Cruise the Panama Canal
Get ready to cross the great continental divide by ship and experience an adventure of a lifetime! This is an incredible journey of locks, lakes and the joining of two oceans.
Board a cruise ship out of San Diego, California and travel the Mexican coastline. Ports of call are usually Cabos San Lucas, on the tip of the long Baja peninsula. Los Cabos is a winter paradise for many Canadians. You can experience great golf, weather and incredible scenery. Puerto Vallarta is the next port- of- call. This was once a tiny fishing village that has since evolved into a world class resort area but still maintained its colonial charm. Stroll down the famous “Malecon” or boardwalk in the heart of town. It is a mile long and borders shops of artwork, clothing, restaurants, pubs and outdoor cafes.
Puntarenas, Costa Rica is a wonderful port. You will experience native wildlife ranging from scarlet macaws to the alpha predator: the jaguar. A shore excursion would be a boat ride through the mangroves or view the jungle from the suspended bridge in the Cloud Forest.
Soon you will begin the Panama Canal experience! It is approx. 77kms long and has the elevation of 85 feet above sea level, into the legendary Gatun Lake. The current locks are 110 feet wide. There are three locks up to Gatun Lake and three locks down per transit. All are two lanes wide. A third, wider lane of locks is being built. This process began in 2008. A total of 3.2 million cubic meters has been removed during the deepening and widening process. This means that bigger ships can sail the Panama Canal for a safer route over the Continental Divide. These locks make it possible to travel between the Caribbean Sea and North Pacific Ocean at a much faster, safer and shorter route.