Panama Canal trans canal vs. partial?

[michaelsop]

I'm looking to book a canal trip can someone tell me what their experience was with a partial crossing and returning to the same port?

 

I was thinking I wanted to do the full crossing, but now wondering if it is worth the extra cost.

[Kamloops50]

I'm looking to book a canal trip can someone tell me what their experience was with a partial crossing and returning to the same port?

 

I was thinking I wanted to do the full crossing, but now wondering if it is worth the extra cost.

 

with a partial crossing you only enter on the Caribbean side and exit there. Unless you take a tour you won't see the rest of the canal. The down side of a full crossing is to fly to/from two different airports.

[OCruisers]

The full transit is a much better experience.

Since it's your first time, can certainly understand you'd prefer the roundtrip out of FLL doing the partial. Maybe do that and take an excursion that will take you to see all of the locks.

LuLu

[kevink]

Assuming this is still true (we did this ten years ago or so), on a partial transit the ship transits into Gatun Lake, and at that point you can take an excursion on a smaller boat through the rest of the canal, and then the excursion buses you back to catch up to the ship.

[travel_nuts]

I vote for the full transit. You will feel like you missed something if you opt for partial.

 

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[britty1]

This is the best transit review I have ever seen. Give it a read before you make up your mind.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1942047&page=2

[michaelsop]

I vote for the full transit. You will feel like you missed something if you opt for partial.

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Forums mobile app

 

This is exactly my thinking.....

 

This is the best transit review I have ever seen. Give it a read before you make up your mind.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1942047&page=2

 

will read, thanks

[SeagoingMom]

We did the partial and then took a ferry thorough the Canal all the way to the Pacific side. When we booked our RT S. Caribbean cruise, I certainly felt like I would be missing something if I did not go all the way through the Canal. The excursion was a convenient and affordable way for us to do it. Some day I want to do a full transit on a cruise ship, but the small boat experience was a good choice for us.

 

Below is the link to a post I made some time back discussing the pros and cons of our choice, in case you are interested.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=42473541&postcount=43

[Ourusualbeach]

RCI currently is only offering the full transit cruises.

[PCWalton1]

This is the best transit review I have ever seen. Give it a read before you make up your mind.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1942047&page=2

 

Thank you :)

 

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk 2

[Cigar King]

FWIW, we did the partial, and loved it. I'd love to do the full transit, but, the work thing gets in the way. Hopefully in retirement I'll do a B2B full transit. I'm thinking if you do either you will enjoy it.

[OCruisers]

Know this is the RCCL Board ... but Princess is offering some partial round trip 10 days out of FLL.

Yes, a full is better BUT sometimes people only have 10 days.

LuLu

[tiessa]

Princess is the only line I know if that does the partial transit. We are looking at it for our next cruise. The partial transit is perfect for those who want to stay within a budget or can't be gone long enough for a full transit cruise.

[driftychick]

We have done both the Full and Partial transits on several different cruise lines and will again be doing a full transit on the Infinity in November of this year. I much prefer the full transit as it gives you the opportunity to see both sets of locks, I prefer those on the Atlantic side and if you decide to do only a partial transit then I would recommend doing it from Florida. The locks I feel are much more dramatic from the Florida side. Whatever you decide it will be a very entertaining cruise, ENJOY!

[Gasdoc]

We did a partial transit on HAL in 2011. Round trip out of Port Everglades. Our 11 day cruise was half the price of the 14 day full transit. We did not do two ports in Mexico that I had no interest in and the airfare was cheaper than flying home from San Diego. We went through the Atlantic Locks into Gatun Lake on the cruise ship. We then took an excursion via small ferry through the Galliard Cut and on through the Pacific Locks. Two very different perspectives. On the ferry our kids were able to touch the walls of the locks. I do not feel that we missed anything by doing the partial transit. After the ferry we were bussed back across Panama to meet the ship in Colon. Our entire family enjoyed the partial transit. We had a corner aft balcony and had an up close and personal look at the locks.

[willing292]

The full transit gives you a great experience. Our friends did a partial not realizing that they were going to miss the best parts. They were very disappointed. We did the full and would do it again.

