Panama Canal-itinerary change to new locks from old

[knbcruisers]

We are booked for March 2018 partial crossing on the Coral. When we booked this was listed as through the old locks. In the last month it’s now listed as new locks. Did this happen to anyone on this past canal season. i am a little disappointed as I knew the Coral was specifically designed to fit in old locks. Any chances we’ll actually go through the old locks.? Also trying to determine which excursion would show us the old locks? I am sure the cruise will be great whatever happens. I am just wondering how to get the most of that day. The only other option would be to switch to the Zuiderdam as our dates are restricted (with a modest price savings). I am reluctant to change from Princess, we’ve got the caribe deck cabin we like, we have been very pleased on our previous Princess cruises, loved the Coral in Alaska and this will cruise will get us to Platinum status. Thoughts from the board?

[BoopTennis]

wow. we are booked on the Island thru the old locks Dec 2018. I hope it stays that way but who knows....

[paul929207]

I am surprised they would switch to the new locks. The charges for transiting the new locks are significantly higher. Either they lose money by keeping the port charges as is or the anger passengers by raising them.

[Near PDX]

We’re booked on the Coral November 11 partial PC originally advertised as original canal and now using the new locks. We were disappointed in the change.

[thinfool]

It could be a typo....or

There may be ongoing maintenance in the old locks....they are old enough to need a lot.

[chengkp75]

The difference in tariff between old and new locks is about $10-15/person. The big thing is that there are a limited number of transits every day in the new locks, which are at present about 6/day, and the Canal Authority believes the limit will be 12/day. So, even though a cruise ship can pay a lot for a transit, the massive neo-panamax container ships are paying nearly a million dollars per transit, so they will keep the limited number of transits for the high paying customers. There are a very few cruise ships that will transit the new locks.

[BillB48]

I was a bit surprised when I saw the Coral Princess using the new locks and wondered if that just might have been some sort of editorial oversight. I don't think it is maintenance issue as it looks like they are going to use the new locks for the season with the Coral. While the toll for the new locks is another $10/per passenger berth ( $148ppb or about 20,000 more for the transit) Princess has padded the fees and taxes portion more than sufficiently to cover this little item. A 10 day non canal Caribbean cruise usually runs around $120 a person. For the Coral using the new locks, the fees, taxes and port charges are $370. That figure can be adjusted after final payment as well if necessary. The additional toll could even be waived if the use of the new locks was for Canal convenience.

 

The Canal recently stated that the Disney Wonder, Caribbean Princess, Norwegian Bliss, Carnival Splendor and Carnival Freedom were going to account for 20 transits this cruise season. The Carnival Freedom is the only ship in that group that is not too big for the old locks.

 

To the OP, this did not happen to anyone last season as the Canal was not accepting cruise ships through the new locks until April this year. The Disney Wonder was the first and so far the only passenger ship to use the new locks.

 

Chief, just reading between the banana leaves, while transit slots for the new locks are limited, I think the ACP would not mind a bit if there was greater utilization. Eventual plans call for 12 transits a day at the new locks, however they just marked the 2000th transit through the new locks. That comes out to just a smige over 4 transits per day.

[knbcruisers]

Thank you for the insight! I will be interested to see if there are additional changes this season.

[nini]

knbcruisers-

How do you know of the change? We are booked for the Coral PC full transit in January. We thoght it would be the old locks because of the size of the Coral?

TIA

[NavyVeteran]

The Canal recently stated that the Disney Wonder, Caribbean Princess, Norwegian Bliss, Carnival Splendor and Carnival Freedom were going to account for 20 transits this cruise season. The Carnival Freedom is the only ship in that group that is not too big for the old locks.

I am booked on the Carribbean Princess through the new locks. The Caribbean Princess definitely would not fit through the old locks.

 

According to Marine Insight, the old locks are 110 feet wide and the maximum size for a Panamax ship needs to be no more than 106 feet wide. According to the Caribbean Princess Fact Sheet, the Carribbean Princess is 118 feet wide (not including the bridge wing) or 158 feet wide (including the bridge wing).

[BillB48]

knbcruisers-

How do you know of the change? We are booked for the Coral PC full transit in January. We thoght it would be the old locks because of the size of the Coral?

TIA

 

 

Screen shot from Princess's web site.

 

[BillB48]

I am booked on the Carribbean Princess through the new locks. The Caribbean Princess definitely would not fit through the old locks.

 

.

 

In that group of ships the Caribbean Princess will make the majority of those 20 transits.

[knbcruisers]

I found out about the change because I am checking prices at least once a week. The heading of the cruise changed as shown in BillB48’s screen shot. I did not receive any email notification directly from Princess although that could have gone to my TA. I would check your specific booking with Princess or your TA.

[jagoffee]

Very interesting discussion. We have taken a full transit and a turn around Panama Cruise. If we ever book another we would want the new locks. For that reason we would only book a ship that is too big to fit though the old locks. Even though it is listed as the new locks we would be afraid that it would be changed once we were there.

 

 

 

A great cruise option on the smaller ships might be the old locks on one end and the new locks on the other end.

 

We really enjoyed the experience and stayed in the ship both times. Going though the locks was our excursion.

 

For those that wan to experience the old locks from a ship using the new locks you could take an excursion for the old locks.

[nini]

Thanks for the info and hint. I had noticed that before..... we are doing a full transit so we will still be going through the old locks. Maybe partial are through the new locks? I did not look at all of the dates.

Happy Sailing!