Panama Canal 11/20 - Would like info

[CarleenD]

Hello everyone!

 

I rarely book any kind of trip more than 4 months out, because I'm very impatient. But I *had* to take advantage of Princess's $1 deposit yesterday, so I'm going on the Caribbean Princess for a 10-day trip to Panama! It'll be my 50th birthday, and I'm so excited already!

 

My research is just getting started, so I'll post better, more specific questions later. But for now, can someone that's been on that ship/itinerary briefly tell me how it was (I know I can read the reviews - just haven't gotten that far yet). Especially if you needed mobility assistance (my friend is in a wheelchair with a service dog almost full-time), what were your overall thoughts about the cruise?

 

Thanks for any feedback!

Carleen

[fishywood]

for now, can someone that's been on that ship/itinerary briefly tell me how it was

 

Just so you know, you won't get any reports from anyone who has been on Caribbean Princess through the Panama Canal in the past as Fall 2017 will be that ship's first sailings there thanks to the new wider locks. We won't know until a month before your cruise how different the partial canal cruise is using the new locks rather than the current ones. Though I imagine that since it will be a new experience not just for you but for virtually everyone on board the day of the transit will be anticipated with much excitement. The Caribbean Princess holds 900+ more passengers than the current Princess ships sailing the Canal so take that into consideration when perusing the reviews; you will have to balance reviews of the itinerary on Coral and Island Princess with those of Caribbean Princess in other regions, but they will give you a good idea of the facilities.

 

As for the mobility issues, I have traveled with my mom who uses a walker on multiple Princess ships and she has never felt neglected or missing out on anything. I imagine wheelchair users will chime in with the same.

[CarleenD]

Oh wow, ok, great to know! So this is a "partial canal" cruise?? What is that exactly?

 

We're most concerned about my friend getting on/off the tenders. Princess warned me she might not be able to do it with a scooter.

[WupperAV]

Ship gets halfway and sinks.

[cb at sea]

A "partial" cruise goes into the 1st 3 locks from the Atlantic....stays in Lake Gatun for most of the day, then turns around and goes out the way they came in. It's a lovely way to get a "taste" of the canal. Unless you're an engineer or a canal aficionado....it's ample to see how the locks work...and to say you've been there, done that!

 

Unless you can walk a bit, tenders are NOT for scooter or wheelchair bound folks. It can be dangerous for both the passenger and helpers. Plan on the scooter bound being on the ship for the day. Not a bad thing, actually! Many passengers leave, and the ship is less crowded....it's a great day onboard! HOT and HUMID...so the AC is very welcome!

[knecruisin]

With a partial transit cruise, the ship goes through one set of locks only rather than making the full transit all the way through to the other ocean. (full transit cruises are usually 15+ days) So, if you are leaving from Florida you will sail through the Gatun locks from the Atlantic and anchor in Gatun lake. Those going on excursions will tender out from there and the ship will then sail back through the same set of locks and dock in Colon, Panama to pickup those that went out on excursions.

 

DH and I just returned from the 10 day partial transit on the Coral and had a great trip! I'm sure you and your friend will also.

 

 

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[fishywood]

On a "partial transit" from Ft Lauderdale you enter the canal from the Atlantic; the ship is raised up in stages to get from sea level to canal level then sails through the canal as far as Gatun Lake and turns around, re-enters the Atlantic side locks and is lowered back to sea level. Only difference in a full transit is that the ship enters the canal on one coast and exits on another, being raised by one set of locks and lowered by the opposite ones. The partial transit allows anyone who does not have the time or inclination to sail all the way between Ft Lauderdale and Los Angeles to spend the same amount of time in the canal and locks by taking a round trip Ft Lauderdale cruise.

 

There are two tender ports on your itinerary: Princess Cays and Grand Cayman. If your friend cannot stand at least very briefly to be helped into the tender, and/or their scooter does not partially disassemble, issue could be made allowing them to get off at that port. I don't know if you have seen these two documents from Princess yet:

 

http://www.princess.com/downloads/pdf/faq_answer_legal/Passengers%20with%20Limited%20Mobility.pdf

http://www.princess.com/downloads/pdf/faq_answer_legal/Princess-Mobility-Questionnaire.pdf

[Zooguy]

Not true.

We've done both full and partial canal transits. I actually prefer the partial as you still go thru the locks and then turn around in Gatun lake. You then go thru the canal again and return to Fort Lauderdale.

We've not seen a sunken cruise ship in the canal.

 

 

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Edited November 30, 2016 by Zooguy

[CarleenD]

Thanks everyone! I guess I just had no clue how long the Canal is.

 

And thanks for the great info about scooters. My friend can walk - we'll just need a scooter that disassembles I guess.

Edited November 30, 2016 by CarleenD

[caribill]

Thanks everyone! I guess I just had no clue how long the Canal is.

 

 

About 50 miles.

[WupperAV]

My wife has a foldable but you can rent scooters (non-foldable) for onboard. They take a little room but work. If your friend buys one tell them to get an extra battery as they only run about 1 hr at top speed and that can be a problem onshore. Hers weighs 57 lb with battery.

The reason you haven't seen a sunken cruise ship is the water is 800 ft deep!

there are so many there they are thinking about building a canal thru somewhere else, like Brazil etc etc.

Edited November 30, 2016 by WupperAV