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For those of you who've sailed on Caribbean Princess through the New Locks


Cruzinnana47
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The Caribbean Princess has viewing decks forward (Deck 8), aft (Deck 7), and a full Promenade Deck (Deck 7). I was up at 4 AM and the forward viewing area was already quite crowded. Some people staked out their space for hours. You will see the same sights going in and out of the canal.

 

Other viewing areas:

 

I heard that the area above the Bridge was open (but it could be winding, cold, raining, etc).

 

People also staked out the Lido deck aft/and deck below (behind the buffet). That's a nice place to be in the afternoon.

 

What ever you do, walk around the ship and view the transit from many different places on the ship.

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Just off the Caribbean Princess on Jan 13th through the new locks. I stayed on the Promenade Deck outside to view the locks. It wasn't overly crowded in front to get good pictures and was nice to walk to the back where it was even less crowded to get more pictures of the gates closing behind you. When going through the locks, a tugboat will be in front of the ship and back. It's also neat to walk along the sides of the Promenade Deck to see how close you are to the walls and the size of the double gates while moving forward. Here's a picture showing the side of the canal from the Promenade deck.

 

enhance

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Looking for suggestions on outside spaces (such as a forward deck location) to view the New Locks. I'd read that perhaps you can access the deck above the bridge on Canal day' date=' true?

 

TIA...[/quote']

 

You can only access the deck above the bridge by paying $60.00 per person when you book the sanctuary. You have to go through the sanctuary to get to this area and Princess employees would stop you if you weren't booked. :(

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You can only access the deck above the bridge by paying $60.00 per person when you book the sanctuary. You have to go through the sanctuary to get to this area and Princess employees would stop you if you weren't booked. :(

 

How is that possible when the deck above the bridge on the CB is on the Lido deck 15 and the Sancutary is on the Sport deck 17. Been awhile since I sailed on the CB, has the Sancutary taken over the viewing decks on the Lido and Sun deck?

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How is that possible when the deck above the bridge on the CB is on the Lido deck 15 and the Sancutary is on the Sport deck 17. Been awhile since I sailed on the CB, has the Sancutary taken over the viewing decks on the Lido and Sun deck?

 

I was investigating and found out the day we were going through the canal you could only get on the deck above the bridge by going through the sanctuary. Those folks out on that deck paid $60.00 to use the sanctuary. Here's a picture I took from Deck 16 of the few people out on the area above the bridge. I'm only telling you how it was done on the Caribbean Princess. :)

 

enhance

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I was investigating and found out the day we were going through the canal you could only get on the deck above the bridge by going through the sanctuary. Those folks out on that deck paid $60.00 to use the sanctuary. Here's a picture I took from Deck 16 of the few people out on the area above the bridge. I'm only telling you how it was done on the Caribbean Princess. :)

 

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I was talking about the Caribbean Princess. I've been on her 4 times. Always accessed that deck from the forward doors on the Lido deck. The Sanctuary is above you. Have they blocked those doors? Is this something new? Can anyone else confirm this. Going to be real upset if this is blocked from those of us that don't use the Sanctuary.

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Is there any chairs in the front or back of ship so you can sit while you view the locks? We would like to look at different views when we go through the locks but we have a person that can't stand for a long period of time.

 

Any information would be helpful. Thanks

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Is there any chairs in the front or back of ship so you can sit while you view the locks? We would like to look at different views when we go through the locks but we have a person that can't stand for a long period of time.

 

Any information would be helpful. Thanks

 

There are chairs on the Promenade deck sides. Nothing on the bow or aft of the ship.

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@ pshaze.

 

Someone has done a Live From the CB through the locks on 10th December, and said he could access the deck through the Lido doors then, and that there was no charge for any viewing areas. Not sure if it has changed since then.

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We did Panama Canal on the Caribbean Princess in Nov. 2017 through the new locks and were able to access the front of the ship through the lido doors. We also went through the gym to the front of the ship on that deck. The doors were propped open during the transit. We did not enter the sanctuary,

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I was talking about the Caribbean Princess. I've been on her 4 times. Always accessed that deck from the forward doors on the Lido deck. The Sanctuary is above you. Have they blocked those doors? Is this something new? Can anyone else confirm this. Going to be real upset if this is blocked from those of us that don't use the Sanctuary.

