Confused on Panama Canal Cruises!

[grapestomper]

I hope someone may be able to help me. I would love to take a Panama Canal Cruise but some of the cruises look as if they just dock at the Canal and do not go through (Departure port and arrival port that same, such as Miami)? Does this sound correct? Should I be looking for one that goes east to west or visa versa? Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks

[SantaAna,CA]

You're correct, some cruises are partial transit and some are full transit. Full transit means they go all the way through the canal. For instance, I booked a Panama canal trip on Seabourn, from Caldera Costa Rica to Fort Lauderdale. It's 14 days, and a full transit, since it goes through the canal, up to Belize, etc., and onto Ft. Lauderdale. Whichever line you are looking at (on their webpages), the itineraries should always specify full or partial transit. Partial transit means just that, you don't go from the Pacific to the Caribbean (or vice versa), you go part way through the canal, short of the Culebra cut, etc., and turn around, come back the way you came from. These are usually the shorter cruises.

 

I don't think it matters which way you go. A friend of mine, and her husband, are on the two weeks prior to my cruise! I'm joking with them that they are bringing the ship to me (they sail the opposite way, Ft. Lauderdale to Costa Rica) and I'm bringing it back. Just preference, I'd say.

 

Jane

[Plant]

I hope someone may be able to help me. I would love to take a Panama Canal Cruise but some of the cruises look as if they just dock at the Canal and do not go through (Departure port and arrival port that same, such as Miami)? Does this sound correct? Should I be looking for one that goes east to west or visa versa? Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks

 

There are round trip (from and back to the same port) Panama Canal cruises. These usually go through the Gatun Lake locks and turn around. If you want to see the whole Canal on these cruises you'll have to take a shore excursion that goes all the way through and back.

 

Then there are full transit (usually from LA to Ft. Lauderdale or Miami or vice versa) cruises. The ship goes fully through the canal, but usually doesn't dock anywhere, so there are no shore excursions.

 

We'll be on a full transit cruise in October-LA to Ft. Lauderdale :) !

[bhopal21]

We selected The Island full transit in February from Acapulco to Fort Lauderdale simply because it would make for a quick flight home post cruise rather than being cross country.

 

Mike:)

[rjack22]

We are booked on the Coral Princess 2/5/10 for a 15 day full transit. Princess actually has added one day to this cruise beginning in 2009 in order to stop one day in Panama. So we will actually be able to see some of Panama rather than just passing through. I'm excited.

[Boiler Cruiser]

My DW and I are going to do a partial transit on the Island Princess in October. We are also taking an excursion which includes completing the transit on a smaller tour boat which ends up in Panama City and then the tour concludes with a bus ride across the isthmus to Limon to return to the ship.

 

I mention this because this kind of tour (which might be also offered by the other cruise lines) is one way to assure that you see the entire canal, without having to take a full transit cruise.

[cruisealot54]

We are booked on the Coral Princess 2/5/10 for a 15 day full transit. Princess actually has added one day to this cruise beginning in 2009 in order to stop one day in Panama. So we will actually be able to see some of Panama rather than just passing through. I'm excited.

 

Did they change it from a 14 day to a 15 day after you had booked it? That would be great news as we are going to the Panama in Feb of 09 and it is a 14 day with no stop in Panama. Our trip is on the Coral as well.

[rjack22]

No, they didn't change it after booking. I booked it two weeks ago as a 15 day. The 15 day cruises begin in 2009 but not sure when in 2009 they start. Obviously after yours, sorry.

[cruisealot54]

No, they didn't change it after booking. I booked it two weeks ago as a 15 day. The 15 day cruises begin in 2009 but not sure when in 2009 they start. Obviously after yours, sorry.

 

Thank you, after I posted by inquiry I checked my booking and it was still a 14 day. Now I am very grateful to be going on a 14 day cruise, but the extra day would have been nice to see some of the stops in Panama.

 

We booked our trip in July of 2007 - so I knew that the chance was slight to none. Have a great trip in January. I know we can't wait, only 162 days left :)