Panama Canal

waterguy · Post by **waterguy** » Fri Jun 18, 2010 3:36 pm

I always said I'd only do one more cruise that being Alaska But I have a chance on doing aone through the canal 14 days total I just have to pay the airfare to Miami and back from L.A. so I figure about 400.00 dollars plus all the extras like shore trips and drinks. Should I pull the trigger or not? Has any one been through the canal my dad did it twice during WW2 and I always wanted to.
Tom

mbw1024 · Post by **mbw1024** » Fri Jun 18, 2010 3:41 pm

YES DO IT.
As a person who really had no interest in the Canal I was fascinated by this trip and I would jump on again in a heartbeat.

Charlie and I did this trip in 2005. It was a Princess partial crossing. Would you be going the full transit?

Hmm I wonder where my photos from that trip are stored. Let me look around.

oops. I read again and I see it is a full transit. I'd def. do it! we did the full transit but not on the ship. Our ship went to Gatun Lake (sp?) and then we took a smaller vessel the rest of the way. It was beyond belief to be in those locks with enormous cargo vessels.

pipanale · Post by **pipanale** » Fri Jun 18, 2010 4:29 pm

My parents and brother did a "fakey" Canal trip; their ship went through the Atlantic side locks, went into the lake and turned around and went back out.

Odd...but they said it was incredible. IF you can afford it, do it!

mbw1024 · Post by **mbw1024** » Fri Jun 18, 2010 4:53 pm

pipanale wrote:My parents and brother did a "fakey" Canal trip; their ship went through the Atlantic side locks, went into the lake and turned around and went back out.

Odd...but they said it was incredible. IF you can afford it, do it!

this is exactly what ours did but then we did a private excursion in a smaller vessel to the Pacific side (and back). It was pretty cool to experience it on 2 diff. sized ships.

Wakey · Post by **Wakey** » Sat Jun 19, 2010 8:28 am

All you have to do is show up and people will gladly let you transit with them handling lines on their yacht.

Here is a really good video with several time lapse looks at the transit. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzzHEIU_KCQ

Coden · Post by **Coden** » Sat Jun 19, 2010 8:50 am

Do it!! We've done a Canal cruise and I can't wait to do it again! We went thru the Gatun Locks (Atlantic side) on the Jewel of the Seas...then, got on a little ferry boat and went slowly over to the Pacific Ocean thru the Pedro Miguel and the Miraflores locks. Being on a small ferry boat, after going thru the first set of locks in a large ship, was awesome!! Either way, it is totally awesome watching the gates open and the water rise and fall. Remember to touch the canal wall for good luck!

***The trip thru the locks starts early in the morning (or at least so from the Atlantic) and you will want to be up and ready for it. It was Thrilling to see the sunrise and the sky become lighter as we were going thru the Gatun Locks...truly amazing.

Alaska cruise - we done this as well. And will do again...our next trip we will fly to Fairbanks, rent a car and do the interior of Alaska. Then, catch a Southbound ship to either Vancouver or Seattle.

Cruising - while not the way to travel for some - is a good way to travel and to see other places to get a feel of them.

Happy planning!

patr · Post by **patr** » Sat Jun 19, 2010 11:03 am

WG- no personal experience here - but do it for dear old Dad! Pull the trigger on Father's Day, that would be great tribute to you father.

My father served some time in the Air Force stationed in Greenland, I would jump at the chance to go there!

waterguy · Post by **waterguy** » Sun Jun 20, 2010 9:30 am

We booked it thanks for helping making up our minds. Now I have to drop some weight. Do you all want a trip report?

mbw1024 · Post by **mbw1024** » Sun Jun 20, 2010 9:35 am

waterguy wrote:We booked it thanks for helping making up our minds. Now I have to drop some weight. Do you all want a trip report?

YES!
What ship are you on?

patr · Post by **patr** » Sun Jun 20, 2010 10:08 am

Congrats! Absolutely, please do a TR!

waterguy · Post by **waterguy** » Sun Jun 20, 2010 10:57 am

Norwegian Pearl we leave on 9/24 out of LA and get in in Miami on 10/8 It has been 20 yr's since I've done a cruise. Any one who has done them recently let me know what has changed.

jayseadee · Post by **jayseadee** » Sun Jun 20, 2010 11:00 am

Glad you pulled the plug. We've had fun on small boats going through locks on the Tennessee River and the Charles River. Can't imagine what it would be like going through the Panama Canal.

Like you, we're not cruise people, but Alaska and the Canal are on our list (Med cruise was great, too).

TR for sure!

Coden · Post by **Coden** » Mon Jun 21, 2010 8:48 am

Nice ship, WG...check her out.. http://www2.ncl.com/ship/pearl/overview

I like the fact she has a bowling alley. We sailed on the Jewel of the Seas going through the Canal, she is a Royal Caribbean ship, and she has a self-leveling pool table on board, which was a lot of fun to play on our At Sea days and in the evenings after dinner.

Xislandgirl · Post by **Xislandgirl** » Mon Jun 21, 2010 10:00 am

We really like NCL for cruising because of Freestyle cruising. The Pearl is a great ship.

usvi-on-line

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Panama Canal

Panama Canal