Zuiderdam - Panama Canal - Get Off or Stay On?

[nycruise]

Since this is our first Panama Canal cruise, does it make sense to take a tour and get off in Gatun Lake or do you advise staying on the ship and going through the locks on the way out?

Our two major concerns about getting off are:

Is it dark when you enter the canal on the way in and is it difficult to see the workings of the canal locks due to the limited lighting.

Also is there someone on the ship who will narrate as the ship enters the canal or is that done on the way out only?

Thanks.

[savannahgirl1]

When we entered the locks it was a little after 9am. We were supposed to have entered a little earlier but was running late. But it will be day light when you enter. We did have a narrator on board during the navigation of the locks. My husband and I did the Canal Experience tour and loved it. We got off the ship in Gatun Lake and took a bus to the other set of locks on the Pacific side. There we boarded a ferry, had lunch and went through the Pacific side locks to Panama City. We re-boarded the bus and came back to the ship. It was a long day, but in our opinion very well worth it. Being on a small ferry allows you to really get a feel of the locks. We even reached out and touched the walls.

[thesea4me]

If you stay on the ship and go back through the canal there will be alot less people on board and you will be able to move around the ship and experience the canal in a whole different way. I just returned from my second partial transit cruise. We stayed on the ship rather than taking an excursion. We experienced the canal the first time through from our verandah on deck 7. If you do this - beware - your picture might be taken and displayed in the photo gallery. I saw picture of people in pj's, bath robes, with curlers in their hair and shower caps on. No very flattering.

On the return trip through the canal we were on deck 4 forward and worked our way up a few decks. We then went down to the promenade near the rear of the ship for the second lock and and stood right next to one of the mules. We were able to touch the wall of the canal from there. It was an amazing experience since the promenade deck was level with the shore. Based upon my experience I highly recommend staying onboard the ship.

[cmdchiefthom]

I did the partial transit aboard the old Noordam many years ago, and stayed on the ship. My wife wasn't on that cruise, so we booked the Zuiderdam the end of March, and we plan to stay onboard to get the full experience. We're in one of the aft suites that have the huge wrap-around balconies, which should give us a fantastic view of the locks and the whole process of going through which is actually very cool.;)

[Himself]

I did a partial transfer in October and stayed on the ship. It was wonderful!

[May4]

I know you'll make the decision that best fits your wishes for the day. I'm a fan of staying aboard all day to experience the rhythms and routines.

The extended time in Gatun Lake feels serene. There will probably be some rain at that time of day.

Whatever you do, remember to claim a Panama Canal bun. They're popular! Stay hydrated.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We did the Zuiderdam Oct 24th and Nov 3 -- we have seen the locks and done quite a few full transit trips and several partials.

We lined up about 5:30 AM. Our approach was in the dark -- but by the time we got near the locks it was daylight.

You need to be out on deck by 6 AM to watch the approach.

We actually entered the locks by 7 AM.

If you do not think you will ever to do a full transit cruise any time some -- then I strongly recommend that you do a tour -- either the train where you go to the other end -- or the ferry where you go through the locks.

The return trip back through the canals is nice.

[VermeulT]

I went a few weeks ago and struggled with the same question...

While going thru again when it's less crowded was very appealing - we opted to take the Eco-Cruise. We got a better sense of the area (wildlife, homes, etc) than had we not. This tour also included time at the observation center at the locks. We got to watch the operations from both ground and elevated areas. It worked out too that the ZU was headed back thru while we were there so we got to see her go into the first return lock. Cool!

Your other questions - we were at the front of deck 9 (near the workout room) at 6:15am. It was just getting light out when we approached. We got to see a fantastic sunrise too.
And I believe the commentary is done both ways (it was going for sure).

[Love the beach]

When we entered the locks it was a little after 9am. We were supposed to have entered a little earlier but was running late. But it will be day light when you enter. We did have a narrator on board during the navigation of the locks. My husband and I did the Canal Experience tour and loved it. We got off the ship in Gatun Lake and took a bus to the other set of locks on the Pacific side. There we boarded a ferry, had lunch and went through the Pacific side locks to Panama City. We re-boarded the bus and came back to the ship. It was a long day, but in our opinion very well worth it. Being on a small ferry allows you to really get a feel of the locks. We even reached out and touched the walls.
We also did the Canal Experience tour and loved it---you really get "up close & personal" and see much more than you do while staying aboard the ship.

[maxsmamma]

We did the Zuiderdam Oct 24th and Nov 3 -- we have seen the locks and done quite a few full transit trips and several partials.

We lined up about 5:30 AM. Our approach was in the dark -- but by the time we got near the locks it was daylight.

