Transit the Historic Panama Canal
Experience the natural and man-made wonders of this famous waterway on a cruise
By Katie Solan
A cruise through the Panama Canal offers passengers both an up-close look at this engineering marvel, which uses a series of locks to raise and lower ships as large as 90,000 tons above sea level, and at the abundant natural beauty that surrounds it -- lush tropical jungles and rolling green mountains that teem with exotic wildlife.
There are two ways for cruisers to experience this verdant wonder: by full or partial transit. Full transits depart from either the Atlantic or Pacific coasts and sail the entire length of the canal, passing through all three sets of locks. Transit times range from eight to 10 hours.
Partial transits usually depart from southeast U.S. ports (typically in Florida) and enter the canal on the Caribbean side. Ships pass through the first set of locks and turn around in Gatun Lake, exiting the canal the same way they entered.
Full transits appeal to those intrigued by the canal's engineering; ships are lifted and lowered through the canal by the Gatun, Pedro Miguel and Miraflores locks. A series of water chambers, these locks use gravity to elevate vessels 85 feet above sea level. Once elevated, ships cross Gatun Lake (one of the world's largest man-made lakes) and the Continental Divide, then are lowered back to sea level before exiting the canal.
"The full transit gives you the complete experience," says Cheryl Cunningham, director of special projects and group sales for Houston-based cruise discounter Vacations To Go. She notes that cruisers who choose full transits also can experience a wider variety of ports in the Caribbean, Central America and Pacific Mexico.
On the other hand, she says, partial transits are more cost effective. "If you do a partial canal transit, it's easier to find airfare at a more affordable cost because you're typically going to depart and return to the same U.S. gateway." Because full transits are not round trip, passengers booked on these sailings must purchase two one-way plane tickets.
Partial transits mix two unique experiences -- a sailing of the storied canal with a carefree Caribbean vacation, as these sunny island spots often are stops on partial-transit itineraries.
Time is another factor to consider when choosing a Panama Canal cruise. "Typically, Panama Canal cruises are a little bit longer than average," says Cunningham. "If you're going through the entire canal from one U.S. port to another, you're looking at 14 nights or longer. If you're considering a partial transit, you can do that in as little as 10 nights."
Cruise West -- which offers expedition-style, small-ship cruises -- has seven- and nine-night Panama Canal crossings. These are pricier per day, says Cunningham, and require passengers to fly to departure ports in Costa Rica or Panama. "But," she says, "they give a more in-depth experience. These itineraries go to off-the-beaten-path ports and concentrate entirely on destinations in Central America."
Popular stops on canal itineraries include Colon, Panama, a swampy island city and northern gateway to the canal. Here, cruise passengers can take a tour to see the up-close workings of the canal locks or visit the nearby 16th-century Spanish colonial forts of San Lorenzo and Portobelo.
Puerto Limon, Costa Rica, is another intriguing spot, known as the birthplace of this country's banana trade. Here, passengers can opt to ride an aerial tram through the rain-forest canopy, whizzing past orchids, ferns and other tropical plant species.
Puntarenas, on Costa Rica's Pacific coast, draws cruise passengers with its abundant flora and fauna. A highlight here is the Guacalillo Estuary, home to mangrove hummingbirds, egrets and other exotic wildlife. Other far-south locales and far-flung ports included on Panama Canal itineraries are Huatulco on the Mexican Riviera and the walled city of Cartagena, Colombia.
Panama Canal cruises also offer historic appeal, says Cunningham. "These cruises attract people who are intrigued by the history of the waterway. Interestingly, they also draw passengers who had family members involved in its construction, perhaps grandparents or great-grandparents," she says.
Construction of the Panama Canal claimed an estimated 25,000 lives before its completion in 1914. The French were the first to attempt the building of a canal in 1880, but plagued by yellow fever, malaria and frequent landslides, they were forced to abandon the project.
The United States, led by President Theodore Roosevelt, took over in 1904. The Americans were more successful, eradicating much of the disease and implementing new engineering techniques. Construction of the canal cost $387 million, and its large-scale engineering superiority still is unmatched today.
The Panama Canal Authority plans to expand the waterway, a $5.25 billion project that will be the largest undertaking at the canal since its construction. The expansion will add a third lane and a new set of locks, doubling the waterway's capacity and allowing more maritime traffic. The project is scheduled for completion in 2014, and PCA officials say that the construction will not interrupt current canal operations.
A plan conceived primarily to accommodate more cargo ships and trade traffic, the expansion will also positively affect the cruising industry. More than two dozen cruise vessels are currently considered "post-Panamax," which means they are too large to transit the canal. Additional post-Panamax vessels are under contract to be built. The expansion of the canal will allow today's larger cruise ships to access the passage.
Panama Canal cruises are seasonal, says Cunningham, with most offered in the fall and winter months. The best time to cruise this tropical region is December through April, during the dry season. Cruises depart from a variety of U.S. ports, usually in Florida or Southern California, but sailings departing from Texas, the Pacific Northwest and New York are other options.
Ship repositionings offer a chance to cruise the canal aboard a vessel that would not usually traverse these waters. "For example," explains Cunningham, "a ship that sails the Caribbean in winter and spring might use a Panama Canal crossing to reposition itself to another cruising region, such as Alaska or Mexico's Pacific coast."
Information: For the best deals and more information on cruising the Panama Canal, visit Vacations To Go or call (800) 338-4962.
The information in this story was accurate at the time it was published in July/August 2007 .
Please visit Vacations To Go or call (800) 338-4962 for current rates and details.