Panama Canal Cruise Basics

One of the few engineering marvels in the world with its own palindrome, the Panama Canal should be on everyone's list of must-see places. Celebrating its centennial in 2014, this link between two great oceans is as vital and vibrant as ever. It is also one of the greatest testaments to good old-fashioned Yankee ingenuity that the world has ever seen. 

Travelers have always made their way across the 50-mile isthmus that connects North and South America, dubbed the "Crossroads of the World." But, until the canal was built, the trans-isthmus trek involved a winding path through jungle rivers. In 1880, the French began a canal-building project that, after twenty years, ended in failure and the death of an estimated 20,000 workers. The U.S. took over in 1903, poured $352 million dollars into the project, and opened the Panama Canal in August of 1914.

Many cruisers consider a Panama Canal transit a bucket-list item, and for a long time, the itineraries drew mostly seniors, due to the length of a full-transit trip (which usually runs 14 days). Partial transits -- where the cruises only go halfway through the locks before turning around -- not only cut the number of days, but increase day-trip options in the Central American cities near the canal. While several ships bring lecturers onboard to talk about the canal's history, this is one trip where a little extra reading might add to your enjoyment. "The Path Between the Seas," by historian David McCullough, comes highly recommended.

Who Goes There? 

Most of the major lines and some smaller ones offer at least a few Panama Canal sailings each season. Princess designed two ships, Island Princess and Coral Princess, to sail the canal; each ship has more than 700 balcony staterooms, and both sail the canal all winter long. The Panama Canal is also a popular repositioning cruise between Alaska and the Caribbean. Expedition ships, such as Lindblad, and tour companies known for river cruises, such asGrand Circle and Tauck, also make the journey.