Panama Canal

Can anyone who has done this cruise give some insight and recommendations. On our bucket list and thinking of doing this for our mutual 65th birthdays.

TIA for your thoughts

It is a bucket list item -- we were speaking to the hotel director on our last canal cruise on HAL. A passenger passed away and was taken off in Aruba. (we were west bound) The H.D. said that was unusual, they often lose some after the canal -- for bucket list reasons. (they are usually much older)

It is an incredible experience, Carnival does very few canal cruises. You would have much more to choose from on another line like HAL or Celebrity.

A really good Panama Canal cruise to consider is on Coral Princess!

Coral & Island Princess were especially designed for the Panama Canal! :)

Can anyone who has done this cruise give some insight and recommendations. On our bucket list and thinking of doing this for our mutual 65th birthdays.

 

TIA for your thoughts

I would ask this on the Holland America and Princess forums. They seem the be the ones that do the Panama Canal the most . Most other lines don't have ships that can easily go thru the current canal.

Can anyone who has done this cruise give some insight and recommendations. On our bucket list and thinking of doing this for our mutual 65th birthdays.

 

TIA for your thoughts

We're doing the Panama Canal in 4 days on the Island Princess. I do not think Carnival does the Panama Canal as I have looked into it. This will be our second cruise through the canal, and the second time on the Island Princess. It's 15 day full transit. We end up in Long Beach.

Several years ago , 5-6 years ago , We went to Panama on The Freedom , We docked at Colon , We did a bus tour , Stopped at a lock and watched a ship pass thru from a viewing area , Then went on to Panama City , went to 4 places there , ate lunch overlooking the Western entrance to the canal , The best part to me was seeing the rain forest on the way . Friends did a canal tour , on a boat for 8 hrs mainly looking at concrete walls they said , We went to Panama , Costa Rica , and Cozumel , this was an 8 day cruise from Miami . Best cruise we have done in the 9 we have been on

Last year NCL had some roundtrip from Miami that went into the Canal and went through a few locks and turned around. They were all like 11-12 night sailings. Princess did the same sailings but were about $600-$800 more per person. They also went to Costa Rica and/or Colombia, Aruba, Curacao, Grand Cayman and an eastern carib island. I believe they were about $650-$850 per person on NCL for an Oceanview. Also the port fees and taxes were INSANE on these sailings. I was very interested but just couldn't go when they were offered.

We have done the Panama Canal on HAL and Princess. Princess was better because we anchored near Fuente fuedor and where able to take all tours into Panama City and elsewhere.

I would ask this on the Holland America and Princess forums. They seem the be the ones that do the Panama Canal the most . Most other lines don't have ships that can easily go thru the current canal.

For a FULL Panama Canal transit ... Princess and Holland America are the forums you'd want to check. :)

I have done full transits on HAL and Celebrity. That is really the way to go. But Carnival has two partial transits of Gatun locks in Jan and Feb. 2017. No stops in Panama, so no excursions offered so far. EM

Last year NCL had some roundtrip from Miami that went into the Canal and went through a few locks and turned around. They were all like 11-12 night sailings. Princess did the same sailings but were about $600-$800 more per person. They also went to Costa Rica and/or Colombia, Aruba, Curacao, Grand Cayman and an eastern carib island. I believe they were about $650-$850 per person on NCL for an Oceanview. Also the port fees and taxes were INSANE on these sailings. I was very interested but just couldn't go when they were offered.

Taxes on Panama Canal cruises regardless of full or partial are horrendous .

The Canal Authority changes for every little things that cruise ship requires.

1 - Flat charge for every berth on board (raised when new canal was in planning stages)

2 - Charge for two or three pilots depending on the ship

3 - charge for every line handler on board ( 6 - 8 depending on the ship)

4 - Reservation Fee that the cruise line booked the time slot that they require for transit.

Taxes on Panama Canal cruises regardless of full or partial are horrendous .

The Canal Authority changes for every little things that cruise ship requires.

 

1 - Flat charge for every berth on board (raised when new canal was in planning stages)

2 - Charge for two or three pilots depending on the ship

3 - charge for every line handler on board ( 6 - 8 depending on the ship)

4 - Reservation Fee that the cruise line booked the time slot that they require for transit.

I understand all of that. I was just letting people know who haven't really looked into them to be prepared. They were all easily three times more than any cruise I've been on other than maybe my Alaskan sailing.

I understand all of that. I was just letting people know who haven't really looked into them to be prepared. They were all easily three times more than any cruise I've been on other than maybe my Alaskan sailing.

