panama canal

[irish2005]

which ships actualy go thru the panama canal and when it the best time to go

[Biker19]

13 minutes ago, irish2005 said:

which ships actualy go thru the panama canal and when it the best time to go

Usually Radiance class ships - you don’t get much choice on when to go, they are only offered seasonally. 

[BillB48]

Right now the only ships scheduled are Radiance, Serenade and Brilliance.  The Serenade has a MIA-LA-MIA this November while the other ships are basically just before or after the Alaska season.

[steveru621]

I think it has to do with Panamax, Radiance class. The old locks are relatively cheaper to traverse.

 

Then it's only done for a fall/spring reposition.

 

We actually had a better experience visiting both sets of locks from Colón, Panama on an RCI land excursion.

[BillB48]

Practically speaking only the Radiance and Vision class ships are about the only vessels RCI has that can pass through the Canal.  The Voyage/Freedom class and Oasis class have air draft issues with the Bridge of Americas.  The Quantum class technically can transit, but they have yet to do so.

[moposh]

I was on Serenade of the Seas when we went through the Panama Canal.

Edited October 12, 2023 by moposh

[RobInMN]

9 hours ago, BillB48 said:

Practically speaking only the Radiance and Vision class ships are about the only vessels RCI has that can pass through the Canal.  The Voyage/Freedom class and Oasis class have air draft issues with the Bridge of Americas.  The Quantum class technically can transit, but they have yet to do so.

Quantum is also too tall. From a previous discussion, and it took forever to find, but the air draft of the Quantum class is 213'. BTW, Oasis 236' (stacks not retracted), and Voyager 207'. I imagine Freedom class is basically the same.

Clearance under the Bridge of the Americas is 201' at high tide. Low tide adds ~23'?)

The Norwegian Bliss is the largest cruise ship that has traversed the entire Panama Canal, and it's air draft is 197'. There was a reference somewhere that you have to clear the bridge by 10 (15?) feet. Bliss could only go under the bridge at low tide. It also has to do this for the 200' clearance Lions Gate Bridge in Vancouver.

You might technically be able to fit a Voyager class under the bridge at low tide, but they won't do that as I am pretty sure I ready somewhere that you have to clear the bridge by 15(?) feet.

 

The other thig about the Panama canal is that even though an Oasis class ship could technically fit in the new locks, there might be some rule about protrusions beyond the vertical line of the hull below some specific height. I'm not up on the whole thing, but I recall someone posting something to that effect. You'll note that on the Oasis class, every deck from deck 5 & up all hang over the hull. On the Quantum class, there's some protrusion under each lifeboat, as well as the lifeboats themselves (also deck 5). In comparison, the Radiance class has no protrusions at all until you get to the bridge wings and then the pool deck. The lifeboats are fully contained within the vertical lines of the hull.

 

We are actually booked on the Spring '24 Panama Canal on Radiance.

 

Edited October 13, 2023 by RobInMN

[BillB48]

9 hours ago, RobInMN said:

Quantum is also too tall. From a previous discussion, and it took forever to find, but the air draft of the Quantum class is 213'

 

Many moons ago I saved this from a post by Cruise Critic member Hoopster95 when he was on one of the inaugural sailings of the Quantum out of NY.  I believe he took the pic while visiting the Engine Control Room.   Appears they can retract the funnels to get down the Canal's max air draft on a case by case basis. 

 

 

I am not sure what the minimum clearance is, what I do know is to have unrestricted passage under the Bridge air draft must not be higher than 190'.  Above that the height of the tide is considered.

 

I have believed they could squeeze a Voyager/Freedom class under the BoA at low water.  Although the 20+' tides are not an everyday occurrence, most days of the month would provide sufficient tidal swing to clear 207'.  By comparison the Radiance class ships clear the Sunshine Skyway in Tampa by 5'.  If there is a minimum clearance involved at the Canal, it seems like it would be a self imposed standard that may have some flexibility.  

 

Where the Voyager/Freedom class may run amuck IMO is the sponson that runs around the MDR on deck 4.  For the new locks any protrusion beyond the hull (besides anchors) must be 55' above the waterline.  I am not sure there is 55' to the water.  I even took a 60' weighted line on one trip to measure it.  While in port I dropped the line down, but the wind was strong enough to put a big bow in the line, so the measurement was not accurate.

