Table Of Content
Even travelers who've sailed through the Canal have never seen it like this. There is something for every type of explorer in this culturally diverse region. Choose from immersive excursions such as exploring the engineering mastery of the Canal, trekking through surrounding rainforests, visiting local villages and relaxing on the pristine beaches of the Caribbean. 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.
Cruise Through the History of the Panama Canal
The warm waters of the canal and the abundance of wildlife make this a great place to explore marine life. Experience the rainforest world of sloths, learn why they're sooo slow and why these drowsy tree-dwellers sleep up to 20 hours a day when you visit the Sloth Sanctuary, an Animal Planet™ Exclusive excursion, in Limón. Step into the "birthplace of time," when you visit the Mayan archaeological site of Izapa just outside of Puerto Chiapas. Enjoy a bird's-eye-view of the world with a high-flying zipline ride in Costa Rica. Relax in a deluxe 1938 air-conditioned dome car for a different perspective on the Canal riding on the Panama Canal Railway—a Discovery™ recommended excursion.
Set sail with Princess® – the best Panama Canal cruise line
Visit some unique ports-of-call before the ever-popular trip through the canal’s locks. You may find yourself parasailing joyously in the warm air in Cabo San Lucas, or touring and exploring the oldest city in Central America – Granada. But even the most jaded travelers will be inspired by the breathtaking view and experience of the trip through the locks. In addition, you can head to the shore for a jungle excursion or cultural immersion with the intriguing natives. Try something new and exciting with a Panama Canal cruise along with Princess Cruises. Regardless of transit type, keep in mind that Panama Canal cruises can be longer-than-average sailings.
San Juan del Sur Excursions: A Volcanic Adventure in Nicaragua
This is a good time to grab lunch, take a dip in the pool or just relax for a bit. On a full-transit Panama Canal cruise, the ship enters the first set of locks (usually from the Atlantic Ocean side, as most cruises originate from there or the Caribbean). It then travels through Gatun Lake and the other sets of locks to exit the canal on the Pacific side. 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). This round-the-world cruise will visit 37 countries as guests enjoy Viking Sky's modern Scandinavian interior decor, soothing LivNordic Spa, two pools (including one with a retractable roof) and six onboard restaurants. Pricing includes airfare, gratuities and complimentary wine and beer with lunch and dinner.
Refurbished in March 2017, with a guest capacity of over 3,000, the Caribbean Princess offers more luxurious amenities, staterooms, and delicious cuisine to bring you deep into the history and culture of the Panama Canal. 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. 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. Take advantage of the final weeks of the dry season to book active outdoor adventure excursions like hiking, kayaking and zip lining. Another option is the Rainforest and Aerial Tram tour to the Gamboa Rainforest Resort in the 55,000-acre Soberania National Park.
New To Cruising
Believe in the Magic of the Holiday Season with Princess Cruises - PR Newswire
Believe in the Magic of the Holiday Season with Princess Cruises.
Posted: Mon, 20 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]
When you book with one of our partners, please be sure to check their site for a full disclosure of all applicable fees as required by the U.S. With an overwhelming world of choices, we understand you may need some personal assistance to plan your perfect vacation. From finding the right destination to choosing the best departure date, we're here to help. Plus, our experienced travel consultants have access to exclusive vacation deals to make sure you get the best value for your time and money.
Travel, Airfare, & Hotels: Let Princess Get You There
Don't be surprised if people start grabbing spots in the predawn hours in the best viewing areas. If you want a front-row view of the action, you'll probably have to do the same. Despite the early start, you'll want to be prepared for the Panama sun, as it can get surprisingly hot while you're out there waiting.
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. Hit the gift shop on the way out for a hat, T-shirt or another souvenir to mark the day you traveled in 10 hours from one ocean to another. You'll undoubtedly learn many fascinating factoids about the construction of the Panama Canal and the steps needed to cross it. This starts with the fact that the captain of the ship has to relinquish control to a Panama Canal official who is in charge of navigating the vessel through the canal the entire day.
Related Cruises
View hundreds of exotic butterflies flying freely within large meshed enclosures in Aruba. Discover the undersea splendor of Grand Cayman aboard the world’s first submarine designed for passenger excursions. Let Princess pick you up from the airport and take you directly to your ship or hotel when you arrive, even if you didn't book your airfare through us. A uniformed Princess representative meets you at the airport after you've retrieved your luggage and transports you directly to your ship or hotel without you having to worry about the logistics of navigating a new city. Have a volcanic adventure during San Juan del Sur excursions from Princess Cruises.
Today, renowned for its beauty and rich history, the canal has become an international landmark that many travelers dream of visiting. Specifically designed to travel through the Panama Canal, the Island Princess is a great choice for those who want to experience a new culture in this region. This ship also has approximately 700 balconies and a majority of its staterooms give travelers a magnificent view of the ocean. Extend your cruise vacation, and simplify your travel plans with a hotel stay at the beginning or end of your cruise. With a Cruise Plus Hotel Package, a Princess representative meets you at the airport and pier, transporting you to and from your hotel.
These itineraries include stops in Fuerte Amador, providing a comprehensive exploration of the lock system and access to Panama City. The Ocean-to-Ocean journeys can be taken between Los Angeles or San Francisco and Fort Lauderdale, or vice versa. All of these itineraries involve sailing through the historic locks of the Panama Canal. There are so many fabulous encounters with nature available from this port, you'll have a hard time deciding on a shore excursion. A visit to the Tabacon Resort Hot Springs takes you to the slopes of the active Arenal volcano.
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. During this season, there will be 3 ships embarking on 26 journeys, visiting 23 different destinations across 12 countries. These voyages will include 24 transits through the new locks and 13 transits through the historic locks of the Panama Canal. 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.
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. 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).
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. 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. And even though the crossing is fascinating, let's be honest — it can also be tedious.
No comments:
Post a Comment