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Panama Canal Cruises

Experience one of the wonders of the modern world on Holland America Line’s Panama Canal cruises. Our Panama cruise itineraries depart from both east and west coasts for loads of convenient options. A cruise to the Panama Canal is an incredible experience, worthy of any bucket list as you travel between oceans. The shipping channel—which took 33 years to complete and cost more than 25,000 workers their lives—is arguably the greatest engineering achievement of all time. As you cruise the canal, you will pass through the two-chambered Miraflores Locks, the one-chambered Pedro Miguel Lock, and three-chambered Gatun Locks. Along the way you’ll find Gatun Lake, once the largest manmade lake in the world, which has proved a boon for the species that thrive here, undisturbed by the passing ships.

The Panama Canal Cruise Experience

Feel your ship rise 85 feet as water fills the locks on the Panama Canal. Listen as a historian shares tales of this incredible engineering feat that divided two continents. Explore the intriguing landscapes, culture and people of this amazing region. From engineering marvels to exotic wildlife, there's so much to discover while on your Panama Canal cruise.

Aerial view of a Holland America Cruise Line ship on a Panama Canal cruise

See A Modern Marvel On Panama Canal Cruises

Cruise the Panama Canal and experience the locks that changed history with modern engineering. Secure a spot at the bow as you traverse the locks and listen as your Canal historians expound on the history, culture and wildlife of the region.
A picture of an orange frog on a leaf on one of many Panama Canal cruises

Panama Canal Cruises Have Diverse Ports Of Call

Our Panama Canal Cruises are carefully crafted itineraries that blend the region’s most popular ports with less-visited gems, such as Puerto Caldera, Coasta Rica; Cartagena, Puerto Vallarta; and Oranjestad, Aruba.
A picture of a Holland America Cruise Line ship on one of many award-winning Panama Canal Cruises. Logo reads, Holland America Line awarded Cruiser's Choice for Panama Canal and Central America regions.

Perfectly Sized Ships For Panama Canal Cruises

Large enough to offer diverse amenities, yet never crowded, our ships are purposefully designed to accommodate fewer guests so there’s almost always a corner to call your own. You’ll also find coming and going from the ship is easy on your Panama Canal Cruise.
couple sharing a plate

Exceptional Cuisine & Entertainment

A team of world-class chefs chart an exciting course and offer the most immersive culinary experience at sea. Evenings offer a variety of exclusive entertainment at our music clubs.
A smiling woman on a zipline on a Panama Canal cruise excursion

Extraordinary Panama Canal Cruise Tours

Our Panama Canal excursions connect you to each fascinating destination. At Gatun Lake, enjoy a water-level view of the locks on a one-hour cruise or watch for monkeys, toucans and sloths while kayaking through the Gatun Islands.

Relax Through The Holidays On A Panama Canal Cruise

Featured Panama Canal Cruise Ports

An aerial view of a boats docked in Fuerte Amador, Panama while on a Panama Canal cruise

Fuerte Amador, Panama

Located west of Panama City at the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal, Fuerte Amador is a gateway to exploring the many faces of this unique Central American country.
A picture of colorful buildings in Cartagena, Columbia on a Panama Canal cruise

Cartagena, Colombia

Its official name is Cartagena de Indias—or "Cartagena of the Indies"—but call it Cartagena for short. The formal name hints at this Colombian city's colonial relationship with Spain; it was founded in 1533 and named after the mother country's Cartagena.
Aerial view of Half Moon Cay, Bahamas

Half Moon Cay, Bahamas

In a region renowned for tropical wonders, one island rises to the top—ours. We’re not the only ones enamored with our slice of paradise—Half Moon Cay is the highest-rated Bahamas private island.
A picture of people enjoying the beach in Puerto Caldera (Puntarenas), Costa Rica on a Panama Canal cruise excursion

Puerto Caldera (Puntarenas), Costa Rica

One of the stops along the Panama Canal route, Puerto Caldera isn't your ordinary port of call, positioned as it is within easy day-trip distance of the country's multiple national parks.
A picture of a historic building in Puerto Chiapas, Mexico while on a Panama Canal cruise excursion

Puerto Chiapas, Mexico

The southernmost port on Mexico’s Pacific coast, Puerto Chiapas is named for the state in which it is located. It is relatively new, built in 1975, and is the primary hub from which the region’s agricultural goods, including coffee, are sent abroad.
Aerial view of a religious statue overlooking a beach in San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua on a Panama Canal cruise excursion

San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua

This lovely beach town is your portal to Masaya, famous for its steaming volcano and colorful crafts market, and colonial Granada, rich in folkloric culture and views of Lake Nicaragua.

Featured Shore Excursions

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Panama Canal Travel Articles

The ultimate journey between two continents and two mighty oceans, a Panama Canal cruise encompasses Spanish colonial architecture, verdant rainforest and an engineering marvel. Learn more about our ports in the region with articles on Cartagena’s graceful Old City and Costa Rica’s exotic Pura Vida Gardens; Antigua, Guatemala, including La Merced, the city’s 250-year-old cathedral; and the storied past of Panama Viejo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. And be sure to explore the complex and fascinating history of the Panama Canal.