Panama Canal Question

[suss1234]

Hello,

I hope someone can help and this is not a dumb question. We are cruising on RCCL Jewel of the Seas 11 night ultimate cruise on 3/15/2010.

My questions is this. Is going through the canal considered one of the cruising days of the cruise?

 

Basically how does it work.

 

Second we booked cabin 1104. Will we be happy with it.

 

Thanks in advance.

HS

[Gonzo70]

Is this a full transit (i.e. starts on West Coast and Ends on East Coast or visa versa) or a partial transit (round trip). If it is a partial transit, the ship itself will not enter the Canal. You will have the opportunity to book an excursion that will take you via a ferry boat down the canal.

[paul929207]

On a full transit, the ship will enter the canal early in the morning (6 or 7 am or so). It then sends the day transiting the canal. Late afternoon (5 or 6 pm), the ship exits the canal. The ship will often spend the evening in a Panama port.

[suss1234]

Hi Gonzo,

 

Sorry about that. It is a round trip (partial) from Ft. Lauderdale.

Do you recommend any excursions at that time.

 

I am glad I asked. I thought that we would actually be going through the canal while on the ship.

 

HS

[suss1234]

This is my itineray.

i said ft. lauderdale but it is

 

miami

 

cruising

cruising

aruba

cartagena, columbia

cruising

colon, panama

puerto limon, costa rica

cruising

cayman

cruising

miami

 

 

So do I assume that the day is says colon, panama we are at the canal but do not go through it but we can do an excursion on that day.

Thanks for all the help.

We have taken 7 cruises on RCCL. All of them had been 7 night caribbean so the Panama cruise is new to us.

[cb at sea]

There is no need to spend money on an excursion if you are doing a partial transit...the ship will go through several locks and the onboard navigator will give a running commentary of all things "canal"---operation, history, facts and figures....When you get to Lake Gatun, the folks spending big bucks on excursions will get off the ship, and you will have a lovely, uncrowded day in the lake. Then, the ship will go back out of the locks, and you will dock. That's where the excursion folks will rejoin the ship. You may get off then and shop at the "flea market"...you are NOT allowed to leave the dock...it's ugly and dangerous there. (Look through your binoculars that you will not forget to bring!!! and see what the town really looks like!!! War zone!)

 

If the ship doesn't go into the locks, then you probably should take an excursion, if you want to get a feel for the canal. What does your itinerary say? If it says "partial", then you will go into the canal.

 

All of the excursions are expensive and last for at least 4-5 hours---too long, for me!

[arlodog]

We did a full canal transit this spring. You will go through the Gatan locks and back out again. Really all the locks are the same IMHO, but it was pretty awsome anyway to do the whole canal.

I would recommend reading The Path Between the Seas before you do your cruise. I got my copy on ebay for a couple of bucks and it is a great book to give the history of the building of the canal. I had to leave my copy on board since I bought too many things and didn't have room to bring it back, but the librararian on board told me they never have enough copies!

[Dewey1949]

I am leaving on the same trip on the same vessel leaving Miami leaving January 11, 2010. I enjoyed reading this thread.

[Boozebabe]

We did this same itinerary last year on Princess. The ship goes thru the first set of locks in the morning. It then anchors in Gatun Lake and passengers are tendered off to the shore for tours. We took the train ride. It goes all the way to the Pacific side and you will see portions of the canal along the way. The train travels thru the jungle and even slows down if there is something interesting to see. Yes it was expensive but worth every penny. We dont usually do ship tours but there was no other way to book the train. It fills up.

 

While passengers are on their tours the ship weighs anchor and goes back out the sam set of locks and docks outside the canal at Colon. Passengers are delivered back to the ship in Colon after their tours.

 

Hope this answers your question.

[Gonzo70]

Just to clarify things as a couple people have posted erroneous information on this thread. Royal Caribbean in the past did have their ships enter the Canal during both partial and full transits. However, they announced several months ago that next year's partial transit cruises will not be entering any of the locks. In order to experience the locks on the Jewel partial transit cruises one must book an excursion. Because the Jewel did enter the Gatun locks in the past (and because some other cruise lines will continue to do so next year) there is some confusion about this issue.

[suss1234]

Hi Gonzo,

Thanks very much for the help. I appreciate it. Ok on our last 7 cruises 3 of them had been aft cabins (all deck 10). They had been the best cabins by a long shot as far as we are concerned. On the Jewel we have aft cabin 1104 (deck 10). I do see that the Jewel has a blacony over 1104 at the windjammer. Will this be a problem as far as noise. (honestly when I say problem I really mean for sleeping). We can handle a little noise during the day. That does not bother us unless it is really bad. Thanks again. Much appreciated.

