Is A Verandah A Must On Panama Canal Cruise?

[BWV Dreamin]

While waiting for the spring release of the 2019 Panama Canal cruise, I am debating room types. I have been told there are two cruises where one MUST book a verandah.....Alaskan cruise and Panama Canal. Is this really necessary? Would a large porthole suffice? Are there good viewing locations (like maybe deck 4)?

 

[mommy2jarod]

I say YES! It is so crowded on the top deck, thankfully I had a selfie stick so I could take photos over people head. I assumed the crowd would thin out throughout the day but it was crowded all day. I took some photos on the top deck and just went back to my room and watch and took photos

 

[o&smom]

We just did the WBPC in April and did not have a veranda. Did not miss it at all! Found it much more enjoyable to be part of the action in various decks during our transit. We did Alaska in 2011 without a veranda and would do it again without one. Enjoy your cruise!

 

[arielmomma]

I've done 2 PC cruises and had inside cabins both times. I'm booked for a 3rd next year and will have an inside again. In my experience, its best to wander around the open decks on Panama Canal day. You get the best views if you check out every angle.

 

[BigJon]

I've done 2 Disney Panama Canal cruises (2012 and 2016). The 1st one I had a large window, and the second was an inside room. The window was pretty neat, because once we entered a lock, we could see the rock wall right outside our window. Looked like it was about 2 feet away. On both cruises, the ship was very crowded with people as you enter the first lock. Especially near the front of the ship. But after the first lock, the crowds thin down a little. Personally, I like moving around on the top deck, to get different vantage points of the canal. As a side note, one of the funniest things I saw on the top deck, was when they set up a table to sell Panama Canal crossing t-shirts. People were lined up, waiting to buy a shirt. These same shirts were in the gift shop at the end of the cruise.

 

[FigmentSpark]

I expect it also matters if you are a people person and want to be with the crowds or if you like your space and want to just sit and enjoy the view and ride with a coffee with your travel mate.

 

[happytime]

I would say, definitely a veranda. It was so worth it for hubby and me. We stood in the front along with a be-gillion other people at the entrance to the first canal. But people can be pushy and space was an issue with me. In my cabin, I was able to listen to the tv, view the canal and its beauty in a calm serene surrounding. We did go back up to the top later, and it was much, much quieter up there then. The heat was also a factor for this cruiser. My room was air conditioned when I needed to get away from the hot weather. lol

 

[jdb in AZ]

We had a veranda but couldn't see everything we wanted to on Canal day, so we went up front on deck. But the heat and humidity got to us so we went inside to a lounge and ordered pina coladas. The ship had a nice(!) buffet up on deck for lunch, so we ventured outside for that, but overall, the weather was too steamy to get much use out of the verandah.

In Alaska, yeah, we use the veranda a lot.

 

[JW9DVC]

With the new locks. It is much different. I say not required.

 

[Amunet]

There are benefits to having a verandah but are not a must.

We went on last year's Eastbound PC and had an inside stateroom. My boyfriend was just fine going up on deck I also didn't mind. Plus there was a channel on the stateroom tv that shows the view from the bridge, so it's a great view!

 

[bobbiwoz]

Taken off the TV, the TV gives a great frontal view. We do get a veranda, because we like them, it is not a necessity.

 

[mom4fun]

No way! You have to move around the ship or you will be missing a lot. You need to go to different floors, front, back and middle of ship. You will find the price differences are huge between, inside, oceanview and verandah.

 

[Meriweather]

We get a room low....I think both times deck 2......with an oceanview.
DH LOVES being in the room when the ship goes down. Seeing the walls and the gates.
Besides that we move all around on different decks. There are such different views from everywhere

 

[Hongyi Zhang]

I got a Oceanview with large Porthole for 2 reasons other than saving $$$ of course. 1) As many others have mentioned, you'll miss a lot if you just sit in your Verandah during PC transit. It's best to walk around the top deck to see it from different areas and angles. 2) I saw a YouTube video this couple recorded on their Disney PC cruise, they had a deck 2 porthole and it was really cool to see just how close the walls are outside while the ship is going through a lock, definitely a unique site that you'll only see with a low deck Porthole. Now yea for Alaska, Verandah is highly recommended.

 

[KayKayJS]

I haven't done Panama Canal, but I have done Alaska, and I disagree with needing a Verandah. We had a large porthole in Alaska and that was fine for us. I would no thave paid the extra $1000+ for a verandah. Would not have been worth it for us, we used that money on one in a lifetime, very $$$ excursions.

We might be booking this trip for 2019 as well. If a Verandah isn't crazy more expensive, we'd prob do it. Just depends on how much.

 

[Hongyi Zhang]

I haven't done Panama Canal, but I have done Alaska, and I disagree with needing a Verandah. We had a large porthole in Alaska and that was fine for us. I would no thave paid the extra $1000+ for a verandah. Would not have been worth it for us, we used that money on one in a lifetime, very $$$ excursions.

We might be booking this trip for 2019 as well. If a Verandah isn't crazy more expensive, we'd prob do it. Just depends on how much.

Just to give you an idea, we booked 2018 PC and our deck 2 OV Porthole was $8515. If we wanted the lowest category Veranda it's like 12k (for 2 Adults and 2 kids)

 

[KayKayJS]

Just to give you an idea, we booked 2018 PC and our deck 2 OV Porthole was $8515. If we wanted the lowest category Veranda it's like 12k (for 2 Adults and 2 kids)

That's a big nope for us then! I can't get $3500 worth of enjoyment out of sitting on my Verandah.

And we LOVED deck 2.