Partial Panama Canal

[Jimmy Geegitz]

Has anyone ever done a partial Panama Canal cruise. Thinking of booking but didn't know what to expect.

[CruiserBruce]

A little reading here would reveal you will arrive at the entrance of the Gatun Locks around sunrise. You will transit into Gatun Lake, where pax who have shore excursions (no one else is allowed off, only those who have cruise line excursions are allowed off) will tender ashore. Then, at some point, the ship will transit back through the Gatun Locks, and dock in Colon for a number of hours, to recover those pax who got off in Gatun Lake. There isn't much to do for those short hours docked at Colon, except perhaps shop at the stores at the dock.

 

Discussed here frequently.

[BillB48]

The down side of a partial transit cruise is you are only traversing about 8 miles of a 50 mile Canal. However you can see much of the rest of the Canal by taking the shore excursion that takes you through the two locks on the Pacific side and the Gaillard Cut on a smaller vessel. You would leave the ship when it reaches Gatun Lake as Bruce indicated after locking up through the Atlantic side locks at Gatun. The excursion would take you to the Pacific side by bus where you would pass through the two Pacific Locks, Gaillard Cut rejoining the ship at Colon via bus.

 

There are a number other tours available but the above tour will give you an opportunity to see the majority of the Canal without having to take a full transit cruise. All the cruise lines that offer partial transit cruises offer the excursion above and they all have their unique name for it, on Princess, for example it is called Panama Canal Locks & Transit by Boat.

[cb at sea]

The big PRO of a partial is beginning and ending at the same home port. Unless you are extremely interested in the canal, a partial gives your a great overview! And, the partial IS an exursion unto itself....no real need to get off the ship. A navigator is on the ship, explaining the history, lock operation, etc.. as you go into Lake Gatun.

 

There are cruises that don't go into ANY locks, and for those trips, you will need to book an excursion to actually SEE the locks.

Edited December 28, 2015 by cb at sea

[CruiserBruce]

A navigator is on the ship, explaining the history, lock operation, etc.. as you go into Lake Gatun.

 

 

A navigator plans and plots the route of the ship. A narrator gives info about the trip, the sights and the area over the public address system.

Edited December 28, 2015 by CruiserBruce

[the plumbers wife]

We are looking for a short cruise to see/view the Panama canal?

Does anyone have any suggestions or ideas? They all seem to be between 7-20 nights? Thanks!

[OCruisers]

Normally, a partial is 10 nights.

[CruiserBruce]

Have never heard of any Canal cruise less than 7 days, partial or full. The 7 day cruises are on the smaller, more "unique" cruise lines, (such as Windstar), aren't as common, and originate in more distant ports, like Costa Rica.

 

As mentioned, partials are commonly 10 or 11 days, originating in Florida most commonly, but Princess has a rare one originating in LA (which I think is 14 days). Full transits can be as few as 10 days- we did one from San Juan to Acapulco- but more commonly 14 or 15 days, starting and ending in US ports. Yes, there are some up to 21 days.

Edited March 25, 2016 by CruiserBruce

[the plumbers wife]

Thank you all so much!