HS

[Treven]

This is not at all a "dumb question". It's certainly not one of the hundreds, if not thousands of posts on dining room dress codes or lounge chair hogs.

[DanJ]

It's really unfortunate that a lot of cruise lines have decided to go all the way to Panama and not bother to sail into the canal. Seems that since the canal went back into Panamanian hands, the tolls have gotten too high. I guess if they added the $100-130 pp it would take to cover the toll the cruise might not sell as well, but then people would realize that to see the canal they have to spend more than that anyway.

 

The hour and a half we spent in Colon after we did our partial transit 8 years ago was plenty, and I haven't read much since to say it's any better. I will say they had one of the nicest terminal areas we had seen in a Caribbean port, but somehow that was lost with the sight of the machine gun toting guards telling us we can't cross the road.

[BillB48]

I think the reason RCI skipped the partial transits this year was due to the fact at the time when they needed to secure the advanced booking for tansit slots the Jewel and the Radiance were going to be doing hotel duties in Vancouver Winter Olympics. When that deal fell through they were out of the time frame to get the transit slot in the normal fashion. The only way to get one now is buy it from someone who has one to sell. If one is available that would translate into expen$ive as well as it would have to be on the day that RCI could use it. I hope they return with the partial transits next year, it is one of my favorite cruises.

 

An aside, when we went through the Canal last November on the Radiance, they told us the ship paid in round numbers $225,000, so that comes out to about $100/passenger for the transit. While that is not too unreasonable, it seems to me that the cruises with the stop in Panama, (no transit) does not seem to be cheaper than when it used to do the partial transit. No hard facts, only that it does not appear to be any less costly.

[suss1234]

Wow that is some fee they get charged. It would be nice if they tell you that they really don't go through the canal anymore.

Of course they don't because I am sure it would kill business. Well we are booked. We really wanted a longer cruise so not going in the canal would hurt us at all. We have done the 7 night caribeean cruises on RCL so much that we need to go to different ports this time. More than anything we love the cruising days. Plus a longer cruise will be great.

 

Ok so far no answers on this one. We have cabin 1104 on the Jewel of the Seas. We have always taken the bigger ships with no windjammer balcony. We love the aft of the ship but will the windjammer balcony on the Jewel be noisy for us on deck 10 cabin 1104Thanks for all the info on these boards. They are great.

[Gonzo70]

Ok so far no answers on this one. We have cabin 1104 on the Jewel of the Seas. We have always taken the bigger ships with no windjammer balcony. We love the aft of the ship but will the windjammer balcony on the Jewel be noisy for us on deck 10 cabin 1104Thanks for all the info on these boards. They are great.

 

If you do not get an answer to this question soon, I recommend you try starting a new thread and asking the question. Because of the title of this thread, people who know about staterooms in that location may not click on this thread. Also you should ask it on the Royal Caribbean message board to increase your chances of responses.

[suss1234]

will do gonzo. thanks again.....

[momofmeg]

It's really unfortunate that a lot of cruise lines have decided to go all the way to Panama and not bother to sail into the canal. Seems that since the canal went back into Panamanian hands, the tolls have gotten too high. I guess if they added the $100-130 pp it would take to cover the toll the cruise might not sell as well, but then people would realize that to see the canal they have to spend more than that anyway.

 

The hour and a half we spent in Colon after we did our partial transit 8 years ago was plenty, and I haven't read much since to say it's any better. I will say they had one of the nicest terminal areas we had seen in a Caribbean port, but somehow that was lost with the sight of the machine gun toting guards telling us we can't cross the road.

 

Princess and HAL still go through the Canal. Princess is there one day. However, HAL actually goes through the canal, and then the next day they spend in Colon, so if you want to go all the way though locks on a smaller ship, you can book that as an excursion the next day. Princess just spends that evening in Colon.

 

That is why we are leaning toward HAL for this trip, as we want to do both. Go through the locks on ship, and then the next day, go through to the other side and back, on a smaller ship.

 

I had considered Jewel of the Seas as I have always wanted to go on a radiance class ship, in fact we were booked on Jewel of the seas for our transatlantic 2 years ago, but it was canceled for an extensive dry dock. We booked the Celebrity Constellation instead. When I learned that the ship (JOS) would not go through any of the locks, I scratched that as a choice for our Panama Canal cruise.

