Ride the locks between two oceans on one of the world's great voyages
Passing through the Panama Canal is a true bucket-list moment: your ship is lifted about 85 feet by a series of locks, crosses a jungle-lined lake, and lowered again on the other side. Choose a partial transit round-trip from Florida, or a full transit between the Atlantic and Pacific as part of a longer voyage.
Watch from the deck as the lock chambers fill and electric 'mule' locomotives guide your ship through — it takes most of a day.
Once an artificial lake in the middle of the jungle, it's home to monkeys, toucans and tiny islands.
Full transits connect Florida with Los Angeles or San Diego, often calling in Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala and Mexico.
Walled old-town Cartagena, rainforest and wildlife tours from Puerto Limón, Costa Rica.
Partial transits sail into Gatun Lake and back on a 9–11 night round-trip. Full transits are typically 14–16+ nights, one way.
This is an example only. Ports, call order and sea days vary by cruise line, ship and sail date — your specialist will find the exact itinerary for your dates.
A partial transit enters the canal from the Caribbean side, cruises Gatun Lake and returns the same way on a round-trip. A full transit crosses all the way between the Atlantic and Pacific.
Both sides have views, and the forward decks and bow are open to guests during the transit. Scenery switches sides as you go, so a balcony on either side works well.
For a round-trip partial transit from Florida, US citizens can sail on a closed-loop basis, but a passport is strongly recommended. Full transits that start and end in different countries or ports may require one — we'll confirm for your sailing.
Tell us your dates and who's travelling. A CLIA-certified cruise specialist will compare sailings across cruise lines and call you back — usually within 15 minutes during business hours.
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