It goes without saying that Panama is a major destination for cruise ships drawn by the opportunity to transit the famous Panama Canal. Some cruise ships that focus on the Caribbean simply dock at the Colón 2000 port on the Atlantic side, with passengers taking a day tour on the Panama Railway, visiting Portobelo or an Emberá Indian village, and carrying on to their next port of call -- without ever entering the canal.
As a cruise-ship passenger you won't spend a lot of time getting to know Panama, but there is something to be said for experiencing the engineering marvel that is the Panama Canal. Passing through the 80km (50-mile) canal takes about 8 hours from start to finish. Cruise programs that transit the canal are on average 10 to 14 nights long, and visit a handful of Caribbean, Central American, and Mexican ports along the way. Popular stops in Panama include the San Blas Islands, Coiba Island, and Panama City. The company Aventuras 2000 has the monopoly on shore excursions around the canal.
Mainstream Cruise Lines -- These cruise lines offer something for everyone: Celebrity Cruises (tel. 800/722-5941; www.celebritycruises.com); Disney Cruise Line (tel. 800/951-3532; www.disneycruise.com); Holland America (tel. 877/932-4259; www.hollandamerica.com); Norwegian Cruise Lines (tel. 800/327-7030; www.ncl.com); Oceania Cruises (tel. 800/531-5619; www.oceaniacruises.com); Orient Lines (tel. 800/333-7300; www.orientlines.com); Princess Cruises (tel. 800/421-0522; www.princess.com); and Royal Caribbean (tel. 800/398-9819; www.rccl.com).
Luxury Liners -- Crystal Cruises (tel. 800/804-1500; www.crystalcruises.com); Regent Seven Seas Cruises (formerly Radisson; tel. 877/505-5370; www.rssc.com); Seabourn Cruise Line (tel. 800/929-9391; www.seabourn.com); and Windstar Cruises (tel. 800/258-7245; www.windstarcruises.com).
Specialty Cruises -- Lindblad Expeditions (tel. 800/397-3348; www.lindbladexpeditions.com) has educational cruises that focus on culture and the environment.
Travel agencies and tour operators that specialize in cruises buy in bulk and are often capable of offering lower rates than those advertised by cruise lines, and they stay on top of special deals and promotions. Try The Cruise Company (tel. 800/289-5505; www.thecruisecompany.com); or World Wide Cruises (tel. 800/882-9000; www.wwcruises.com).
