the first lock, but pretty much after that, it's the same. It's a very long day, and unless your kids really want to go, I'd find something else. The ship warns parents that this is not a tour for kids.

[wrp96]

Panama is not a Tender port.

 

It is if your ship goes through the locks into Gatun Lake.

[jff50]

Unless your ship is doing a full transit, I think that the ferry is the only way to get the full scope of the canal. My sense is that you can't see the entire canal during the train ride. The canal is far more than the locks on either end. The most challenging part of building the canal was the Culebra Cut, and the dredging is an ongoing process. I have done 2 full transits, and a partial (including taking the ferry all the way through). Have a full transit with my wife and 7 YO daughter in December. They were with me on the partial transit (when my daughter was 3), and the ferry excursion was a long haul for her. Not sure how she'd handle the ferry now, but I suspect she'd be pretty restless.

 

There is a great read on the building of the canal--The Path Between the Seas--everyone going to/through the canal should read. It is too long for kids, but there is a video that provides a good review on the building of the canal--I think it is a PBS/NOVA video. I think that Princess runs that video on a loop (or something extremely similar) during the canal transit. If I had an 8 and 10 year old, I'd probably try the ferry--but would buy/show them the video ahead of time to get them interested.

[Terpnut]

Are there any other options to go through a smaller portion on the canal instead of 8 hours. We have two kids 8 and 10 and I think this trip might be to long. Does anyone know if the Miracle goes through any locks on the way to Gatun (sp?) lake. Also, is this a tender port? Any info would be appreciated.

We have kids the same age, and I knew that a long, slow ferry-based excursion wouldn't work for us. Our kids would be bored and tired in less than an hour. Thus a partial or full transit was the best and only option for us to see the Panama Canal with our young kids. This is exactly why Carnival was the first cruise line to be eliminated from consideration. The $250,000+ that Brilliance will pay to do the partial transit is worth it for our family because we can now learn about and enjoy the canal at our leisure from the ship--no ferry excursion necessary.

[Guest lput715]

being that many of the tours run over based on the lock speed, is this a tour that is best being booked thru the cruise line?

[wrp96]

being that many of the tours run over based on the lock speed, is this a tour that is best being booked thru the cruise line?

 

Absolutely. When I did it, we got back to the ship about 30 minutes before the ship was scheduled to depart, and we didn't have any really long delays in the locks.

 

On most ships in fact the ferry excursion can only be booked through the ship.

[whale-watcher]

The tour lasts far longer than 8 hours-they tell you 8 hours, but it's far longer. We did this tour last October, and it lasted 11 hours. We just got off the Liberty this AM, and the tour lasted around 9 1/2 hours. Like others have said, it's great to go through the first lock, but pretty much after that, it's the same. It's a very long day, and unless your kids really want to go, I'd find something else. The ship warns parents that this is not a tour for kids.

All kids are different...my 8yo liked the ferry tour in Panama as much as the dolphin swim in cozumel.

 

But...we had no delays going through any of the locks...and actually got back to the ship an hour or so ahead of schedule, with plenty of time for shopping and watching the dancers.