PANAMA CANAL CRUISES

Journey between the beautiful Pacific and Atlantic oceans on one of Holland America Cruise Line’s Panama Canal cruises. Travelers may disagree on which sites deserve to be considered modern wonders of the world, but the Panama Canal would surely make most short lists. The shipping channel—which took 33 years to complete and cost 25,000 workers their lives—is arguably the greatest engineering project ever. Today, a journey through the canal will take you from the port of Colón on the Atlantic to bustling Panama City on the Pacific. Along the way, you'll find Gatun Lake, once the largest manmade lake in the world, which has proved a boon for Central American species that thrive here, undisturbed by the ships passing by. 

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Top 5 Reasons To Cruise The Panama Canal

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

See a Wonder of the Modern World on a Panama Canal Cruise

Cruise the Panama Canal and see the locks that changed history with a marvel of 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.
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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, Coast Rica; Cartagena, Puerto Vallarta; and Oranjestad, Aruba.
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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.
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Exceptional Cuisine & Entertainment

Onboard 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 such as Lincoln Center Stage, B.B. King’s Blues Club & Billboard Onboard.
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Extraordinary Panama Canal Cruise Tours

Our Panama Canal excursions connect you to each fascinating destination. At Gatún Lake, board a motor launch for a one-hour cruise and get a water-level view of the Locks. Or watch for monkeys, toucans and sloths while you kayak through the Gatún islands.
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This year, why not relax your way through the holidays on a Panama Canal Cruise?

A picture of colorful paper mâché animals on one of many holiday Panama Canal cruises

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Featured Panama Canal Cruise Ports

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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.
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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.
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Half Moon Cay, Bahamas

The Caribbean is full of tropical wonders and natural beauty. But there’s nothing like Half Moon Cay, our pristine private island paradise in the Bahamas. The most stunning, highest-rated private-island experience in the region, Half Moon Cay has won Porthole Cruise Magazine’s Best Private Island award 17 consecutive years, and was also named the best in Travel Weekly's Readers' Choice Awards. As soon as your toes touch that powdery white sand and your eyes settle on the perfect blue-crystal clear water, you’ll understand why.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Featured Shore Excursions

Panama Canal Interoceanic Museum & Former Canal Zone

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Frank Gehry's Biomueseum & Panama City

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Authentic Embera Native Village

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El Valle Ecological Paradise & Waterfall

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Aerial Tram & Ecological Encounter

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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.