Queen Mary and Panama Canal

Chris Mazzella · May 31, 2005

Did either of the queens pass through the panama? If so where could i find photos of it?

Michael H. Standart · May 31, 2005

Not a chance. The locks are 110 feet wide and the Queens were 118 feet wide.

Chris Mazzella · May 31, 2005

hmm I must be thinking of the Mauritania II?

David F. Smith · May 31, 2005

In fact, on the Queen Marys 1001st and final crossing, she had to make the 14,000+ mile trip around Cape Horn to get to Long Beach, California.

This final trip was written into the Long Beach purchase contract despite Cunards objections. Cunard warned potential passengers that the trip would be less that comfortable do to poor air conditioning and the 40 days around the the long way.

Jerry Nuovo · May 31, 2005

Chris, Maybe what you want are photos of the QE2 going through the Panama Canal because the QE2 is still the only Cunard Queen able to fit into the Panama Canal locks which are 110 feet wide and the QE2 is 105 feet wide.

Chris Mazzella · May 31, 2005

You sure? http://greatships.net/scans/PC-MA20.jpg Are there any photos of the QE2 passing through?

Mark Baber · May 31, 2005

That's Mauretania II on the Great Ships page, Chris, not a Queen.

Chris Mazzella · May 31, 2005

Like I said the M2 Cause Jerry said the only Cunard vessel to go through panama was the QE2

Jerry Nuovo · Jun 1, 2005

I did not say that the only Cunard ship to go through the Panama Canal was the QE2.I wrote that the QE2 was the only Cunard QUEEN to be able to go through the Panama Canal locks.The Queen Mary,Queen Elizabeth and QM2 are too wide and too long for the Panama Canal locks which are 110 feet wide and 1,000 feet long.Both the Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth were about 118 feet wide and the QM2 is either 131 or 135 feet wide.Queen Mary is 1,018 feet long,Queen Elizabeth was 1,031 feet long and the QM2 is 1,132 feet long.So the QE2 at 105 feet wide and 963 feet long is the only Cunard Queen to be able to go through the Panama Canal locks which are 110 feet wide and 1,000 feet long.Whether any other Cunard Ship other than QE2, went through the Panama Canal,Well I don't know.

Jerry Nuovo · Jun 1, 2005

And there are some pictures of the QE2 transiting the Panama Canal in this book titled "QE2 A Ship For All Seasons" written by David F.Hutchings.And there might be some other pictures of the QE2 at the Panama Canal in this book written by the Commodore of the Cunard Line Ronald Warwick.

Chris Mazzella · Jun 1, 2005

Sorry Jerry misread.

Ryan Thompson · Jan 12, 2008

Chris, Maybe what you want are photos of the QE2 going through the Panama Canal because the QE2 is still the only Cunard Queen able to fit into the Panama Canal locks which are 110 feet wide and the QE2 is 105 feet wide.

YIKES! That's just 2.5 feet clearance on either side! :-O

John Clifford · Jan 12, 2008

The Queen Victoria is "Pana-Maxed", the term given by observers. Thus it is able to travel through the Panama Canal, as well.

Ryan Thompson · Jan 12, 2008

Hasn't there been talk over the last few years of widening the canal? It'd be a billion dollar project but it would ultimately pay for itself, I imagine

Michael H. Standart · Jan 12, 2008

>>It'd be a billion dollar project but it would ultimately pay for itself, I imagine<<

More like $5billion, and that doesn't include cost overruns. Keep an eye out for my news posts since I've been watching this for some time now.