The Panama Canal, nearing its 100th year anniversary, is Panama’s most popular tourist attraction. The best way to experience the canal is in a cruise onboard the Pacific Queen. During your transit, you will have the unique opportunity to see the Canal up close in operation. You will transit with the big ships and see the tug boats in operation and of course, the locks themselves. You can feel the sensation of going up or down to get from one ocean to the other. A once in a lifetime adventure and experience, whether it be a partial or full transit, Panama Marine Adventures looks forward to transiting you through the Panama Canal.

The Pacific Queen

The Pacific Queen
Designed specifically for day tours and cruises, the Pacific Queen is a German built cruiser with a capacity for 300 passengers and measures 119 ft. in length and 25 ft. in width. Passengers will enjoy its two spacious, enclosed floors, fully equipped with air conditioning and a comfortable seating arrangement. In addition, an open-air third floor serves as an ideal vantage point from which to enjoy your cruise and relax in a tropical setting. The vessel’s bow can accommodate additional passengers, and also enjoys an open-air setting.

For your enjoyment, the vessel is equipped with several television monitors, which are used during Panama Canal transits to present Panama Canal and Panamanian folkloric documentaries. As well, the Pacific Queen has a speaker system for music and tour guide narration of the cruises. The Pacific Queen has 6 conveniently located restrooms to ensure a comfortable trip.

Onboard we operate a souvenir shop, complete with local handcrafts and Panama Canal souvenirs including Molas (handmade by Kuna Indians), postcards, books, t-shirts, mugs, caps, and more.

In the first floor you find a lounge area with bar where food and drinks are served.

PARTIAL TRANSIT TOUR
Tour description (4 –5 hrs):

Our tour starts at the Flamenco Resort and Marina at 10:00 a.m. Passeengers board motor coaches for a 45 minute ride to the town of Gamboa where the Panama Canal Dredging Division is located. Once in Gamboa, passengers board the Pacific Queen to start the water prtion of the tour. We enter the canal at the north end of the Gailard cut, where the Chagres River flows into the canal. The Gaillard Cut (also known as Culebra Cut because its curves resemble a snake) is one of the main points of interest for visitors because it was carved through the Continental Divide and this section of the Canal is full of history and geological value. The PACIFIC QUEEN will travel the Cut's 13.7 kilometers on the way to Pedro Miguel Locks. As you transit the Cut you will be able to appreciate the continuous maintenance that this area requires, because it is very susceptible to landslides.

Before reaching the Pedro Miguel Locks at the southern end of the Cut, you will be able to view the new Centennial Bridge which crosses over the Canal. Next, the Pacific Queen will enter Pedro Miguel Locks, which is one of the two sets of locks on the Pacific side, and here the vessel is lowered 9 meters in one step. You will then enter Miraflores Lake, which is a small artificial body of fresh water that separates Pedro Miguel from Miraflores Locks, the latter being the final set of locks before reaching the Pacific Ocean. At Miraflores Locks the vessel is lowered 18 meters in two distinct steps.

Once in the Pacific Ocean the vessel will sail to the beautiful Flamenco Marina where passengers disembark. On the way to Flamenco, you will pass under the Bridge of the Americas, and later, you will be be able to admire the Bay of Panama and Panama City's splendorous skyline.

Tour includes:

• Bilingual guide/narrator.
• Lunch is served on the boat and includes various Panamanian dishes.
• Soft drinks and water (all you can drink).
• Transportation by bus from Panama City (Flamenco Resort & Marina) to Gamboa where the tour starts.
  

FULL TRANSIT TOUR
Tour description (8 – 9 hrs):

Our trip departs from the Flamenco Marina at 7:30 a.m., and you will travel from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean on the same day. You will experience all that is mentioned above in the partial transit tour description, but in the other direction. In addition, you will enjoy a trip through Gatun Lake, which was formed by erecting the Gatun Dam across the Chagres River. During your transit through Gatun Lake you will pass the Smithsonian Research Station at Barro Colorado. You will also experience the Gatun Locks, which are the only set of locks in the Atlantic sector. In Gatun Locks, the vessel will be lowered a total of 26 meters in three distinct chambers. Upon arriving at Colon, you will disembark at Pier 6, where transportation back to Panama City will be provided.

Tour includes:

• Bilingual guide/narrator.
• Continental Breakfast.
• Full lunch which includes various Panamanian dishes.
• Soft drinks and water (all you can drink).
• Transportation from Colon to Panama City.
  

Please contact us to arrange your Panama Canal Tour