25 cruises found
A Panama Canal cruise is first and foremost an extraordinary day in transit: the ship moves slowly through the locks, guided by towing locomotives and flanked by concrete walls, then crosses Lake Gatún as the rainforest immediately reclaims the landscape around the canal.
The journey is about more than this feat of engineering, however. It can also take you to Casco Antiguo in Panama City, the Caribbean forts of Portobelo, Colombia’s beaches and colonial towns, or Costa Rica’s lush landscapes.
Depending on the type of transit and ship you choose, the experience may be an extended crossing between two oceans, a shorter tropical itinerary, or a more leisurely journey focused on history, nature, and onboard comfort.
Your search criteria:
Panama canal
Itinerary : Miami, Ocho Rios, Cartagena, Colon - Panama, Puerto Limon, Roatan, Belize City, Miami, Cartagena, Colon - Panama, Panama canal (enter), Panama Canal, Huatulco, Cabo San Lucas, San Diego, Los Angeles, Seattle
MSC Poesia
30 d
Inside Stateroom
Miami
03/28/2027
from
4 042 $CA
Itinerary : Puntarenas, Río Esquinas, Manuel Antonio (National Park), Manta, Curu, Puntarenas
Le Bougainville
8 d
Balcony Stateroom
Puntarenas
12/12/2027
from
7 528 $CA
Itinerary : Puntarenas, Río Esquinas, Manuel Antonio (National Park), Manta, Curu, Puntarenas
2 other departures
Le Bellot
8 d
Balcony Stateroom
Puntarenas
01/11/2028
from
7 990 $CA
Other departures:
08 Dec 2027
04 Jan 2028
Itinerary : Miami, Cozumel, Belize City, Roatan, Puerto Limon, Bocas del Toro, Panama Canal, Fuerte Amador
Azamara Quest
10 d
Inside Stateroom
Miami
01/05/2028
from
5 149 $CA
Itinerary : Miami, Cozumel, Belize City, Roatan, Puerto Limon, Bocas del Toro, Panama Canal, Fuerte Amador, Manta, Callao, Pisco, Coquimbo, Valparaiso
Azamara Quest
20 d
Inside Stateroom
Miami
01/05/2028
from
10 878 $CA
Itinerary : Fort Lauderdale, Cozumel, Belize City, Santo Tomas, Roatan, Puerto Limon, Cartagena, Panama Canal, Fuerte Amador, Manta, Guayaquil, Salaverry, Lima
Crystal Symphony
19 d
Ocean view Stateroom
Fort Lauderdale
01/11/2028
from
15 188 $CA
Itinerary : Miami, Panama Canal, Fuerte Amador, Guayaquil, Trujillo, Callao, General San Martin, Hango Roa - Easter island, Robinson Crusoe Island, Valparaiso
Seabourn Quest
30 d
Suite
Miami
01/07/2028
from
21 468 $CA
Itinerary : Miami, Cozumel, Belize City, Roatan, Puerto Limon, Bocas del Toro, Panama Canal, Fuerte Amador, Manta, Callao, Pisco, Coquimbo, Valparaiso, Puerto Montt, Castro - Chiloe Island, Port Chacabuco, Chilean Fjords, Punta Arenas, Ushuaia, Gerlache's Detroit, Port Stanley, Punta del este, Montevideo, Buenos Aires
Azamara Quest
43 d
Inside Stateroom
Miami
01/05/2028
from
26 858 $CA
Itinerary : Cabo San Lucas, Puntarenas
Le Bellot
8 d
Balcony Stateroom
Cabo San Lucas
03/25/2028
from
3 582 $CA
Itinerary : Cabo San Lucas, Puntarenas
Le Bellot
8 d
Balcony Stateroom
Cabo San Lucas
03/22/2027
from
3 880 $CA
Itinerary : Callao, Fuerte Amador, Panama Canal, Puerto Limon, San Andres Island, Cozumel, Miami
Azamara Journey
12 d
Inside Stateroom
Callao
03/18/2027
from
4 819 $CA
Itinerary : Colon - Panama, Panama Canal, Islas Las Perlas, Isla Iguana, Coiba, Gulf of Chiriquí Marine Park (Panama), Golfito, Quepos, Isla de tortuga, Puerta Caldera
Star Clipper
10 d
Inside Stateroom
