Panama Canal Cruises: What You Should Know Before Booking

January 17, 2025

A Panama Canal transit is a dream trip for many travelers, especially history buffs and engineering geeks. The 50-mile-long artificial waterway, built between 1903 and 1914, connects the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean via a series of locks—one of the world’s great marvels of engineering and one of Earth’s most strategic geopolitical locations.

A third set of locks was completed in 2016 (for 12 locks in total). That expansion allows for the transit of larger modern ships, known as Post-Panamax vessels, such as the mega-cruise ships operated by Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line, and others.

Without the Panama Canal, ships trying to sail between the East and West coasts of the U.S. would have to take an 8,000-nautical-mile journey around Cape Horn and South America in the perilous Southern Ocean.

That’s what makes the canal so important: It supplies the convenient and lucrative Atlantic-to-Pacific shortcut that several centuries’ worth of European explorers had attempted to find elsewhere. 

Scroll on to discover what a Panama Canal cruise is like, which of the major cruise lines offer this type of voyage, and what you should watch out for when booking a trip.  

Most mainstream cruise lines offer narration over the ship’s intercom system during the transit, explaining the history and engineering details of the canal. You may also have expert lecturers and naturalists on board throughout the cruise to provide more context about the canal and the ecosystems along the Isthmus of Panama, in the Gamboa Rainforest, and at Gatun Lake. 

I was fascinated by the process of entering and exiting the locks throughout the day, especially when we first started the transit early in the morning. I’ve traveled through locks on European waterways, but this is far more involved. The ships and cargo vessels are much larger and escorted through the locks by electric locomotives, called mules (pictured above), that are tethered to the ship by cables. The mules keep the vessels centered as they enter and exit the chambers; mules can put on brakes for the ship, if necessary. 

Gatun Lake was surprisingly quiet, although other cruise ships and cargo vessels were waiting to enter the locks for the reverse voyage to the Caribbean Sea. You can see the rainforest and lush vegetation along the canal, although you’re too far away to view wildlife. 

I watched the transit at various times throughout the day from the ship’s outdoor decks (along with many other intrigued guests) or from my stateroom. Panama City came into view in the distance once we went through the last set of locks, the Miraflores Locks, and Miraflores Lake.

In addition to completing the canal transit, good reasons for taking a Panama Canal cruise include seeing the beautiful old town of Colonial Panama City, taking an eco-cruise to view the wildlife—crocodiles, monkeys, sloths, and iguanas—around Gatun Lake, riding the vintage dome rail cars on the Panama Canal Railway (the hemisphere’s first transcontinental railroad), and stopping by the visitor center at the Miraflores Locks to view the passing ships from the top floor deck. 

That’s why it’s crucial to pay attention to the itinerary of the Panama Canal cruise you’re considering. Once some ships transit the canal, they sail on to the next destination without stopping. If you’re on one of those vessels, you won’t have a chance to take any of the excursions above.

For example: My Azamara itinerary was a one-way full transit from Miami to Panama City (pictured above), so we did not stop in Colón or Gatun Lake—and we didn’t have an extra day in Panama City. Consequently, the excursions were not an option for me.

Yes, and it’s key to understand the specifics of a particular cruise before booking, as there are significant differences between the types of itineraries. 

Many cruise lines offer a full transit of the Panama Canal, entering either from the Atlantic (Caribbean) or the Pacific side. But not all full crossings stop at the cities or sites you may think of when taking a Panama Canal cruise, such as Colón, Panama City, or Gatun Lake. Some cruises make the transit without stopping at any of those destinations. 

There are also partial crossings, where the ship will sail round-trip from Florida as far as Gatun Lake (past the first set of locks, pictured above) and then turn around and dock in Colón before sailing back to Florida. While these cruises offer the opportunity to take some of the excursions mentioned above, you won’t go through the locks again on board your ship since you’ll meet the vessel back in Colón. You’d have to skip the excursions if you want to go back through the locks on your cruise ship.

