We list here only one-way ship repositioning Panama Canal cruises 2020 and 2021 schedule of transition itineraries offered in Spring and Fall. You can compare here all Panama Canal cruise ships as destinations, departure ports, and sailing dates. Learn how to discern the regular one-way Panama Canal transition cruises from the authentic, cheap repositioning cruises through Panama Canal operated seasonally with discount cheap deals.
Panama Canal Repositioning Cruises
When talking about repositioning cruises through Panama Canal, the predicament here is that most Panama Canal transition cruises are full transits (crossings with one-way itineraries). Panama Canal cruise ships are usually leaving either from Florida or California ports. Transition sailings usually last for about 2-weeks.
Panama Canal cruise ships relocation
These are two special “Panama Canal ship relocation” hints for you (serving almost like shortcuts): the always funny one is “follow the money”, and the not so funny one is “mind the season”.
- Destination. Panama Canal cruise relocation is very often in the category of long Coast to Coast voyages (Florida-California and California-Florida, and New York to California and California to New York). And some itineraries start in South America to end in Florida, Boston or NYC, New York (and the reverse).
- Season. It all happens in Spring (April and May) and Fall (September) when all Panama Canal repositioning ships relocate (to and from) Alaska according to their summer Alaskan season schedule. Repositioning cruises on ships passing through Panama Canal with itineraries to/from South America usually start in some of the Winter months.
As to the money part, you’ll know the Panama Canal reposition cruises by their ticket prices. Deals will vary greatly (depending on the line, ship and cabin category), but always with pleasantly low rates which could be easily defined as “top-luxury inexpensive to really really cheap”.
Panama Canal cruise transition – facts and statistics
The total length of the Panama Canal is 77,1 km (48 ml).- Locks size. Panama Canal’s lock chambers determine the max size of a ship to be able to pass through. Most cruise ships are built to the max lock size allowed (Panamax ships). Larger size ships belong to the group of Post-Panamax ships. The length of each lock is 320 m (1,050 ft), their walls thickness range from the bottom (15 m / 49 ft) to top (3 m / 9,8 ft).
- The longest ship transiting the Panama Canal was a bulk-carrier – length 296,6 m (973 ft), width 32,3 m (106 ft).
- Draft restrictions (max 12,6 m / 41,2 ft). Since the draft is determined by the ship’s weight, Panamax ships (able to pass through the canal) have cargo weight restrictions to ~52,500 t.
- Panama Canal cruise ship transition tolls are based on the ship’s size (vessel type and cargo type for freighter ships). Cruise ships through Panama Canal pay rates based on their passenger capacity (number of berths/beds). The current Panama Canal cruise ship fee (for bigger ships) is US$92 for unoccupied and US$115 for occupied beds. Panama Canal cruise ships of less than 30,000 t or less than 33 t per passenger are charged as the same per-ton fees as cargo ships. These tolls are (in USD) $3,90 per ton (first 10000 t), US$3,19 pt (second 10000 t), US$3,82 pt (third 10000 t) and US$3,76 pt thereafter.
- The most expensive Panama Canal cruise ship transition toll was charged to the NCL Pearl cruise ship on its westbound repositioning cruise in Spring 2010 (passing on April 14th). NCL Pearl paid US$375,600 (for comparison, the average fee is ~US$55,000).
- There are also priority passing fees – the highest was paid in 2006 (US$220,300) by a tanker ship bypassing 90 other ships waiting to move through the canal. The cargo ship avoided a 7-days delay by paying the regular toll 16 times (the normal fee was only US$13,400).
These are two Panama Canal related links. For all things Panama-related – the Republic of Panama official website VisitPanama.com. For all history-technology-facts stuff – see this Wikipedia link. For details on itinerary and to compare prices (indicative rates) follow the line-links from the table below.
