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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. 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. Being in the locks is a thrilling experience and gives you an insight into how extraordinary the canal is, all the more so given that it’s more than 100 years old. You’ll see everything from giant cargo ships to small yachts making the transit.
Billboard Onboard
For a rainy-day excursion, ride the Panama Canal Railway, one of the world's great train rides. If you're in Panama City, plan an indoor excursion with a visit to the world's first museum dedicated to biodiversity, the Frank Gehry-designed Biomuseo. If you prefer to head back onto the beautiful ocean, sign up for one of Cabo’s deep-sea fishing adventures on the Sea of Cortez.
Discover the Marvels of the Panama Canal
Other historic towns include Talpa and Mascota, both colonial mining villages. The best outdoor area to explore is the nearby Veragua Rainforest Park. Here you will find hundreds of frogs, butterflies, and reptiles, in addition to monkeys, sloths, and birds up above. Just a few miles from Puerto Limón is the breathtaking Playa Bonita, the perfect tropical beach offering crystal-clear waters and soft sand. If you are an adrenalin-junkie, check out the rafting opportunities on the Reventazon River.
THE BEST Cruises from San Francisco to the Panama Canal & Central America (with Prices) on Cruise Critic - Cruise Critic
THE BEST Cruises from San Francisco to the Panama Canal & Central America (with Prices) on Cruise Critic.
Posted: Fri, 19 Apr 2024 00:15:10 GMT [source]
Celebrity Cruises' 11-night Panama Canal & Southern Caribbean cruise
If you've always wanted to get a taste of New Orleans, traveling on the Coral Princess is a great way to do so. At the Bayou Cafe and Steakhouse, you can take in a live jazz show while dining on New Orleans-inspired cuisine. On the Panama City side of the canal, you’ll sail under the graceful arch of the Bridge of the Americas, which forms part of the Pan-American Highway from Alaska to Patagonia. Just beyond the bridge, as you head toward the Pacific, look out for the Biomuseu, a striking jumble of brightly colored shapes designed by famous architect Frank Gehry, housing eight galleries showcasing Panama’s biodiversity. The narrow Culebra Cut, an artificial channel near Panama City, is lined with greenery, while the expanse of the Gatun Lake is dotted with rainforested islands and is a great place to look for wildlife.
Panama Canal Cruise Port Highlights
One of the most special things to do in this city is horseback riding on the beach, so make sure to ask your cruise line if there are any shore excursions like this on your Panama Canal cruise. By far the most popular and worthwhile attraction in the Gamboa cruise port is the Gamboa Rainforest. There is also a aerial tram that will bring you through the vast rainforest and the surrounding landscape. Another nice Gamboa shore excursion is a boat trip on the Chagres River to Gatun Lake. Many cruises through the Panama Canal offer trips to these popular ports of call that are consistent with most itineraries.
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? But not so fast — traversing the canal actually takes at least 20 hours! 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. 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.
How is the Weather on a Panama Canal Cruise?
This beautiful beach is one of the top private beaches in the world where you can find crystal-clear waters brushing up against the jungle-mountain backdrop. To learn about Puerto Vallarta’s history, head over to San Sebastian Del Oeste. This Puerto Vallarta attraction dates all the way back to 1605 as one of Mexico’s most well-preserved towns.
THE 25 BEST 2 Week Cruises to the Panama Canal & Central America (Prices & Itineraries) on Cruise Critic - Cruise Critic
THE 25 BEST 2 Week Cruises to the Panama Canal & Central America (Prices & Itineraries) on Cruise Critic.
Posted: Mon, 23 Oct 2023 22:14:44 GMT [source]
Abundant Adventures Ashore
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.
Find fascinating articles with Panama Canal cruise tips for experiencing unforgettable attractions, regional cuisine, and more on both sides of this epic man-made wonder. 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. Descend on some of the most exciting travel destinations in Central America during a Panama Canal cruise. Stops in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico; Puntarenas, Costa Rica; and Colón, Panama, means appreciating countless natural landscapes on top of traversing through the famous shortcut itself.
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. Remove the hassle from air travel and give yourself the gift of flexibility, time and a thicker wallet with Princess EZair flights. We negotiate lower rates with the airlines, allow you to modify your flight up to 45 days prior with no penalty and protect you if your flight is late or canceled. Stopping at different cruise ports during a Panama Canal crossing makes it easy to savor the varied flavors of these countries, each with its own signature spice and tang.
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. Partake in a Costa Rica excursion for a Caribbean adventure with Princess Cruises. 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. Dive-In offers a variety of casual culinary classics, using the highest quality ingredients. Enjoy a burger, grilled to perfection and served on a toasted brioche with our own trade-marked secret sauce. Savor a succulent Nathan’s Famous gourmet hot dog with golden French fries.
Therefore, if you are an engineering geek and don’t mind not getting off the ship within Panama, this itinerary is for you. By far the most popular Panama Canal itinerary for cruises runs from Florida to the West Coast– or vice versa. The most popular departure ports are Miami and Fort Lauderdale in Florida, with Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Diego serving as the larger West Coast cities. If you are bit wary to cruising, you are going to absolutely fall in love with what the Panama Canal has to offer! I had the chance to experience this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity on my Panama Canal cruise back in December 2019, and to this date, it is my favorite cruise that I have been on. Traversing the 40-mile Panama Canal is a rite of passage and something you'll remember for a lifetime.
The Poas volcano features the amazing sight of a huge crater filled with iridescent blue water. Walk through a cloud forest at Villa Blanca, where you're surrounded by mist and water droplets clinging to the vegetation. See one of Costa Rica's renowned rain forests at Pura Vida Gardens, or climb a set of wooden steps up to the La Paz Waterfall Gardens.
If you've booked a pre- or post-cruise hotel in town, be sure to catch a sunset from one of the city's many rooftop bars. You can celebrate Panama's Separation Day on Nov. 3 or Flag Day on Nov. 4. These holidays, along with a few others in November, feature parades, parties and other displays of national pride, so you can expect it to be busy in towns across the country.
These expansive staterooms include include two lower beds convertible to one queen-size bed—our Signature Mariner's Dream™ bed with plush Euro-Top mattresses, premium massage shower heads, a host of amenities and an ocean view. Regent Seven Seas Cruises' newest ship, Seven Seas Grandeur, debuts in November 2023 and its first two Panama Canal itineraries in early 2024 are already waitlisted. Carnival Cruises has a range of Panama Canal cruises leaving from different ports in the US, including Tampa, New Orleans and Galveston. 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.
Add peace of mind and a sense of security to your vacation with a Cruise Plus® Hotel Package. Give yourself a few days to relax either before or after your Panama Canal cruise and take in the sights of a sensational city. Princess handles all the details – including transfers and baggage handling – with accommodations selected for their incredible locations and excellent service. The canal never stops working and you will traverse along with other ships and boats and witness the swift movement of these vessels. Step into the past as you stroll down the Spanish Colonial lanes of Antigua in Guatemala, a picturesque town with pastel buildings and balconies filled with pink flowers.
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