You need to be out on deck by 6 AM to watch the approach.

We actually entered the locks by 7 AM.

[B][FONT=Comic Sans MS][SIZE=4]

The return trip back through the canals is nice.

Our time experience was the same

We took this cruise because the Panama Canal was on my DH's bucket list, so I let him choose the day. He wanted to stay on the ship so we could go through the locks twice. Great Choice for us!

Our day started at 5 am by getting on the bow. All the front row "seats" were taken (in quotes, but there were actually some people who brought their own portable chairs and set them up on the bow) We decided to start the second row right out in front, which was nice, as we had the railing by the bell and a box to lean on. We brought fruit from the room, and got coffee for our travel mugs from the stand right on the bow. When we got there, it was foggy, and we were just about to enter the canal. All the other ships waiting to get into the canal seemed very ghostly. Then, as the sun began to rise we got closer to the locks--about 6am, with the addition of 500 people and the panama rolls to the bow. We stayed in our front spot through the first lock. Then we went back to our room on the aft of the boat to see that view and have a little more personal space. For the last lock, we chose to go up to the deck that is on 10, in front of the fitness center.

Then, as the masses were getting off the ships for excursions, we went back and showered and went to the MDR for a nice breakfast at 9:45am. Had a great window table, where we could watch the fun of Gatun Lake. We hung out by the pool, and read on our balcony, until we went back through at about 1pm.

This time we started on Deck 7 in the front, and got a great view all the way to the ocean. 2nd lock we moved to the Ocean bar on deck 3, where we actually got to watch it go below the locks from a great window I could sit in. Then 3rd we spent time on the 4th deck, touching the lock and watching the people on the excursion to the Canal up close. Then we went back to our back cabin to watch us being untied.

The reason I told the whole story is to show how you can see so many different things by moving around the boat, and that staying on the ship can help you cheaply see even more of the workings of the lock. That is what really interested DH. Have fun, and go with your gut. The best trip is the one where you decide what works best for you.

[Randyk47]

We did a partial transit of the Canal a few years ago and we stayed on the ship. The Neptune Lounge concierge recommended the stern of the ship for the morning transit of the locks. Seemed strange to us at the time but we followed her recommendation and staked out a table on the aft Lido deck. Turned out to be perfect. We had a great view of the locks and could easily look down and see how it all worked. On top of that we were close to the Lido Café and were able to enjoy early coffee and eventually breakfast with hardly missing a moment of the transit. Once we got into Gatun Lake we went back to our cabin and napped for a few hours. Once the ship started back through the locks we went up to the Crow's Nest and watched the transit from that vantage point. It was a great experience though eventually we'd like to do a full transit from one ocean to the other.

[SandyMc]

I don't think you can go wrong no matter what you decide to do! We did the dome car which was fun and very interesting. Got to see a lot and heard lots of history as the tour went along. My DH and I are both somewhat challenged in the mobility department and it was perfect for us

I've not read a single review for any of the Panama Canal excursions that was negative.

[nycruise]

It's looks like a small majority is in favor of staying on the ship.

We have already booked the Eco Cruise on Gatun Lake but are having second thoughts.

We selected this tour because it was one of the shortest ones offered, we're not big on all day tours.

I guess we'll make a final decision a couple of days before we arrive in Panama and cancel if we decide to stay on board.

Thanks again for all of the opinions and helpful information.

[thesea4me]

No matter what tour you take it ends up being a long day since you must wait for the ship to dock in Cristobal. Docking usually occurs around 3 or 4 pm.

[nycruise]

No matter what tour you take it ends up being a long day since you must wait for the ship to dock in Cristobal. Docking usually occurs around 3 or 4 pm.

The ship is "scheduled" to dock at 2PM but we know about schedules!;)

I assume if you arrive back at Cristobal before the ship is ready for passengers, you can do some shopping by the pier.

Is that correct?

Our tour begins at 10am and runs for about 3 & 1/2 hours which should get us back to Cristobal around 2PM. Some of the longer tours don't get back until 5PM or 6PM, right around the time the ship is scheduled to leave Panama.

[2ptu/000]

If you don't like long excursions, don't do the Panama Canal Experience. It is a very long day. I wouldn't really recommend it. I think it's best to stay on the ship. The locks all work the same. Sort of a if you have seen one you have seen them all thing.

[serendipity1499]

:)It's looks like a small majority is in favor of staying on the ship.

We have already booked the Eco Cruise on Gatun Lake but are having second thoughts.

We selected this tour because it was one of the shortest ones offered, we're not big on all day tours.

I guess we'll make a final decision a couple of days before we arrive in Panama and cancel if we decide to stay on board.