Colon - Panama
01/20/2028
from
6 034 $CA
Itinerary : Colon - Panama, San Blas, Crossing Panama canal, Fuerte Amador, Playa Muerto, Golfito, Puntarenas
Le Bougainville
8 d
Balcony Stateroom
Colon - Panama
12/29/2027
from
8 221 $CA
Itinerary : Fuerte Amador, Panama Canal, Puerto Limon, Roatan, Santo Tomas, Belize City, Cozumel, PORTO PROGRESO, Fort Lauderdale
Crystal Serenity
12 d
Ocean view Stateroom
Fuerte Amador
12/11/2027
from
8 255 $CA
Itinerary : Colon - Panama, San Blas, Crossing Panama canal, Fuerte Amador, Playa Muerto, Golfito, Puntarenas
Le Bellot
8 d
Balcony Stateroom
Colon - Panama
11/07/2026
from
9 872 $CA
Itinerary : Colon - Panama, San Blas, Crossing Panama canal, Fuerte Amador, Playa Muerto, Golfito, Puntarenas
Le Laperouse
8 d
Balcony Stateroom
Colon - Panama
02/26/2027
from
9 872 $CA
Itinerary : Colon - Panama, San Blas, Porto Bello, Crossing Panama canal, Playa Muerto, Golfito, Puntarenas
Le Laperouse
8 d
Balcony Stateroom
Colon - Panama
01/15/2027
from
10 896 $CA
Itinerary : Colon - Panama, Fort San Lorenzo, San Blas, Crossing Panama canal, Pearl Islands, Pacheca Island, Playa Muerto, Coiba, Río Esquinas, Curu, Puntarenas
3 other departures
Le Bellot
11 d
Balcony Stateroom
Colon - Panama
12/25/2027
from
11 061 $CA
Other departures:
21 Nov 2026
14 Jan 2027
28 Nov 2027
Itinerary : Colon - Panama, Fort San Lorenzo, San Blas, Crossing Panama canal, Pearl Islands, Pacheca Island, Playa Muerto, Coiba, Río Esquinas, Curu, Puntarenas
Le Bougainville
11 d
Balcony Stateroom
Colon - Panama
12/02/2027
from
11 738 $CA
Itinerary : Aruba, Panama Canal, Fuerte Amador, Guayaquil, Callao, General San Martin, Valparaiso
Seabourn Pursuit
17 d
Suite
Aruba
10/02/2028
from
14 411 $CA
Itinerary : Bridgetown, Kralendjik, Willemstad (Curaçao), Oranjestad, Puerto Plata, Nassau, Miami, Cozumel, Belize City, Roatan, Puerto Limon, Bocas del Toro, Panama Canal, Fuerte Amador, Manta, Callao, Pisco, Coquimbo, Valparaiso
Azamara Quest
29 d
Inside Stateroom
Bridgetown
12/27/2027
from
14 460 $CA
Itinerary : Colon - Panama, Fort San Lorenzo, San Blas, Crossing Panama canal, Pearl Islands, Pacheca Island, Playa Muerto, Coiba, Río Esquinas, Curu, Puntarenas
Le Laperouse
11 d
Balcony Stateroom
Colon - Panama
12/19/2026
from
15 551 $CA
Itinerary : Colon - Panama, Porto Bello, San Blas, Crossing Panama canal, Pearl Islands, Pacheca Island, Playa Muerto, Coiba, Río Esquinas, Curu, Puntarenas
Le Bellot
11 d
Balcony Stateroom
Colon - Panama
12/18/2026
from
15 584 $CA
Itinerary : Valparaiso, Coquimbo, Iquique, Pisco, Lima, Salaverry, Guayaquil, Fuerte Amador, Panama Canal, Puerto Limon, Roatan, Santo Tomas, Belize City, Cozumel, PORTO PROGRESO, Fort Lauderdale
Crystal Serenity
24 d
Ocean view Stateroom
Valparaiso
11/29/2027
from
16 344 $CA
Itinerary : Buenos Aires, Punta del este, Puerto Madryn, Port Stanley, Ushuaia, Punta Arenas, Chilean Fjords, San Rafael Lagoon, Port Chacabuco, Castro - Chiloe Island, Puerto Montt, Valparaiso, Coquimbo, Iquique, Pisco, Lima, Salaverry, Guayaquil, Fuerte Amador, Panama Canal, Puerto Limon, Roatan, Santo Tomas, Belize City, Cozumel, PORTO PROGRESO, Fort Lauderdale
Crystal Serenity
42 d
Ocean view Stateroom
Buenos Aires
11/11/2027
from
29 056 $CA
Miraflores
Lake Gatún
Gaillard Cut
Lake Gatún
Gaillard Cut
Miraflores
Gaillard Cut
