There are now two ways for cruise passengers to see the Panama Canal, the "transit" of the canal from ocean to ocean or the only partial transit of the canal from the Atlantic side. There are advantages and disadvantages to both itineraries, complete the transit Panama Canal cruise from ocean to ocean. You'll have a great seat to the entire operation and to the very beauty of the canal region. The disadvantage is that you most likely won't have the opportunity to leave the ship during your transit.
The only way would be if your ship stops for the day at Colon. Panama Canal Partial Transit the advantage is of course a savings in time and cost. Most "visits" or partial transits of the canal are eight or ten-day roundtrip itineraries. Basically, you begin and end your cruise in South Florida, which means better rates on airfare. Another advantage is that you will most likely see more of the canal region. Although your ship doesn't complete a transit of the canal, you can take shore excursions that do. The most obvious disadvantage is that you may look at your itinerary as a just a taste since your ship does not transit the entire canal.
Panama canal Caribbean to the Pacific Ocean, most Panama Canal cruises call in the Western Caribbean, and the Costa Rican ports of Limon (on the Atlantic side) and Puntarenas (on the Pacific). Ships not making the traditional trans-canal journey also stop at Colon, Panama, at the entrance to the Canal. Although Cartagena, Columbia has long been a staple in the Panama Canal itinerary, many cruise lines are shying away from that port for the foreseeable future, due to recent U.S. State Department Travel Advisories. Some lines operate Central American/Panama Canal cruises throughout the year, but September through April is the most popular season for these itineraries.The best time to go is after the rainy season ends in November. Many Panama Canal cruises last from 10 to 25 days or more cruise segments, though some are as short as a week. Repositioning cruises between the Atlantic and Caribbean waters and the Pacific and Alaska also usually go through the Panama Canal and include Central America visits, as do many world cruise itineraries.
The most popular Panama Canal itinerary is still some version of the standard Florida-West Coast route. Miami and Ft. Lauderdale are the main departure cities in Florida. Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco are the key West Coast cities Passing through the canal takes about 8 hours from start to finish, and is a fascinating procedure -- the route is about 80km (50 miles) long and includes passage through three main locks, which, through gravity alone, raise ships over Central America and down again on the other side. Between the locks, ships pass through artificially created lakes such as the massive Gatun Lake, 85 feet above sea level. It often costs ships about $100,000 to pass through, with fees based on each ship's weight. Your ship will line up in the morning, mostly with cargo ships, to await its turn through the canal. While transiting, there will be a running narration of history and facts about the canal by an expert who's brought on board for the day.
The biggest decision you'll need to make on a Panama Canal cruise is whether to opt for the traditional trans-canal experience, which means you spend a day on the Canal, crossing from ocean to ocean. The majority of cruises still follow this option. But, Princess and Holland America also offer "partial crossings," in which the ship doesn't actually cross the entire Canal. Rather, the ship crosses through one lock, then lets passengers off in the town of Gamboa, along the Canal. From there, passengers can enjoy a myriad of shore excursions and take in sights they otherwise wouldn't see on a day-long crossing. Some lines, such as Silversea, offer the same "partial crossing" shore excursions without entering the Canal at all. Rather, its ships dock for a day at the Pacific entrance to the Canal, at Colon, Panama.
Most Panama Canal cruises call in the Western Caribbean, and the Costa Rican ports of Limon (on the Atlantic side) and Puntarenas (on the Pacific). Ships not making the traditional trans-canal journey also stop at Colon, Panama, at the entrance to the Canal. Although Cartagena, Columbia has long been a staple in the Panama Canal itinerary, many cruise lines are shying away from that port for the foreseeable future, due to recent U.S. State Department Travel Advisories. Colon -- In compliance with a treaty signed between the United States and Panama in 1977, canal operations passed from U.S. to Panamanian hands at the stroke of midnight on December 31, 1999. Not only did the transition go smoothly, but the canal changeover spurred government agencies and private developers in Panama to expand the canal zone's tourism infrastructure -- not simply trying to attract as many ships as possible, but developing new attractions at the canal's Atlantic entrance to lure cruise passengers off their ships and into Panama's interior on shore excursions and for pre- and post-cruise stays. Even ships not transiting the canal are being wooed, with a long-term goal of making the city of Colon a home port for cruise ships sailing to the southern Caribbean.
The linchpin project in the new canal-area developments is Colon 2000, a $45 million private port development that opened in October 2000 in Colon City, near the canal's Caribbean entrance, and that is capable of handling any size cruise vessel -- even the 100,000-ton-plus ships that are too large to pass through the canal. Colon 2000's developer, Corporacion de Costas Tropicales, has created a tour company, Adventuras 2000 (www.colon2000.com/aventours.html), which offers a series of shore excursions highlighting Panama's history, culture, and diverse natural attractions (see "Excursions Offered by the Cruise Lines," below). The project has opened many new jobs to locals, who are being trained as bilingual tour guides, drivers, and so on. Colon 2000's glass-and-marble terminal building has a large lounge, an Internet cafe, a huge duty-free shopping mall (part of the Colon Free Zone, the second largest tax-free zone in the world), restaurants, and craft shops. The entire complex is surrounded by landscaped parkland and is adjacent to a Radisson hotel that's scheduled to open in late 2002. Unfortunately, the town surrounding the splashy new development remains depressed. So there's no question passengers calling here should book an organized tour.
