Panama Canal Partial Transit - ferry boat question?

I am with a group going on this cruise in the winter and I was getting some suggestions together for when we meet. I keep reading about taking the ferry boat through the rest of the canal as interesting excursion. I have gone thru all the excursions on the Princess website and I cannot locate this tour? I would think it would be listed under Gatun Lake tours? I do not think this would be a tour that should be taken unless it was booked though Princess as the timing in the canal can be unpredictable. There are no tours for the port Colon? What am I missing?

Thanks.

Just took that tour on Coral Princess two months ago. Wonderful excursion. Look up my review for details. It will probably be listed by Princess as "Full transit by boat" or similar. It is the most popular tour they offer in Panama.

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Panama Canal & Locks Transit by Boat

PC1-615 | Panama Canal, Panama (Gatun Lake)

See if this link will take you to what you are looking for...

http://www.princess.com/excursion/exDetails.page?tourCode=PC1-615

There are no tours in Colon as the stop in Colon is only to pick up passengers who tendered off the ship earlier that morning. The stop is generally only about 3 hours.

When you take a tour from the ship in Gatun Lake, those tours must be purchased through the cruise line. No private tours at this stop, in fact you are not permitted off the ship unless you have a tour booked.

If you are on a partial transit, the ship will go thru 3 sets of locks into the lake...that will give you a good "overview" of how all the locks operate!

Thanks!!!

I just happen to find some nice links for people going through the Panama Canal.

These may be old to some of you, but they were new to me.

PANAMA CANAL OVERVIEW

http://www.beyondships3.com/panama-canal-cruise-destination.html

HISTORY

http://www.beyondships3.com/panama-canal-history.html

HOW IT WORKS

http://www.beyondships3.com/panama-canal-how-it-works.html

PARTIAL TRANSIT

http://www.beyondships3.com/panama-canal-partial-transit.html

PANAMA CANAL CRUISE PORT

http://www.beyondships3.com/panama-canal-cruise-port.html

COLONIAL PANAMA CITY TOUR REIVEW

http://www.beyondships3.com/panama-canal-tour-review.html

EXPANSION

http://www.beyondships3.com/panama-canal-expansion-project.html

Thanks, scapel.

we took that tour and the first three hours were ok. The next three were a little old. the next 4 were murder. over 11 hours...

we took that tour and the first three hours were ok. The next three were a little old. the next 4 were murder. over 11 hours...

I think it depends on the Canal traffic, i.e., how long they make you wait at the locks on the Pacific end. I understand that sometimes you have to wait for other ships ahead of you or another ship to go through with as the water levels are down and they don't want to empty the locks for one small ferry. When we went through, we didn't stop once - in and out of the locks and on our way. The entire ferry ride was no more than 4 or 4 1/2 hours long and we got back to Colon just as the ship docked and let off the passengers who had stayed on, maybe 5 pm. We sailed about an hour later. This was a great excursion, so glad I took it.

Yes water levels were down and we had to wait for a tanker that was behind us. 11 hours was murder. Hot, slow moving, no breeze. got dark. Food was gone about half way thru. Ship was late leaving because of us.

I think we are going to pass on this excursion.