Monday 26 January 2026
Remnant of the French attempt at a sea level passage between oceans
Bridge of the Americas
Monday 27 January 2026
For the vast majority of us mere mortals any Panama Canal passage is a major event. When the two of us experienced a partial passage in 2024 it definitely qualified as a bucket list item. Initially as we were planning this trip we didn’t know that not only would we transit the new expanded locks but that this would be Queen Mary 2’s Maiden Panama Canal Transit, a much celebrated historic event. Also we did not know that Dr. Stephen M. Payne, the naval architect that designed this iconic ship would be onboard. He mentioned to a small cadre of us on Saturday afternoon that he’d not expected as he was designing this ship at the turn of the millennium that she would ever transit the canal. Not only was she too wide for original locks and it was thought she was too tall to pass under the Bridge of the Americas with a ship clearance of 61.3 meters at high tide. However in 2016 the Post-Panamax locks opened allowing much wider vessels to pass through. Then four years later Captain Andrew Hall began a study that led to some minor modifications to the QM2 that would allow her to pass through the canal and under the bridge. As just one indication of the significance of this particular passage, canal expert John Laverick as he provided narration during our passage of the Atlantic side locks on Saturday morning pointed out the large crowd on the platform of the Agua Clara Locks Visitor Center waiting to wave and watch our particular ship pass through. Yet another unusual aspect of our particular passage is that we actually spent the night in the canal, after passing through the Agua Clara Locks and navigating Gatun Lake we moored near the Pedro Miguel Locks just north of the Cocoli Locks on the Pacific side. That first day we spent a considerable amount of time in the sun, albeit with sunscreen as well as long sleeves and wide brimmed hats watching our passage through the locks. After dinner we enjoyed a nighttime mile long walk on the Promenade Deck delighting in views of the canal at night. Sunday morning found us enjoying the views through the windows on the ship first in Sir Samuel’s coffee shop then at the quiet Champagne Bar and from our sheltered balcony. As we entered the Cocoli Locks on the Pacific side we were forward on Deck Eleven with other passengers. For the final part of the transit after having waited for low tide, we were on The Lookout on Deck Thirteen midships snapping photos, making video, listening to John Laverick’s narration, and joining our fellow passengers in a joyous cheer as we successfully maneuvered under the Bridge of the Americas with just 2.9 meters clearance. Thank you, Captain Andrew Hall! Once out of the canal on the Pacific side we proceeded to the Panama Canal Terminal at Fuerte Amador, on what was once a pirate island and now is connected to Panama City by a causeway constructed with dredge spoils from the canal construction. Although we were docked and the gangways open by 9PM last evening, we opted to wait and clear Panamanian Customs this morning with our group as we headed out on a tour with Heavenly Luna for a trip to the Miraflores Locks Visitor Center where we learned even more about the history and operations of the Panama Canal and the former Canal Zone as well as enjoyed the views from the observation deck and a showing of the IMAX movie, “The Panama Canal: A Land Divided, A World United” narrated by Morgan Freeman. The tour also included a brief stop in which Heavenly gave us a quick history of Panama City, the first European settlement along the Pacific coast of the Americas from its founding in 1519 and the 1671 destruction of the city as well as views of the second city on our right and of the very modern on our left. Back on board as we were underway around 8:30 PM we stopped by Guest Services to see the plaque commemorating this maiden passage and when we returned to our stateroom we found certificates for each of us documenting our participation in this historic event!
Very nice!
What a thrill to have a historic passage through the canal on a marvelous ocean liner. The canal passage needs to be a bucket-list item. Congratulations to you, Steve and Karen, for embarking on such exciting adventures.
What a thrill to have a historic passage through the canal on a marvelous ocean liner. The canal passage needs to be a bucket-list item. Congratulations to you, Steve and Karen, for embarking on such exciting adventures.