We are considering a Holland America Eurodam cruise through the Panama Canal with 2 Panama port stops. Would like to hear from anyone who has taken a similar cruise as to your experience.
Posted by
Ontario, Canada
5435 posts
If you ask this on the HAL forum on Cruise Critic, I wager you'll get many informed responses on both the cruise and the ship itself. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/103-holland-america-line/
Posted by
8248 posts
We did the Panama Canal in 2011 on the Celebrity Infinity. Loved going through the canal. Also, if you haven't read David McCulloch's book The Path Between the Seas, it is a great history of the canal. Read the book and when you go through the canal, the history comes to life.
On our stop at Colon, we took an excursion that visited a lake where we saw monkeys and other wildlife. Some people rave about taking the train that goes from one end of the canal to the other.
Posted by
The Heartland USA
8972 posts
Are you taking the complete transit through the Canal? We did HA in 2016 and it didn't actually stop in any Panama ports. The entry into the canal is timed so they didn't linger at either end for a port call.
Posted by
Edmonton Canada
327 posts
We have enjoyed the full-transit Panama Canal cruise twice (2011 and 2019) with Princess Cruises (a few different port stops on each cruise). Recommend that you select a balcony cabin as the transit takes all day and you likely won't want to be standing in one of the crowded outdoor public areas of the ship for that long.
Both times, our ship docked at Panama City - we loved the city tour to the old town areas and on our second visit, we enjoyed touring the new Frank Gehry-designed Biomuseo on our own (it was under construction in 2011).
Suggest you borrow one of the Panama Canal by Cruise Ship guidebooks from the public library before you cruise as the history and background adds to the enjoyment of being there.