 

 

Shirley, Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[BillB48]

I'll join the chorus and say the best way to see the Canal is on the full transit. On a partial transit cruise in order for you to see a large portion of the Canal you will have to take the shore excursion that takes you through the Pacific Locks and Gaillard Cut. This is actually another partial transit, just on the Pacific side. Even when you do this excursion you will be missing the 20+ miles of the transit across Gatun Lake. While the partial transit will give you a good sampling of the Canal, you can't escape the fact that your ship will only travel a little over 9 miles of the total distance of the Canal.

 

Now that I have mentioned most of the negatives about the partial transit cruise out of Florida, it is still a great cruise. One of the benefits of the partial transit cruise is you will be able to experience the Atlantic Locks in the morning from your ship and later in the day have the experience of passing through the Pacific Locks on a smaller vessel. Experiencing the locks in this fashion gives you an entirely different perspective of the operation, providing a great A/B comparison. Other benefits to a partial transit cruise are, round trip out of Florida... no need for open jaw or one way airline tickets, usually can take the cruise in 10/11 days. (Of course for me, a 10 day cruise is not better than a 14 day cruise;):).)

 

While the full transit is best for seeing the Canal, the partial transit cruise is certainly a great alternative. Taking the partial transit cruise first won't diminish a full transit cruise at a later date. In fact I have done multiple of both cruises.

 

The last bit of bad for a partial transit is... Royal in their wisdom no longer offer this itinerary... so you will have to look to the competition.

[JMG]

We did the partial on the Brilliance years ago. At that time we did not have time for the full transit. The plus is that we were able to experience going through the locks. A truly amazing experience. We waited too long to make excursion reservations so we had to stay on the ship while in Gatun lake. The experience going out of the lakes was not as amazing. The ship was lowering to the Atlantic level and all that you could see was the horizon ahead.

Our experience was unique. The ship hit the side while in the locks so the ship was stopped and held for at least an hour while the Panamanians and ship engineers examined the ship for damage. (It was just scraped paint) The canal is in a rain forest and so it did rain. They had trouble docking the ship to board the shore excursion people. The shore excursion people were tired, hungry, and soaked from the rain. After the excursion people boarded ship we were allowed to spend time at the port and were able to do a little shopping. For us it turned out to be a great day!

One day I hope to return and do the full transit but in the meantime, I have great memories of this experience!

[Velvetwater]

We always wanted to do a full transit and booked one for next month.

 

The main reason is we loved the thought of entering in one ocean and leaving to another...and looking forward to all of the locks and scenery too as well.

 

 

The only downsides we have found to a full transit is having to book open jaw flights and the fact we don't get to set foot on Panama soil.

 

Full all the way!

[Roz]

I did a partial for 2 reasons - less annual leave, and a smaller budget. I booked the excursion that takes you the rest of the way thru the locks, but there was a bad storm and flooding that day, and we were unable to debark in Panama. Just means I have to do it again! Some day I would like to do a full transit, but I thoroughly enjoyed the partial, and it gave me a good feel for how the Canal operates.

 

Roz

[cb at sea]

I didn't want to fly across the country, either to get to the port, or to get home. I opted for the partial, and that was plenty. I'm glad I saw some of the canal, and the locks, but I really didn't need to traverse the entire thing.

 

Your choice!

We didn't do any "excursions" while in the canal...,.the passage was excursion enough!

[geoherb]

We did a partial transit on the Island Princess a few years ago. It was a great cruise. We don't have the vacation time to do a full transit yet. When we retire in a few years, doing one would be great. By then, they'll probably have the new locks ready for larger ships to go through.

[marco]

We've done both. The full transit gives you the opportunity to visit some west coast Mexican ports and some Caribbean ports. ON the other hand, a partial would probably offer more Caribbean ports (which as far as ports go, we prefer) Depending where you live, the down side is at least one trans continental flight. If the main reason for taking either is to experience going through locks, a partial would provide the experience. Either is a great cruise!

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have done about 4 partial canal cruises and about 10 full transits.

Much prefer the full transits. So much to see.

[VMax1700]

Princess is the only line I know if that does the partial transit. We are looking at it for our next cruise. The partial transit is perfect for those who want to stay within a budget or can't be gone long enough for a full transit cruise.

 

Holland America do 10 or 11 day partials from Fort Lauderdale.