Thread: Did you actually ENJOY the Panama Canal?

I loved it and will do at least another couple of times. Once for sure once the new locks open in 10 years or so and one or more times between now and then.

The first time was pre-digital age and I have no clue where the pics from that one are.

We have done several partial and full transits. Have also overnighted twice at Gatun Lake.

We love the full transits and watching the mules at work.

I have done 1 partial.

It started as I would like to see it. I booked a cruise, lost my job, kept the booking but saw another cruise to Mexico that was much cheaper. It was one of those, you better grab it now or it would be gone tomorrow. I switched cruises saving 2000.00. Same amount of days and same category. Not seeing the canal was no big deal.

A couple of years later I received an email from a TA advertising a partial canal cruise. I actually thought the price was wrong but it was only 3 weeks away and I thought maybe it was a last minute deal. We already had a cruise booked for later in the year, but the price was too hard to turn down . We booked the cruise and had a grand time.

I enjoyed the canal a lot more than I thought I would. We did not leave the ship and take any tours. We enjoyed going back through the canal.

The canal is not on my must do again list, but I would not object to doing it again, if the price were right. Lots of times I think the price is high because of the canal. I can do a 10 day Southern Caribbean cruise for less.

They are usually SO expensive. Guess you really lucked out.
Gives me hope to continue keeping a lookout for that rare canal deal. Maybe next year . . .

Thank you for sharing your Panama sailing posts.
We are booked on the Jewell for April 13th for the partial Panama sail. Its a 11 night cruise visiting Oranjestad, Aruba, Cartagena, Columbia, Cristobal Pier, Panama, Purerto Limon, Costa Rica, and George Town, Grand Cayman.
We booked in July 08 at $2099 pp for an E1 Balcony.
The rates have since come down several times.
We now have a D-1 Balcony at $1499 pp senior rate.
We are looking forward to sailing on the Radiance of the Seas for our adventure.

That sounds GREAT ... and at an excellent price too!

Noticed this is your very first post . Welcome to CLF! So happy to have you here!

LuLu,

Thanks for this - bet you never thought you would get a thank you almost two year later on a post huh?

I have been toying with the idea of a Canal passing not sure of full or partial, it sounds like either is okay.

I just want to see the lock system in action, I have a little ADD (what male does not?) so I too will probably get tired of photo taking and watching after an hour.

I assume the rear corner balcony is best, at the lowest point?

Dan, always better late than never!

When doing the Panama Canal, we have learned that we don't want our balcony TOO high! The last time we were and people on the ground really did look like aunts.

ha ha, thanks for the tip - not sure if and when we can do this.. would have to be far out, and poss only a partial crossing...

unless of course we wait until later in life, however there might not be a later...

I have this one booked, got a balcony 10-DAY PANAMA CANAL SUNFARER
Ship: ms Zuiderdam
Ports of Call: Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Half Moon Cay, Bahamas; Oranjestad, Aruba; Willemstad, Curacao; Enter Panama Canal Cristobal; Gatun Lake, Panama; Exit Panama Canal Cristobal; Cristobal, Panama; Puerto Limon, Costa Rica
Departure Port: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Departure Dates: Oct 14, 2009 Verandah $1,299.00 per person