In addition, there are Panama Canal sailings that never enter any of the locks. Traveling round-trip from Florida, the ships cruise the entry to the Panama Canal on the Atlantic side and stop in Colón (pictured above), where you can disembark for excursions from the city and Gatun Lake. Colón is approximately 50 miles from Panama City, so the same excursions (or similar ones) are offered in Colón, Gatun Lake, and Panama City. You can also begin or end your cruise in Colón or Panama City. 

In other words, there are lots of variables. Cruise lines offering full, partial, or entrance-only visits to the canal may market their sailings as Panama Canal cruises. But you’ll want to make sure the attractions on your must-see list are included to avoid any last-minute disappointment.

For good weather conditions, October through April are the best months to visit the Panama Canal, with the rainy season ending in November. You’ll want to avoid traveling in May, as it’s the start of the wet season; then the Atlantic hurricane season begins in June. While hurricane season extends through the end of November, the peak of activity typically occurs between mid-August and mid-October. 

You’ll typically find older and retired couples or mature solo travelers on a Panama Canal cruise, especially on extended voyages on smaller ships. However, that demographic changes around the holidays, when multigenerational families are on vacation and book some of the larger vessels that offer plenty of family-friendly activities for kids of all ages.

Below, we’ve gathered eight of the best Panama Canal cruises for the 2025–2026 season to transverse—or at least see—the famed waterway. The itineraries cover full and partial transits, where you can take in the sites around Gatun Lake, Colón, and Panama City—and there’s one voyage that makes the transit without stopping. 

We’ve included the starting price for an inside stateroom or an outside cabin with a window. However, if you’re doing a full transit of the Panama Canal, consider splurging on a balcony stateroom. The crossing is a full-day event that you can view from your stateroom balcony—and it’s not always easy to grab a spot for photo ops outside on the decks with other passengers vying for the same prime viewing locales.

Princess Cruises: 16-Day Panama Canal – Ocean to Ocean
Princess Cruises’ 16-day itinerary sails the full transit through the new locks from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to Los Angeles on November 2, 2025, aboard the 3,090-guest Emerald Princess. The itinerary includes six ports of call, with a full day in Panama City (Fuerte Amador). You’ll also visit Aruba; Puntarenas, Costa Rica; San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua; and Huatulco and Puerto Vallarta in Mexico before disembarking in Los Angeles. 

In addition to the excursions mentioned above (such as the Visitor Center at the Miraflores Locks and an eco-cruise on Gatun Lake), guests can visit the Embera Native Village in Chagres National Park, book an exhilarating aerial tram ride through the Gamboa Rainforest, or even take a small boat through the Miraflores and San Miguel locks, crossing the Continental Divide. Prices start at $1,307 per person (double occupancy).

Pictured above: Princess Cruises' Coral Princess ship in the Panama Canal

Norwegian Cruise Line: Panama Canal: Mexico & Colombia
Norwegian’s 15-day cruise departs Miami for Los Angeles aboard the 2,004-guest Norwegian Sky on March 29, 2025. The 2-week voyage includes an overnight in Panama City, with a full day in town the next day before sailing on to Puntarenas, Costa Rica. Other stops on the itinerary are Cartagena, Colombia; Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala; and Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas in Mexico. With a full day in Panama City, you’ll have time to see Colonial Panama and experience the sites and attractions around the canal and in the city. Prices start at $1,413 per person (double occupancy).

MSC Cruises: Panama Canal, 18 Nights
MSC’s 18-night Panama Canal voyage departs Miami on April 23, 2026, for a westbound cruise through the canal to Seattle. The itinerary, aboard the 3,223-guest MSC Poesia, includes stops in Cartagena, Colombia; a full day in Colón to visit the sites around the canal or even go into Panama City; and 2 days cruising the Panama Canal. After exiting the canal on the Pacific side, the ship will have several sea days along with stops in Puntarenas, Costa Rica; Cabo San Lucas, Mexico; San Diego; and Los Angeles before disembarking in Seattle. Prices start at $1,758 per person (double occupancy).

