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There are so many adventure sports such as kayaking, rafting, rappelling, and horseback riding. 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. The most important thing to do is to head up on deck and absorb this spectacular experience.
Abundant Adventures Ashore
On Celebrity Summit, guests of The Retreat can view the locks from the Retreat Sundeck on deck 12 forward. 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. Our one-way cruises take you either east or westbound between Florida and California. See the intricate workings of the locks and the graceful Bridge of the Americas as you cross the narrow Panama isthmus.
Panama Canal Cruise Port Highlights
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. Many Panama Canal and Central America ports are relatively industrial, and some -- particularly Colon and Puerto Limon -- have a reputation for petty crime within the main city.
Panama Canal (Cruising) Shore Excursions
Cruise Critic is not a booking agent and does not charge any service fees to users of our site. 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. While the temperature in Panama is reliably warm, averaging between around 77°F and 87°F all year, rainfall can vary quite significantly. November is the peak of the wet season when most days see a vast amount of rain.
Travel Is Our Tradition
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. Most of the major lines and some smaller ones offer at least a few Panama Canal sailings each season. Full transits are also available as part of longer voyages like world cruises, circumnavigations of South America, or other extended-length journeys. They offer longer itineraries than partial cruises for those who have the time (and money) to spare.
Take the world's greatest shortcut with our Panama Canal cruise.
The package includes the cost of your hotel stay, transportation, luggage handling and the services of the representative. Late March and April also offer lower fares as it's the beginning of the rainy season, but you can expect crowds during the Holy Week festivities in the country. If you want the best pricing and fewer crowds, October and November are the rainy season, so the pricing will be lower — and you'll avoid the holiday crowds and high fares in December.
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THE 6 BEST 7 Day Cruises to the Panama Canal & Central America (Prices & Itineraries) on Cruise Critic - Cruise Critic
THE 6 BEST 7 Day Cruises to the Panama Canal & Central America (Prices & Itineraries) on Cruise Critic.
Posted: Mon, 23 Oct 2023 17:42:29 GMT [source]
This translates into the easy planning of a crossing anytime is convenient for you. Partake in a Costa Rica excursion for a Caribbean adventure with Princess Cruises. 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. The tram climbs 280 feet through the dense jungle vegetation to reach the tree canopy above.
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. If you have an extended stay in Panama City, consider a trip to the Archipelago de las Perlas (Pearl Islands) in southeastern Panama to view the humpback whales. It's a short flight to the islands, or you can travel by ferry to see the whales that are still in the waters around the archipelago after coming to breed in August and September. If traveling earlier in the month, you may also see nesting loggerheads and green turtles southeast of Panama City in Isla Canas (Cane Island) or Bocas del Toro. October is a rainy month, but it's also one of the coolest months of the year, with high temperatures in the low to mid-80s.
Panama Canal Cruise Highlights
Many cruisers consider a cruise through the Panama Canal a must-do, and for a long time, the itineraries drew mostly seniors, due to the length of a full-transit trip (which usually runs 14 days). Partial Panama Canal cruises -- where ships only go halfway through the locks before turning around -- not only cut the number of days, but increase day-trip options in the Central American cities near the canal. While several ships bring lecturers onboard to talk about the canal's history, this is one trip where a little extra reading might add to your enjoyment. "The Path Between the Seas," by historian David McCullough, is highly recommended. Experience one of the wonders of the modern world on Holland America Line’s Panama Canal cruises.
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. You too could experience this truly extraordinary transit, rising up – or down – 26 meters above sea level through six sets of locks, all against a backdrop of ever-changing scenery. Then, after you make the journey, a whole host of exciting experiences await in Central America itself. Whether you’ve always longed to experience the infamous mechanisms of the Panama Canal, or it’s something you’ve not given much thought to, a Panama Canal cruise unlocks a wealth of enticing destinations and experiences.
With drier weather and high temperatures hovering around 88 degrees, it's less humid in the region in December. 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.
The calm, warm waters of the Bay of Banderas make for excellent diving, or you can just watch artists sculpt spectacular creations in the sand. The fine art galleries in El Centro are perfect spots to explore local art. 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. There are excursions to an Embera village, too, where you can learn about the traditional lifestyle of this rainforest tribe.
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