Download a PDF containing all of the information on this site related to transiting through the Panama Canal on a cruise ship.

Get an Overview of the Panama Canal

Find out How the Panama Canal Works

When making a Panama Canal transit on a cruise you will have plenty to see while transiting the Canal, and there are many things to check out at either end should you stop for the day.

Find out what Shore Excursions can be done when your ship is in a Panama port, including:

If you would like to know if any other cruise ships are transiting the Canal with you, check out the cruise calendar at Seacruise.

If you find yourself on the Caribbean side at Colon 2000 or Cristobal Pier, the main attraction is the Gatun Locks, but there are some places on that side of Panama to get to in a taxi.

You could have lunch at Shelter Bay Yacht Club before driving out to see San Lorenzo Fort or you could drive in the other direction to Portobelo for some history.

Hopefully you will be on the Pacific side of Panama where there is a lot more to see. The ship will anchor off the end of the the Causeway with a magnificent view of the city skyline, and there are plenty of options for getting around Panama City to enjoy it.

On the Causeway or close by

  • Walk or rent a bicycle along the Amador Causeway and enjoy one of the many restaurants
  • Stop at the BioMuseum
  • Visit the Punta Culebra (Smithsonian) Nature Center and see some sloths and more
  • Shop for souvenirs at the Centro Artesanal Panamá para el Mundo – less than 20 minutes drive, with a huge selection of crafts and trinkets
  • Hike up Ancon Hill for a view across the city and to the Miraflores Locks
  • Visit Mi Pueblito which is a mock village depicting three Panamanian cultures: Afro-Caribbean, the interior region, and indigenous groups.

Around Panama City

For those that have been in Panama before, some lesser-known attractions

  • Hike up the hill at Metropolitan Park to admire the view of the city and see monkeys, sloths and birds
  • Check out the murals in the ACP Administration building
  • See the collection of photographs and memorabilia from the canal construction days in the old Balboa High School
  • Visit the Chinese monument on the west end of the Bridge of the Americas
  • Shop for souvenirs at the Craft Market close to Ancon Hill
  • Shop till you drop at Albrook Mall

From either end you can get to the Gamboa Rainforest Resort to enjoy various tropical activities

Gamboa Rainforest Resort

  • Lunch and drink at the Monkey Bar overlooking the Chagres River
  • Ride the aerial tram
  • Go for a boat ride on Gatun Lake
  • Fishing or kayaking on Gatun Lake
  • Visit the APPC Animal Rescue Center
  • Go bird watching on the Pipeline Road
  • Visit an Embera Tribe