Miraflores
Lake Gatún
Casco Antiguo
Amador Causeway
Miraflores
Amador Causeway
Miraflores
Casco Antiguo
Miraflores
Casco Antiguo
Amador Causeway
Agua Clara
Portobelo
Isla Grande
Portobelo
Isla Grande
Agua Clara
Isla Grande
Agua Clara
Portobelo
Lake Gatún
Gamboa
Soberanía
Gamboa
Soberanía
Lake Gatún
Soberanía
Lake Gatún
Gamboa
Weather & swimming
The most comfortable time, with drier weather, more manageable heat, and better conditions for sightseeing and scenic views.
Expert advice
This is the most recommended time for a first Panama Canal cruise, especially if you want to combine the transit, Casco Antiguo, the locks, and nature excursions.
Weather & swimming
A wider range of options is available across cruise lines, including many repositioning itineraries, full or partial transits, and combined Caribbean/Pacific cruises.
Expert advice
If you are looking for a full transit, compare the dates, direction of travel, and embarkation and disembarkation ports: the duration and logistics vary widely.
Weather & swimming
Greener and more tropical, with possible showers, higher humidity, and lush scenery around the canal and rainforest.
Expert advice
A good option if you do not mind more changeable weather. The scenery becomes more vivid, but it is best to keep excursion plans flexible.
Weather & swimming
Hot, humid, and variable, with more frequent showers, sometimes cloudy skies, and very dense vegetation.
Expert advice
Worth considering if the price or itinerary is appealing, though less ideal for travelers hoping to maximize outdoor visits and clear views.
| Season | Weather & swimming | Expert advice |
|---|---|---|
January | The most comfortable time, with drier weather, more manageable heat, and better conditions for sightseeing and scenic views. | This is the most recommended time for a first Panama Canal cruise, especially if you want to combine the transit, Casco Antiguo, the locks, and nature excursions. |
February–April & December | A wider range of options is available across cruise lines, including many repositioning itineraries, full or partial transits, and combined Caribbean/Pacific cruises. | If you are looking for a full transit, compare the dates, direction of travel, and embarkation and disembarkation ports: the duration and logistics vary widely. |
May–July Greener and more tropical, with possible showers, higher humidity, and lush scenery around the canal and rainforest. A good option if you do not mind more changeable weather. The scenery becomes more vivid, but it is best to keep excursion plans flexible. | ||
August–November Hot, humid, and variable, with more frequent showers, sometimes cloudy skies, and very dense vegetation. Worth considering if the price or itinerary is appealing, though less ideal for travelers hoping to maximize outdoor visits and clear views. | ||
The Panama Canal is best understood from several perspectives: transiting the locks, exploring the city around it, visiting historic forts, and discovering the rainforest lining part of the waterway.
At Miraflores
The terraces let you watch ships rise or descend in the lock chambers, making it easy to understand how the canal works.
At Agua Clara
The viewpoint on the Atlantic side offers a broader perspective on the new locks, Lake Gatún, and large ships.
