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Or go snorkeling along the coral reef off the coast of Grand Cayman. 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. The thrill is not over after you go through the canal locks, there's more to see as you travel through the canal, with tropical flora and fauna adorning the way.
PANAMA CANAL CRUISES
Then continue your Viking journey to the heart of the Caribbean & Central America. For any cruises listed, Cruise Critic does not guarantee any specific rates or prices. 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.
Bottom line: The best time to cruise the Panama Canal
You will likely be safer on a shore excursion, booked through the ship or independently, than if you decide to head on your own into town. If you're not a fan of tours, know that in Colon, city officials have regulated taxis and provided good shopping and cafe facilities at the two main cruise ship docking areas, Colon 2000 and nearby Cristobal Pier. During your visit, be sure to look for monkeys, sloths, iguanas, blue-footed boobies, capybaras, crocodiles and even manatees on a jungle boat tour along the canal and into Gatun Lake. 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.
Highlights of Panama Canal Cruises
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. Stay current with special offers, news and destination-focused content. Panamanian food is best enjoyed in a typical fonda, the small and affordable diners found all over the city. Feast on a bowl of sancocho (meat and vegetable stew), patacones (plantain patties) or arroz con gandules (pigeon pea rice) to taste what makes Panama City so special. When you choose to apply (and are approved) for a new credit card through our site, we may receive compensation from our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear.
The Panama Canal is one of the most astonishing human-made wonders, a sliver of ingenuity that allows ships to move from one ocean to another. Cruise from the Pacific to the Atlantic, or vice versa, and take in the scenery as you move through this engineering marvel built in 1914. Rates & offers are subject to select dates & categories, cruise only, per person, based on double occupancy, in US Dollars & include NCCF. All government taxes and fees may change without notice -- please confirm at time of booking. All rates & offers are capacity controlled, are subject to availability & confirmation, & may change without notice. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed -- please confirm details at time of booking.
Amazing experiences coming soon.
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. 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. This is one situation where a balcony cabin offers a unique perspective, but it isn't really a necessity (unlike on an Alaska or Hawaii itinerary, where you're guaranteed gorgeous scenery on either side of your ship). Bigger ships can only squeak through the canal, with two feet (or less) on either side. While the railing of the balcony can give you a better appreciation for just how tight that squeeze is, being up on the bow is the best way to appreciate the full scope of the process.
January
Another exciting alternative is to take a trek through the rain forest at Gamboa, or visit an authentic Embera Indian Village on the Chagres River (which often takes place by canoe). 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. March is also the last month for surfing enthusiasts to hit the big waves on the Caribbean and Pacific coasts. 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.
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. So set your alarm; the sooner you can pull yourself out of bed, the better the spot you'll snag. Other great shore excursion options include taking the refurbished Panama Railway from the Pacific to the Atlantic. It rides parallel to the Canal and offers a great view in luxuriously paneled railway cars.
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. Some ships will do their best to make passengers comfortable, offering chilled towels and water, juice and Panama rolls (Danish-like pastries with sweet fruit filling in the center) for a small breakfast alfresco. Tortuguero National Park offers close encounters with the green tortoise, crocodiles, monkeys and exotic birds, all seen at water level on the canals. This port on the western coast of Guatemala provides access to the colonial city of Antigua, which has earned status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its architecture and ruins. The port provides a jumping-off point for tours of working coffee plantations, the Pacaya Volcano (one of the country's many active mountains) and Lake Atitlan.
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.
Panama Canal Cruise Cancelled, Are Other Cruises at Risk? - Cruise Hive
Panama Canal Cruise Cancelled, Are Other Cruises at Risk?.
Posted: Thu, 21 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Panama enjoys a gentle tropical weather almost every day of the year. This translates into the easy planning of a crossing anytime is convenient for you. 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.
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.
Plus, our experienced travel consultants have access to exclusive vacation deals to make sure you get the best value for your time and money. 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. It used to be that only smaller Panamax ships could squeeze through the locks of the Panama Canal.
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