Panama Canal - Best Time - Itinerary Ideas

What time of year is best for cruising the Panama Canal?

Is there a particular Itinerary which we should be searching for?

We would appreciate any help from folks who have cruised the Panama Canal.

Thanks.

SailAways:)

Oops - I meant to Post in the Panama Canal Area.

Help - Cecilia - Move Me Over, Please. Thanks:o

Best itinerary: one that goes all the way through the canal and we prefer east to west because you gain instead of lose sleep ... and timing? October and very early November can find you prone to tropical storms on either side and the later in the spring you go the hotter it is .. IMHO Jan/Febr/March are best.

Oops - I meant to Post in the Panama Canal Area.

Help - Cecilia - Move Me Over, Please. Thanks:o

What I posted yesterday was really a question as to whether any cruise line actually does regular Panama Canal trips or are they usually done as repo cruises for ships. For example, I did the maiden voyage of the NCL Star in late November 2001 from Miami to LA. This was the repo voyage to get the ship to the west coast. Then I've seen other ships repo'ing from Alaska or Mexico to the Caribbean and they do Canal trips usually in the spring. In late November 2001 it was hot hot hot! Our stops included Aruba, Cartegena, Puerto Villarta, Cabo San Lucas, and San Diego. I think that was every stop. Maybe one or two more I can't remember.

Last year in Feb. 04 we took a partial transit of the canal on the Coral Princess round trip from Fort Lauderdale. You go through one of the locks named Gatun Locks, then if you have shore excursion you are taken off via tender. The weather at that time was fabulous. Not too humid, just nice. This next year we are going the full transit from Fort Lauderdale to San Francisco on the same ship the Coral. In my opinion the Coral is a fantastic ship(1950) passengers, perfect size. So you may have to consider if you want a partial transit or a full transit. Whatever you choose have a great cruise.

Marilyn

We did San Diego to Ft. Lauderdale and liked the fact that the ports seemed to get better/more exotic as the cruise progressed.

We did San Diego to Ft. Lauderdale and liked the fact that the ports seemed to get better/more exotic as the cruise progressed.

Thanks Vikki:

Can you please elaborate some about what time of year you went, on which ship, and how the weather was during your cruise. Also, what especially impressed you as exotic. I don't want to miss anything!

Thanks again, SailAways

Last year in Feb. 04 we took a partial transit of the canal on the Coral Princess round trip from Fort Lauderdale. You go through one of the locks named Gatun Locks, then if you have shore excursion you are taken off via tender. The weather at that time was fabulous. Not too humid, just nice. This next year we are going the full transit from Fort Lauderdale to San Francisco on the same ship the Coral. In my opinion the Coral is a fantastic ship(1950) passengers, perfect size. So you may have to consider if you want a partial transit or a full transit. Whatever you choose have a great cruise.Marilyn

I am not familiar with partial or full - could you tell me about this?

We are new to this - only one cruise under out belts so far - so we need all of the help we can get.

Thanks so much,

SailAways.

SailAways,

A full transit cruise goes though the entire canal (ocean to ocean) while a "partial" transit cruise is one that enters, and exits, from the same end of the canal.

A full transit usually is part of two-week cruise due to the distances involved (San Diego to Fort Lauderdale for example). A partial cruise is typically a little less than two weeks (11 - 12 days).

We have done both, plus another cruise that docked in Colon Panama that never entered the canal at all. A full transit is by far the best in my opinion since you get to see the entire 55 miles of the canal. With a partial transit, you will only see a very small percentage of the canal.

Sail: We did Royal Caribbean Legend of the seas 10/03/04. It was a 14 night cruise. The weather was a bit nippy when we left San Diego but warmed up by the time we hit Cabo. The rest of the trip was bathing suit weather, warm/hot and sunny. Our ports were Cabo, Acapulco, Huatulco, Puntarenas, Cristobal peir, Aruba. Huatulco was great because it sees very few ships. Beach and water right next to the dock were great. It looks like Mexico beach cities did in the 50's, so clean. Very inexpensive. Taxi drivers were offering half day tours for $20 per couple. A great stop. Puntarenas Costa Rica just on the edge of the rain forest. Lots of tour options. River rafting, zipline, jungle tours. Ugly port but great shopping along the beach. Lots of handicrafts, everything cheap. Cristobal peir Panama was great shopping! Lots of canal themed handicrafts, again very cheap. Had I known before hand I would not have done ANY shopping in Cabo, Acapulco or Huatulco. Everything in Puntarenas and Cristoblal peir was nicer and cheaper. Any other questions feel free to ask.

Sail: We did Royal Caribbean Legend of the seas 10/03/04. It was a 14 night cruise. The weather was a bit nippy when we left San Diego but warmed up by the time we hit Cabo. The rest of the trip was bathing suit weather, warm/hot and sunny. Our ports were Cabo, Acapulco, Huatulco, Puntarenas, Cristobal peir, Aruba. Huatulco was great because it sees very few ships. Beach and water right next to the dock were great. It looks like Mexico beach cities did in the 50's, so clean. Very inexpensive. Taxi drivers were offering half day tours for $20 per couple. A great stop. Puntarenas Costa Rica just on the edge of the rain forest. Lots of tour options. River rafting, zipline, jungle tours. Ugly port but great shopping along the beach. Lots of handicrafts, everything cheap. Cristobal peir Panama was great shopping! Lots of canal themed handicrafts, again very cheap. Had I known before hand I would not have done ANY shopping in Cabo, Acapulco or Huatulco. Everything in Puntarenas and Cristoblal peir was nicer and cheaper. .

If you have any other questions feel free to ask.

Vickki and sptrout:

Thanks so very much for great hints and the explanation of full and partial.

I am sure I will have many more questions, but for now I shall do some

more checking on prices, etc.

You all have been really helpful - much appreciated.

SailAways:)

If you do not have the time to do the "full transit", check to see if your cruise line offers the "canal by ferry" shore excursion if you want to experience the other 2 sets of locks. I think the current price is around $150pp.

If you do not have the time to do the "full transit", check to see if your cruise line offers the "canal by ferry" shore excursion if you want to experience the other 2 sets of locks. I think the current price is around $150pp.

Thanks, that is interesting info too. I am busily checking out all sort of options - and there are many.

Happy Anniversary To You! We just did Alaska with our son and his wife for our 50th, and their 25th Wedding Anniversaries. They treated us royally on the evening of our dinner on the Spirit, in Maxim's Steak House.

Thanks again, and keep the info coming please, if you think of more tid-bits.

SailAways :)

Meant to ask where you are going on your cruise? Have a wonderful time!

SailAways -

Panama Canal:D - full transit on the Radiance of the Seas. We didn't realize that the ferry was an option until after we booked. At this point we plan on staying on the ship for the full transit - but some of those shore excursions do sound interesting. If you haven't done so already, do a search in the Photo Gallery Forum - lots of pix there. Good luck with your decision.

p.s. congrats on your anniversary too. 50 - WOW.

Hi, My wife Lorraine and myself are doing a Panama Canal cruise in February of 2007. We are taking the Celebrity Mercury out of San Diego and it ends in Ft. Lauderdale 14 days later. You might want to think about this cruise as it seems to be very reasonable in price for a 14day cruise. We are in a our late 40's, early 50's and there are also two couples joining us on this cruise.

Michael

We are still looking - and thinking about the options

I have learned a lot here on the boards, and you are very helpful

2007 - I don't know that I could plan that far ahead. I do well to wait for six months for things to happen.

But, it surely is a tempting idea.

Thanks again.

SailAways:)