Moose Loc: North Carolina

Planning a cruise through the Panama Canal. Is it worth it? What can you do and see?
Appreciate your comments.

Shellback Loc: North of Cheyenne Bottoms Wetlands - Kansas

Check out this video:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sl9tn7ZcynA

It’s long so review the “in this video” timeline…

smussler Loc: Land O Lakes, FL - Formerly Miller Place, NY

We did one in Sept, two years ago. We entered from Atlantic side heading north to Pacific. We only went thru the first set of locks. Sat in the lake for a few hours, watching ships being dragged thru the two sets of side by side locks. Someone from Panama boarded while ship being lead into canal by tugs. He was on the ships PA system the whole telling the history of canal, how it operated (No pumps involved) - all kinds of trivia - like the fact that the canals go north and south. Some cruises bring you all the way thru, but not back. With those you end up in San Diego and need to fly back to east coast, or book cruise both ways. I found it very fascinating, watching how 6 electric locomotive's (referred to as mules) pull the ships thru the locks. We did not get off the ship. I thought it was the best cruise that we've done yet. Haven't done Alaska - on my bucket list. We had booked a cruise up to Bay of Fundy, but Pandemic nixed that one.

Panama cruise left from Tampa, first stop in Limon, Costa Rica, then the Canal, then Grand Caymans (I think)
Overall, I really enjoyed the entire cruise. My wife says to skip it. There ya go, hope that helps - lol.

Limon - we did an excursion. Bus ride thru plantations for Bananas and Pineapples, to a train which looked to be about 150 years old - various stops to see wildlife. Long telephoto would have been nice. Only had a P&S, which actually died right after that cruise. Then a boat ride, which I don't even remember what we saw. Limon - not a place I'd rush back to. West coast of Costa Rica the nicer side according to our guide. Guide said area is pretty safe with little crime. But while riding on bus, we notice houses with 8 foot chain link fences around them topped with barbed wire.

Cruises out of Florida, I think don't require Covid vaccination. Not Sure. My kids live in Florida. My son tells me that it's illegal down there to ask anyone if they're vaccinated ($500 fine) Florida did that to get the cruise lines back and all the tourist traps back in operation. I'm moving there next month - I can hardly wait (not). I'm vaccinated, as is my son. My wife and daughter are not. My daughter works in a doctor's office. In that environment I would have been vaccinated ASAP.

I thought doing just the first set of locks on the Canal was nice. See how they operate, four or five hours later you're off to next port. Full day to go all away across to the pacific, then ending up on the west coast. I like California, been there half a dozen times or so. But staying just on the Atlantic side was a nice option - and a bit less expensive I think. Eight day cruise. My daughter lives near Tampa. Dropped us off and came back to pick us up 7 days later, hmmm no ship yet. I thought that funny - my daughter - not so much . . .

Lots to see. . ., Educational - I never knew that the ships are hauled thru the locks. First set raises the ship up 60 feet, While ship is rising, you feel nothing, also not much to see happening - You see more with ship next to you going in opposite direction. Do? - Eat and drink, what else does one do on a cruise? In 3 years prior to Pandemic, we did 5 cruises. Prior to that bunch, last time we cruised was back in 1982. In that group of five, we did Carnival and Royal Caribbean. Huge ships with the later, 6000 passengers on one, 36 elevators, 1200 ft long or something crazy like that. Did not feel like one was even on a ship. Panama Canal cruise was on Carnival Miracle. I just had to look that one up, After 5 cruises I can't remember which ship we took where. I wish I had my DSLR for the cruise. Have one now, but would not do the canal again - been there done that sort of thing.

Moose2 Loc: North Carolina

Thanks for that info. Our cruise will start and end in Ft. Lauderdale.

RiJoRi Loc: Sandy Ridge, NC

"Guide said area is pretty safe with little crime. But while riding on bus, we notice houses with 8 foot chain link fences around them topped with barbed wire."

Maybe the barbed wire is why there is little crime? 😁

smussler Loc: Land O Lakes, FL - Formerly Miller Place, NY

That sounds like a good starting point. I seem to remember ship taking like 3 or 4 hours to get out of Tampa Bay and into the Gulf. I think it was 3 days until we were in the Canal. Saw the Florida shoreline for what seemed like forever. Long, long State - Especially in a ship doing 22 knots or whatever it was. Attached pic of view of Tampa Skyway Bridge (I Think) - a bit over 2 hours into trip, as per timestamp from previous shot at dockside. Seemed like 3 or 4 hours. I've driven over that bridge a couple of times. Seems so steep when driving over it. Any Floridian that knows the Bridge reading this - Is this the Skyway Bridge?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunshine_Skyway_Bridge info about 1980 accident where 35 people killed after bridge collapsed. My sister-in-law had just driven over it shortly before that accident.

I just noticed, I missed on the cruise date by quite a bit. It was Feb-2019

(Download)

Red6

Did a cruise through the Panama Canal a few years ago and enjoyed it very much. Saw some wildlife along the lakeshore as we passed through and there are many great views as you pass through. Also, just the experience of passing through the locks and going from one major ocean to another is a great experience.

But my opinion may differ from others. I view any trip or any destination as worthy if I have not experienced it. I have a cruise scheduled next year where we will transit the Suez Canal from the Arabian and the Red Sea north to the Mediterranean Sea. I am very excited about that. The scenery will definitely not be as lush as the Panama Canal but every bit as interesting to me.

Enjoy your trip.

traderjohn Loc: New York City

Nice read. The most telling part was the Florida law about asking if vaccinated. We have been on a few cruises, I don't think we will be going on another.

elliott937 Loc: St. Louis

Do your homework thoroughly. When we went through it several years, we were told that the "new" canal was near completion. It was much wider, and did not use the 'mules' (i.e. trains)to move a ship through it. It would be much more efficient, accommodating much larger ships. That would not be the 'traditional' experience.

sb Loc: Florida's East Coast

What area are you referring to?

sb Loc: Florida's East Coast

Be aware that if you are not vaccinated there will be areas of the ship you cannot go, and you may be restricted as to what shore excursions you can go on. Also, you will be tested on board the ship, and as one very unhappy Karen found out recently, if you are positive they will put you off the ship. Bottom line: not worth going on a cruise if you are not vaccinated.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4c4mamfleWs

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

I have friends who did it a few years ago. They said it was their best cruise ever.

LXK0930 Loc: Souh Jersey

We did the entire canal (Atlantic to Pacific) a number of years ago. Port stops were very interesting, but may have changed due to Covid or regulations.

We found it to be a great trip. Lots of history, scenery, and technology. Highly recommended.

Note: We had a cabin in the stern (back) of the ship. Somewhat noisy at night, but you can see both sides of the canal.

pdsdville Loc: Midlothian, Tx

We took a two week Journey Cruise which went into the Panama Canal from the east as far as the first lake, stayed there until we could enter the que and come back out. The canal for me was really a bust, but the other half dozen stops on the cruise really were fantastic. To me the total was worth it but not the canal.

JimBart Loc: Western Michigan

Best cruise ever…. It depends on which cruise lines you take snd how deep your pockets are