On Lake Gatún
The canal takes on a more scenic character here, with calm waters, jungle, and slow-moving maritime traffic.
At Miraflores
The terraces let you watch ships rise or descend in the lock chambers, making it easy to understand how the canal works.
At Agua Clara
The viewpoint on the Atlantic side offers a broader perspective on the new locks, Lake Gatún, and large ships.
On Lake Gatún
The canal takes on a more scenic character here, with calm waters, jungle, and slow-moving maritime traffic.
In Casco Antiguo
Panama’s old town offers a genuine cultural counterpoint to the crossing, with restored lanes, plazas and skyline views.
In Portobelo
The Spanish forts and the Church of the Black Christ offer a Caribbean and colonial perspective on the canal’s history.
In San Lorenzo
The fortifications overlook the mouth of the Chagres and evoke the isthmus’s strategic importance long before the modern canal.
In Casco Antiguo
Panama’s old town offers a genuine cultural counterpoint to the crossing, with restored lanes, plazas and skyline views.
In Portobelo
The Spanish forts and the Church of the Black Christ offer a Caribbean and colonial perspective on the canal’s history.
In San Lorenzo
The fortifications overlook the mouth of the Chagres and evoke the isthmus’s strategic importance long before the modern canal.
From the Amador Causeway
The view of Panama Bay, ships at anchor, the Biomuseo, and the skyline creates a striking panorama of the Pacific entrance.
From Agua Clara
The viewpoints let you photograph ships, locks and forest in a single frame.
From Gamboa
The views of the Chagres, Lake Gatún, and the canopy reveal the canal’s often unexpected tropical character.
From the Amador Causeway
The view of Panama Bay, ships at anchor, the Biomuseo, and the skyline creates a striking panorama of the Pacific entrance.
From Agua Clara
The viewpoints let you photograph ships, locks and forest in a single frame.
From Gamboa
The views of the Chagres, Lake Gatún, and the canopy reveal the canal’s often unexpected tropical character.
Experience the locks from the ship’s deck
Travelers often remember transit day as the highlight of the cruise. Watching the ship move slowly, rise and descend, pass close to the lock walls, and then enter Lake Gatún gives a vivid sense of the canal’s scale and engineering.
Go from Casco Antiguo to the Panama City skyline
Panama City surprises many travelers with its striking contrasts. In just a few hours, you move from the colonial lanes, plazas, and balconies of Casco Antiguo to the modern towers along the bay, with the canal and ships in the background.
See the rainforest lining the canal at Gamboa and Gatún
Travelers often emphasize that the canal is more than a piece of infrastructure. Around Lake Gatún, Gamboa, and Soberanía, the jungle, birds, monkeys, and forested shores add an unexpected natural dimension to the trip.
Taste ceviche at Panama City’s fish market
In Panama City, many travelers enjoy this easy stop before or after Casco Antiguo. The fish market is a place to taste fresh ceviche, experience the port’s lively local atmosphere and connect the city visit with the nearby bay.
Cruise up the Chagres through the landscapes of Gamboa
Around Gamboa, excursions on the Chagres or Lake Gatún offer another perspective on the canal. Travelers enjoy seeing ships in the distance while approaching forested shores, tropical birds and small islets where wildlife can sometimes be spotted.
Head to Portobelo for a taste of Caribbean Panama
On the Atlantic side, Portobelo offers a quieter, more history-focused port call than Colón. Travelers will find fort ruins, the Church of the Black Christ, the bay, colorful houses, and an Afro-Caribbean atmosphere that perfectly complements the canal’s engineering story.
The Panama Canal: a century-old infrastructure
While crossing the Isthmus of Panama dates back to pre-Columbian times, the Canal as it stands today is a relatively recent development. In 1534, the idea of building a canal across the Isthmus was mooted by Charles Quinte, an ambitious County of Flanders. Many countries kept this obviously brilliant idea under wraps. Attempts to build it were made by the Scots in particular, but the project failed. Construction of the Panama Canal actually began in January 1882 under the impetus of Ferdinand de Lesseps, a French entrepreneur and promoter of the Suez Canal. It was the success of the Suez Canal that inspired Ferdinand de Lesseps to build the Panama Canal, a project that he considered to be a huge undertaking. Gustave Eiffel came on board, proposing the installation of a lock system. Due to financial difficulties, construction was halted in 1894.
