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When you come to Panama you have to see the Panama Canal. Many visitors go to the Miraflores Locks near Panama City to see ships come and go. Some just go on line and visit the Panama Canal Authority web site to look at the pictures from Miraflores on the Panama Canal Authority web cams.

The best way to see the Panama Canal is to go through it on a boat. The best way on a boat is on a Celebrity Panama cruise.

Just What will you see on a Panama Cruise with Celebrity?

The Panama Canal is the system of man made channels, locks, dams, and artificial lakes that connect the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean across the Isthmus of Panama. Since its completion in 1914 the Panama Canal has allowed shipping to cross the fifty mile wide isthmus at the narrowest part of the Americas. The Panama Canal locks allow ships to enter the system from either ocean and to be raised to the level of artificial Lake Gatun, 26 meters above sea level, to transit central Panama before being lowered to sea level on the other side.

Celebrity cruises through the Panama Canal traditionally start from either coast of the United States, pass through the Panama Canal and end up on the other coast. On each end are approach channels dredged from the sea bed. Then there are the Panama Canal locks, two sets on the Pacific end and one set on the Atlantic (Caribbean) end. In the middle you pass across artificial Lake Gatun formed by the damming of the Chagres River and through the Gaillard Cut, a ditch dug through what was a mountain ridge before they created the lake. The passage takes about 9 hours. Other boats on your route will include pleasure craft, giant container ships, tankers, and anything else that carries cargo. On occasion the US Navy sends a boat or submarine through although these are usually nighttime passages.

When to Take a Celebrity Panama Canal Cruise

The best time to take a Celebrity Panama Canal cruise is from late October to April which is the Panama dry season. Summer (Verano) in Panama is the dry season and winter (Invierno) is the rainy season which is May to October. Panama Canal weather is either warm and dry or warm and wet. If you take a side tour involving a little walking bring sun screen, an umbrella, and insect repellant. Whatever the season, Celebrity has a Panama Canal cruise available.

Visit the Panama Canal on a Celebrity Cruise

Celebrity has a Panama Canal cruise to and from Fort Lauderdale, FL. This Celebrity Panama Canal Cruise stops at Cozumel, Mexico and Limon, Costa Rica before visiting Colon, Panama. At Colon there a number of possible day excursions. One of these is a day long cruise of the Panama Canal on a ferry boat. Other opportunities include kayaking in the Panama Canal and riding the Panama Canal Railway to Panama City and back. This Celebrity Panama Canal cruise goes for $899 to $1,399 in December down to $699 to $1,099 in May.

However you do it come to see the Panama Canal from the water. Take a Panama Canal Cruise with Celebrity.