Panama Canal Repositioning Cruises
Coast to coast through the canal as ships change seasons.
Get Panama Canal QuotesCoast to Coast Through the Canal
Panama Canal repositioning cruises move ships between the Caribbean and the Pacific seasons. Westbound in spring, they carry ships from Florida to California on their way to Alaska; eastbound in autumn, they bring them back. Along the way you sail one of the great engineering routes on Earth.
The canal opened in 1914 and gained a third, larger set of locks in 2016, according to the Panama Canal Authority. A full transit takes most of a day, as the ship climbs through locks to Gatun Lake and descends to the other ocean. Our sister site Panama Canal Cruising covers the canal itself in depth.
A Typical Route
Voyages usually run between a Florida port such as Fort Lauderdale or Miami and Los Angeles or San Diego, often calling at Cartagena in Colombia, ports in Central America and stops along Mexico’s Pacific coast. Longer versions continue to San Francisco or Vancouver. Many are two weeks or more, mixing port days with sea days on each ocean.
The call in Colombia is not an accident: it satisfies the U.S. rule that a cruise from one U.S. port to another must include a distant foreign port. For port tours in Cartagena and other South American stops, see South America Shore Excursions.
Making It a Deal
- Compare the full transit with a partial-transit round trip from Florida; the one-way voyage sees more of the canal and both coasts.
- Price the one-way flight across the country before booking; it is a domestic ticket, often simple from both coasts.
- Clocks change by a few hours across the voyage, so plan medication and calls home around them.
- Pick a balcony on the side facing the canal banks if you can; the transit is a full day of viewing.
On transit day, the ship enters the first locks early in the morning and spends hours climbing, crossing Gatun Lake and descending again. Many ships run commentary over the speakers, and the bow and open decks fill up, so head out early for a good spot.
For current fares across lines, Cruising for Less shows live prices. For the bigger Atlantic version of repositioning, see Transatlantic Cruise Deals.
Panama Canal Repositioning Questions
Do all Panama Canal cruises go all the way through?
No. Many round-trip Caribbean cruises enter the canal partway and turn back. Repositioning voyages between Florida and California make a full transit from one ocean to the other.
Which direction is better?
Both cross the same canal. Westbound voyages in spring often deliver ships to the West Coast for Alaska; eastbound voyages in autumn take them back to Florida for the Caribbean season.
Why do these cruises stop in Colombia?
A trip from one U.S. port to another on a foreign-flagged ship must include a distant foreign port. Colombia, in South America, counts; Panama and Central America do not.
Cross the Canal One Way
Tell us whether you want to sail east or west and your flexible dates. Our cruise advisors at Mister Cruise will compare Panama Canal repositioning cruises and send free quotes.
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