Pictured above: Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Gem on Gatun Lake

Azamara Cruises: Caribbean Quest Voyage
This 11-night itinerary in March 2026 is similar to my recent voyage but sails the reverse direction from Panama City to Miami. Azamara offers a 2-night pre-cruise package in Panama City, which will give you plenty of time to visit the Visitor Center at the Miraflores Locks, take the Panama Canal Railway, explore Colonial Panama, and book wildlife-focused adventures around Gatun Lake. The sailing on the 720-passenger Azamara Quest calls on Cartagena and Santa Marta in Colombia after transiting the canal. Then you’ll visit the islands of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao as well as Cabo Rojo in the Dominican Republic before disembarking in Miami. Prices start at $3,799 per person (double occupancy).

Pictured above: Azamara Journey in Bonaire

Windstar Cruises: Costa Rica & Panama Canal
If you prefer to sail on a smaller ship, consider booking your Panama Canal cruise with Windstar. The line offers a shorter 7-day itinerary on a 312-guest all-suite motor yacht, Star Pride (pictured above), or on a 148-guest masted sailing yacht, Wind Star or Wind Spirit, from January to March 2025 and again from November 2025 through March 2026. If you wait until April 2026, you can reserve a stateroom aboard Windstar’s newest ship, Star Seeker, which can accommodate 224 guests. 

The itinerary begins in Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica. It stops at several destinations in Costa Rica before arriving in Panama City (Fuerte Amador), where you’ll have a chance to see the major attractions. The ship then transits the Panama Canal before disembarking in Colón. Prices start at $2,599 (cruise only) or $3,292 (all-inclusive) per person (double occupancy).

Royal Caribbean: 13-Night Panama Canal Eastward Cruise
If you want the experience of transiting the Panama Canal but aren’t interested in getting off the ship in Panama, Royal Caribbean offers this eastbound itinerary with a full transit on Feb. 19, 2025. The 2,143-guest Serenade of the Seas will depart San Diego for Puerto Vallarta and Huatulco in Mexico, and Puntarenas, Costa Rica, before transiting the canal on day 10 of the cruise. After visiting Cartagena, Colombia, on the Atlantic side, the ship will then sail 2 sea days before disembarking in Miami. Prices start at $1,626 per person (double occupancy).

Holland America Line: 21-Day Panama Canal & Southern Caribbean: ABC Islands
Holland America’s extended 21-day Panama Canal itinerary on board Rotterdam (2,668 guests) sails round-trip from Fort Lauderdale on October 26, 2025, and includes stops at the line’s private island in the Bahamas, Half Moon Cay; the ABC islands of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao; Cartagena, Colombia; Gatun Lake and Colón in Panama; Puerto Limón, Costa Rica; and the Cayman Islands. This is one of the partial-transit voyages where guests can experience the Panama Canal, take eco-cruises to see local wildlife, visit Panama City, and more from Gatun Lake—but the ship won't go through all the locks. 

If you’d like to sail farther along the canal (and pass through additional locks), the line’s 6-hour Panama Canal Experience includes a coach ride to the canal, where you’ll board a ferry that passes through the most challenging point during the canal’s construction, the Culebra Cut (formerly known as the Galliard Cut). The ferry also traverses the Pedro Miguel Locks and Miraflores Lake, where you’ll see the entrance to the Miraflores Locks, the passageway to the Pacific Ocean. The excursion ends here with a coach ride back to meet the ship in Colón. Prices start at $1,935 per person (double occupancy).

Celebrity Cruises: Panama Canal & Southern Caribbean
Celebrity’s 3,260-guest Celebrity Beyond sails this 11-night itinerary round-trip from Fort Lauderdale in April 2025. Ports of call include Cartagena, Colombia, and a full day in Colón, where guests can disembark for excursions to the Agua Clara Locks, kayak on Gatun Lake, go canoeing on the Chagres River to visit the Embera Village (pictured above), or take a tour into Panama City for a rum and coffee tasting. 

The ship itself never makes a full or partial transit of the canal—or even enters any locks. You can, however, experience the Panama Canal transit on a full day (8-hour) excursion aboard a ferry through the Culebra Cut, considered the biggest structural challenge of the canal. In addition, the ship will call on the ABC Islands of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao, and then have 2 sea days on the return voyage to Fort Lauderdale. Prices start at $1,925 per person (double occupancy).