Thanks again for all of the opinions and helpful information.

We've done 4 full Canal transits (last one in Nov,) Believe all Cruise ships transit in daylight..

Since you might decide to cancel your tour, suggest you check the tour cancellation policy before you travel..On some of HAL's tours if you don't cancel within a certain time, they will charge you a cancellation fee..I've forgotten what the cancellation policy was..

If you are short like I am (5 Ft) , you may not be able to see over the rail on the bow..If that is the case, you will miss a lot ..You might find a better view on the Promenade deck, one small deck above the bow or as Randy suggested the Aft Lido deck..Also be sure to take a rain jacket with you..On our first trip, my Friend & I got out on the rail at 5 a.m. while our DH's were still sleeping..By the time we started our transit it was pouring rain..:eek::eek: Our DH's finally came out when the crowd was 5-6 deep behind us...We were not about to give up our places on the rail, so our DH's passed rain jackets thru the crowd to us..

Enjoy your cruise..

Cheers...:):):)Betty

[cb at sea]

If your ship goes into the lake, there's no need to spend the money on an excursion....they're very long and expensive, and you'll see all you need to by staying on the ship! Plus, once the excursions DO leave, the ship is comfortably uncrowded! Lovely day!

[savannahgirl1]

I understand if folks want to stay on the ship but please don't under rate the excursions, whatever they may be. Yes, the locks work the exact same way on both sides BUT the bus ride to and from Panama City was fascinating. We saw things and learned things from our tour guide we wouldn't have IF we had stayed on the ship. For example, going through one of the locks we got to watch the Panamanian Games being played on the shore. We learned they do this once a year and its a huge family event. There are cash prizes and the winner hosts the next years tournament. We got to watch as the participants throw huge ropes over a bar at the height of a container ship, whom ever did it most, won the cash. The point being, we would have never known of this activity if we stayed on the ship. Panama City itself was very interesting. We passed the governors mansion. We passed housing used by the Americans during their occupation. We learned about the economics of the city, etc. The locks are an enormous part of this cruise, but Panama as a country is big to. We weren't planning on going back anytime soon, so we consumed as much of the country, history, sites, and locks as possible. There is more to Panama than the locks. By staying on the ship you miss a lot. I am not trying to force anyone into doing something they don't want to do. If you wish to transverse the locks both ways on the ship, by all means, its your vacation and your money. All I'm saying is there is more to see than just the ship in Gatun, going back thru the same locks and docking in Cristobol. Just my 2 cents.

[yojohn]

I understand if folks want to stay on the ship but please don't under rate the excursions, whatever they may be. Yes, the locks work the exact same way on both sides BUT the bus ride to and from Panama City was fascinating. We saw things and learned things from our tour guide we wouldn't have IF we had stayed on the ship. For example, going through one of the locks we got to watch the Panamanian Games being played on the shore. We learned they do this once a year and its a huge family event. There are cash prizes and the winner hosts the next years tournament. We got to watch as the participants throw huge ropes over a bar at the height of a container ship, whom ever did it most, won the cash. The point being, we would have never known of this activity if we stayed on the ship. Panama City itself was very interesting. We passed the governors mansion. We passed housing used by the Americans during their occupation. We learned about the economics of the city, etc. The locks are an enormous part of this cruise, but Panama as a country is big to. We weren't planning on going back anytime soon, so we consumed as much of the country, history, sites, and locks as possible. There is more to Panama than the locks. By staying on the ship you miss a lot. I am not trying to force anyone into doing something they don't want to do. If you wish to transverse the locks both ways on the ship, by all means, its your vacation and your money. All I'm saying is there is more to see than just the ship in Gatun, going back thru the same locks and docking in Cristobol. Just my 2 cents.savannahgirl well said thank you for your 2 cents we are going March 31 and have decided to take the bus tour.:)

[nycruise]

I'm the OP and we ultimately decided to stay on the ship. We had originally booked the "ECO" cruise of Gatun Lake but decided a couple of days before to cancel. For us, we were glad we stayed on the ship. We took tours in all the other ports, including two other "ECO" cruises and we felt this would be redundant.

We staked out a great location in the Crow's Nest right at the front of the ship. It was air conditioned with a great vantage point of the canal. We got there before 6AM. As it turned out it began to rain and we were glad we were inside. We watched the entire entry which ended around 9AM. They were serving coffee and Panama buns at the entrance of the Crow's Nest.

We than went for a good breakfast and before you know it, we were on our way out of the canal. By this time, the rain had stopped and we viewed the exit from the bow, sides and rear of the ship. We got to Cristobal around 1PM. We had a good lunch and than got off the ship around 2PM for some shopping.

All in all a good day.:)