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When your ship spends the day in Colon, you can see more of Panama on a range of shore excursions. Despite the monumental achievement of engineering that the Panama Canal represents, the drive from Colon to Panama City is just under an hour, so there are plenty of options. Celebrity will take you seamlessly from one adventure to the next as you explore jewel-like Caribbean islands and historic Cartagena.
Night Panama Canal & Inca Discovery
Other options include the Sky Lounge, which has panoramic forward views and is climate-controlled, or the Rooftop Terrace, aft. You will most likely find you want to enjoy the experience from different areas on the ship. When you’re in a lock, it’s fascinating to watch the mechanisms of these engineering masterpieces, so find the best position on deck to observe this.
Discover the Marvels of the Panama Canal
You could visit the locks along the canal and tour the visitor centers, stopping to watch ships pass through the narrow channels. Silversea Cruises' indulgent 31-day New York to Lima sailing aboard its newest ship, 728-guest Silver Nova features a Panama Canal transit in the middle of the trip. Holland America offers a variety of Panama Canal cruises, but the most popular itineraries span 14 to 16 days. They offer a full transit between Fort Lauderdale and San Diego, or vice versa, and are offered on multiple ships, including Zaandam, Eurodam, Nieuw Amsterdam and Volendam. These sailings call on Cartagena, Colombia; Puntarenas, Costa Rica; Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala; Huatulco and Puerto Vallarta or Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. The ultimate journey between two continents and two mighty oceans, a Panama Canal cruise encompasses Spanish colonial architecture, verdant rainforest and an engineering marvel.
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10 of the best Panama Canal cruises - The Times
10 of the best Panama Canal cruises.
Posted: Wed, 17 Apr 2024 12:02:05 GMT [source]
Elevate your experience to The Retreat and you can enjoy fine dining in Luminae, as well as suite accommodation and access to an exclusive lounge. During the 48-mile transit, you’ll see everything from intricate lock systems to the serene landscapes of the rainforest and Gatun Lake. Your ship will be raised up 85 feet through a system of three locks to the level of the freshwater Gatun Lake. Once you’ve crossed the lake, you will descend 85 feet back to sea level through another set of locks. The most important thing to do is to head up on deck and absorb this spectacular experience. Every transit will have expert commentary that’s broadcast on the decks and in the lounges, so you’ll be able to gain a deeper insight into the workings of the canal and its history.
Abundant Adventures Ashore
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. There is something for every type of explorer in this culturally diverse region.
Experience one of the wonders of the modern world on Holland America Line’s Panama Canal cruises. Our Panama cruise itineraries depart from both east and west coasts for loads of convenient options. A cruise to the Panama Canal is an incredible experience, worthy of any bucket list as you travel between oceans.
Extraordinary Panama Canal Cruise Tours
Top Panama Canal cruise tips and tricks to get the most out of this unique crossing - The Points Guy
Top Panama Canal cruise tips and tricks to get the most out of this unique crossing.
Posted: Sat, 02 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]
All sailings are aboard the new 3,260-guest Celebrity Beyond and visit Cartagena, Colombia; Colon, Panama; Oranjestad, Aruba; Kralendjik, Bonaire; and George Town, Grand Cayman (Willemstad, Curacao replaces Grand Cayman on some 2025 sailings). Some ships sail a full transit of the canal, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, or vice versa. 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. 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.
Find Your Perfect Panama Canal Cruise
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.
Why Princess is the #1 Panama Canal Cruise Line
Learn about one of the greatest engineering feats as you cruise through the Panama Canal and visit neighboring ports. Read about the origins of Panama City, Mayan and colonial heritage and naturally beautiful landmarks. On the day of the transit, prime viewing locations on the bow and near windows go quickly. Most cruise lines do their best to give everyone a decent seat -- sometimes opening up "crew only" areas -- but competition can still get fierce. So set your alarm; the sooner you can pull yourself out of bed, the better the spot you'll snag.
With four pools (including an adults-only aft Serenity Pool), a WaterWorks aqua park, Camp Ocean kids club and seven restaurants, the ship offers enough diversions for sea-day fun, even at half the size of Carnival's newest megaships. Major cruise lines that sail to Panama include Carnival, Royal Caribbean Princess, Holland America Line (HAL), Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), Celebrity, Oceania and Viking. Prices per person depend on several factors, including which line you book, the month you travel and the duration of the trip. To learn more about each port of call and our included as well as optional excursions, click on the individual days below.
Tortuguero National Park offers close encounters with the green tortoise, crocodiles, monkeys and exotic birds, all seen at water level on the canals. Heartier souls can try white-water rafting on the Revantazon River. Or take a trip to Panama City itself, a dramatic contrast between glassy skyscrapers and the narrow alleys and colorful facades of the atmospheric Casco Viejo, or old town, dating back to the 17th century.
You’ll still enjoy the experience of going through the massive locks. On Celebrity’s ships, you can enjoy a different restaurant at every meal, with menus designed by a Michelin-starred chef. Try anything from mouth-watering seafood to steak, flavor-packed Italian, and gourmet French cuisine. Experience The Magic Carpet, high above the ocean, with uninterrupted views. Elevate your cruise with a stay at The Retreat®, with suite accommodation, access to a tranquil lounge, and dining at the exclusive Luminae at The Retreat. Explore the Panama Canal with Celebrity and you’ll enjoy the best of all worlds, from cultural immersion and pristine natural landscapes to a haven of relaxation on our contemporary, design-led ships.
From engineering marvels to exotic wildlife, there's so much to discover while on your Panama Canal cruise. Choose your preferred arrival window and make gangway reservations. We know the destinations you'll be visiting and what there is to see, do and experience.
This is one situation where a balcony cabin offers a unique perspective, but it isn't really a necessity (unlike on an Alaska or Hawaii itinerary, where you're guaranteed gorgeous scenery on either side of your ship). Bigger ships can only squeak through the canal, with two feet (or less) on either side. While the railing of the balcony can give you a better appreciation for just how tight that squeeze is, being up on the bow is the best way to appreciate the full scope of the process. On Edge-Series ships, the Magic Carpet, suspended over the side of the ship, gives you uninterrupted sea views and is the perfect place to sit with a coffee or cocktail, enjoying the sea air. Or spend part of your Panama Canal transit in the Sunset Bar, at the aft of the ship, for wonderful views of the ships following you. Enjoy exploring all the different dining options, from made-to-order burgers and salads by the pool to French classics and a delightful 3D cartoon animation in Le Petit Chef, and steaks and seafood in the elegant Tuscan Grille.
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. The 450-guest Seabourn Sojourn will sail from Miami to Los Angeles in December. For a Panama Canal experience that begins and ends in Fort Lauderdale, Celebrity Cruises' 11-night Panama Canal & Southern Caribbean itinerary is a great option. There's plenty of time to plan ahead for the Dec. 2, 2024 cruise or the half-dozen almost identical sailings that follow through March 2025.
A sailing from Miami to Los Angeles visits Cartagena, Puntarenas in Costa Rica, and Puerto Vallarta. Other cruises include stops in Huatulco, Mexico, and Grand Cayman. For the ultimate cruise indulgence, Viking's 180-day World Voyage I includes a Panama Canal transit (on Christmas Day, no less) as 930-passenger Viking Sky cruises from Fort Lauderdale to New York City (Dec. 19, 2024–June 17, 2025).
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