Join our SUN TOURS group on this amazing journey through the Panama Canal on the Emerald Princess. For over 100 years it has remained one of the great manmade wonders of the modern world. This cruise is so breathtaking it has been named a Cruise World Wonder by Conde Nast Traveler! Princess was the first cruise line to sail the Panama Canal and has been doing so since 1967. 

 

Included meals are denoted: Breakfast: B, Lunch: L, Dinner: D

 

DAY 1

We depart Albuquerque for our flight to Los Angeles, where we will board our ship, the beautiful . 

 

DAY 2              B,L,D                DAY 3              B,L,D          

Our first relaxing days at sea, we can explore our ship, watch a movie, go for a swim, or just relax on our balcony with a good book.

 

DAY 4              B,L,D

Puerto Vallarta was sleepy no more; its transformation into an international resort had begun. Then director John Huston chose the village as the location for his film Night of the Iguana, starring Richard Burton. Today, the city has its own "Gringo Gulch," a haunt of the rich and famous. Travelers are also drawn by its climate, its excellent shopping - which offers great values on leather goods, jewelry, and handicrafts - and mile after mile of palm-lined beaches.

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DAY 5               B,L,D

Today we have a leisurely day of cruising! You can be as busy as you choose. Relax on deck with a good book, hit the gym, or maybe take a dance lesson.

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DAY 6             B,L,D

Nine bays bordered by 36 golden-sand beaches form the beautiful Las Bahias de Huatulco in the state of Oaxaca. Welcome to Mexico's newest resort on the Pacific Riviera. Huatulco is a tropical Eden with crystalline waters, coral reefs, and uncrowded beaches. Inland, the rugged coast range is thickly carpeted with rainforest and coffee plantations. While Huatulco is still in its early stages of development, travelers may note that the resort has a different feel from other destinations on the Mexican Riviera. That's because large areas of Huatulco have been designated as an ecological reserve. Huatulco is located in the state of Oaxaca where the foothills of the Sierra Madre del Sur Mountains meet the Pacific Ocean.

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DAY 7              B,L,D

At sea.

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DAY 8                B,L,D

Nicaragua is the largest Central American nation and has stunning landscapes, vast cultural treasures, and an intriguing history. Until recent times Nicaragua was unfortunately known for the civil war (Sandinistas and Contras) that raged from the late 70s through much of the 80s. Today, the soldiers and guerrillas have given way to sightseeing in a beautiful country. From strolling the cobblestone streets of colonial Granada on Lake Nicaragua, to exploring one of the many volcanoes, Nicaragua has something for even the most seasoned travelers.

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DAY 9              B,L,D

Puntarenas is your gateway to Costa Rica's wonders - and to its capital city of San Jose. To Spanish explorers, the rumors of gold and vast riches could only mean that this section of Central America was the costa rica - the "Rich Coast." Hailed as the Switzerland of the Americas, Costa Rica occupies a unique position, lying between two oceans and two continents. On both coasts, tropical rainforests rise to the mountains of the interior, many of which soar over 13,000 feet above sea level. In the west, a seemingly endless succession of brown-sand beaches forms the nation's Pacific coast.

 

DAY 10           B,L,D

While we’re at sea, perhaps we’ll choose to curl up with a good book on deck or watch a show in the onboard theater. Maybe there will be a class we’ve always wanted to take. For those that like to try their luck, a visit to the casino is in order. There are so many options, and we can make it as leisurely or as exciting as we want!

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DAY 11              B,L,D

Cruising through the Panama Canal will be one of the unforgettable experiences of your voyage. It takes approximately eight hours to navigate the 50-mile waterway linking the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, allowing you to experience firsthand one of the engineering marvels of the 20th century. Completed in 1914, the canal marks the culmination of a dream born in 1513, when Balboa became the first European to cross the Isthmus of Panama and sight the Pacific. In 1880 Ferdinand de Lesseps and the French Canal company, builders of the Suez Canal, began construction in Panama, only to be defeated by disease, staggering cost overruns, and massive engineering problems. The French sold their claim and properties to the United States for $40 million, a staggering loss of $247 million on their investment. The United States began construction in 1904, completing the project in 10 years at a cost of $387 million. Building the canal meant solving three problems: engineering, sanitation, and organization. The project, for example, required carving a channel through the Continental Divide and creating the then-largest man-made lake ever built, as well as defeating yellow fever and other tropical maladies. The United States oversaw the operation of the Panama Canal until December 31, 1999, when the Republic of Panama assumed responsibility for the canal's administration. The Panamanian government controls the canal through the Panama Canal Authority, an independent government agency created for the purpose of managing the canal.

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DAY 12             B,L,D

One of the more interesting cities on our voyage, Cartagena was the transit port for all the wealth Spain derived from South America. The famous "Old City" is comprised of 12 square blocks filled with attractions, boutiques and restaurants. Throughout Colombia, the Spanish Empire's influence in the New World is self-evident. Its fortress walls, quaint narrow streets, and balconied houses are all vivid reminders of Spain's hold on Cartagena and throughout the Caribbean and South America. This is the land of El Dorado and flamboyant adventurers in search of the ever-elusive gold. Cartagena's well-constructed fortifications defended its borders against seafaring pirates whose attacks lasted for more than 200 years. Today this modern and bustling city, seaport, and commercial center still boasts much of its original colonial architecture. Our journey here will provide a significant link to the region's grand past.

 

DAY 13            B,L,D

At sea.

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DAY 14            B,L,D 

Grand Cayman

 

DAY 15            B,L,D              

At sea

 

DAY 16            B

We disembark in Fort Lauderdale and fly home with wonderful memories of our Panama Canal cruise.

 

 

Itinerary subject to change

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