Panama Canal (Cruise Into Canal) Port Reviews

Our commentator was very informative and easy to understand. Incredible and unforgettable experience. Highly recommend!

Visited: Sep 17, 2018

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Went thru old locks on Island Princess about 5 yrs ago, excellent, narrator was a phD who wrote a book about the Canal. This time a Princess employee who was as dumb as a rock and knew nothing about the history of the Canal. She read script and was absolutely awful. I've entered a formal complaint as this was the focal point and reason for the cruise and us spending $5000!

Visited: Apr 21, 2018

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You have to do this once, just to admire the engineering. You want to be forward to see the ship enter the canal and to see the old canal on the right. Glory has a 'secret deck' on the 10th deck which is a great view, just look up directions. It takes about 4 hours to get through to the lake. We anchored in the lake for several hours until we returned back through after dark. The outside 3rd deck is a good vantage point to see the ship rise and fall in the locks.

Visited: Feb 09, 2020

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It was awesome to traverse the Canal and go through the locks but we did not leave the ship.

Visited: Sep 16, 2019

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We rode through the old locks into Gatun Lake on the NCL Pearl, which took about 3 hours each way. The canal was fascinating to see, and we had a great vantage point from the top sun deck as well as on the bow area, which they opened up for the canal crossing. They had a speaker from the canal board the ship and give history lessons and talk about the canal, which was great but he often rambled off on tangents about seemingly unrelated stuff. The Canal is definitely something everyone who is into cruising should see at one point or another.

We did a partial transit to Gatun lake and back out. Really cool to watch the ship go through the locks and the water rising and falling. Wish they offered an excursion once we got to the lake and day for a few hours.

Stayed on the ship so we could experience. Had great views of the transition on deck 15 forward. See earlier comment.

Visited: Apr 01, 2018

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The Panama Canal transit from the Atlantic consisted of 2 hours through the first lock (and holding areas) that take the ship up to the lake. Once in the lake, we went about 20 feet, dropped anchor and stayed there for about 3 hours. No one was allowed to tender off the ship for any excursions. Then it was another 2-hour trip back through the lock we entered and back to the Atlantic. It was interesting the first time, not sure I would ever do it again. I would like to do a complete transit to the Pacific but that is another trip.

Visited: Apr 14, 2018

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Fascinating - one of the highlights of the trip!

Visited: Mar 30, 2019

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The best view of the Panama Canal transit is from Deck 11, (just below the bridge) ALL the way to the front of the ship, & thru the normally closed doors to the outer deck. The doors are open to passengers on this day, only, & offered the best views of all of the action. Panama: “Rainforest, Gatun Lakes & Locks Tour”: Only Princess tours could disembark & be tendered to the tour pick up. Panama Port Authority determines when passengers can disembark. Our tour didn’t leave until 11:30. Our stop at the Agua Clara Visitors’ Center would have been more appealing IF their restaurant had been opened, (Christmas Day) & we were not relegated to a long line where chips & sodas were all that was left. The hike near the resort was short & uneventful. The boat ride on Gatun Lake was pleasant, but we saw only one sloth.

Visited: Dec 20, 2018

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