Transiting the Panama Canal in a Cruise Ship: What you need to know before booking this trip

Transiting the Panama Canal was another bucket list trip for me and Bob. The canal, an engineering marvel that connects the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, was completed in 1914 and has been a crucial passageway for global shipping ever since. Today, cruising through the Panama Canal is a popular itinerary for many cruise lines, offering passengers a unique glimpse into this engineering marvel, as well as the stunning natural beauty of Panama’s jungle landscape. This trip also let us check South America off our continent’s visited list.

Choosing an itinerary

There are several itinerary options for a Panama Canal transit in a cruise ship, ranging from shorter 7-day cruises to longer 14-day cruises that include other destinations in Central America or the Caribbean. Here are some of the most popular options:

• Partial Panama Canal transit: This itinerary usually starts in Florida, and the ship sails through the canal’s locks and back out again, making a stop in either the Pacific or the Caribbean. This option typically takes 10-11 days.
• Full Panama Canal transit: This itinerary is a complete crossing of the canal from one side to the other, usually starting in Florida and ending in California or vice versa. This option typically takes 14-16 days.
• Panama Canal and the Caribbean: This itinerary combines a partial transit of the canal with stops in popular Caribbean ports, such as Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel. This option typically takes 10-14 days.
• Panama Canal and Central America: This itinerary combines a full transit of the canal with stops in Central American ports, such as Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Guatemala. This option typically takes 14-16 days.
• Panama Canal and South America: This itinerary combines a full transit of the canal with stops in South American ports, such as Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. This option typically takes 16-18 days.
• Partial Transit as a Day Trip: If you are not a cruiser you can still have some of the transit experience by booking a partial transit out of Panama City.

Because we wanted the full transit experience and the opportunity for our first visit to South America, we chose the Los Angeles to Miami route on the Norwegian Joy. This itinerary included

• Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
• Acapulco, Mexico
• Puerto Quetzal, Guatamala
• Panama City, Panama
• Cartegena, Columbia
• Georgetown, Grand Cayman Island

This route included numerous “At Sea” days that let me attempt to be a digital nomad on a cruise ship. I’ll write a separate post about how that worked.

Choosing a Ship

Old Locks or New Locks?

In 2016, the Panama Canal underwent a major expansion project that doubled its capacity and allowed larger ships to pass through. The canal now has two sets of locks. When looking for your Panama Canal cruise consider whether or not you want to transit through the new locks or the old locks. Transiting the new locks at the Panama Canal is different from transiting the old locks in several ways. The posted itineraries may not indicate old or new locks, if this is important to you be sure to check with the cruise line.

• Ship Guidance and Control: Because of the intense water flow in the lock chambers the locks need a way to guide ships through the locks. These guidance systems prevent ships from being damaged or stuck in the chamber.
  • The old locks use mules to guide ships through the locks. Mules are small locomotives that run on tracks along the lock walls and are used to guide and control the vessels as they pass through the lock chambers. The mules are attached to the ships by ropes and are used to keep the vessel centered in the lock chamber, prevent them from colliding with the lock walls, and control their speed as they move through the lock.
  • The new locks do not use mules, they use a similar system of locomotives called “towboats” to guide and control the ships as they pass through the lock chambers. The towboats are equipped with powerful thrusters and are able to move the ships through the lock without touching the lock walls. The towboat system is more advanced than the mule system and allows for greater precision and control over the movement of the ships.
• Chambers and Gates: The old locks have more chambers on each side of the canal.
  • In the old locks, each chamber has two gates, one at each end, that swing open and closed like doors. These gates are massive steel structures that weigh around 700 tons each and are operated by hydraulic motors. When a ship enters a chamber, the gates behind it are closed, and the water level in the chamber is raised or lowered by opening and closing the valves that control the flow of water into or out of the chamber.
  • In the new locks, each chamber has a single gate that slides horizontally on rails along the top and bottom of the lock chamber. The gate is a massive steel structure that weighs around 3,000 tons and is operated by electric motors. When a ship enters a chamber, the gate behind it is closed, and the water level in the chamber is raised or lowered by letting water in or out of the chamber through a system of valves and pumps. Once the water level is equalized with the next chamber, the gate between the chambers is opened, and the ship moves forward. These sliding gates allow much larger ships to enter the chamber.
• Size and Capacity: The new locks are much larger than the old locks and can accommodate much larger ships.
• Water Usage: The new locks are more water-efficient than the old locks. This means that less water is required to operate the new locks, which is important because the Panama Canal is a vital source of water for the surrounding area.
• Transit Time: Because the new locks are larger and more efficient, they are able to move ships through the canal more quickly than the old locks. This means that transit times for ships transiting the new locks are generally shorter than those transiting the old locks.
• Technology: The new locks use more advanced technology than the old locks, which makes the transit process more streamlined and efficient, the new locks use sensors, cameras, and computer controls to monitor and control the flow of water, while the old locks rely on manual controls and gravity.

