New Expanded Panama Canal Locks Filling with Water

[MissDaisyofTexas]

Sorry if this news has already been posted....but it appears that the new expanded Panama Canal locks are being filled with water in preparation for testing. Woohoo! I assume this will give DCL more flexibility for which ships go through the canal for West Coast or Alaska cruises.

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/article25717330.html

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Sorry if this news has already been posted....but it appears that the new expanded Panama Canal locks are being filled with water in preparation for testing. Woohoo! I assume this will give DCL more flexibility for which ships go through the canal for West Coast or Alaska cruises.

http://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/article25717330.html

Eventually. It's going to take a while to fill the locks. And then there's testing to be done.

 

[bobbiwoz]

Thanks for the info.

 

[Weedy]

Very cool. Thanks for posting.

 

[MissDaisyofTexas]

I wonder if DCL would ever send a bigger ship like the Dream through the canals for Alaska cruises???

 

[KristiMc]

Can the bigger ships even fit into the Alaskan ports? When we cruised a couple week ago it seemed like the Wonder was larger than the other ships.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Can the bigger ships even fit into the Alaskan ports? When we cruised a couple week ago it seemed like the Wonder was larger than the other ships.

Most ships in the Alaska market are the size of the Wonder or smaller. But, some ports can accommodate larger ships, I believe. But not all.

 

[jdb in AZ]

Tracy's Arm is a narrow fjord -- much easier for the Wonder to navigate and turn around in front of the glacier than sending the Dream in there.

 

[dmunsil]

The Celebrity Solstice docks in the same Alaskan ports as the Wonder and is a bigger post-Panamax ship. It's almost the same size as the Dream/Fantasy in total Gross Tonnage, but is not quite as long or wide. It's possible that it's at the far edge of what is reasonable for Alaska, which would make the Dream or Fantasy just a hair too big.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

They will not put the bigger ships through it, only upgrade the Wonder and put a duck tail on it.

 

[shelbell77]

Captain Puckett (retired Panama Canal Pilot who lectures about the canal on the PC cruises) speculated on this year's WBPC that Disney will not put any ship through the new locks. They won't be using locomotives in the new locks, only tub boats. He thinks there is significant additional risk of damage to the ships because of this change. Mind you, this was purely his speculation. But it left everyone who was at his lecture wondering what Disney will do once the new locks open.

 

[VbChristy]

I'm curios because we plan to cruise in fall of 2017 or May 2018 through on Disney.

 

[DVCinderella]

When we were on the May 24, 2014 Alaskan cruise onboard the Wonder, we went to the Gold/Platinum reception where we could ask questions of the Captain and Cruise Director. One question was, "When will the Wonder undergo the extensive rehab the Magic did?" and we were told not until the new larger locks were done. The Wonder is the only ship in the Disney fleet that can still fit through the original locks. Once the ducktail was put on the back of the Magic, it can no longer fit through the original PC.

This would indicate that once the new locks are open, DCL will upgrade the Wonder, add the ducktail, and begin using the new locks. Perhaps Captain Puckett was speculating about the Dream/Fantasy, which would be a tighter fit in the new locks than the Magic/Wonder. I can't see DCL not using the new locks with the smaller ships. They will want to upgrade the Wonder to match her sister ship, the Magic. They will want to continue to visit the west coast and Alaska. Therefore they cannot keep themselves confined to the old locks.

 

[mocodis]

I cannot see any of the other ships going to Alaska. The Wonder has the modifications for the colder weather.

 

[momof2n2]

pardon my ignorance - will the old locks still be there alongside the old locks?

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

pardon my ignorance - will the old locks still be there alongside the old locks?

Yes both will run.

The Panama Canal Expansion is the largest project at the Canal since its original construction. The project will create a new lane of traffic along the Canal through the construction of a new set of locks, doubling the waterway’s capacity. The existing locks allow the passage of vessels that can carry up to 5,000 TEUs. After the expansion the Post-Panamax vessels will be able to transit through the Canal, with up to 13,000 TEUs. The Expansion will double the Canal’s capacity, having a direct impact on economies of scale and international maritime trade.
The Program consists of several components:

• New Locks (Third Set of Locks)
• Pacific Access Channel
• Improvement of Navigational Channels (Dredging)
• Improvements to Water Supply
The Panama Canal expansion is based on six years of research, which included more than 100 studies on the economic feasibility, market demand, environmental impact and other technical engineering aspects. Works on the Panama Canal Expansion began on September 2007 at a total cost of US$5.2 billion.

 

[dcassetta]

5 or 6 years from now, if the Nicaragua Canal is actually completed, Disney may have further options.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Once the new locks are operational they'll need to do some work on the old locks. The concrete walls of the old locks are crumbling and coming apart.

 

[DISNEY FANTASY]

Once the new locks are operational they'll need to do some work on the old locks. The concrete walls of the old locks are crumbling and coming apart.

With two sets of locks at each of the three locks, they could do one at a time.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

With two sets of locks at each of the three locks, they could do one at a time.

I expect that's what they'll do. They need the capacity in the worst way!