The canal opened in 1914 and is mainly used as a shortcut for industrial vessels that carry cargo.Traveling through the locks is the experience that many cruise goers look forward to the most. The locks were built to raise and lower boats to different water levels. Each lock is 110 feet wide and 1,000 feet long, and some cruise passengers wake up to a giant slab of concrete outside of their cabin window, because the sometimes the oversized cruise ships really have to stuff themselves into the locks.
The cruise lasts one day and is 50 miles through the entire canal. The best time to visit the canal is from November to April, as that is the least rainy time in the tropical climate. However, most Panama Canal cruises begin in September. The jungle scenery on either side is breathtaking.
Royal Caribbean has the best cruises that go through the Panama Canal. Its two-week excursions start in Miami or San Diego and end up on the other side of the country. They also go through many other Central American countries with stops in Guatemala, Costa Rica and several Mexican ports of call. Prices start at about $1,000 per person.
The Celebrity cruises make a stop in Fuerte Amador, Panama, and allow for Panama Canal excursions with guided tours through the jungle. The Celebrity cruise is also from Fort Lauderdale or San Diego, but you can end the trip in such destinations as Seattle or Baltimore, depending on where you are leaving.
Virgin Holiday offers a two-week cruise with ports of call from London and through the Caribbean. It has a Panama Canal historian on board to educate the passengers on the full history and future of the project. The price starts at about $2,000 per person.