 

On the bow at one of locks on a Radiance class, a great spot.

 

[bigque]

Radiance of the Seas. I am booked from LA to Tampa in October 2024

 

 

[njkruzer]

We're currently onboard Radiance.  Boarded in San Diego (actually in Vancouver)

 Doing the transit Tuesday.  Missed Cabo due to hurricane Lidia. Captain tried to get a substitute port but others were closed. Puntarenas Costa Rica tomorrow.  Panama Monday.  Columbia Wednesday then Cozumel and into Tampa 10/23.  

[Jimbo]

2 hours ago, njkruzer said:

We're currently onboard Radiance.  Boarded in San Diego (actually in Vancouver)

 Doing the transit Tuesday.  Missed Cabo due to hurricane Lidia. Captain tried to get a substitute port but others were closed. Puntarenas Costa Rica tomorrow.  Panama Monday.  Columbia Wednesday then Cozumel and into Tampa 10/23.  

OMG and Cabo was an overnight stay there, wow now ports are very limited on that sailing, I bet people are upset? Seemed that itinerary was doomed from the start, things only got worse.

 

3 ports in 16 nights 😞

Edited October 13, 2023 by Jimbo

[Ourusualbeach]

Grandeur in the spring of 2025. 

[njkruzer]

1 hour ago, Jimbo said:

OMG and Cabo was an overnight stay there, wow now ports are very limited on that sailing, I bet people are upset? Seemed that itinerary was doomed from the start, things only got worse.

 

3 ports in 16 nights 😞

Most of just happy to be out of storm. Got an obc equal to 1 day of your fare.  Not bad.

[Jimbo]

1 hour ago, njkruzer said:

Most of just happy to be out of storm. Got an obc equal to 1 day of your fare.  Not bad.

Were the seas rough?

[njkruzer]

3 hours ago, Jimbo said:

Were the seas rough?

Not really.  Stabilizers out and captain headed west away from storm before heading south. I've had much worse. 

[kernow]

We're doing it on Serenade in 5 weeks time, counting down the days now.

 

Years ago we did a partial transit on Celebrity and then took an excursion where we went on a small ferry through the rest of the canal to the Pacific, it was interesting going through so close to the water.

[njkruzer]

5 hours ago, kernow said:

We're doing it on Serenade in 5 weeks time, counting down the days now.

 

Years ago we did a partial transit on Celebrity and then took an excursion where we went on a small ferry through the rest of the canal to the Pacific, it was interesting going through so close to the water.

Dud that on the Brilliance years ago.

[Hoopster95]

On 10/12/2023 at 6:04 PM, RobInMN said:

Quantum is also too tall.

 

Nope. To me looked like at least 20' of clearance if not more. Quantum ships coming to Vancouver since 2019. If they can get under the Lion's Gate Bridge, should be zero issue under the BoA.

 

The very 1st passage ever by a Q Class ship under the Lion's Gate (credit @twangster)

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2661933-ovation-may-13-24-live-in-alaska-wlots-of-photos/page/3/#comment-57464446

 

2nd passage under departing the port of Vancouver

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2661933-ovation-may-13-24-live-in-alaska-wlots-of-photos/page/5/#comment-57469617

 

[twangster]

FWIW I don't think air draft is the only consideration.  

 

When I look at the cruise ships that have used the new Panama Canal locks a common theme is that they have smooth sides and their lifeboats store fully within the side profile of the ship.  This means the ship can slide down the concrete face of a lock wall and do no significant damage beyond some minor scrapes that can be fixed by paint. 

 

When a ship has protrusions that stick out from the side of the ship, those could possibly not do as well in a lock with concrete walls.  As @BillB48 has eluded to, there is a minimum distance above sea level that must be clear of any extensions or objects.  

 

The downside of storing lifeboats further inward so they don't exist outside of the side profile of a ship is that it consumes internal volume.  Royal likes to increase internal volume, a.k.a. gross tonnage and one method they use is by storing their lifeboats so they protrude beyond the side profile of the ship, at least since Voyager class.  

 

I have a theory that Royal's tendency to maximize internal volume by having lifeboats store beyond the side profile of the ship has created a situation where those ships can't be certified to use the new locks of the Panama Canal.