How Early To Be On the Bow Deck For Entrance To The Canal?

I believe I have asked this question before, but now I have a group of CC fellow passengers and we are meeting together in the early morn' to all get our places on the bow of the ship.

What time do you suggest I have everyone meet to get our spots as a group for the momentous occassion? :)

Thanks.

Don

When are you scheduled to start the entrance to the Canal? Probably 30 minute before that, or even a little more.

Typically cruise ships are on station at 4-4:30 am. Pilots are scheduled to come on board 5-5:30 am. The ship is usually entering the lock chambers 6:30-7:30 am. Nothing goes absolutely like clockwork. If the ship ahead of you takes longer it influences your timing. Larger, bulk carriers can take longer. BillB can chime in from experience.

To think in terms of claiming your spot is wrong because you want to move around all day and not be glued to a particular spot. There is no one "best" spot. If you stay in the same place you'll miss a lot. Respectfully I'd suggest you do your own thing in the morning, then in late afternoon get together as a group, share and celebrate!

It's your cruise so you can get up whenever you want ... or sleep all day.

I LOVE being up at 5 am and seeing the glow of the locks in the distance, maybe if we're coming in from the Atlantic side trying to see the Southern Cross over the entrance to the Bay, watching the pilots and Canal officials come on board, seeing the last of the night time convoy ships come past, and most of all watching the sun come up. It's magical! When I'm doing the ship I'm on the Bridge at 5 am and there are always people on the fore deck and I'll start pointing out what's happening.

Don, which ship are you on again and when?

Regards, Richard

Many people will "claim" their spot at the bow thru the first locks, then roam all over the ship as the day passes.

Typically cruise ships are on station at 4-4:30 am. Pilots are scheduled to come on board 5-5:30 am. The ship is usually entering the lock chambers 6:30-7:30 am. Nothing goes absolutely like clockwork. If the ship ahead of you takes longer it influences your timing. Larger, bulk carriers can take longer. BillB can chime in from experience.

 

To think in terms of claiming your spot is wrong because you want to move around all day and not be glued to a particular spot. There is no one "best" spot. If you stay in the same place you'll miss a lot. Respectfully I'd suggest you do your own thing in the morning, then in late afternoon get together as a group, share and celebrate!

 

It's your cruise so you can get up whenever you want ... or sleep all day.

 

I LOVE being up at 5 am and seeing the glow of the locks in the distance, maybe if we're coming in from the Atlantic side trying to see the Southern Cross over the entrance to the Bay, watching the pilots and Canal officials come on board, seeing the last of the night time convoy ships come past, and most of all watching the sun come up. It's magical! When I'm doing the ship I'm on the Bridge at 5 am and there are always people on the fore deck and I'll start pointing out what's happening.

 

Don, which ship are you on again and when?

 

Regards, Richard

 

Hi Richard....

We are on the STAR and will do the Canal Transit on January 14.

I already have about 6 people from my Roll Call that are interested in getting up early with me as we arrive at the entrance.

After the first set of locks, I will roam the ship viewing the transit from different spots as you suggested, ending up in my aft cabin for an early lunch as we approach the "Cut."

I have already set a meeting place for the group at the outdoor Bier Garten on the ship to celebrate the Transit at the end (You read my mind! ) :D

Thanks for your advice and your book will be front and center in my cabin!! :)

I have already used your book to provide interesting "Canal Facts" to my group on our Roll Call forum.

Don

Don, I know you will have a fantastic time! I'll be in the Canal on ISLAND PRINCESS Jan 15th ... one day late, otherwise we could wave at one another! Thanks for all your nice comments about my book. Bon voyage! Regards, Richard

Richard,

Thank you so much for all the great advice.

Your book is fantastic and has helped me get ready to enjoy our cruise so much more!! :)

I only wish we were on the same ship making the Canal transit so we could meet.

Don

If you want to "claim" a spot, you will miss so much! You need to roam about.. see the locks from all sides, front/back, and different deck levels...

If you want to "claim" a spot, you will miss so much! You need to roam about.. see the locks from all sides, front/back, and different deck levels...

The Canal is an 8 hour event. MANY people see the first set of locks from the bow, or front open decks, the roam the rest of the day. There is lots of time for roaming, and plenty of time for staying in one location for a particular site, likes the locks.

Yes, get out there about 30 minutes early.

However, mot people give up to soon.

You also need to view the Canal from various location all around the ship including port and starboard sides, forward (bow) and aft (back) as well as on decks that are high and low. There is so much to see.

Keith

Yes, get out there about 30 minutes early.

 

However, mot people give up to soon.

 

You also need to view the Canal from various location all around the ship including port and starboard sides, forward (bow) and aft (back) as well as on decks that are high and low. There is so much to see.

 

Keith

My wife and I went through the canal in August on Carnival. Carnival set up a row of chairs right on the front of the Lido deck. I was there at 6:30 AM and got a seat. We started entering the canal about 7:45 AM. There was quite a few people standing behind us. It took about 2 1/2 hours to go through the locks. Once we got to the lake, we "gave up" our chairs and wondered the ship as we went through the lake and down through the locks on the Pacific side. Going down, we did one set of locks standing outside on level 3. You see the ship dropping 28'.

