Old or New Locks

DH wants to do a full transit of the canal. We were thinking off doing a CA to Ft Lauderdale cruise with Celebrity. I understand they are widening the locks. Is 11/2005 too late to do the old locks. Are the old locks better to do than the new? Is a full transit better than a partial transit? Any suggestions regarding a Canal cruise would be appreciated.

Nov 2005 is way to early for the new locks.:D;)

But you meant 2015. The general comment here on this board is only ships too large for the old Canal will use the new locks.

MANY comments on the board would support a full transit is far better that a partial. But if a partial is all you can do, that is fine. The Canal is something you need to see.

My understand is similar in that only larger ships will use the new locks.

Full transit it is! Thanks!!:D

Full transit is best to travel through all the locks.....it's usually a full day to transit through.......it's great!

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To answer your last question first... I too would agree that a full transit is preferable to a partial. However if a partial is all you can do at this time, do consider taking a partial as there are ways to see a large part of the Canal while doing a partial transit cruise. Full or partial, they both are great cruises!

Now to the rest of your questions... I just read somewhere that the Canal Administrator Jorge Quijano has stated the that the entire project will be operational by January 2016. Even when the expansion portion becomes operational I don't believe there will be any rush to be taking the present Panamax ships through the new post Panamax locks, they will need some time to perfect their procedures and practices. I am not too sure that the cruise lines would be very excited about using their ships as test vessels.

The old locks IMO would be a bit more nostalgic and interesting... certainly more to look at with the miter gates that swing open and close, the use of the locomotives (mules) to guide the ship while in the locks, two lanes of vessel traffic. While at the new expansion locks there won't be any mules to handle the ship, just a tugboat on the bow and another on the stern, gates that just roll across the chamber to isolate the different levels and only one lane of vessel traffic. Even though it sounds like a little less "wow" but I can't wait to go through the new locks, but I think the old locks would be a better experience. Whether you wind up in the new or old locks when you take your cruise, the only significant difference would be the locks since the bulk of the the Canal route will remain unchanged.

To answer your last question first... I too would agree that a full transit is preferable to a partial. However if a partial is all you can do at this time, do consider taking a partial as there are ways to see a large part of the Canal while doing a partial transit cruise. Full or partial, they both are great cruises!

 

Now to the rest of your questions... I just read somewhere that the Canal Administrator Jorge Quijano has stated the that the entire project will be operational by January 2016. Even when the expansion portion becomes operational I don't believe there will be any rush to be taking the present Panamax ships through the new post Panamax locks, they will need some time to perfect their procedures and practices. I am not too sure that the cruise lines would be very excited about using their ships as test vessels.

 

The old locks IMO would be a bit more nostalgic and interesting... certainly more to look at with the miter gates that swing open and close, the use of the locomotives (mules) to guide the ship while in the locks, two lanes of vessel traffic. While at the new expansion locks there won't be any mules to handle the ship, just a tugboat on the bow and another on the stern, gates that just roll across the chamber to isolate the different levels and only one lane of vessel traffic. Even though it sounds like a little less "wow" but I can't wait to go through the new locks, but I think the old locks would be a better experience. Whether you wind up in the new or old locks when you take your cruise, the only significant difference would be the locks since the bulk of the the Canal route will remain unchanged.

Much appreciated. Thanks!