Princess, Holland America, and Royal Caribbean were some of the first lines to include Colon 2000 as a port of call on some Panama Canal itineraries. It doesn't hurt that they're getting incentives by the Panamanian government: Panama has hedged its bets by establishing a 5-year program that pays cruise ships $2.50 to $12 per passenger for calls at any Panamanian port. The incentives grow as the passenger count rises, and additional incentives are offered to lines that register their ships in Panama. Another new development in Colon, the Cristobal Cruise Terminal (Pier 6), offers piers for two ships of any size and has a duty-free shopping area, restaurants, and telephones. A rail line here, connecting Colon and the capital of Panama City, is in the planning stages. Ports Along the Canal The San Blas Islands are a beautiful archipelago and home to the Kuna Indians, whose women are well known for their colorful, hand-embroidered stitching. If you get a chance to go ashore, the tiny women, dressed in their traditional molas (bright, intricately appliquéd blouses), sell all manner of this textile art in square blocks and strips, all of which are known as molas and make great pillow covers or wall hangings. They cost about $5 to $10 each, but don't try to bargain too much -- these gals will only go so low before standing firm. When your ship anchors offshore at the islands, be prepared for throngs of Kunas to emerge from the far-off distance, paddling (or, in a few cases, motoring) their dugout canoes up to the ship, where they will spend the entire day calling for money or anything else ship passengers toss overboard.
The Kuna seem to enjoy diving overboard to retrieve coins thrown to them, but, of course, it's a sad sight, too, watching entire families so needy. Makes you feel damn guilty for rolling in on that fancy cruise ship of yours. Panama Canal/Colon, Panama If you're on a trans-canal trip, enjoy the engineering marvels of your 50-mile journey. The highlights are Lake Gatun, the Gaillard Cut along the Continental Divide, and three locks: Gatun on the Atlantic, Pedro Miguel and Miraflores on the Pacific. Those on "partial crossings" or simply docked at Colon, might consider completing the crossing in a smaller boat.
This popular shore excursion begins at Gamboa, one of the towns along the Canal. It takes passengers through the remaining two Canal locks, all the way to the Pacific Ocean. A motorcoach ride delivers passengers back to their waiting ships at Colon. Other great shore excursion options include taking refurbished Panama Railway from the Pacific to the Atlantic. It rides parallel to the Canal, and offers a great view in luxuriously paneled railway cars. Another exciting alternative is to take a trek through the rain forest at Gamboa, or visit an authentic Embera Indian Village on the Chagres River. The last 45 minutes is in a canoe! In Costa Rica, many ships call at Puerto Caldera on the Pacific side or Puerto Limón on the Atlantic side. While there's nothing to see from either cargo port, both are great jumping-off points for tours that all visiting ships offer of the country's lush, beautiful rain forests, which are alive with some 850 species of birds, 200 species of mammals, 9,000 species of flowering plants, and about 35,000 species of insects. After a scenic bus ride, tours will take you on a nature walk through the forest.
Tortuguero National Park offers close encounters with the green tortoise, crocodiles, monkeys and exotic birds, all seen from your canoe. Braulio Carillo National Park has the first aerial tramway in Central America; you'll be above the trees, at times 100 feet high, and close enough touch tiny orchids, spectacularly colored birds, butterflies, and -- if you're lucky -- a toucan or monkey. Heartier souls can try white water rafting on the Revantazon River. Puntarenas, Costa Rica There are so many fabulous encounters with nature available from this port, you'll have a hard time deciding on a shore excursion. A visit to the Tabacon Resort Hot Springs takes you to the slopes of the active Arenal volcano. The Poas volcano features the amazing sight of a huge crater filled with iridescent blue water. Walk through a cloud forest at Villa Blanca, where you're surrounded by mist, and water droplets clinging to the vegetation. See one of Costa Rica's renowned rain forests at Pura Vida Gardens, or climb a set of wooden steps up to the La Paz Waterfall Gardens. In Guatemala, most Panama Canal-bound ships call at Puerto Quetzal, on the Pacific coast; a few may call at Santo Tomas on the Caribbean side. Both are used as gateways to Guatemala's spectacular Mayan ruins at Tikal. They're the country's most famous attractions and are considered the most spectacular yet discovered, with more than 3,000 temples, pyramids, and other buildings of the ancient civilization -- some of them dating as far back as A.D. 300 -- nestled in a thick, surreal jungle setting.
Excursions here are neither cheap nor easy -- a 10-hour tour involves buses, walking, and a 1-hour flight, and costs about $500 -- but the journey is well worth the effort. Excursions to the less-spectacular Mayan sites in Honduras are also offered from Puerto Quetzal, as are several overland tours of Guatemala's interior.
