Panama Canal Seasons???

[Iowaflatlander]

When is the best time to cruise the Panama Canal??

[CruiserBruce]

Some reading here would reveal cruises only go thru the Canal from October to May. October thru December is the wet months, January to May being the drier months. It is always warm and humid in the Canal.

Have been thru in December, March and April. Each one was the best time to be there, according to our definition of "best".

[Northern Aurora]

We have also done three full transits. The first was in November, 2008, and most recently we did a pair of B2B cruises in April, 2012. We were fortunate and had great weather on each transit day.

My husband lived for several years in the Canal Zone as a child when his father was stationed at Albrook AFB. His memory is that while the wetter months tended to be October through early January, it really can rain any month. But at least it is a warm rain.

[Richard in Panama]

Since we're about 9 degrees from the Equator it is pretty much the same year round: tropical. Fall cruises are great, although there is likely to be more rain. Even in the "dry" season in the Canal area it is a matter of "more rain" in the rainy season and "less rain" in the dry season, but there is always some rain. But the rain comes, sometimes in bucketfulls, and then goes. It's not like Seattle (pardon me Seattle!). So it's always going to be tropical, i.e. hot and humid. The challenge with the fall cruises is that you may have to skirt your way around hurricanes in the Caribbean. Panama itself is outside the hurricane belt.

Jan-Feb-Mar Panama gets strong northerly winds, often blowing across the Canal, which make it feel less hot and humid.

Maybe more important that WHEN is the ITINERARY. A cruise that simply transits the Canal doesn't allow you to see or experience Panama. So my strong preference is for a cruise that actually gives you time to get off the ship and experience Panama. The two-day Panama itinerary (one full day transiting the entire Canal and then another full day in Amador (Panama City, a/k/a Fuerte Amador) is the ideal itinerary.

Do your research. Read up on the history and what to expect, and you will enjoy the trip all the more. There are lots of threads on this board to explore and lots of information.

Regards, Richard

[BillB48]

If I were going to choose a time frame in Panama to schedule a transit based on weather alone, it would be in January to late February. The Northerly breezes, temperatures and the humidity are about as good as you are going to find in Panama. Even though much of the vegetation stays green throughout the year, it will be near it's peak during this period.

Now that I have said all that, the differences during the rest of the Canal cruising season (normally late September-early May) are only slight. I would choose based on your schedule, price of the cruise/airline and itinerary. Speaking of itinerary, I too would look for one that offers a full day stop in Panama as well.

[Keith1010]

January through March are very nice.

Keith

[NoviceCruiser3]

So does this mean crises don't run through the canal in June or July?

[CruiserBruce]

Originally Posted by NoviceCruiser3

So does this mean crises don't run through the canal in June or July?

Yep, that is what it means.

[NoviceCruiser3]

Originally Posted by CruiserBruce

Yep, that is what it means.

So why is that?

Is it possible to get a cruise from Costa Rica that fully travels through in June or July?

TIA!

[CruiserBruce]

Originally Posted by NoviceCruiser3

So why is that?

Is it possible to get a cruise from Costa Rica that fully travels through in June or July?

TIA!

Probably 70% of Canal cruises are repo cruises, when cruise lines are moving ships from Alaska to the Caribbean or vice versa. That makes them "one time only" cruises. Only 3 or 4 cruise lines do "seasonal" Canal cruises.

Why not in June or July? Hurricane season in the Caribbean and the Pacific, perhaps. Hurricanes don't affect Panama, but they do affect both sides of a Canal cruise, and there are not a lot of good options for avoiding hurricanes on the Pacific side. Plus, with booking Canal passage, the cruise ship can't really be late- they on a pretty strict timeline. So sailing hundreds of miles out of the way of a hurricane really affects Canal passage.

It is what it is.

[thinfool]

Originally Posted by NoviceCruiser3

So why is that?

Is it possible to get a cruise from Costa Rica that fully travels through in June or July?

TIA!

1. The ships that do full transits are deployed to more profitable areas. In this case most go to Alaska.

2. None of the mass market cruise lines originate cruises in Costa Rica. You may find a local (Costa Rican) travel agent who would have information on local, small ship transits.

[vancouvergirl2010]

Originally Posted by NoviceCruiser3

So does this mean crises don't run through the canal in June or July?

Princess has a cruise that goes through the Panama Canal in August 2013. Part of a World Cruise Segment. I don't think you can see it on their website, but it is listed on discount websites.

[CruiserBruce]

Originally Posted by vancouvergirl2010

Princess has a cruise that goes through the Panama Canal in August 2013. Part of a World Cruise Segment. I don't think you can see it on their website, but it is listed on discount websites.

That is a totally bizarre sailing. Would like more info. Not listed on their website - crazy! Dawn Princess is going Europe to Australia, but that is eastbound.

Something smells funny here.....

[lamchops]

Originally Posted by NoviceCruiser3

So why is that?

Is it possible to get a cruise from Costa Rica that fully travels through in June or July?

TIA!

A cruiseline can make more money stationing the ship for the season on either coast. The cost of the passage for a cruiseline to go through the canal other than repositioning the ship is an expense that one doesn't want to expense every 2 weeks. Our 2011 passage broke the record and the 2012 passage broke that record. Partial crossings are substantially cheaper.

On October 8, 2012, the NCL Norwegian Pearl traversed the Panama Canal at a cost of $480,000 -- according to them, the highest crossing fee on record.

[BillB48]

Originally Posted by CruiserBruce

That is a totally bizarre sailing. Would like more info. Not listed on their website - crazy! Dawn Princess is going Europe to Australia, but that is eastbound.

Something smells funny here.....

The Sea Princess is scheduled through the Canal Atl-Pac on August 2. You can see it on their web site only by going through the world cruise segments, it does not show up on any cruise that lists the Canal as the destination. That segment begins in FLL and ends in Sydney, Oz.

[BillB48]

Originally Posted by lamchops

Partial crossings are substantially cheaper.

On October 8, 2012, the NCL Norwegian Pearl traversed the Panama Canal at a cost of $480,000 -- according to them, the highest crossing fee on record.

Partial transits can be less expensive in regards to the fare the passenger pays and probably less expensive for the ship operation since those voyages are usually 10-11 days long. As for the tolls, that's another story, they are essentially the same for the partial transit as they are for the complete transit. I'm sure the Canal figures they lifted you from sea level and dropped you back to sea level..... makes no difference to them which ocean you want. The only difference is in some of the miscellaneous charges for tugs, wire fees ( a charge per cable per mule) and a laundry list of some other nickel and dime charges..... the base toll is not affected.

$480K, that is a piece of change! Sounds like they had to bid for that one. The Canal has a bidding process where one Panamax slot a day goes to the highest bidder.... sounds like they may have had competition!

[CruiserBruce]

Originally Posted by BillB48

The Sea Princess is scheduled through the Canal Atl-Pac on August 2. You can see it on their web site only by going through the world cruise segments, it does not show up on any cruise that lists the Canal as the destination. That segment begins in FLL and ends in Sydney, Oz.

Thanks Bill for finding that. I couldn't find it on the Princess site, but I don't have the best Internet access at the moment. It still seems to be an odd sailing, but, oh well....

[vancouvergirl2010]

Originally Posted by CruiserBruce

Thanks Bill for finding that. I couldn't find it on the Princess site, but I don't have the best Internet access at the moment. It still seems to be an odd sailing, but, oh well....

I saw it listed as a segment from NYC to LA. Kind of nice to have an option for a 14 day+ cruise close to home in the summer.