Who here has been thru the Panama Canal....

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

Have done 4 full transits and 3 partial, 1 from the Pacific and 2 from the Atlantic. Hope to do many more full transits - can't get enough of the canal - I find it so amazing what they did over 100 years ago.

[BillB48]

[AHOY SHIPMATES

 

PANAMA MAY OWN THE CANAL BUT CHINA OWNS EVERY THING ON BOTH ENDS (businesses) and CONTROLS THE TRAFFIC. ( I realize this will create a rebuttal).

 

AM ANXIOUS TO TRY THE NEW CANAL IF THEY FINISH IT DURING MY LIFETIME.

 

SEA YA SIZE=4][/size]

 

Not so much of a rebuttal, just a curiosity inquiry ...:) Just wondering about "controls"... Panama does ''own'' the Canal through the autonomous agency that runs the Canal. A US comparison would be something like the TVA. The ACP (the Canal Authority) controls all aspects of the Canal as well as all shipping traffic bound through the Canal and for the ports on either side of the Isthmus. The closest you come with China controlling anything at the Canal perhaps would be the Panama Ports Company. The PPC operates the port of Balboa and Cristobal, primarily container operations while the parent company Hutchison Holdings operates many ports all over the world. HH is incorporated in the Cayman Islands but is run from Hong Kong by mostly Chinese corporate officers. That part there certainly is a China connection.

 

 

Just an aside... I think most people would be surprised to find out that Panama does not recognize the People's Republic of China and does not have full diplomatic relations with them. Panama has full diplomatic relations the Republic of China... Taiwan. In any event, I don't think that there is any question that both "Chinas" have a considerable amount of sway in Panama.:)

 

The other tidbit is the repairs to the new locks have been completed and they are looking towards late June for the opening!

[1of4]

We did our first, full transit, last April. It won't be our last. Even our 10 year old was fascinated by the 100 year old engineering marvel, the construction of the new infrastructure he could see and the dredging operations.

[vakamalua]

Did an east-west full transit on a 14 day Disney Wonder cruise from Miami to LA in 2013. It was my husband who was really interested in doing the transit experience but I thought the transit was fascinating. It helped that we had a former Canal pilot on board who gave great (and funny) lectures about the canal almost every day of the cruise--they were standing room only. Out of at least two dozen cruises on a number of lines--one of our favorites. But not sure we'll do it again...

Edited February 6, 2016 by vakamalua

[DaveOKC]

Did a partial just over a year ago and liked it so much we scheduled a full transit for 2017.

Edited February 6, 2016 by DaveOKC

[colonialinnkeeper]

We've done 2 full and one partial. First full (from Pacific to Caribbean) was while the U.S. still owned it and second (from Caribbean to Pacific) two years ago. The changes since it was returned to Panama was overwhelming. Gone were the uninhabited, natural landscapes. On the second trip we were able to see the building of the Pacific locks side. The enormity of the project and of them was everything we had read about. Both trips were really hot with temp "down to" 89 degrees and drenching humidity at midnight when we docked for the night on the Pacific side so a minor problem could be addressed.

[chengkp75]

Not so much of a rebuttal, just a curiosity inquiry ...:) Just wondering about "controls"... Panama does ''own'' the Canal through the autonomous agency that runs the Canal. A US comparison would be something like the TVA. The ACP (the Canal Authority) controls all aspects of the Canal as well as all shipping traffic bound through the Canal and for the ports on either side of the Isthmus. The closest you come with China controlling anything at the Canal perhaps would be the Panama Ports Company. The PPC operates the port of Balboa and Cristobal, primarily container operations while the parent company Hutchison Holdings operates many ports all over the world. HH is incorporated in the Cayman Islands but is run from Hong Kong by mostly Chinese corporate officers. That part there certainly is a China connection.

 

 

Just an aside... I think most people would be surprised to find out that Panama does not recognize the People's Republic of China and does not have full diplomatic relations with them. Panama has full diplomatic relations the Republic of China... Taiwan. In any event, I don't think that there is any question that both "Chinas" have a considerable amount of sway in Panama.:)

 

The other tidbit is the repairs to the new locks have been completed and they are looking towards late June for the opening!

 

Yeah, Bill, I don't think China controls the traffic in the canal as much as Egypt controls the traffic in the Suez, or Turkey controls the Dardanelles. I haven't seen the Chinese military around Cristobal or Balboa.

[solocanadian]

I have done 6 complete transits in both directions. Most exciting was the first time on the Crown Odyssey from San Diego to Barbados and the full transit from somewhere in California on the NCL Westward and being invited on the Bridge during the transit of the canal. Have no interest in ever sailing the canal again. Hate all the trouble getting there in the airports.

[summer slope]

One partial in 2013 and doing a full transit in March...on the Westy!!!!

