Is there one particular time of the year over another to take a cruise from Cal through the port to Ft Lauderdale/Miami? RCCL has acruise next fall we were thinking about. I've heard conflicting reports about going on a 10 day to and back from Miami vs. all the way through. One person said going through it is like watching paint dry- but this is not what I got from this chat line.

I guess it depends on your perspective....
We went on a full transit and it was a long day through the canal.
If you have seen locks before it may be boring
If this is a wonder to you it will be exciting...many people do the trip several times

Personally i found it a bit boring we have better locks here in Ontario just not as big!!!

Most full canal transit cruises are really repositioning cruises in disguise and they usually take place in Fall and Spring. Either time is great.

If you only have 10 days, the round trip from Florida is good. But if you have the time I urge you to do the full transit. I live on the West coast so I like to fly first and then just sail home. But either direction is great.

As for the "watching paint dry" comment, whoever said that must be very very hard to please. How you can compare a first hand look at one of the marvels of human engineering to watching paint dry is beyond me.

Thanks, I have seen "small locks" before. It's our husbands that are dying to do this crusie...perhaps this is more of a male marvel???
I have notice on the 14 and 15 night cruises there are a lot of at seas days...not my favorite but there is always Bingo I suppose (ha-ha)

When you do the roundtrip Miami to Panama Canal, do you go partially through the canal. Do you go through some of the locks and turn around, and go through those locks again? I would prefer to do the full transit via the canal. I think it'd be cool, to go from one ocean to another via locks. What a awesome thing to do. I think it truly is a marvel, especially since they did it sooo long ago. Lil' Lori

Yes Lil' Lori, that's exactly right; you go up the Gatun locks to Lake Gatun, cruise Lake Gatun, back down the same locks, and back to sea. You miss the very narrow Gaillard Cut, the Pedro Miguel and Miraflores locks, and the thrill of sailing under the Bridge of the Americas.

The 10 day gives you a good look at the Canal and its operation; but the full transit is really the way to experience it. As cousins noted, the full transit cruises have more sea days than most cruises--as they are essentially repositioning cruises; but to me, that's a plus--I love lots of long leisurely days at sea--but not everybody feels that way.

But Lori, you sound like you have the right attitude and would really love the full transit. I did it in 2000, I'm doing it again next April, and hope to do it again and again. I love it the way some people love Alaska; not that I have anything against Alaska--I just prefer long warm weather cruises.

Rick

I might be dating myself, but in school we learned the name of that structure as the Maurice H. Thatcher Bridge. I forgot who he was, guess I will have to Google that sometime.
I would love to see it someday. My History Teacher would be proud I remembered her lesson.

Well Gary, I Googled it and it was quite a history lesson. You are absolutely right about the name. Somebody was paying attention in class.

Thanks Rick. When it gets closer to actually making a decision I will be back asking you for more advice. You still prefer the whole CAL to Miami...what about someone once said flying to San Juan and then taking the cruise from there to Miami. Is that any good or the same as Miami to Miami?

To me, that would be even less desireable than the RT from Miami--longer flight; and you still don't go through the canal, just up to lake Gatun and back down.

quote:

Originally posted by f-mattox:
Well Gary, I Googled it and it was quite a history lesson. You are absolutely right about the name. Somebody was paying attention in class.

It was a time I kinda cheated and got away with it. One our of Friends names was the same.. Maurice Thatcher, so it was easy to remember. I do still remember it to this day, so teacher would be proud.

Whatever you call it, it is really an impressive structure; not extremely large, as bridges go, but beautiful to the eye and well proportioned. And very dramatic when you stop to think it connects two continents.

It is one of the "must do cruises" on our list. In addition we just hosted a family from the region. They have invited us to join them at their home for a vacation. They enjoyed the Yosemite sights and would like us to see their Country. We might do that as well. Perhaps I will send you a photo from the bridge looking down on a cruise ship!!

Then CAL to FL it is! Thanks Rick!

Gary, that would be awesome, especially considering the kind of photos you take!

shari, you go girl!

Oh I'll go alright...
It just may take me a year! But we'll get there. And, I'll hunt you down for port details when the time comes.

Hello,

I have done a full transit of the Panama Canal twice and a 10 day partial transit of the Panama Canal. To me, it is one of travel's great experiences. I suggest that you do some reading on what it took to get the Canal built, specifically "the Path between the Seas" by David McCullough.

Take a good look around you as you watch ships moved in and out of the locks by the diesel locomotives called "mules", and go to the very front of the ship and watch the magic of how the locks doors open and close.

I do not believe that it is a guy thing because my wife has enjoyed our cruises involving the panama Canal as much as I have.

Hope that this helps.

Fred

3 trips? Fred...you must really like the PAnama Canal! I take it you would recommend the all the way through trip ve a partial/turn around? Thanks for the book info- I'll def get it!