I mentioned that list because many people get upset at the amount of tax and port charges.

Alaska also has high port charges and taxes.

I mentioned that list because many people get upset at the amount of tax and port charges.

Alaska also has high port charges and taxes.

Gotcha, I wasn't upset just surprised to see it so high. I do understand why though. It's a completely different process than just docking at a port in some island.

Also ACP line handlers are on the ship all day from Atlantic to Pacific.

Not sure why so many are hung up on the costs associated with a partial or full Canal transit. They are what they are and are included in the purchase price.

I did a partial transit several years ago, 11 nights on an RCI Radiance class ship. Gatun locks are an interesting experience. As is the approach and exit through a veritable parking lot of freight carrying ships of all kinds.

Our entry into the locks took place very early morning, around 6 am if I recall correctly. About a half hour or so before passengers were allowed to assemble at the bow. A real good view for those that got there early enough to be up front :). Very hot an humid the day we went through.

I actually enjoyed the stops in Aruba and Cartagena as much or more. None the less, it is a nice experience. Still have a full transit on my bucket list.

I have done full transits on HAL and Celebrity. That is really the way to go. But Carnival has two partial transits of Gatun locks in Jan and Feb. 2017. No stops in Panama, so no excursions offered so far. EM

We got a call last night from a PVP about those two 14-day Journeys cruises in Jan-Feb 2017. They looked interesting but both involve either departing from or returning to Baltimore and (nothing against the city itself) we were prefer to avoid a port that far north in the Winter - too cold for these Arizonans! ;) Besides we had already booked a partial canal transit cruise with another line but I appreciated the PVP remembering we were interested in a canal cruise and calling to tell us there were now some on the schedule.

We did a full transit a few years ago on the Carnival Miracle. We started in New York (spent a week there pre-cruise) and ended up back at home in Los Angeles. Out of 17 Carnival Cruises this was my all-time favorite!

We're doing the Panama Canal in 4 days on the Island Princess. I do not think Carnival does the Panama Canal as I have looked into it. This will be our second cruise through the canal, and the second time on the Island Princess. It's 15 day full transit. We end up in Long Beach.

You should end up in San Pedro. Princess only uses Long Beach as a port of call on the CA Coastal cruises from San Francisco.

Rumor has it that the Splendor will be here as soon as the new canal is opened.

ETA--you'll be docking at berth 93

http://www.sanpedrocalendar.com/scripts/calcium40.pl?Op=ShowIt&CalendarName=sanpedrocruiseship&Op=ShowIt&Amount=Month&NavType=Absolute&Type=Block&Date=2015/12/1

Can anyone who has done this cruise give some insight and recommendations. On our bucket list and thinking of doing this for our mutual 65th birthdays.

 

TIA for your thoughts

We did this cruise when we were about your age - and loved it. Have been talking about a repeat one soon. Ours was a total transit, from LA to Ft. Lauderdale on the Radiance of the Seas. My recommendation which no one else has mentioned, is to definitely book a veranda cabin. You can sit outside and watch the locks & tugs operation thru the whole thing, the bathroom is very handy, as is the air conditioning. And you are not crowded against the rail with hundreds of other passengers. Ask if the ship plays a tape of the construction before & during the transit which is incredibly informative. I think we had a stop or 2 in Mexico, then Costa Rica, Aruba & Curacao. I think that, in general, this cruise is more appreciated by more "mature" cruisers who have moved beyond the 7 day beach cruises. Not a negative comment - we used to be there.

We got a call last night from a PVP about those two 14-day Journeys cruises in Jan-Feb 2017. They looked interesting but both involve either departing from or returning to Baltimore and (nothing against the city itself) we were prefer to avoid a port that far north in the Winter - too cold for these Arizonans! ;) Besides we had already booked a partial canal transit cruise with another line but I appreciated the PVP remembering we were interested in a canal cruise and calling to tell us there were now some on the schedule.

We're planning on doing the 2/26/17 Journeys cruise. I agree that it won't be pleasant getting off of the ship in Baltimore. However, we live in Michigan. We always get off the ship in FL & have to fly home to the cold.

We have taken two complete transit Panama Canal cruises - on the Pride from LA to Miami and on the Miracle from NYC to LA. Both of them were great cruises - if we had to say which one was best it would be on the Pride from LA to Miami because the final few days on the Miracle we were sailing northward into the wind along the west coast.

We booked a 13 day Caribbean cruise on the Pride for January 2017 and were pleased to learn it has been changed to a partial transit of the canal which is rare for Carnival to do and the prices are pretty good.