In 1903, the Americans took over after obtaining the right to build the Panama Canal. Between the construction of the three locks and the Gatún artificial lake, the Panama Canal was inaugurated on August 15, 1914. Measuring 77 kilometers, this infrastructure links the Pacific Ocean via the Gulf of Panama to the Atlantic Ocean via the Caribbean Sea. In 2014, the Panama Canal celebrated its 100th anniversary. In 2007, the project to expand the Canal became official. The expanded Panama Canal was inaugurated in June 2016. The main aim of the project was to facilitate the transport of goods. This inter-oceanic route is also home to cruise ships that take you on a tour of one of the most impressive constructions ever built by modern man!
Cruising the Panama Canal: a mythical crossing, a unique experience
A cruise on the Panama Canal invites you to discover the eventful history of the construction of this infrastructure. During a stopover in Panama City, take time to visit the Interoceanic Canal Museum, housed in a charming 19th-century colonial building on the Plaza Mayor in the historic Casco Antiguo district. You can also enjoy strolling through the picturesque streets of this district, which is studded with period buildings and boasts some of the city's finest restaurants. This expedition will bring you close to authentic small villages that contrast with modern Panama City. For a cruise departing from the Pacific entrance, the passage under the Bridge of the Americas marks the beginning of the adventure. This 1,650-metre bridge links South and North America. You'll then witness the impressive spectacle of passing through the locks. The work of the mules that pull and steer the boats through this delicate passage is fascinating every time.
Departing from the Pacific Ocean, you'll first pass through the Miraflores Locks, sail on the lake of the same name and then watch the well-orchestrated choreography of the passage through the Pedro Miguel Locks. You'll then pass under the Centenary Bridge and enjoy the pleasures of navigation. Landscapes of forests and green hills unfold before your eyes as you cruise along. You'll then sail past the town of Gamboa, nestled in the heart of a tropical forest. An essential stopover on a Panama Canal cruise, this town invites you to enjoy a selection of activities: fishing, hiking in the mountains or a gourmet break on a canal-side terrace. Each port of call is also an opportunity for warm encounters with the Panamanian people. As you head towards the Pacific, you'll pass by Barro Colorado Island, a veritable treasure trove of biodiversity and a bird sanctuary for nature lovers. You'll then pass through the Gatùn Locks before entering the Pacific Ocean.
The best time to cruise the Panama Canal
Panama enjoys a tropical climate and pleasant temperatures all year round. On average, temperatures fluctuate between 24 and 29°C, with peaks in March and April. These two months are included in the dry season, commonly known as verano, which runs from January to April. If you're keen to avoid the rains and thunderstorms that sometimes occur daily, this is the ideal time of year to visit Panama and enjoy a gentle cruise on its mythical Canal. From May onwards, the country enters the wet season: the invierno. At this time of year, nature wakes up. With the blossoming of flowers, Panama reveals itself to you in all its splendour, decked out in a thousand and one colors.
Each season has its own advantages. While the dry season offers exceptional sunshine and mild temperatures, the rainy season seduces you with its exuberant nature. During this time of year, you'll have the privilege of watching humpback whales migrate through the warm waters of the Pacific. During a cruise, a stopover in the Las Perlas islands will allow you to enjoy this spectacle. You'll also have the chance to observe leatherback turtles laying their eggs during this season. In any case, come sunshine or rain, mark each day of your cruise with a gourmet interlude to discover Panama in flavor. Try Sancocho at least once, one of the great classics of local gastronomy. It's a chicken stew simmered with sweet potatoes, pumpkin and corn on the cob. This dish epitomizes Panamanian cuisine: simple, generous and richly flavored.
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