A Panama Canal cruise is a bucket-list itinerary for many cruisers: watching your ship rise and fall through the canal’s locks while transiting between the Atlantic and Pacific. Princess, Celebrity, Norwegian, Holland America-style lines, and occasionally Royal Caribbean all offer seasonal Panama Canal sailings, typically in fall, winter, and spring.

How the Canal Transit Works

Ships pass through a series of locks (Gatun Locks on the Atlantic side, Miraflores and Pedro Miguel on the Pacific side) that raise and lower vessels roughly 85 feet to cross the isthmus via Gatun Lake. A full transit typically takes 8-10 hours.