Princess tour – Panama Canal: Today’s Locks System and the Future

On Princess Cruises partial transit where the ship only goes through the Gatun Locks, if you take the Gatun Locks and Canal Expansion tour, do you actually tender back to the ship while it is still in Gatun Lake or do you take a bus back to the port in Colon? The itinerary says “Transfer back to the tender pier” but I don’t trust it! I read a review that said the people who took it had to wait a couple of hours back at the port of Colon with a toddler in need of a nap. Just wondering what someone who has actually taken this cruise experienced. I believe the actual name of the excursion is PC1-235, Panama Canal: Today's Locks System and the Future.

Alternatively, does anyone know of a contact number or email where I can obtain the correct information directly from Princess?

Usually you get back on where the ship docks in Colon. But I guess this could be something new.

Once the tendering operation offloading folks on tours is complete, around 11 am or so the ship goes back through the locks to dock at Colon and await everyone returning from the tours. Because it's a long day and all the tours return about the same time, there can be long lines in boarding. I suspect "Transfer back to the tendering pier is a misprint" since the Canal tends to want to get the ships doing turnaround trips out of Gatun and into the locks ASAP. Regards, Richard

You may be right (misprint). I posted on the PC forum as well so hopefully someone who as actually done the tour will confirm. There is a thread on the Princess forum right now about the partial transit and the OP seemed to think they got back on the ship to go back through the locks, so that plus the itinerary statement about "return to tender pier" had me wondering!

Thanks.

Was looking at this tour for our upcoming trip with Princess - but I am confused! If you book a tour do you still experience going through a lock into Gatun lake before you disembark for the tour. I'm not so bothered about how we get back to the shop but want to make sure that we will be on board ship when it sails through a lock before getting off to see the locks at work. From my reading you go through a lock, into Gatun Lake, disemabrk there for the tour and then get bussed back to colon to rejoin the ship - is that right?

Was looking at this tour for our upcoming trip with Princess - but I am confused! *If you book a tour do you still experience going through a lock into Gatun lake before you disembark for the tour. I'm not so bothered about how we get back to the shop but want to make sure that we will be on board ship when it sails through a lock before getting off to see the locks at work. **From my reading you go through a lock, into Gatun Lake, disemabrk there for the tour and then get bussed back to colon to rejoin the ship - is that right?

*Yes, you will lock through Gatun Locks into Gatun Lake. Once in Gatun Lake is when you will tender off the ship to join your excursion.

**That is correct. What you will miss while you are on your excursion is the transit back through the Locks down to sea level and the short sail to Colon, most of this you will be retracing your steps from that morning.

I also had the same questions. It sounds like you are bused back to Colon to pick up the ship. I am debating between that tour and the Panama Canal and Locks Transit by Boat. Anyone know anything about which is better!!

Was looking at this tour for our upcoming trip with Princess - but I am confused! If you book a tour do you still experience going through a lock into Gatun lake before you disembark for the tour. I'm not so bothered about how we get back to the shop but want to make sure that we will be on board ship when it sails through a lock before getting off to see the locks at work. From my reading you go through a lock, into Gatun Lake, disemabrk there for the tour and then get bussed back to colon to rejoin the ship - is that right?

That is my understanding too.

I also had the same questions. It sounds like you are bused back to Colon to pick up the ship. I am debating between that tour and the Panama Canal and Locks Transit by Boat. Anyone know anything about which is better!!

Our family, ages 50, 47, 23 & 21, enjoyed the Panama Canal and Locks Transit by Boat in Dec 2012. I would highly suggest it. You will board a bus that will take you to get on a smaller boat and make your way through all the locks to the Pacific where you will then board a bus for a ride/tour back through Panama City to Port Colon. You will receive lunch, photo ops and a certificate that you made the complete transit of the Panama Canal. You actually get an up close view as you transit each lock.

We are doing a return cruise Jan 2015 and trying to decide on an excursion ourselves.

On this tour, what time do you get back to Colon, in relation to when the ship gets there? Just trying to figure out since the ship is only in Colon from 5-8 so I wondered how long we would have in Colon. Thanks!

There are so many variables starting with... what time will your tour actually start, it would be hard to give a precise answer. In general your arrival back to Colon should coincide fairly closely with the arrival of your ship, hopefully it will already be there. If you should arrive before the ship the shopping mall connected to the pier can occupy some time. The ship's short stop in Colon won't provide you with time for any other activities in Colon if that was what you were considering.

On Princess Cruises partial transit where the ship only goes through the Gatun Locks, if you take the Gatun Locks and Canal Expansion tour, do you actually tender back to the ship while it is still in Gatun Lake or do you take a bus back to the port in Colon? The itinerary says “Transfer back to the tender pier” but I don’t trust it! I read a review that said the people who took it had to wait a couple of hours back at the port of Colon with a toddler in need of a nap. Just wondering what someone who has actually taken this cruise experienced. I believe the actual name of the excursion is PC1-235, Panama Canal: Today's Locks System and the Future.

 

Alternatively, does anyone know of a contact number or email where I can obtain the correct information directly from Princess?

Sandy, Did you end up doing the Today's Locks System and the Future tour? If so, how did you like it? Thanks!

Sandy, Did you end up doing the Today's Locks System and the Future tour? If so, how did you like it? Thanks!

Thanks for asking. I'm leaving this Sunday the 7th and decided to do the ferry through the entire canal as I may not ever get back to do a full transit. I think I would kick myself if I missed this chance to do the entire canal all the way to the Pacific!

Thanks for asking. I'm leaving this Sunday the 7th and decided to do the ferry through the entire canal as I may not ever get back to do a full transit. I think I would kick myself if I missed this chance to do the entire canal all the way to the Pacific!

We are doing the Partial Transit January 25th 2015 for 11 days on the Coral Princess so we are interested in how your excursion was. Thank you in advance for your info :) .