What is the name of your book? We are going there in Nov, 2015

What is the name of your book? We are going there in Nov, 2015

Welcome to Cruise Critic. I guess you are asking about Richard Detrich's book, Panama Canal Day? Amazon has it...

Thanks, Bill.:)

Don, I know you will have a fantastic time! I'll be in the Canal on ISLAND PRINCESS Jan 15th ... one day late, otherwise we could wave at one another! Thanks for all your nice comments about my book. Bon voyage! Regards, Richard

Hello Richard,

Will you be on the Feb 19, 2015 Island Princess from Fort Lauderdale to Los Angeles? Hope so. Cindy

We are booked on the Jewel of the Seas Eastbound transit in October. I hope to be near the bow to see the entrance to the canal, then spend the day wandering from side to side as we go through. I will be watchng ths forum eagerly for advice ont he transit.:)

Ginny, approaching the Canal in the direction you are headed is my favorite! Even though it will still be dark there is still a lot to see, the silhouette of the several large islands that dot the Bay of Panama, as you get closer the ships at anchor and of course closer in the skyline of Panama City.

Sunrise occurs around 6AM that time of year (it only varies around 40 minutes over the year) so you can benefit a little from the twilight a little before 6. Another little treat is to look for a sunrise in the Pacific and later on that day catch the sun setting in the Atlantic... that's something you can't do without the help of a supersonic plane in most places! Depending on the actual location of the ship the sunrise will tend to be on the starboard side of the ship on transit day. If however the ship is at anchor that could change the ship's orientation towards the sunrise.

This end of Cruise Critic does not get a lot of traffic at times, so if you have any questions, stop by.

Ginny, approaching the Canal in the direction you are headed is my favorite! Even though it will still be dark there is still a lot to see, the silhouette of the several large islands that dot the Bay of Panama, as you get closer the ships at anchor and of course closer in the skyline of Panama City.

 

Sunrise occurs around 6AM that time of year (it only varies around 40 minutes over the year) so you can benefit a little from the twilight a little before 6. Another little treat is to look for a sunrise in the Pacific and later on that day catch the sun setting in the Atlantic... that's something you can't do without the help of a supersonic plane in most places! Depending on the actual location of the ship the sunrise will tend to be on the starboard side of the ship on transit day. If however the ship is at anchor that could change the ship's orientation towards the sunrise.

 

This end of Cruise Critic does not get a lot of traffic at times, so if you have any questions, stop by.

Thank you! It sounds like it has the promise of a wonderful day. Hopefully the weather will cooperate!:D I am also very glad we have the benefit of being able to stay on the ship for a full transit plus having a full day docked in Colon so we can see the sghts of Panama. We have a tour booked with other Roll Call members that I am looking forward to.:cool:

We are booked on HAL for a 21 day east to west (FLL to SD) Panama Canal cruise for March 2016. Only our second time on HAL but we booked this during our 24 day Mediterranean cruise last year. They did a fabulous job with on-board lectures, focussed entertainment, etc. etc. So, we are hoping for the same for the Panama Canal. Looks like we have alot to learn/read. I realized just now we aren't stopping at some of the places that some consider a "must do" (Panama City, Colon for example) but I am sure we will have a fabulous time in any event. We have an aft (stern) view cabin which I thought would provide excellent views (albeit a few minutes after those at the front!) but we can see both sides. But, I do understand that the day (8 hours as noted above?) through the canal will require lots of different perspectives. I am curious about many things, but for now I'll ask - our itinerary shows entering the Canal on March 21 at 5:00 at Cristobal and exiting later that day at Balboa. Some people talk about a tour of Gatun Locks - will we be able to do this from one side or another or is that only for partial transit cruises?

If your ship doesn't stop in Panama (most Canal transits don't) or do the partial transit, you won't be going ashore for a tour. It doesn't sound like your cruise stops anywhere in Panama. Cristobel and Balboa are opposite ends of the Canal.

As Bruce said, doesn't look like your cruise stops in Panama... I looked at two cruises for HAL for March 2016 and neither offers a stop in Panama in addition to the transit. While a stop is great to let you experience more of the Canal and Panama, the transit through the Canal should be just great! You just have to come back and see more of Panama some other time.

You will enter the Canal around 5AM and probably reach Gatun Locks sometime between 6-7AM, so it is an early start to what can be a long day. Yes, it is good to see the operation of the locks from different perspectives and your aft balcony will be a great place for your passage across Gatun Lake and Gaillard Cut before you get to the locks on the Pacific side. An eight hour transit would be on the fast side of what you might expect. Actually from deep water to deep water you are probably looking at closer to a 12 hour transit. The good thing is, even though it can be a long day, things happen at a fairly gently pace.

If you have any questions, don't be a stranger.