Should we PC transit in January?

[kaymoz]

In January, we'll need to make our way back from LA to the East Coast, and realized that instead of just flying like we usually do, that we COULD hop a cruise ship and experience the Panama Canal!

 

While this trip hasn't really been on our bucket list, it seems intriguing, the timing is right/we have the time, the prices seem reasonable, and the ship isn't too big for our sanity (HAL Amsterdam).  And all we'd miss at home would be two weeks of dreary January weather.

 

Seeking opinions from those who have done this transit -- should we go for it? 

IF SO,  what advice do you have for us? 

If not, why not? 

(For the record, we are healthy mid-60s and have cruised several times before, once with HAL to Alaska in 2002.  We've traveled independently a fair amount, and like history, art, exploring nature & local/urban cultures.)

 

For reference, I pasted the itinerary below.

 

Date	Port	Arrive	Depart
Monday, January 7	Los Angeles (San Pedro), CA		5:00pm
Tuesday, January 8	At Sea
Wednesday, January 9	At Sea
Thursday, January 10	Puerto Vallarta, Mexico	8:00am	5:00pm
Friday, January 11	At Sea
Saturday, January 12	Huatulco, Mexico	10:00am	6:00pm
Sunday, January 13	Puerto Chiapas, Mexico	8:00am	6:00pm
Monday, January 14	Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala	8:00am	6:00pm
Tuesday, January 15	Corinto, Nicaragua	8:00am	4:00pm
Wednesday, January 16	Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica	8:00am	6:00pm
Thursday, January 17	At Sea
Friday, January 18	Panama Canal (Full Transit) (Cruising)
Saturday, January 19	Cartagena, Colombia	Noon	6:00pm
Sunday, January 20	At Sea
Monday, January 21	At Sea
Tuesday, January 22	Fort Lauderdale, FL	7:00am

[CruiserBruce]

Why not? Absolutely do it. Have done 4 transits, 3 with HAL. Would do another in a heartbeat. Some reading up on the Canal will get you very interested.

[BillB48]

I for one think missing all that dreary January weather is going to be really tough!  After all the alternative is you will have endure ample sunshine, mostly 80 degree temps and outside of San Diego and Ft. Lauderdale the thermometer won't even be anywhere near 60 for a low!  Going to be a tough decision and I am not even going to mention no cleaning and no cooking... oops, guess I did mention it!

 

Lots of stops on this trip to encounter history, local and urban cultures... seems to me there aren't any reasons not to go. 

[cb at sea]

It's ALWAYS HOT in Panama....so you will get better than "warm" weather during the transit and for a few days prior and after!

 

[JC in CA]

7 hours ago, cb at sea said:

It's ALWAYS HOT in Panama....so you will get better than "warm" weather during the transit and for a few days prior and after!

 

CB,

We are thinking about a a full transit- probably in Oct or Nov.  Looking at a very similar itinerary as this post.  So your comment about always hot- few days prior and after the transit caught my eye.  Can you tell me more?  Is the hottest part of the transit just the few days prior, day of and few days post?  Same with humidity?  We are from CA - where we rarely have humidity and don't get that hot for very long.  Want to make sure I know what we would be in for!

thanks for any info!

-Jerie

[CruiserBruce]

9 hours ago, JC in CA said:

CB,

We are thinking about a a full transit- probably in Oct or Nov.  Looking at a very similar itinerary as this post.  So your comment about always hot- few days prior and after the transit caught my eye.  Can you tell me more?  Is the hottest part of the transit just the few days prior, day of and few days post?  Same with humidity?  We are from CA - where we rarely have humidity and don't get that hot for very long.  Want to make sure I know what we would be in for!

thanks for any info!

-Jerie

 CB never comes back and answers questions. I won't comment on the accuracy of her comments.

 

The Canal is very close to the Equator, so it's weather varies little. It is wetter in Oct-Dec, drier in Jan-April. However still warm, and humid. Think upper 80s or low 90s, and humidity in the same range-70s to 90s.

 

Our last transit was in late San Francisco to Ft Laurderdale, leaving Oct 20, actually transiting on Nov 1. Going down the west coast of Mexico and Central America was VERY hot...Puerto Vallarta was upper 90s and humidity in the 70s. We got used to the heat and humidity, so our transit day, which was cloudy most of the day, with one brief shower, was actually not too oppressive.

[BillB48]

 

 

JC in CA... The temps vary little, particularly in the Costa Rica, Panama, Columbia area as Bruce indicated.  Rarely will you find  high temps out of the low 90s and the low temps not any lower than 75.  The biggest variable as you might suspect, would be humidity and the chance of rain.  Not much you can do about the humidity since most people from a temperate climate will notice it to be a bit more "sticky".  The OP is looking at January which is a great time as the Dry Season is fairly well established and the humidity is about as good as it is going to get.  October/November is still officially the Rainy Season so there is a slightly better chance of rain, but is unlikely you would encounter anything more than a brief shower.  Not enough to change dates, IMO.  My last 3 Canal transits have been in the Oct/Nov time frame and only had one small shower on one of the transits.   Getting ready for another Canal transit next week, so here's hoping my luck still holds!

 

It won't be beastly hot while you are at sea, but you may find it a bit warmer on some of the port calls while you are on shore since the surrounding buildings and vegetation may chop off a breeze, but usually shade and air conditioning are not too far away.  Back in the day when air conditioning was not wide spread the preferred direction of a Canal transit was from the Pacific to the Atlantic as you are traveling into to the prevailing breezes at the Canal, so maybe you can work that into your plans!

 

 

[JC in CA]

Bruce and Bill,

Thank you!  Lots to think about.  Perhaps planning SF to Miami would be a bit better.....

-Jerie

[vapersecutor]

Kaymoz - if you decide to take this cruise, there's a roll call going.  Look in HAL roll calls for Panama Canal Transit 7-22 January Los Angeles to Fort Lauderdale.  Hope to see you there.