Cruises from Fort Lauderdale to the Panama Canal

Which lines sail from Fort Lauderdale to the Panama Canal?

• Celebrity Cruises
  Stylish, relaxed and adult-leaning; good food, good cocktails and a calmer pool deck than the big family brands.
• Holland America Line
  Gracious and unhurried; live music at night, a good book by day and plenty of ocean views.
• Princess Cruises
  Relaxed, welcoming and dependable; a comfortable middle ground between mass-market buzz and premium polish.
• Viking
  Quiet, elegant and intellectually curious; think a stylish Nordic hotel where the evening entertainment might be a history lecture.

When to go

1. January: Best time, average high 90 degrees F Jan 90°71°
2. February: Best time, average high 91 degrees F Feb 91°71°
3. March: Best time, average high 92 degrees F Mar 92°71°
4. April: Best time, average high 92 degrees F Apr 92°73°
5. May: Shoulder season, average high 90 degrees F May 90°73°
6. June: Few or no cruises, average high 89 degrees F Jun 89°73°
7. July: Few or no cruises, average high 89 degrees F Jul 89°73°
8. August: Few or no cruises, average high 89 degrees F Aug 89°73°
9. September: Cruises run, average high 89 degrees F Sep 89°72°
10. October: Shoulder season, average high 88 degrees F Oct 88°72°
11. November: Shoulder season, average high 88 degrees F Nov 88°72°
12. December: Best time, average high 89 degrees F Dec 89°71°

• Best time
• Shoulder season
• Cruises run
• Few or none

Temperatures in Fahrenheit, long-term averages. Climate source.

Most Panama Canal cruises run from about September to May, with full transits clustered in fall and spring as ships reposition. Panama's dry season runs roughly December to April, which is the most comfortable time. The canal itself sits south of the usual hurricane track, but Caribbean legs of the trip are exposed from June to November.

Panama is hot and humid all year, with a rainy season from about May to November that brings heavy afternoon downpours. Hurricanes rarely reach Panama itself, but Caribbean ports on the route sit in the Atlantic hurricane zone (June 1 to November 30) and Pacific Mexico in the Eastern Pacific zone (May 15 to November 30). Drought can occasionally lead the Panama Canal Authority to limit traffic, which can affect schedules.

Where you'll stop

Itineraries vary by line and length. These are the ports the Panama Canal cruises most often visit:

• Panama Canal transit, Panama: A day of locks, Gatun Lake and the Culebra Cut between the Atlantic and Pacific.
• Cartagena, Colombia: A walled colonial city with fortresses and a UNESCO-listed old town.
• Colon, Panama: Atlantic-side port for canal tours, Gatun Locks and the Agua Clara visitor center on partial transits.
• Puerto Limon, Costa Rica: Rainforest tours, sloths, canals of Tortuguero and banana plantations.
• Puntarenas, Costa Rica: Pacific-side port for cloud forests, river safaris and wildlife.
• Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala: Gateway to colonial Antigua Guatemala and its volcano views.

Before you sail from Fort Lauderdale

There are three gated entrances: SE 17th Street at Eisenhower Boulevard, State Road 84 at Spangler Boulevard, and I-595 East at Eller Drive. At the checkpoint, every passenger and visitor 18 or older shows a government-issued photo ID, and cruisers also show cruise documents, so have them out before you reach the gate. From FLL it is a short taxi or rideshare ride. From Miami, allow 30 to 45 minutes on I-95, more in traffic.

Broward County's Port Everglades runs the garages and lots. The Heron Garage serves Terminals 2 and 4, the Palm Garage serves Terminals 19, 21, 25, 26 and 29 (with a shuttle to Terminal 29), and surface Lots A through D cover the rest, including Lots B and C for Terminal 18. The port does not take reservations or prepayment; the clock starts when you pull a ticket. As of October 2026 the port lists a maximum daily rate of $25. Both garages have a 7-foot clearance, and limited spaces for RVs and trailers up to 24 feet are available by calling the port's parking office.

• Every adult in the car, including the driver dropping you off, needs a photo ID at the port gate.
• Match your garage to your terminal number: Heron for 2 and 4, Palm for 19 through 29, surface lots for Terminal 18.
• Pick-up drivers can wait in the port's free cell phone lot instead of circling the terminals.
• If you are flying out after your cruise, FLL's proximity makes a midday flight realistic, but leave time for customs and terminal traffic.

Documents: A partial-transit round trip from Florida is a closed-loop cruise: U.S. Customs and Border Protection says US citizens can re-enter with a birth certificate and government-issued photo ID, though countries along the way may ask for a passport. A full transit that starts in one US port and ends in another (for example Fort Lauderdale to Los Angeles) is not closed-loop, so you need a valid passport book, as you do for any cruise that starts or ends in Panama, Colombia or another foreign port. Many countries expect your passport to be valid for at least six months. Check current requirements with your line and the State Department before you sail.

More detail: our full Fort Lauderdale cruise port guide and our Panama Canal cruise guide.

Related routes

Also from Fort Lauderdale: Bahamas, Caribbean, Eastern Caribbean, Western Caribbean, Southern Caribbean, Transatlantic.

Panama Canal from other ports: Los Angeles (San Pedro).