Princess Cruises - Panama Canal & Locks Transit By Boat boarding area

[dmwnc1959]

I’ve been browsing Jan. 2025 excursions. Just out of curiosity, where does the tour actually board the ferry from Fuerte Amador? Looks like we will be the only cruise ship there that day, so I’m guessing that the ship is docked and not anchored running tenders to the pier. Once the tour is done, and we are on our way back to the ship, where does the ship go when, according to the schedule, it ‘Departs 6pm’? The note at the bottom of the first image: “Note: Depending on the voyage, Fuerte Amador may be an anchorage port, passengers transfer to shore via ship's tender. On complete transits of the Panama Canal, the ship typically arrives in Fuerte Amador in the morning, operates tours and spends the full day at anchor.” Thank you. 😊

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 8, 2023 by dmwnc1959

[BillB48]

9 hours ago, dmwnc1959 said:

I’ve been browsing Jan. 2025 excursions. Just out of curiosity, where does the tour actually board the ferry from Ft. Amador?

Where the ship docks is the middle island (Perico Is.) there is a marina in between that island and the outer island, Flamenco.  In the past the ferry has departed from there.  Just a note, sometimes the tour can run in the opposite direction from the description.  Either way is good.

 

9 hours ago, dmwnc1959 said:

Once the tour is done, and we are on our way back to the ship, where does the ship go when, according to the schedule, it ‘Departs 6pm’?

They just out into international waters where they can manage gray water and more importantly open the casino and shops.  There is room enough for two ships and I would think you would be moored at the dock.  I know of late Princess has tendered when the pier seemed to be available.  I have no explanation as to why they will anchor at times when the pier seems available.

 

Since your cruise isn't until '25, maybe they will have the cruise terminal completed by then... emphasis on maybe!!

[dmwnc1959]

36 minutes ago, BillB48 said:

Where the ship docks is the middle island (Perico Is.) there is a marina in between that island and the outer island, Flamenco.  In the past the ferry has departed from there.  Just a note, sometimes the tour can run in the opposite direction from the description.  Either way is good.

 

They just out into international waters where they can manage gray water and more importantly open the casino and shops.  There is room enough for two ships and I would think you would be moored at the dock.  I know of late Princess has tendered when the pier seemed to be available.  I have no explanation as to why they will anchor at times when the pier seems available.

 

Since your cruise isn't until '25, maybe they will have the cruise terminal completed by then... emphasis on maybe!!

Thank you for the great response. The “…sometimes the tour can run in the opposite direction from the description” threw me off for a moment, me wondering how are they going to get the ferry to Gamboa. lol 

 

It really dislike tendering, so here’s hoping that in the next  +415 days they’ll have the terminal all shiny and already in use.

 

The opportunity to do a small vessel transit in that stretch of the canal between Fuerte Amador and Gamboa is very exciting! 

[Turtles06]

2 hours ago, dmwnc1959 said:

It really dislike tendering, so here’s hoping that in the next  +415 days they’ll have the terminal all shiny and already in use.

 

I hope it's finished by then too, but I don't think the decision on tendering v docking is necessarily dependent on the status of the cruise terminal.  We docked at Fuerte Amador in February, and the terminal was of course not finished then.  And many ships have been docking there all year.  

[BillB48]

5 hours ago, dmwnc1959 said:

The opportunity to do a small vessel transit in that stretch of the canal between Fuerte Amador and Gamboa is very exciting! 

IIRC you are doing your transit on a Panamax Princess through the original locks.  I think experiencing the locks in a smaller vessel gives you a greater idea of just how big the locks are.  Sometimes on a large ship the size of the locks is not appreciated as much and when you are on the upper decks you can almost feel removed from the process of passing through the locks.  While transiting on your ship I think it is a good idea to go down to one of the lower outside decks and watch the operation from there at least for a portion of the time you are in the locks.  You can save that for one of the later locks. 

[dmwnc1959]

44 minutes ago, BillB48 said:

IIRC you are doing your transit on a Panamax Princess through the original locks.  I think experiencing the locks in a smaller vessel gives you a greater idea of just how big the locks are.  Sometimes on a large ship the size of the locks is not appreciated as much and when you are on the upper decks you can almost feel removed from the process of passing through the locks.  While transiting on your ship I think it is a good idea to go down to one of the lower outside decks and watch the operation from there at least for a portion of the time you are in the locks.  You can save that for one of the later locks. 

Which is exactly why I want to do the ferry excursion, to have that ‘closer to the water’ experience I’d not get even from the Panamax cruise ship. And I’m definitely going to be one of those people who will be ALL over the ship. I think the one best things about the ship I’m doing the full transit on is its wrap around promenade deck. Plenty of protected space to get the feel of the canal operations at lock gate level while staying out of the sun. 

Edited December 8, 2023 by dmwnc1959

[MattnTricia]

We are booked on this tour for Jan 2024 and look forward to navigating the old locks to have the experience as our cruise ship is going through the new locks.  
 

Does anyone know if there is much of a history lesson with this tour?   This is our first time going to the Panama Canal and would like to learn about it as part of the experience.

[BillB48]

Not a history lesson per se, but there is a narrator that describes the operation and points of key items of interest.  They will cover some of the construction, but I would not call it a history lesson.  PBS's American Experience is available on YouTube, is a good start.

 

[BillB48]

Meant to include this in the above... The book of record for most people who are interested in the Canal you will want to include The Path Between The Seas by David McCullough.  Pretty much a doorstop edition but worth it.

Edited December 13, 2023 by BillB48