We finally made it today, and not only did the Emerald Princess transit the Panama Canal and become the very first Princess ship to be in the Caribbean with passengers on board after COVID (big YAY for that!), but it did it exactly according to the tentative schedule for the transit that had been published in today’s Princess Patter. In other words, after yesterday’s shaky start, our transit today went like clockwork.
Once again, we were up and at ‘em early today. We watched our approach to the canal from our balcony but ran up to the jogging track on Deck 19 to get some photos as we passed under the Bridge the Americas and lined up to enter the Colico lock.
Sailing under the Bridge of the Americas
Lining up to enter the first Colico lock chamber
Looking back at the Bridge of the Anericas, the first bridge constructed to connect the Americas in 1962.
Not all containers travel from the Pacific to the Atlantic in the canal.
Some are offloaded and shipped by train.
The high rises of Panama City are in the background.
The new locks use tugs instead of locomotives to hold ships in position.
A freighter going the same direction in the Colico lock ahead of us.
Apparently there are no air pollution laws in the canal.
Panama City
The Emerald Princess entering the Colico lock.
I found this harious. Those of you who have transited the Canal in the original locks recognize an arrow like this that is flipped to indicate which of the two channels a ship should enter. It’s no longer necessary, but it is traditional. The new lock, with just one channel, has one too.
Getting bumped into place in the lock.
The lock doors on the new locks slide into place instead of opening like French doors as they do in the old locks. You can see the Bridge of the Americas and a freighter transitin the canal in the original locks to get some idea of where the new canal breaks away.
The lock doors closed
We took a break then and went to Sabatini’s for breakfast (G has started calling it Snobatini’s after the unbelievable treatment we’ve received there the past two days). G discovered he could order steak for breakfast, or, as I call it, the cardiologist’s second vacation home.
Following breakfast, we settled in in the Sanctuary for still more mimosas. But we did watch from up there as the Emerald Princess exited the last Cocoli lock and continued on its transit through the canal.
These diehards stayed on the roof over the ship’s bridge all. day. long. through rain and oppressive heat and sun. Yeah, we were just like that, too, on our first full transit. Worst sunburn I’ve ever had.
The next couple of screen grabs were posted on Cruise Critic by Essiesmom. I couldn’t even post from my iPhone or iPad to ask her if I could use them. Hopefully she won’t mind.
Gazpacho was brought to us in our loungers. Spoiled!
After we passed through the Cocoli lock, we sailed into Miraflores Lake. At this point, until the Agua Clara lock on the northern end of the canal, the original and new canals run together. We sailed under the Centennial Bridge, completed in 2004 and now part of the PanAmerican Highway, and through the Culebra Cut on the Continental Divide, the most dangerous and expensive part of the canal to build. The mountainside is terraced to reduce landslides from the frequent rains, and a dredging operation, headquartered in Gamboa, works non-stop to keep the canal open.
Sailing under the Centennial Bridge
This bridge was under construction when we first sailed through the Panama Canal in 2002.
The terraced mountainsides in the Culebra Cut
In Gamboa, we sailed past the El Renacer prison, where Manuel Noriega was incarcerated. The prisoners waved and greeted us by flapping towels, and we were happy to wave back.
El Renacer prison
After we had passed Gamboa, there is a bit of a lull in the action. We took advantage of that to go to Snob-…er, Sabatini’s for the special lunch that was planned again today. Once again it was a feast.
A new ice carving today
I chose the cod entree
Panda cotta for dessert
Day 10 lunch menu in the DaVinci Dining Room
On the way back to the Sanctuary, in the Agua Clara lock, I took a pic of how much space there is in the new locks. On our first Panama Canal cruise in the original locks on the Radiance of the Seas, we have a photo of me standing on the Promenade Deck with my hand touching the side of the lock. At the time, the Radiance was the largest ship to have transited the canal.
One of the water saving basins on the Agua Clara locks.
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From the Agua Clara webcam, the Emerald Princess in the lock.
From the Agua Clara webcam, the Emerald Princess in the lock.
In the second Agua Clara lock
Sailing under the Atlantic Bridge at the northern end of the canal.
While this morning had been alternately cloudy and even rainy at times, the sun was in full force this afternoon and, with the ship barely moving, it got really hot. We’d walk down the stairs to use the Lotus Pool, no small task for me with my knee, and I had to use a towel to hold onto the hand railing. I can’t imagine how those people sitting on the observation area over the bridge must have suffered. When icy cold cloths were distributed in the Sanctuary, the guys knew how to best use them to cool off.
Mr. Doppelgänger and G trying to stay cool in the sweltering heat
We went to dinner and again limited ourselves to just a soup and an appetizer, and mango sorbet for dessert. Because there’s always room for sorbet! Looking at the Patter for the evening’s entertainment options, we saw that Sunday Night Football was going to be on MUTS. Sold! I stayed until that last Colts’ TD at about the two minute warning, and returned to the cabin. We are moving clocks ahead a hour tonight and I had a blog post to write. Luckily, I uploaded the pics while I was watching the game, because there are a lot of pics in this post!
Even live music loses out when it comes to NFL on MUTS. This is our happy place. 🙂🏈