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You could also be aft, at the back of the ship, with a pair of binoculars to spot other ships. Visiting the Panama Canal for the first time is an extraordinary experience, made all the more special if you take some time to learn about this incredible feat of engineering. Should Semana Santa (Holy Week, from Palm Sunday through Holy Saturday) fall in March, there will be more crowds nationwide in Panama with religious processions and reenactments, parades and other special events. Many venues and attractions may be closed on some days during the festivities. October is a rainy month, but it's also one of the coolest months of the year, with high temperatures in the low to mid-80s.
Panama Canal Shore Excursions
You could visit the locks along the canal and tour the visitor centers, stopping to watch ships pass through the narrow channels. Regardless of transit type, keep in mind that Panama Canal cruises can be longer-than-average sailings. Most cruises shorter than two weeks are one-way sailings, often beginning or ending in Panama. The shortest sailings are predominantly offered by small ships, and they begin and end in Central America. The shortest round-trip Fort Lauderdale partial transits are 11 nights; full transits that start on the U.S. East Coast and end on the West Coast (or vice versa) will be at least 14 days long.
Panama Canal Cruise Cancelled, Are Other Cruises at Risk? - Cruise Hive
Panama Canal Cruise Cancelled, Are Other Cruises at Risk?.
Posted: Thu, 21 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Panama Canal cruises
Don't miss the Culebra Cut, an artificial valley through the Continental Divide made by cutting through the Culebra Mountains; it's recognizable by the staked, stepped cuts. Unless you have a companion to save you a spot, know that you will give up your original seat if you choose to move to another area for a different perspective. It takes between eight and ten hours to do a full transit of the Panama Canal.
Panama Canal Cruises
You could sail from Fort Lauderdale to the ABC Islands (Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao) and Cartagena in Colombia. A sailing from Miami to Los Angeles visits Cartagena, Puntarenas in Costa Rica, and Puerto Vallarta. Enjoy the best of the Panama Canal with a day to explore the locks, kayak the forested fringes of serene Gatun Lake, or admire the fine Spanish colonial architecture of Panama City’s historic Casco Viejo. There’s no shortage of beach time on these 11-night cruises, with blissful, sun-soaked days on the dazzling white sands that fringe Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao, and a day to explore Grand Cayman’s glorious Seven Mile Beach.
Another exciting alternative is to take a trek through the rain forest at Gamboa, or visit an authentic Embera Indian Village on the Chagres River (which often takes place by canoe). Apart from length of sailing, the biggest decision you'll need to make on a Panama Canal cruise is whether to opt for a traditional trans-canal experience or take a partial crossing. For a one-way Panama Canal transit that visits six countries (Aruba, Curacao, Panama, Costa Rica, Guatemala and Mexico) and offers six relaxing and luxurious days at sea, consider Seabourn's 21-day Caribbean & Panama Canal Passage.
Featured Panama Canal Hotels
We craft our Panama Canal itineraries to enrich our guests' experiences to provide the most exposure to this bucket-list destination. You'll be enchanted by Spanish and Dutch cities dating back centuries, as well as diverse tropical rainforests, white-sand beaches, dramatic volcanoes and UNESCO World Heritage Sites. And Princess provides live narration from the bridge while transiting the locks, just one reason we were voted "Best Cruise Line for Enrichment" by Cruise International. So stretch out on a Caribbean beach, admire the pristine rainforests, stroll the cobbled streets of colonial towns and journey through the fabled Panama Canal with Princess. Many Panama Canal and Central America ports are relatively industrial, and some -- particularly Colon and Puerto Limon -- have a reputation for petty crime within the main city.
These one-way journeys between Miami or Fort Lauderdale and Los Angeles or San Diego, visits ports in Central America, South America, Mexico and California. A trip is still worth it for the excellent 3D IMAX film narrated by Morgan Freeman, which does a great job explaining the trials, tribulations and perils of building this awe-inspiring feat. You can also stand on the ground-level terrace or grab a seat in the bleachers on the first level to watch ships pass through the final set of locks; sometimes, a staff member is on hand to provide commentary.
