Panama Canal Cruises
Cruises through the Panama Canal is a great vacation choice for anyone wanting to explore the land of the
ancient Mayan and Incan empires. A cruise like this can serve as your nostalgic trip through time. The lush jungles
of Costa Rica, coupled with the ancient glory of Mexico make Panama Canal cruises some of the most appealing in the
world.
Whether you are looking for an adventurous onshore excursion or simply enjoying the ocean views from your cruise
ship, you
will be amazed by all the scenery surrounding you.
Eco-Tourism
If you prefer the view of unspoiled jungles and rain forests and want to experience an exotic, tropical
ecosystem, then a cruise around the Panama Canal is a terrific choice for your time away. You'd be hard pressed to
find a more attractive location almost anywhere.
Whether it's bird watching or simply taking in the glory of all the flora and fauna that is unique to the
region, what you'll find are some mind-blowing natural vistas. This could be your greatest opportunity to see and
experience a real rain forest.
Which Cruise Lines Sail through the Panama
Canal?
Panama Canal cruises are available from a number of cruise lines. From Holland America to Celebrity, Princess,
Royal Caribbean and most other cruise lines, you can select just about any ship which has the most appealing
features. Additionally, with so many choices you will be able to select from various itineraries and determine a
trip price that fits your budget. The more cruise lines, the better the deals for you.
Trans-Canal or Partial Crossing?
When researching Panama Canal cruise options you may come across the terms, "trans-canal" or "partial" crossing.
What do these terms mean? Trans-canal crossing is considered the more traditional crossing, in that you spend a day
on the Canal, crossing from ocean to ocean. A Partial Crossing is one in which the ship just crosses through one
lock and lets passengers off for a day of shore excursions. You decide which trip appeals to you more.
Ports and Shore Excursions
The ports of call you stop at are basically like a roll call of international glamour and tropical fun.
Depending on the cruise line and the cruise you choose, you will typically leaving from either Miami or Fort
Lauderdale, Florida and ending up at San Diego, Los Angeles or San Francisco, California (or vice versa), and make
stops at such ports as:
- George Town, Grand Cayman
- Cartagena, Colombia
- Panama Canal
- Puntarenas, Costa Rica
- Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala
- Oranjestad, Aruba
- Willemstad, Curacao
- San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Huatulco, Mexico
- Acapulco, Mexico
- Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Once again, you can search for an itinerary that makes the stops that appeal to you.
As for shore excursions, you can be as adventurous as you want. Using Celebrity Cruises as an example, you have
a wide variety of shore excursions to choose from in many different ports, including:
- Eco Snorkeling in Cabo San Lucas
- The Dolphin Kiss Encounter at Dolphin Cove in George Town, Grand Cayman
- Aerial Tram and Zip Line Tour in Puerto Limon, Costa Rica
Panama Canal Shore Excursions
Cruising through the Panama Canal isn't just about going through the Canal; there are plenty of exciting shore
excursions in Panama. Two very popular ones include Monkey Watch on the jungle-covered islands of Lake
Gatun, and an excursion on the Panama Canal Railroad - a fully restored vintage 1938
deluxe domed railcar.
Best Time to Go on a Panama Canal Cruise
The season for cruises through the Panama Canal runs from October to April. The rainy season runs through
November, so you may want to wait until December.
Synonyms: Cruses, cruies, crusises, crusies, curises, cuise, crusis, cruces, crise, cruis, cruse, and
cruize are typos for "cruise" or "cruises."
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