Panama Canal & Locks Transit By Boat offering by Princess

[HBCcruiser]

On 11/17/2021 at 4:27 AM, BillB48 said:

after your ship locks up through the new locks, you will tender off to meet your excursion.

We are also booked on the Ferry canal transit excursion for our December '22 Caribbean Princes cruise, but we end the excursion in Colon. I have a few questions -

 

1. What time does the cruise ship go through the locks before "locking up through the new locks"? and,

2. We may have to wait for the cruise ship when we get to Colon. Is there anything to do there?

Thanks for any help! 

[Essiesmom]

Sometimes it is very early.  Why does it matter?  
The ship is usually in Colon or Cristobal before the tour buses arrive.  Princess usually uses Cristobal, which is an industrial area.  There is nothing to see or do there.  If you are another line that uses Colon, there is a shopping building there, but beyond that is unsafe for anyone who is not a local.  EM

[HBCcruiser]

Just now, Essiesmom said:

Why does it matter?  

Because I want to be awake for it. 😂

[Essiesmom]

Be up and dressed by 0600.  
The ship may start the transit of the locks by 0800, but there is lots to see before then.  You see lots of commercial vessels waiting their time outside the breakwater.  After you pass through the breakwater into Limon Bay you will see more vessels, and have a view of Cristobal on your port side.  You will see the division of the channel, with the old locks to starboard, and the new locks to port.  EM

Edited April 28, 2022 by Essiesmom

[Essiesmom]

Okay, I'm off my iPad and fired up my laptop, so I can give you a better idea of how things work.

 

First, there are a couple of websites you should take a look at, maybe bookmark.  The first one is Marine Traffic:  https://www.marinetraffic.com/en/ais/home/centerx:-79.916/centery:9.353/zoom:14

 

You want to put Panama Canal in the search box, upper right

 

Second one is Pancanal.com, multimedia:

https://multimedia.panama-canal.com/index.html

If you are doing a partial transit on a Princess ship, you want to see Agua Clara Locks cam.

 

There are also bridgecams on Princess ships you may find of interest:

https://www.princess.com/bridgecams/

 

Now, as to the process:  The two pictures are screen shots of the canal area from Marine Traffic.  The first one shows the breakwater, and ships in Limon Bay, Cristobal and Colon.

 

 

The second shows the locks:

 

 

If there is a passenger vessel in the canal, it will show as blue.  Noordam was in the canal today, westbound.  Unfortunately I have no picture from the cam for Gatun, as they were all offline.

 

[CruiserBruce]

In 4 transits, we have entered the locks as early as 6am, typically between 6 and 7am at the latest...so you definitely want to be dressed and ready before 6am. 

[Essiesmom]

More pictures to illustrate some of the things you will see:

 

This is a recent transit of the NCL Encore.  The newer NCL ships have particularly nice bridgecams.  This first one shows the approach to the new locks, with the point of land dividing the channels.  Gatun (old) locks can almost be seen to starboard:

 

 

Entering the first lock

 

 

Gates opening for entry into second lock.  Note the time stamps on the cams.  

 

 

This is the Agua Clara cam showing Encore moving into the second lock

 

 

This is Ruby Princess approaching the Agua Clara locks at 0640am March 16

 

 

By 0725 she is all the way up in the first lock

 

 

 

Caribbean Princess (CB) moving into middle lock.  Note time stamp

 

 

I hope this gives you an idea of the times...  EM

[BillB48]

I am an early bird so I am up anyway, but I would plan to be up and on deck at 5ish.  In the picture of the Ruby Princess approaching Agua Clara at 7:40, indicates to me, she would have gone through the breakwater about an hour earlier.  Anyway it gives you a little "edge" in getting prime viewing space.  CruiserBruce mentioned he has been at the locks at 6:AM, I too have had the same experience.  The cruise lines cough up a tidy sum for a daylight transit.  A daylight transit at the Canal means at the first lock at sunrise and leave the last lock by sunset.  Panama enjoys 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of dark in general terms.  Sunrise/set times change little over the year, only about 40 minutes total and sunrise/set happens right around 6:00.

 

Don't worry, you won't be the only one on deck!😁

[HBCcruiser]

11 hours ago, Essiesmom said:

I hope this gives you an idea of the times...  EM

That was awesome info. Thank you very much! 🙏☺️🙏

[HBCcruiser]

Another question (sorry) if you have sailed on the Caribbean Princess, or similar ship, where is the best viewing spot? Sanctuary? 

[Essiesmom]

Don't pay up for the sanctuary.  You want to be up walking/standing near the rail.  For me, best place is anywhere on the Promenade deck, particularly the forward section on Emerald Deck.  Also, in my opinion, you miss all of this if you spend your transit on those aft facing balconies everyone raves about.  I have sailed on Caribbean Princess, but not through the Panama Canal.  Eastbound full transits on Oosterdam and Infinity, westbound through the new locks on Carnival Splendor, and partial transit old locks on Carnival Pride.  EM

[blueridgemama]

We will be on partial transit in March on Eurodam. First and probably only time so I want to make the right decisions.

The excursion by ferry to transit to the Pacific locks leaves the ship at 9am.

By leaving the ship at 9am will we miss anything or is the ship already through the locks and just floating around in the lake?

What is there to do of interest if we stay on the ship and don't do an excursion?

[CruiserBruce]

39 minutes ago, blueridgemama said:

We will be on partial transit in March on Eurodam. First and probably only time so I want to make the right decisions.

The excursion by ferry to transit to the Pacific locks leaves the ship at 9am.

By leaving the ship at 9am will we miss anything or is the ship already through the locks and just floating around in the lake?

What is there to do of interest if we stay on the ship and don't do an excursion?

You will be in Gatun Lake before anybody gets off for excursions. You will already have done the locks, at least one way.

[BillB48]

What you will "miss" is the return trip through Gatun Locks and the short sail to the dock in Colon.  Most of this is ground you will have already covered earlier that morning on your way through Gatun Locks to Gatun Lake.  If it is doubtful you will get a chance to do the Canal again I think it may be a good idea to take the ferry for the Pacific Locks excursion.  Great chance to see some of the countryside, the two Pacific Locks and Gaillard Cut.  You will also be treated to some great views of Panama City's skyline.

 

Staying on the ship provides you with an opportunity to see about 8 miles of a 50 mile Canal, twice!  See as much of it as you can!!