13 Tips for Visiting the Panama Canal

Table Of Content

• San Juan del Sur Excursions: A Volcanic Adventure in Nicaragua
• When to Book a Cruise to the Panama Canal to Avoid Crowds
• Abundant adventures ashore
• Panama Canal Cruise Mistakes, Do’s and Don’ts
• Can passengers book excursions to visit national parks or UNESCO sites during a Panama Canal cruise?
• Make time for the visitor center but manage expectations

On Celebrity Beyond, guests of The Retreat can take in the view from The Retreat Sundeck. Other vantage points include the Magic Carpet, cantilevered over the side of the ship, as well as the Rooftop Terrace and the Sunset Bar. Touring the San Lorenzo and Portobelo forts, UNESCO World Heritage Sites known for their examples of Spanish colonial military architecture, adds perspective to the region’s importance. Ramps, not stairs, lead to the top of a 98-foot-high observation tower, from which you might see ships passing through the canal.

San Juan del Sur Excursions: A Volcanic Adventure in Nicaragua

Panama Canal Cruises: Everything You Need to Know - Cruise Critic

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Mid-December is a great time to cruise the Panama Canal as it’s not as rainy as November – you might experience the odd shower, but nothing too much. After the rainy season, the hills and jungles are at their most beautiful. December is also a relatively inexpensive time to cruise, and you won’t find the ports to be overcrowded.

When to Book a Cruise to the Panama Canal to Avoid Crowds

On your visit to the Panama Canal, complement your experience with an outing through the area’s amazing rainforest. Be sure to pack a hat, refillable water bottle, long-sleeved, lightweight top, and pants that protect you from sunburn. And don’t forget to lather on sunscreen and insect repellent if you’re headed into the rainforest. In 2016, wider, longer, and deeper lanes were opened to accommodate larger passenger and cargo vessels, known as New Panamax or Neo Panamax ships. Engineers employed so much steel in the $5.2 billion expansion of the locks that they could have constructed 22 Eiffel Towers.

Abundant adventures ashore

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While occasional showers are still possible, they are less frequent and generally short-lived compared to the wet season. Keep in mind, though, that the dry season is also the most popular time for tourists, so you may encounter larger crowds and potentially higher prices. The partial Panama Canal experience isn't much shorter than a full crossing, but you'll experience the Caribbean-side locks twice and miss out on the Pacific side.

Windstar Cruises' 7-night Costa Rica & Panama Canal cruise

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. Most travelers will travel to this area for its breathtaking views– strategically located right where Playa del Amor and Playa del Divorcio join. If you would like to explore some of the traditional Mexican culture, head over to San Jose del Cabo. This area is the official “Old Town” of Cabo San Lucas, offering plenty of tasty local eateries and artisanal shops.

Panama Canal Cruise Mistakes, Do’s and Don’ts

This modern, brightly-colored building is found just across the causeway and illustrates the story of the Panama isthmus formation. Another popular excursion is Casco Viejo, the older area of the city famous for its narrow streets surrounded by flower-lined balconies. Here, you can explore historic cathedrals and sites while browsing the local shops for souvenirs. If you are wanting to get the “Panama Canal Experience” but are looking for a round-trip itinerary, I highly suggest looking into the Panama Canal Partial Crossing cruises.

Regardless of when you choose to sail, a Panama Canal cruise offers a unique and unforgettable experience, combining engineering marvels, natural beauty, and rich history. Just be prepared for the weather conditions of your chosen travel period and get ready to embark on a once-in-a-lifetime journey through this awe-inspiring waterway. During this time, the demand for cruises is lower due to increased rainfall and higher humidity. As a result, cruise lines may offer more competitive fares and promotions to attract passengers.

Make time for the visitor center but manage expectations

This translates into the easy planning of a crossing anytime is convenient for you. The general consensus is that the best time for a Panama Canal cruise is from September through April. The busy cruise seasons typically starts in December, after the rains have subsided. Winter and early-spring are the times you’ll want to book your Panama Canal cruise. If you’d like to enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime boating experience, you’ll need to save up for a while beforehand. And once you’ve gathered a sufficient budget, it’s time to go and find the best Panama Canal cruise.

ONE TRIP, MANY ADVENTURES

A sailing from Miami to Los Angeles visits Cartagena, Puntarenas in Costa Rica, and Puerto Vallarta. Experiencing this marvel of early 20th-century engineering appeals to those with a wide array of interests, from history and politics to colonial architecture and wildlife spotting. 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.

Until the canal was built, the trans-isthmus trek involved a winding path through jungle rivers. Built by the US and opened in 1914, the canal was handed over to Panamanian control in 1999. Nowadays, the canal can now accommodate vessels that are longer, wider and heavier than before, thanks to a new expansion nine years in the making. You'll get to see other ships as they cross, too, giving you a different vantage point and a new way of learning how the canal works. A cruise to the Panama Canal is filled with country-hopping adventures that take you to Mexico's Mayan ruins, white beaches in Cabo San Lucas or Colonial treasures in Colombia.

Experience one of the wonders of the modern world on Holland America Line’s Panama Canal cruises. Our Panama cruise itineraries depart from both east and west coasts for loads of convenient options. A cruise to the Panama Canal is an incredible experience, worthy of any bucket list as you travel between oceans. The shipping channel—which took 33 years to complete and cost more than 25,000 workers their lives—is arguably the greatest engineering achievement of all time. As you cruise the canal, you will pass through the two-chambered Miraflores Locks, the one-chambered Pedro Miguel Lock, and three-chambered Gatun Locks. Along the way you’ll find Gatun Lake, once the largest manmade lake in the world, which has proved a boon for the species that thrive here, undisturbed by the passing ships.

To dive deeper into Cartagena’s history, head over to San Felipe Castle— the most famous landmark in Cartagena, built back in 1657. Alternatively, for those who were hoping to see the full canal, you can book a shore excursion on a smaller boat to the Centennial Bridge, Gaillard Cut, and the Bridge of the Americas. Technically the Caribbean side of Panama Canal measures twice the amount of rain as Panama City, notable for short and unpredictable afternoon thunderstorms during the spring months. For any cruises listed, Cruise Critic does not guarantee any specific rates or prices. Bring hiking boots or athletic shoes, not sandals, for some of the excursions.

Prior to the canal’s opening in 1914, vessels transiting the two oceans had to circumnavigate South America. If you are doing a full transit through to the Pacific Ocean side and you're staying in the area, you might want to carve out some time for the Miraflores Visitor Center. However, as of press time, the four exhibition halls that portray the canal's history, construction, biodiversity and importance are temporarily closed for renovations. Obviously, a forward location on the ship will give you a clear vantage point as you head into the locks. After that, you'll traverse the Chagres River, then sail 8 miles through the Culebra Cut.