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Holland America offers a variety of Panama Canal cruises, but the most popular itineraries span 14 to 16 days. They offer a full transit between Fort Lauderdale and San Diego, or vice versa, and are offered on multiple ships, including Zaandam, Eurodam, Nieuw Amsterdam and Volendam. These sailings call on Cartagena, Colombia; Puntarenas, Costa Rica; Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala; Huatulco and Puerto Vallarta or Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Experiencing the Panama Canal doesn't have to be time-consuming or budget-busting. The array of options means that a Panama Canal cruise experience is possible even if you're short on time or have a limited budget — and chances are high that your favorite cruise line offers one or more itineraries. Most sailings attract couples, typically retirees, but if the timing is right a Panama Canal cruise can also be a great multi-generational experience.
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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. 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.
Exotic Views
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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.
Options to Choose From
Several longer, one-way Panama Canal cruises are still available for booking at this time. Radiance of the Seas has three transits planned, starting with a 16-night eastbound transit from San Diego to Tampa, departing on October 7, 2023. Authorities have already restricted canal access to ships with a draft of 43 feet or less because of low water levels.
Depending on the sailing date, Rhapsody of the Seas may still visit Cartagena, and visits such as Curacao, Aruba, and Bonaire are part of different itineraries. The original 7-night itineraries were to have begun by setting sail from Colon, Panama and visiting Cartagena, Colombia before cruising the complete transit of the Panama Canal. Two ports in Costa Rica followed – Puntarenas and Quepos – before the ship reached Panama City, Panama, for debarkation.
Night Panama Canal Westward CruiseDetails
You can also try Hojaldre, a fried dough made with eggs and flour. This is often served with sausages, eggs and local cheese for breakfast. And for dessert, enjoy a Pesada de Nance, made from fruits like the nance (a sour fruit related to the cherry). The nances are cooked with evaporated milk and corn flour, and then topped with cheese and served hot or cold.
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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. 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. 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.
The average year-round temperature in Panama is about 86 degrees, so it doesn't vary much during the year, but it's more humid in October with the wet weather. It's also possible to have hurricanes this time of year if you're cruising in the Caribbean. It used to be that only smaller Panamax ships could squeeze through the locks of the Panama Canal.
Related Cruises
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Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information. 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. 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. You can expect crowds, especially with the festivals during that time. Carnival is a festival in mid-January in Panama City and other towns around the country.
Follow our social media and blog for the latest cruise and travel news, including our best vacation deals. 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. 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.
From the biodiversity to the history of the country, a lot of which comes from the creation of the Panama Canal, which has connected the world in ways previously unimagined. Panama is one of those magical places you just have to see for yourself. Visit beautiful beaches, hike stunning mountains, sip on fresh coffee, enjoy traditional Panamanian cuisine, and still not even scratch the surface of this small but mighty country. It's a place that can't be missed and should be high on your travel bucket list.
There's a cruise with stops in Manzanillo, Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas. When to cruise the Panama Canal will depend on what's most important to you. Experience a full crossing with our slideshow, Postcards from a Panama Canal Transit on Celebrity Infinity.
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. 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.
However, when French engineer Philippe-Jean Bunau-Varilla, who had been involved in France's canal projects, began lobbying Americans to purchase the project, things changed. Apparently, he started sending senators a Nicaragua postage stamp that showed one of the many volcanoes you can find in the country. U.S. senators agreed that since Panama had no volcanoes, it was a better choice for the canal.
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