 

However, Radiance of the Seas will being doing 4 and 5 day cruises round trip Tampa in late 2010-early2011, so hopefully I will still get to cruise a radiance class ship in about 18 months or so.

[sammamishcruiser]

Wow that is some fee they get charged. It would be nice if they tell you that they really don't go through the canal anymore.

Of course they don't because I am sure it would kill business. Well we are booked. We really wanted a longer cruise so not going in the canal would hurt us at all. We have done the 7 night caribeean cruises on RCL so much that we need to go to different ports this time. More than anything we love the cruising days. Plus a longer cruise will be great.

 

Ok so far no answers on this one. We have cabin 1104 on the Jewel of the Seas. We have always taken the bigger ships with no windjammer balcony. We love the aft of the ship but will the windjammer balcony on the Jewel be noisy for us on deck 10 cabin 1104Thanks for all the info on these boards. They are great.

 

When researching our full transit of the canal, I discovered that the ships that start in one port and end in another are the full transits. ie, west to east, San Diego to Ft. Lauderdale and east to west, Ft Lauderdale to San Diego is an example. Likewise, Ft Lauderdale roundtrip, is NOT a full transit.

 

Hope this helps, sorry though can't help you on your cabin question.

 

Melody:D

[paul929207]

The ships that do a r/t Fort Lauderdale, are doing a partial transit. They go thru the locks on one end and stop in the lake. then they turn around and go back.

[BillB48]

"That is why we are leaning toward HAL for this trip, as we want to do both. Go through the locks on ship, and then the next day, go through to the other side and back, on a smaller ship."

 

This is really an excellent way to get a completely different perspective of the Canal and it's workings. Sometimes on the larger vessels there can almost be a sense of being removed from the operation of the locks. Although it is impressive to see all that ship in what is not much room leftover. On the smaller vessel it is easier to get up close. Seeing the Canal this way is a good choice all around.

[kneadsdough2cruise]

Just stumbled upon this question and I can give you some insight into the aft cabins on deck 10.

 

Took the partial canal trip - roundtrip Miami- in March of 2006 and had cabin 1100 on Brilliance of the Seas. Best spot on the ship for this trip. Windjammer outdoor seating is above your cabin. We never had a problem with noise and I am a very light sleeper. People can stand up at the railing and look over but they can only see you if you are standing just about all the way at your railing. We could hear one or two conversations if they were loud talkers, sometimes heard silverware shuffling but other than that it was wonderful.

 

The morning we went into the canal (if this itinerary still goes into the 3 locks and into Gatun Lake) we went to the bow of the ship at the helicopter pad to watch the approach of the canal. After an hour or so we grabbed a carafe of coffee and some fruit and went back to sit on the balcony watching the cargo ships come up into the locks behind us. We had the tv on to hear the running commentary about the canal. Absolutely the best spot for this trip (didn't I say that already:)).

If you have enjoyed aft cabins before, in my opinion you will not be diappointed.

Just booked full transit on Radiance from San Diego to Tampa next year and yep, I booked an aft cabin on deck 10 again.

 

Have a great time!

[suss1234]

Just stumbled upon this question and I can give you some insight into the aft cabins on deck 10.

 

Took the partial canal trip - roundtrip Miami- in March of 2006 and had cabin 1100 on Brilliance of the Seas. Best spot on the ship for this trip. Windjammer outdoor seating is above your cabin. We never had a problem with noise and I am a very light sleeper. People can stand up at the railing and look over but they can only see you if you are standing just about all the way at your railing. We could hear one or two conversations if they were loud talkers, sometimes heard silverware shuffling but other than that it was wonderful.

 

The morning we went into the canal (if this itinerary still goes into the 3 locks and into Gatun Lake) we went to the bow of the ship at the helicopter pad to watch the approach of the canal. After an hour or so we grabbed a carafe of coffee and some fruit and went back to sit on the balcony watching the cargo ships come up into the locks behind us. We had the tv on to hear the running commentary about the canal. Absolutely the best spot for this trip (didn't I say that already:)).

If you have enjoyed aft cabins before, in my opinion you will not be diappointed.

Just booked full transit on Radiance from San Diego to Tampa next year and yep, I booked an aft cabin on deck 10 again.

 

Have a great time!

 

 

this was a great help. thanks very much. we just love the aft cabins. this is our first cruise without kids. we are very excited for this one.

have a great night.