[Lizzie68]

One partial in 2013 and doing a full transit in March...on the Westy!!!!

 

Yay!! That will likely be the repositioning cruise (?) and if so, she will being tooting long and loud when leaving FLL for the season.:)

[durangoscots]

3 full transits for me.... and I thoroughly enjoyed each one. Weather was a bit different each time and I saw different things. Looking forward to another sometime soon, just don't know when,

 

Susan

[summer slope]

Yay!! That will likely be the repositioning cruise (?) and if so, she will being tooting long and loud when leaving FLL for the season.:)

I certainly hope so!

 

[GeorgesGal]

Two full transits, Oosterdam and Infinity. Don't hold your breath on a transit through the new locks, unless you are on a ship too big for the current locks. My understanding is that ships that can fit through the current locks will still use those locks. EM

 

Did one full transit in 2002, one partial a few years prior, with one full booked for this April - same one as CruiseChick and BanditsWife.;)

[FRANKIEDNYC]

:) 18 full transits for me and 3 partials 11 times courtesy of Uncle Sam over 26 yrs and the rest between HAL and Celebrity. Never get tired of going thru. In the early 70's I was stationed on an LST (Tank Landing Ship) and we were told that we had set a speed record up to that date in transiting. I believe it was in the 6 hour range. I read somewhere that recently a US Navy hydrofoil set a record of 2 hrs and 41 minutes. Hard to believe since the locks alone take nearly 3 hours normally. We have a full transit planned again for the beginning of 2017 and hope to be able to go through the new section.

[chengkp75]

:) 18 full transits for me and 3 partials 11 times courtesy of Uncle Sam over 26 yrs and the rest between HAL and Celebrity. Never get tired of going thru. In the early 70's I was stationed on an LST (Tank Landing Ship) and we were told that we had set a speed record up to that date in transiting. I believe it was in the 6 hour range. I read somewhere that recently a US Navy hydrofoil set a record of 2 hrs and 41 minutes. Hard to believe since the locks alone take nearly 3 hours normally. We have a full transit planned again for the beginning of 2017 and hope to be able to go through the new section.

 

And here I thought LST stood for Large Slow Target. ;)

[lopakarob]

Ft. Lauderdale to San Diego on the Statendam -Loved it!

[RuthC]

I did a full transit from the Pacific back in '97 on the final voyage of the ss Rotterdam, but didn't get enough out of it. I also did a partial a few years ago, and learned a lot more.

Now I want to do one more full transit and really pay attention this time. I'll appreciate it more now, I think.

[Banditswife]

I did a full transit from the Pacific back in '97 on the final voyage of the ss Rotterdam, but didn't get enough out of it. I also did a partial a few years ago, and learned a lot more.

Now I want to do one more full transit and really pay attention this time. I'll appreciate it more now, I think.

 

You join us in April Ruth C. I've read there are plenty of staterooms available now.

[RuthC]

You join us in April Ruth C. I've read there are plenty of staterooms available now.

Wish I could, but my dance card is filled with medical testing that month.

Trust me, I would rather be in the heat & humidity of the Canal (even though I hate heat & humidity). ;)

[erewhon]

We did a 28 day San Diego to Fort Lauderdale, return to San Diego on the Statendam back in 2009.

Wonderful experience, would be great to do again, but doubt that we will.

[Lizzie68]

Wish I could, but my dance card is filled with medical testing that month.

Trust me, I would rather be in the heat & humidity of the Canal (even though I hate heat & humidity). ;)

 

Aww that's too bad, Ruth. Still, the beauty of the heat and humidity through the Panama is that it is easy to duck back inside into the air conditioning.:D On our transit in 2014 we had rain, and it sure felt good.

[RuthC]

Aww that's too bad, Ruth. Still, the beauty of the heat and humidity through the Panama is that it is easy to duck back inside into the air conditioning.:D On our transit in 2014 we had rain, and it sure felt good.

I really am hoping to do another full transit. I've learned a great deal about cruising, and about the world, since that first transit. I need to see some things again through wiser eyes, as I know I will appreciate what I am seeing more this time.

[richwmn]

First full transit from Colon to Balboa on a destroyer in '77, then a partial on the Zuiderdam in 2010. Latest was a full transit on the Zuiderdam reposition from Vancouver to FLL in Sept 14

 

Enjoyed each on for different reasons.

[Bookited]

One partial in 2013 and doing a full transit in March...on the Westy!!!!

 

Looks like we are sailing together. It will be our third time through a complete transit, twice with Lizzie and DH. The canal is amazing.

[Cornishpastyman1]

From my Noordam transit in 2007. Cheap camcorder and weedy voiceover but I wanted to make some sort of record of a once in a lifetime experience. It really was a day I will never forget. All the best, Tony

 

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