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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. This incredible 48-mile passageway is an engineering marvel that took several attempts to complete. When you sail through you really get a sense of the magnitude of the project, which was completed in 1914. To cruise through the Panama Canal you can leave from either the East Coast or the West Coast.
Highlights of Panama Canal Cruises
But since a Panama Canal cruise is unique, you'll encounter some logistical considerations that you won't on other itineraries — including the fact that your debarkation and embarkation ports might be different. The seafood is fresh, the sun is shining and there’s a whole lot to do, so get out there and explore the city before, during and after your cruise from Port Canaveral, Florida. Best known for the Pacific Princess on the Love Boat, Princess Cruises has been a leading name in cruising and visits a wide range of destinations. You can shop just about anywhere when you visit Panama City, but you'll find the best specialty stores in Casco Viejo. With your Panama City cruise, head to El Farol for a wide range of traditional Panama hats, to Reprosa for local art and jewelry, or to La Ronda for Embera baskets made in the Darien forest. Add peace of mind and a sense of security to your vacation with a Cruise Plus® Hotel Package.
Panama City (Fuerte Amador), Panama
Once you’ve crossed the lake, you will descend 85 feet back to sea level through another set of locks. 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. 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. The word “nami,” Japanese in origin, means “wave” and is an homage to the ocean views you’ll enjoy as you dine on the freshest, tastiest and most inventive sushi at sea. Dive-In offers a variety of casual culinary classics, using the highest quality ingredients.
See A Modern Marvel On Panama Canal Cruises
Discover for yourself why Norwegian is the Best Cruise Line in Panama Canal & Central America according to Cruise Critic. The ultimate journey between two continents and two mighty oceans, a Panama Canal cruise encompasses Spanish colonial architecture, verdant rainforest and an engineering marvel. And be sure to explore the complex and fascinating history of the Panama Canal. Personalize your cruise experience once you’re on the ship with our free mobile-friendly tool.
Found by the waterfront promenade, the lavish and ornate Teatro Nacional features burgundy carpeting, a gold facade and brass fixtures, as well as a mural by local artist Roberto Lewis. Sit in one of the many gilded balconies under an exquisite crystal chandelier and enjoy a world-class performance during your vacation. Entering Gatun Lake, it’s fun to be forward on deck as you can see the procession of ships coming towards you. You could also be aft, at the back of the ship, with a pair of binoculars to spot other ships.
Related Ports
A short trip from the port at Puerto Quetzal, the city is home to museums like Casa de los Sueños, where the history of this town is depicted through art. 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. Accessible only by water taxi, El Arco at Land's End in Cabo San Lucas is a natural rock arch that frames a powdery beach. It's the perfect backdroparagraphCopy for a jaw-dropping photograph — just watch out for the sea lions that like to photobomb while sunbathing on the rocks. 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.
Azamara boasts more overnights in ports, longer stays and night time tours. The Panama Canal offers a special vacation experience you won’t find anywhere else in the world. On a transit from Panama City to Colon, the futuristic skyline of Panama City will be on your starboard (right) side. When you pass through the skinny Culebra Cut between Panama City and Gamboa, you’ll have the greenery of a national park on both sides, so this is a good time to look for monkeys and toucans in the trees.
Panama Canal Partial Transit
It's often slow, refreshing only every five or 10 seconds, but it can still be fun to text or call friends and family and have them look for you. The guide will have downtime during certain parts of the day, so feel free to ask questions then. 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. Here are some Panama Canal cruise tips to help you plan and get the most out of this bucket list experience. Situated on the Pacific Ocean, San Diego is known for its near perfect weather, beautiful beaches and abundance of activities.
Holland America Line Navigator
THE 25 BEST Cruises from Fort Lauderdale to the Panama Canal & Central America (with Prices) on Cruise Critic - Cruise Critic
THE 25 BEST Cruises from Fort Lauderdale to the Panama Canal & Central America (with Prices) on Cruise Critic.
Posted: Mon, 23 Oct 2023 18:20:05 GMT [source]
On Celebrity Beyond, guests of The Retreat can take in the view from The Retreat Sundeck. Other vantage points include the Magic Carpet, cantilevered over the side of the ship, as well as the Rooftop Terrace and the Sunset Bar. 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.
BEST Celebrity Cruises to the Panama Canal & Central America (with Prices) 2024 & 2025 on Cruise Critic - Cruise Critic
BEST Celebrity Cruises to the Panama Canal & Central America (with Prices) 2024 & 2025 on Cruise Critic.
Posted: Mon, 23 Oct 2023 15:48:18 GMT [source]
Meals at Canaletto are half price for kids 12 years old or under, or free when they order from the kids’ menu. 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. You'll first see the skyscrapers of Balboa on the port side, then eventually the Bridge of the Americas will come into view. Take some photos and video as you go underneath it; if it's too crowded with passengers jockeying for position, head aft on the ship and snap some after you pass under it. Passenger ships will usually invite a local guide on board to provide a running commentary of what's happening all day; usually, their narration is piped through the ship's intercom.
On the flip side, the ship will often sail round-trip from Florida, allowing passengers to enjoy various Caribbean ports before and after the transit. Passengers can purchase round-trip airfare or even drive to their departure port, which can be cheaper and logically easier than ending up on the opposite coast than you set out from. 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). Thanks to a 2016 canal expansion project, a third set of locks can now accommodate larger vessels.
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. 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. After that, you'll traverse the Chagres River, then sail 8 miles through the Culebra Cut. The initial descent starts at the single-stage Pedro Miguel Lock, which lowers the ship 31 feet.
Sample shrimp and coconut rice or white fish ceviche marinated in lime and habanero. Seek out golden-brown empanadas stuffed with meat and cheese or sancocho, a hearty chicken stew with corn, squash and herbs. Finish your meal with raspados, the local dessert of grated ice sweetened with condensed milk.
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