The Panama Canal

One of the things that I had been most looking forward to once I found out my ship's itinerary was going to the Panama Canal. Today makes it the third time now that I have been down the first section of the Panama Canal.

When I first read about what happens on the company's website, I was a bit confused, as are most guests when they come onboard. So, for all of you who are interested, I will now explain.

We arrive at the Canal early in the morning, usually sometime around 4:00 or 5:00 in the morning, and then we wait. Depending on the traffic and when the local authorities tell us we can go through, we then start to go through the first set of locks. This is usually between 6:00am to 6:30am, but it can be later. The first set of locks has 3 locks to it, and it usually takes us around an hour and a half to pass through that set. They pretty much built this ship right to the limit, because when we pass through, and we're being raised or lowered, I can see out the sides through the windows at Guest Services, and we are literally about a foot from the wall.

Anyway, I don't get to see too much, because I'm working, but I can still look out the window and see things from the side. I had my first chance to get out in Panama too, but since we have to be back on board before our guests, I pretty much just had a chance to get a smoothie and have a look around at the crafts in the terminal building at the pier. I'm hoping that next time I'll be able to do some more shopping.