Panama Canal One Way (repositioning) Cruise...Looking for Direction

[pollyannasue]

Sorry for the long Topic.  My family and I are trying to plan a one way cruise to Panama or from Panama.  We live in Florida.  Basically we want to fly one way and cruise the other.  We grew up in Panama, so we want to spend some time there, not just cruise there and get off the ship for a day.  I've been trying to research on my own and going crazy!  Any advice or direction?

[Shmoo here]

20 minutes ago, pollyannasue said:

Sorry for the long Topic.  My family and I are trying to plan a one way cruise to Panama or from Panama.  We live in Florida.  Basically we want to fly one way and cruise the other.  We grew up in Panama, so we want to spend some time there, not just cruise there and get off the ship for a day.  I've been trying to research on my own and going crazy!  Any advice or direction?

You could start here:

 

https://www.cruisetimetables.com/#depports

 

Scroll down to the Panama section and figure out what port you want to start your cruise in.  Click on the city, and it will show you dates that cruises start in that city.  You'll need to figure out how to fly there on your own.

[CruiserBruce]

Doesn't matter. Some like east to west, because you gain time.

[Essiesmom]

I follow Panama Canal cruises for another forum and there are not many that start in the US and end in Panama, or the reverse.  You might have a look at Viking Ocean.  They have a cruise from FLL to Panama City leaving tomorrow (Oct 10) and the reverse from Panama on Oct 20.  They are doing the same in Oct 2024.  The same ship does it in Dec, as does Viking Sky, and NCL Joy.  I would go to cruisetimetables.com and click on ‘cruises to’ and select Panama City, although there may also be some to Colon.  A lot of the cruises listed will have these ports as part of a longer cruise, so ignore those.  EM

Edited October 9, 2023 by Essiesmom

[YoHoHo]

Starclippers has cruises that end / start in Panama.I

 

We've sailed on one of their ships in the Med and have Panama with them  high on our list.

 

They are not for everyone and not a usual cruise ship; a piano player or make your own entertainment, small ship with few pax, a true sailing ship with wooden decks and sailors that actually winch the sails, several ships built as four and five masted brigatines. the perfect definition of A Tall Ship. They are a wonderful sailing experience if that is the type of adventure that interests you. 

 

There is a very quiet forum on CC for them.

[crystalspin]

3 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

Doesn't matter. Some like east to west, because you gain time.

Bruce, I don't think she meant Atl-Pac/Pac-Atl, but "direction" in the sense of advice!

[Essiesmom]

5 hours ago, crystalspin said:

Bruce, I don't think she meant Atl-Pac/Pac-Atl, but "direction" in the sense of advice!

I agree…I think she meant traveling to Panama from the US and flying back, or flying to Panama and sailing back.  I also found some one way cruises from Miami on Oceania Sirena.  EM

[jsn55]

I suggest a travel advisor who is a cruise expert.  There may be interesting opportunities to lay out this trip the way you want that aren't visible to us.  Not an online agency, and doesn't have to be local.  

[thinfool]

7 hours ago, jsn55 said:

I suggest a travel advisor who is a cruise expert.  There may be interesting opportunities to lay out this trip the way you want that aren't visible to us.  Not an online agency, and doesn't have to be local.  

This is good advice.  The closed loop provision for US sailings does not apply so the possibility of disembarking or boarding mid-stream may increase.  A good, experienced travel agent may be able to help.

[GeezerCouple]

9 hours ago, Essiesmom said:

I agree…I think she meant traveling to Panama from the US and flying back, or flying to Panama and sailing back.  I also found some one way cruises from Miami on Oceania Sirena.  EM

 

It must have been the Oceania one-ways to/from Panama City that I remember seeing relatively recently.  That was unusual enough to remember, although not which ship.

That would allow us to get the "full Panama Canal transit" AND also spend some time in Panama.

 

Now I need to check further!

 

Thanks!

 

GC