Crusing thru the Canal

[SweetpeaOne]

My husband and I would like to go thru the Canal for our 25th anniv. Can someone help me with some questions. Is cruising thru the canal a year round cruise or are their only certain months cruises go thru their. Also what ship go thru the canal. We would like to do the full transit. Thanks

[wwinfl91]

Congratulations on 25th anniversary. My wife and I have been married for 35 years and I love her today as much as I did when I married her.

 

We have done one Panama Canal crossing West to East in 2001 on HAL's Veendam and will be doing our second on HAL's Zuiderdam, East to West in April 2009.

 

Generally most cruise lines do the East to West crossing in the Spring as ships return from the Caribbean to Alaska and then do West to East in the Fall was ships go back to the Caribbean.

 

Some cruise lines have begun doing additional full passages that start in Florida and end in Mexico or the reverse. Another premium cruise lines does ones from Florida to Costa Rica (west coast) or reverse.

 

Another option that some cruise lines are offering is an additional day after or before doing the crossing so that you can check out Panama which you really don't get to do if all you do is the crossing through the canal.

 

Many online TA sites (VTG i.e.) have search engines that will let you search for Panama Canal cruises for multiple cruise lines and multiple dates.

 

We have always enjoyed HAL so that is why we are doing the 4/18/09 HAL Zuiderdam cruise. There are still cabins available if you are looking at going that soon.

 

Generally these cruises are 14 days or longer.

 

Have a great next cruise.

[travelingman]

I believe the Panama Canal "cruise season" goes from October to April or May and then you get into the rainy season - like most of the Central American countries do.

There are a number of cruise lines that do round trips (do not go all the way through the canal) and transcanal crossings. Most of the cruise lines will depart Florida and terminate in San Diego, Los Angeles or San Francisco or vice versa and the length will be 14 to 17 days. Princess Cruise line does have some cruises that are 10 days long that terminate or begin in Acapulco.

Any cruise web site or travel agent will be able to get you the information on the various cruises available. As I am not an expert on the canal I cannot tell you if one month is better than another month but I think all of the winter months should be good for making the cruise.

[sammamishcruiser]

Sweetpeaone - Congratulations on your 25th!!!!

 

My DH and I will be going on Celebrity Infinity September 25th from Seattle to Ft. Lauderdale. its a full transit, we have never been before, but my in-laws have and they said that the fall is the perfect time. The weather is a bit cooler, but still nice.

 

Whichever you choose, I'm sure you will have a great cruise!!!

 

Melody:D

[rjack22]

Fall is the rainy season. Expect lots of it.

[PACURN]

Just came back from a canal cruise. The weather was in the 80's. It was a great cruise. One of the best one's I've been on.

Have a great time. Get up early and watch the ship go through the locks from the front of the ship.

[newcruisers04]

what ship were you on? did you have a cabana for lounging in for the canal transit?

did you go right thru the canal, we are doing that next Feb,and already I am trying to get loads of info for shore excursions...any suggestions?

 

thanks

[nona0541]

My husband and I would like to go thru the Canal for our 25th anniv. Can someone help me with some questions. Is cruising thru the canal a year round cruise or are their only certain months cruises go thru their. Also what ship go thru the canal. We would like to do the full transit. Thanks

 

Realize you asked this question in March but I just now found it. The NCL Star is going Miami to LA 12-6-09. I know as I am booked on it and I love the Star. (also goes LA to Miami but not sure of the date). You did not say when your anniversary was. But Happy 25th. I have done double that, as of this year.:D

[Richard in Panama]

Most cruise lines take their ships to Alaska and Europe for the summer months and leave the Canal. It's not so much the weather: Panama is 9 degrees off the Equator so the Canal is tropical year round. And the Atlantic side gets 200" of rain a year, pretty much year round as well, although less during the dry season approx. December through April. A lot, although not all, of the cruises making a complete transit are repositioning ships in the fall from Alaska to Caribbean and in the spring from Caribbean to Alaska. For some further thoughts and info check out my Panama Cruise page on my blog .. . http://richarddetrich.wordpress.com/canal-cruise/

 

Regards, Richard

[medacruise]

what ship were you on? did you have a cabana for lounging in for the canal transit?

did you go right thru the canal, we are doing that next Feb,and already I am trying to get loads of info for shore excursions...any suggestions?

 

thanks

 

We are also sailing Feb 2010. What ship are you on, what date do you sail? I am like you, trying to read everything I can about the shore excursions to make better choices. The boards have been so helpful. Lots of great advice out there. Almost too much at times to sort through! I have changed my mind on a few choices thanks to the advice of previous cruisers.

[12B@C]

Panama Climate: By Seasons

 

Days are warm to hot, nights much cooler; temperatures range from 32 °C (90 °F) during the daytime to 21 °C (70 °F) in the evening practically year-round. Humidity is always high at about 80 percent. The rainy season takes place between October and November, and the best months to visit are mid-December and late March.

[newcruisers04]

We are also sailing Feb 2010. What ship are you on, what date do you sail? I am like you, trying to read everything I can about the shore excursions to make better choices. The boards have been so helpful. Lots of great advice out there. Almost too much at times to sort through! I have changed my mind on a few choices thanks to the advice of previous cruisers.

 

We are on the Oceania Regatta from LA to Miami Feb. 9, 2010. Yes, there are bountiful suggestions posted here, hard to choose which shore excursion to book. We want to see the cliff divers in Acapulco. I have posted a few other things I found, over on the thread for our roll call of various excursions. Good luck in the planning

[medacruise]

We will be 4 days ahead of you, from LA to Ft Lauderdale, leaving Feb 5th. We have identical stops until the day we leave Cartagena. The Coral heads toward Aruba, and Ft Lauderdale. You go to Key West and Miami. I will leave bread crumbs:D….and I will read your thread. Thanks!

[pj-n-bob]

Seems there are several cruise line options for doing a full transit, but there are limited number of cruises.

 

We will be on the NCL Star on Nov. 23rd, LA to Miami. It is our first Canal cruise and we are really looking forward to it.

[newcruisers04]

We will be 4 days ahead of you, from LA to Ft Lauderdale, leaving Feb 5th. We have identical stops until the day we leave Cartagena. The Coral heads toward Aruba, and Ft Lauderdale. You go to Key West and Miami. I will leave bread crumbs:D….and I will read your thread. Thanks!

 

Have a great time. We are so excited to celebrate our first anniversary on the Panama Canal crossing.

[sunlovermtl]

My husband and I would like to go thru the Canal for our 25th anniv. Can someone help me with some questions. Is cruising thru the canal a year round cruise or are their only certain months cruises go thru their. Also what ship go thru the canal. We would like to do the full transit. Thanks

 

Hello my DH and I are doing the full transit Panama Canal cruise with Celebrity from San Diego to Miami on December 6th. Since you have done Carnival and NCL you should consider Celebrity. They have the most amazing food and service and and the ships are more like the old days of cruising (refined not glitzy). We have done 5 Carnival cruises and loved them but Celebrity is a top notch in our books. We feel that December always has amazing weather and prices.