 

I don't understand how one would get from the Sanctuary on Deck 17 to the area on top of the bridge which is Deck 15. I am pretty sure there is no stairwell between the two directly. Maybe it was a pass card or ticket system? I do know there is a premium charged for Sanctuary on any canal crossing.

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@ pshaze.

 

Someone has done a Live From the CB through the locks on 10th December, and said he could access the deck through the Lido doors then, and that there was no charge for any viewing areas. Not sure if it has changed since then.

 

Thanks! I tried to find reference in that thread and must have missed it. That has been my experience also.

 

I don't understand how one would get from the Sanctuary on Deck 17 to the area on top of the bridge which is Deck 15. I am pretty sure there is no stairwell between the two directly. Maybe it was a pass card or ticket system? I do know there is a premium charged for Sanctuary on any canal crossing.

 

 

It didn't make any sense to me either! The last time I was on the CB was 2013 so thought maybe they changed something. Also if they were charging to use that deck you would think we would hear complaints on this board.

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Thanks! I tried to find reference in that thread and must have missed it. That has been my experience also.

 

 

 

 

It didn't make any sense to me either! The last time I was on the CB was 2013 so thought maybe they changed something. Also if they were charging to use that deck you would think we would hear complaints on this board.

 

 

Here is "CanadianBurger"'s excellent thread on his CB cruise through Panama Canal - although I am linking to a recent post with specific notes on the forward viewing, complete with a photo:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=55054181#post55049411

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:)

Here is "CanadianBurger"'s excellent thread on his CB cruise through Panama Canal - although I am linking to a recent post with specific notes on the forward viewing, complete with a photo:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=55054181#post55049411

Thanks! I just saw he posted that yesterday! Affirms my experience. Sadly I think the other poster was given some incorrect information and missed the opportunity to use that deck.

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One last picture, this one was taken in the front of the ship on the Promenade Deck. You can see the double gates closed right before we entered Gutan Lake which was the final canal phase.

 

enhance

 

Great canal pictures. Thanks for sharing them.....:):):)

 

Bob

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Appreciate all the replies...can always count on CC folks! ;) Thanks to Kenosha Cruiser for posting photos of the promenade and front of the CB on transit day. I did read CanadianBurger's "live from" thread--he did an excellent job. Now we have some info. and can investigate possibilities for our partial transit canal cruise on the CB in April, which will be the 1st time on her. We know that we need to move around for different views from various vantage points on the ship.

 

We previously sailed on the Coral on our 1st canal cruise and discovered the aft area on Baja deck was a great place to see the action after we had been up on a higher, more crowded deck looking ahead while going through the locks.

 

Thanks again!

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You can only access the deck above the bridge by paying $60.00 per person when you book the sanctuary. You have to go through the sanctuary to get to this area and Princess employees would stop you if you weren't booked. :(

 

 

Not true, we were on the Jan 3-13 cruise and if you walk all the way forward on the lido deck there is an exit door and ou get a great view.

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Not true, we were on the Jan 3-13 cruise and if you walk all the way forward on the lido deck there is an exit door and ou get a great view.

 

cruisecrazyct, thanks for straightening me out on this issue. I apologize to everyone for giving false information. I did try to find the way to the area above the bridge with out any luck. Many people were telling me that you could only get to that area through the sanctuary by paying $60.00 when using the sanctuary. I went to the sanctuary and a Princess employee would not let me in through the gate there. So I assumed what people were telling me was true. Next time on the Caribbean Princess I will know better. :o

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We did the Jan. 3rd cruise. Our cabin was on the Lido deck. The doors forward were locked until 6am. Also the area outside the gym was blocked until then. At 6am I went out and had a great view and few people. After exiting the 1st lock, I went down to the Deck 7 and went around. Got a good spot at the bow for some pix and watched the locks in operation up close. Then went to breakfast while we were in the 3rd lock. As we entered Gatun Lake went out by the Terrace Pool for the money shot (pix of all 3 locks from above). There are tables, chairs and loungers out there to view the locks. A couple of nice tables which I'm sure were taken early. Then reversed the process as we went back through the locks and out into the Atlantic.

You want to move around while going through the locks to get as many perspectives as possible.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I was on the Island before & if you went all the way forward on deck 10, Caribe, there was 2 doors that said crew only but if you went through both of these doors you had an excellent view area not real crowded. Not sure if this is an option on other ships.

Tom😎

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