View Popular Panama Canal Cruise Destinations
Passengers often choose an Atlantic to Pacific or Pacific to Atlantic route, depending on where they live, although you'll gain hours if you choose the latter. (Some people prefer to have their longer one-way flight at the beginning of a trip, instead of the end.) With this trans-canal option, you spend a day on the canal, crossing from ocean to ocean and going through the complete lock experience. If having the full "canal experience" is part of your bucket list -- or if you're an engineering geek and don't care too much about shore excursions within Panama itself -- this trip is for you. Most full Panama Canal cruises do call in the Western Caribbean, the Costa Rican ports of Limon (on the Atlantic side) and Puntarenas (on the Pacific), and Cartagena, Colombia. Experience one of the wonders of the modern world on Holland America Line’s Panama Canal cruises.
See A Modern Marvel On Panama Canal Cruises
To learn more about each port of call and our included as well as optional excursions, click on the individual days below. Learn about the latest ships and destinations by browsing hundreds of questions (and the answers to those questions) posted by real cruisers. If you happen not to find what you’re looking for, you can even post a question of your own. Cruise by the famed Lovers Beach, past the sea lion colony and the towering rock formations of Land’s End, then set sail for Chileno Bay. Voted Best Onboard Entertainment, Best Specialty Restaurants, and Best Casinos, you know you’re in for an exciting cruise experience. Sit back, relax, and let Norwegian take you through one of the most magnificent marvels in the world.
From engineering marvels to exotic wildlife, there's so much to discover while on your Panama Canal cruise. The Panama Canal cruise season peaks between October and April, outside of the rainy season that can start as early as mid-March and extend into the fall. With a tropical climate, this region is home to rainforests, incredible biodiversity, lush landscapes, abundant wildlife and beautiful beaches, but the weather can be wet at certain times of the year.
If you are doing a full transit through to the Pacific Ocean side and you're staying in the area, you might want to carve out some time for the Miraflores Visitor Center. However, as of press time, the four exhibition halls that portray the canal's history, construction, biodiversity and importance are temporarily closed for renovations. Originally known as the Thatcher Ferry Bridge, the Bridge of the Americas connects North and South America and serves as the gateway to the Pacific Ocean. After traveling through the Miraflores Locks, which allow the ship to finish the descent to sea level, you have 8 miles to find a spot on deck, grab a flute of Champagne and get your phone or camera ready.
Experienced surfers can also check out the big swells on both coasts of the country. Transiting the Panama Canal from the Caribbean to the Pacific Ocean is a once-in-a-lifetime trip for many travelers, especially for history and engineering buffs. If you're considering this bucket-list sailing, you'll want to find the best time to cruise the Panama Canal, whether that be to find better weather, lower pricing or fewer crowds.
Thanks to a 2016 canal expansion project, a third set of locks can now accommodate larger vessels. It's possible to cruise the Panama Canal on ships of all sizes (from 148 guests to more than 3,000) on itineraries that range from a week in the sun to a six-month world cruise. Since the crossing does take a while, especially sailing across Gatun Lake, you might find it fun to watch it from a different vantage point from time to time. You can enjoy views from a hot tub on one of the decks, from your table at lunch or even from a deck that's aft, so you can see the locks after you leave them instead of when you arrive. Even if the canal transit is what you're cruising for, don't forget to check out the rest of the stops on the itinerary.
Discover the colonial past of Cozumel, and glimpse Belize’s Mayan civilization and Panama’s Emberá people. Gaze upon white-sand beaches and turquoise waters in Honduras and lush rainforests in Costa Rica. Marvel at the workings of the Panama Canal and admire a colorful blend of past and present in Jamaica. Traversing the 40-mile Panama Canal is a rite of passage and something you'll remember for a lifetime.
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