By Karen Ellen
The Panama Canal in the Isthmus of Panama is a wonder of Marine engineering that has thrived since 1914, when the
United States finished a job the French began in 1880. As the shortest route for commercial shipping between the American continent's East and West coasts, the canal can't be called scenic, but it's fascinating to watch the locks in action as they raise and lower massive vessels 85 feet between the
Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean.
When
Panama is just north of the equator, so it's hot and humid year-round, particularly near the canal. Rainy season runs from October through November, so if you go then, pack rain gear. Cruise ships sail through the region only from October through April, when the heat is most bearable.
How Long
Panama Canal cruises that sail between Florida and California tend to run long---nine to 14 days---with many port stops along the way. Cruises of up to 28 days sail to Seattle or Vancouver. But seven-day cruises that include some time in the canal are available.
Cruise Lines
As of August 2009, cruise lines that enter or transit the entire Panama Canal include Celebrity, Crystal, Holland America, MSC, Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess and Royal Caribbean International.
Itinerary
Shorter cruises usually take a Western Caribbean route to the canal, including port stops in Mexico, Jamaica or Grand Cayman. More extensive voyages may call on Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala and the San Blas Islands.
If your ship just spends a day in Panama on the Atlantic side, you will pass through several locks and most likely spend the day floating among the tankers in Gatun Lake before retracing your route back to the Caribbean Sea.
Sailing from the West Coast, the ship may pass through just one lock and then dock at Gamboa, a small town along the canal where passengers can disembark to take a stroll or join shore excursions farther inland.
If your ship doesn't transit the entire canal and you want to see the other side, shore excursions are usually available by boat, bus or the Panama Railway to complete the journey and get you back to the ship in time for sailing.
Fact
Today's cruising behemoths that carry more than 3,000 passengers are too long and wide to pass through the Panama Canal and are known as post-Panamax or super-Panamax vessels. The canal has embarked on an expansion project to build bigger locks to accommodate these ships as well as super-sized container ships.
About the Author:
Since 1983, Karen Ellen has written on business, technology, cruise travel, feline and general interest topics, and has been published at AbsoluteWrite.com and in "Cruise Travel," "Credit Union Business" and "PC Solutions" magazines. She has authored two nonfiction business books, and holds a bachelor's degree in human resource management from the University of Richmond.
