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Even better, Panama Canal cruises call at Central American ports along the canal like Limón and Cartagena… plus at Caribbean island hotspots along the way. You’ll get to explore the local beaches and culture while heading to or from one of the greatest man-made marvels in the world. 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.
Top Five Panama Canal Shore Excursions and Attractions
With a Cruise Plus Hotel Package, a Princess representative meets you at the airport and pier, transporting you to and from your hotel. The package includes the cost of your hotel stay, transportation, luggage handling and the services of the representative. This translates into the easy planning of a crossing anytime is convenient for you. Carnival is a festival in mid-January in Panama City and other towns around the country. It's one of the biggest celebrations in Central America — even bigger than the Christmas holidays for most families, so you can expect crowds during that time.
best Panama Canal cruises for a bucket-list trip
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. If having the best weather is your top priority, January, February and early March offer the best weather during the dry season with low humidity — but it's also the most expensive time to travel to the region. Here, we look at Panama's peak cruise season month by month, so you can consider the weather, pricing and crowds to determine the best time to cruise through the Panama Canal. It used to be that only smaller Panamax ships could squeeze through the locks of the Panama Canal. However, with the opening of a new set of locks in 2016, larger New-Panamax-sized ships can transit, as well. That means you take a Panama Canal cruise on a small-masted Windstar ship or luxury Silversea cruise or can sail on a megaship as large as the 1,094-foot-long and 136-foot-wide Norwegian Bliss.
Regent Seven Seas Cruises' 16-night Los Angeles to Miami cruise
On a one-way voyage, combine the thrill of the canal with adrenaline-fueled adventure in Costa Rica and iced margaritas on Mexico’s golden beaches. Make the most of your time ashore with our range of imaginative excursions, from Destination Highlights to Small Group Discoveries and Private Journeys designed just for you. 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. Rejuvenate your spirit in The Spa, unwind by the pool as you cruise along emerald shorelines, and toast the end of another perfect day at the Sunset Bar in the balmy warmth of a tropical evening. 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.
Listen as a historian shares tales of this incredible engineering feat that divided two continents. Explore the intriguing landscapes, culture and people of this amazing region. From engineering marvels to exotic wildlife, there's so much to discover while on your Panama Canal cruise. Extend your cruise vacation, and simplify your travel plans with a hotel stay at the beginning or end of your cruise.
A cruise to the Panama Canal is an incredible experience, worthy of any bucket list as you travel between oceans. The shipping channel—which took 33 years to complete and cost more than 25,000 workers their lives—is arguably the greatest engineering achievement of all time. As you cruise the canal, you will pass through the two-chambered Miraflores Locks, the one-chambered Pedro Miguel Lock, and three-chambered Gatun Locks.
NEW! West Indies & Panama Canal Passage
Experiencing the Panama Canal doesn't have to be time-consuming or budget-busting. The array of options means that a Panama Canal cruise experience is possible even if you're short on time or have a limited budget — and chances are high that your favorite cruise line offers one or more itineraries. Most sailings attract couples, typically retirees, but if the timing is right a Panama Canal cruise can also be a great multi-generational experience. From ships custom built to sail the massive locks to immersive onboard programs and onshore adventures that inspire, Princess is the number one way to explore this epic phenomenon. We've sailed the Panama Canal since 1967 and we have more itinerary choices and departures of any cruise line in the region.
HOME OF THE CANAL
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. For a rainy-day excursion, ride the Panama Canal Railway, one of the world's great train rides.
Add in compelling ports like Cartagena, Huatulco and Puerto Vallarta on your Panama Canal cruise vacation, and you're in for a unique adventure. Depart from various cities, including Miami or Los Angeles, and cruise to some of the most exotic and beautiful destinations on Earth. Discover for yourself why Norwegian is the Best Cruise Line in Panama Canal & Central America according to Cruise Critic. 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.
November can be rainy — and even the rainiest month of the wet season — with temperatures starting to warm closer to December. The month brings a mix of low-priced early-season fares but also several public holidays that bring crowds of both tourists and residents to attractions in places like Panama City and Boquete. To get the most out of your trip, it's wise to avoid cruising during Panama's rainy season between May and December.
For outdoor adventure seekers, it's too wet for hiking in the rainforests, but other activities benefit from the rainy season, including whitewater rafting. In Quepos, Costa Rica, Windstar Cruises offers rafting trips to the town of Santo Domingo, where you can take a float trip on the Savegre River. Experienced surfers can also check out the big swells on both coasts of the country. Zoom your map way out and Panama looks like a small sliver of land, so a trip through its famous canal is a quickie, right? Cruise the Panama Canal and enjoy a zoomed-in real-life look at perhaps last century’s greatest engineering achievement… along with its surrounding lush, verdant lands. This testament to human audacity joins the Pacific and Caribbean in the most direct way possible, and is worth making a leisurely part of your vacation.
Find Norwegian Encore Cruises to the Panama Canal & Central America (with Prices) - Cruise Critic
Find Norwegian Encore Cruises to the Panama Canal & Central America (with Prices).
Posted: Sun, 21 Apr 2024 06:18:28 GMT [source]
Along with crossing the impressive Panama Canal during your vacation, you can also get in touch with the local cultures of different countries, where indigenous peoples still live and where heritage and history are treasured and preserved. Cross foggy suspended bridges or zip-line along the treetops at the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve near Puntarenas, Costa Rica, where local travel guides take you deep within the forest as you learn about its precious ecosystems. A stop in Colón, Panama, lets you lay on the sand at serene Maria Chiquita beach or hike your way through Portobelo National Park to reach the 17th-century San Lorenzo Fort. And if you're in the mood for the city life, head to Panama City, the Caribbean's most urban cluster that's only an hour away by car.
However, it's the holiday season, so cruise fares and other costs, like hotels for pre- and post-cruise stays, will be more expensive if you travel this month. December is one of the peak tourism months in Panama, with Panamanians traveling for the holidays and visitors from North America and Europe escaping the cold weather at home. 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.
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. 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. Traversing the 40-mile Panama Canal is a rite of passage and something you'll remember for a lifetime.
The construction of the Panama Canal is one of those epic tales from the past, an old-school feat of engineering, ambition and courage. A cruise along it today is a journey through the centuries, from the Spanish fortifications near Limón Bay to the glittering skyline of Panama City, not to mention the canal itself. Over the course of a decade a little more than a century ago, tens of thousands of workers drilled dynamite holes, drove belching steam shovels and labored with pickaxes, all the while fighting off malaria. While the French builders of the Suez Canal ultimately gave up in Panama, American crews persevered and created a route allowing ships to travel across a continent.
In addition to visiting Panama, many itineraries include ports of call in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Colombia or Mexico, which can be the highlight of the trip, especially for outdoor enthusiasts. You can also spot spectators sitting in the grandstands at Gatun Locks on the Atlantic side and on the balcony at the Miraflores Visitor Center on the Pacific side. The latter will wave and cheer you on since the more infrequent sight of a passenger ship with lots of people onboard is infinitely more exciting than the many cargo ships that sail through each day. Obviously, a forward location on the ship will give you a clear vantage point as you head into the locks. 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. You'll want to consider whether you're more interested in Caribbean islands or Central and South American destinations.
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