Thread: Panama Canal Cruise

i was lucky to have the chance to cruise threw the canal a few times on board a cruise ship, Crystal Symphony.
Did anyone else did the cruise?
What did you find the best?
I particularly loved the Gatun lake...beautiful.
I plan to spend some time in Panama with friends. Do they have any local cruises threw the Canal?

Sounds fun!

I plan to do this when I visit. I'll keep that cruise ship you mentioned in mind as well as you seemed to have a good experience with them. Also, are mosquito and such pests a problem? The reason I ask is because usually those pests are attracted to humid areas.

I've never been aboard a cruise ship. I think it will be an exciting experience. Gatun Lake is the most beautiful part of Panama Canal Zone. I have visited the region a few times and I loved the scenery. How was your experience with Crystal Symphony?

It is a nice ship, won plenty of awards...
though i was a worker there.
but since i crossed the Canal many times, I always had the chance also to watch sometimes here and there the process...
the best, that the crew could go to the bow ( the very front of the ship, like in Titanic, where they stand) and watching the ship going to to locks...
Suez is boring...Panama Canal is eautiful to watch ( when is not raining).

I put some nice photos in my blog ( bellow), though I dont have good ones from Gatun lake, it is the best to see...

What an exciting job you have! I have worked as a travel agent about 10 years ago and the perks were great but working on a cruise ship must be awesome. I hear it's very tiring thou and many people give it up after a few years.
Taking a cruise around the world is on my 100 life goals list

I think you are right bout being a tiring job, many give up rather in month then few years
but there is a nice side as well, you can meet many ppl, and you can get to many places where you wouldnt get otherwise.
Also, being on a ship sometimes gives a different view to places...
I had so far 8 yrs with ships, and might have a few more to come...wish we would go to some now places...like we always passed threw the Canal, but even though ancored many times at the Pacific side to refuel, never went/stopped to Panama City...always just saw the skyline of it...

You know, I've always been curious... I know cruises make stops in different cities along the way. When you work on a cruise are you allowed to go and visit or you have to stay aboard? From what I understand people work about 16 hours a day and there are no free days, that's why the contract usually is for 3 or 6 months? Even so, to go for 3-6 months without any free days would kill me.

hello crisella74!
you know good, there is no day off at all, I did mostly 5-6 month contracts. the work however was better on my later ship, so, "only" 10-12 hours daily work.
In the ports if you have time and not working, or too tired, you can go ashore. ( there is little restrictions sometimes from the ship, but not too important).
if you wisited my blog ( in my sign) then you saw there lots of places I have been with the ship, like Santorini, Portofino, Geiranger was already a post, but I have been also to Phuket or Istanbul, though those places I travelled too...
There will be more in the blog soon, and few more photos also from my last ship.
It is a hard work, but sometimes there are good moments too...and how else I would end up seeing places like Greenland, or Cape Horn?!

That is true... but WOW... 5-6 months of work without any days off would kill me. I guess there are always good parts and bad parts to any job, on the other hand seeing all those places is amazing.

exactly. some of the travel kind a compensate the hard work. and the money is fairly good, though it is not something outsyanding, but I am not a double MBA myself, so, cant compain neither.
I only sorry a bit that last year i missed the Antarktika trip, as that is another place that probably i wont visit on my own

It must be pretty cool to travel as part of your job, it gives you a lot of exposure to other regions and the best part is that you're getting paid for it! Of course, I can imagine it has it's cons as well. You probably feel homesick and if you're not too sociable it might be a problem with making new friends in all these distant places. So it's definitely not for everyone..

Hey guys,

Actually, I did not have any ideas to visit there, however, Now, your posts made me to visit there

So, I will be visiting soon,

Cheers,
Shelby

Hi,
Reviving this thread.
I will be in PC in a couple of days. We will probably be doing some touristy stuff.
Are there day/half day crusies through the canal?
I am thinking the kids will love to see how the locks work.
Any suggestions?
Thank you.

Originally Posted by Liont

Hi,
Reviving this thread.
I will be in PC in a couple of days. We will probably be doing some touristy stuff.
Are there day/half day crusies through the canal?
I am thinking the kids will love to see how the locks work.
Any suggestions?
Thank you.

i know theres a daycruise, but i cant find the link of it. search it on google it must be there somewhere! btw if u just visit the locks in panama city, u already get a clear view of how all works. its really nice to see!

Thanks. Will do that.

found it

Panama Marine Adventures: The Panama Canal Experience

Thanks!