Our Panama Canal journey on the Norwegian Joy went through the new locks. While the old locks might have been a little more interesting with the mules, the transit through the new locks was fascinating nonetheless. We are not sure if or when we would ever do a full transit again but if we find ourselves vacationing in Panama we’d book a partial transit on a small ship through the old locks so we can experience both.

Ship Layout and Cabin Location

The best place to watch the transit is on the bow of the ship where you can watch the gates open. Check the ship layout to understand the viewing options before you book.

The Norwegian Joy does not have any public decks on the bow. On transit day, the ship did open up a small deck on the 8th floor which is where we spent most of the day. This information was not shared on the daily announcements but was printed in the Freestyle Daily. We lined up about 30 minutes before the deck opened and we were able to secure one of the last front-row positions. The deck was crowded with lots of jostling for position. If you are too late for a good spot on the bow in the morning, wander back later in the day – the crowd will clear out a bit after the first locks.

If you cannot secure a position of the bow the aft is also interesting, especially in the new locks where you can watch the towboats working. We recommend checking out the action on the aft at some point in your transit even if you secure a coveted front-row position on the bow.

Another option for viewing the transit on the Joy is the observation lounge. This spacious, two-deck lounge area is located at the front of the ship. It features floor-to-ceiling windows, comfortable seating, and panoramic views. I am sure the canal views were spectacular but we chose to avoid the huge crowd and wanted to experience the canal outside. People spent the night in the lounge to secure their position for transit day.

And finally, you can also watch the transit on the television in your stateroom. But why?

When not going through the locks there is plenty to see from the sides of the ship, so for this journey, we recommend a balcony cabin. About five hours of our transit time was spent outside of the locks on the canal and Gatun Lake. Our cabin was on the port side and we could watch the westbound ships pass by from our balcony.

The Transit Journey

The journey began at 5:00 AM when we left the dock. We passed under the Bridge of the Americas about two hours later. We entered the Cocoli locks about 45 minutes later. We watched from the bow as the ship slowly navigated through the locks and begins its ascent up to Gatun Lake, which sits 85 feet above sea level. It’s an incredible sight to witness the ship being lifted up to the next level.

Throughout the transit, a knowledgeable guide from the Panama Canal Authority provided us with facts and history about the canal and its construction and pointed out landmarks and other points of interest. He also pointed out when to look at crocodiles.

One of the most memorable parts of the Panama Canal transit was the chance to see the incredible engineering that went into building the canal. The locks, which were designed to lift ships up and down the canal’s steep elevation changes, are an impressive sight to behold. The sheer size of the gates and the amount of water required to fill the locks is mind-boggling, and it’s a testament to human ingenuity and engineering prowess.

But the Panama Canal transit isn’t just about the engineering marvel. It’s also an opportunity to experience the natural beauty of Panama’s jungle landscape. As the ship crosses Gatun Lake, we admired the lush scenery and even spotted some wildlife; we only saw crocodiles but have heard of people seeing monkeys, slots, or exotic birds (I think binoculars would be required for the latter).

In conclusion, transiting the Panama Canal on a cruise ship was a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The opportunity to witness the incredible engineering feat of the canal, as well as the natural beauty of Panama’s jungle, is an unforgettable experience that will stay with us forever.

Panama Canal Fun Facts

• The Panama Canal is a man-made waterway that connects the Pacific Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean, allowing ships to avoid lengthy and treacherous trips around the southern tip of South America.
• Construction of the Panama Canal began in 1904 and was completed in 1914, taking a total of 10 years to build.
• The Panama Canal is approximately 50 miles (80 km) long and includes three sets of locks at each end that lift ships a total of 85 feet (26 meters) above sea level.
• The Panama Canal is considered one of the greatest engineering feats of the 20th century and was named one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World by the American Society of Civil Engineers.
• The tolls for a particular vessel are calculated using a complex formula that takes into account the vessel’s size and the distance it will travel through the canal.
• The average toll for a ship to pass through the Panama Canal is around $54,000. The highest toll ever paid by a cruise ship was $375,600 by the cruise ship Norwegian Pearl in 2010. The highest for a container ship was $829,000 by the MOL Benefactor in 2016.
• The Panama Canal employs over 10,000 people and is responsible for approximately 5% of the world’s shipping traffic.
• Over 1 million vessels have passed through the Panama Canal since it opened in 1914.
• The Panama Canal was briefly closed during World War II due to concerns about security, but it was reopened in 1945 after the war ended.
• The Panama Canal is home to a wide variety of wildlife, including crocodiles, iguanas, and over 500 species of birds.