Repositioning Panama Canal cruises 2020-2021 schedule
| Cruise lines / ships | Spring 2020-2021 Summer | Fall 2020-2021 Winter |
|---|---|---|
| Carnival Cruise Lines | ||
| Carnival Legend | – | – |
| Carnival Miracle | 2020 Feb 1 – 13day (San Diego to Miami)
2020 Mar 5 – 14day (Miami to San Francisco) |
– |
| Carnival Radiance | 2021 May 2 – 12day (Port Canaveral to Galveston) | – |
| Carnival Sunrise | – | 2020 Oct 19 – 12day (New York City to Fort Lauderdale) |
| Cunard Line | ||
| Queen Elizabeth | – | – |
| Queen Victoria | 2020 Feb 29 – 17day (San Antonio to Fort Lauderdale)
2021 Jan 21 – 16day (Fort Lauderdale to San Francisco) |
|
| Disney Cruise Lines | ||
| Disney Wonder | 2020 Mar 6 – 14day (New Orleans to San Diego)
2021 Feb 26 – 14day (New Orleans to San Diego) |
2020 Nov 6 – 14day (San Diego to Galveston) |
| Holland America Line | ||
| MS Amsterdam | 2020 May 12 – 15day (Fort Lauderdale to San Diego) | – |
| Eurodam | 2020 Feb 16 – 14day (Fort Lauderdale to San Diego)
2021 Apr 11 – 15day (Fort Lauderdale to San Diego) |
2020 October 3 – 15-day (San Diego to Fort Lauderdale) |
| Nieuw Amsterdam | – | – |
| Oosterdam | – | – |
| Volendam | 2020 Apr 5 – 18day (Fort Lauderdale to San Diego)
2021 Apr 2 – 19day (Fort Lauderdale to San Diego) |
2020 Oct 21 – 19day (San Diego to Fort Lauderdale) |
| Zaandam | 2020 Mar 21 – 20day (San Antonio to Fort Lauderdale) | – |
| NCL Norwegian Cruise Lines | ||
| Norwegian Bliss | – | – |
| Norwegian Dawn | – | – |
| Norwegian Encore | 2021 Apr 10 – 15day (Miami to Los Angeles) | 2020 Nov 29 – 13day (New York City to Miami) |
| Norwegian Joy | – | 2020 Oct 9 – 15day (Los Angeles to Miami FL) |
| Norwegian Pearl | – | – |
| Norwegian Star | – | – |
| Norwegian Sun | 2020 May 1 – 20day (Port Canaveral to Seattle) | 2020 Oct 18 – 14day (San Diego to Port Canaveral) |
| P&O Cruises (UK, Australia) | ||
| Arcadia | 2020 Jan 3 – 25day Transatlantic, Panama Canal (Southampton to San Francisco) | – |
| Princess Cruises | ||
| Coral Princess | 2020 Apr 6 – 15day (Fort Lauderdale to Los Angeles)
2021 Apr 18 – 15day (Fort Lauderdale to Los Angeles) |
– |
| Emerald Princess | 2021 Mar 25 – 15day (Fort Lauderdale to Los Angeles) | 2020 Dec 20 – 15day (Los Angeles to Fort Lauderdale) |
| Island Princess | 2020 Mar 27 – 15day (Fort Lauderdale to Los Angeles)
2020 May 9 – 15day (Los Angeles to Fort Lauderdale) 2021 May 9 – 15day (Los Angeles to Fort Lauderdale) |
– |
| Pacific Princess | 2020 Jan 5 – 15day (Fort Lauderdale to Los Angeles)
2020 Apr 26 – 15day (Fort Lauderdale to Los Angeles) |
– |
| Sea Princess | – | – |
| Royal Caribbean International | ||
| Serenade Of The Seas | 2020 May 4 – 15day (Fort Lauderdale to San Diego) | – |
Small and Luxury cruise lines ship relocation |
||
| (Cruise And Maritime Voyages / CMV) Magellan | – | – |
| (Phoenix Reisen) Amadea | 2020 Mar 2 – 26day (San Francisco to Miami) | –
|
| (Phoenix Reisen) Albatros | – | – |
| (Phoenix Reisen) Amera / formerly MS Prinsendam | 2021 Mar 9 – 23day (Puerto Vallarta to Nassau) | – |
| Azamara Journey | – | – |
| Azamara Pursuit | 2020 Mar 23 – 13day (Callao/Lima) to Miami) | – |
| Oceania Insignia | 2020 Jan 8 – 18day (Miami to San Francisco)
2020 Jul 5 – 20day (San Francisco to New York City) 2021 Jan 9 – 14day (Miami to Los Angeles) |
– |
| Oceania Marina | 2020 Jan 4 – 18day (San Antonio to Miami) | 2021 Dec 5 – 14day (Miami to Callao (Lima) |
| Oceania Regatta | – | – |
| Seabourn Odyssey | 2021 Apr 24 – 21day (Miami to Los Angeles) | 2021 Oct 8 – 21day (Los Angeles to Miami) |
| Seabourn Quest | – | 2020 Nov 7 – 13day (Miami to Callao (Lima) |
| Seabourn Sojourn | 2021 Jan 3 – 32day (Miami to Papeete) | 2020 Oct 14 – 21day (Los Angeles to Miami) |
| Silver Whisper | 2021 Jan 7 – 13day (Fort Lauderdale to Callao (Lima) | – |
| Viking Sun | – | 2020 Dec 14 – 21day (Miami to Los Angeles) |
Know that with time prices on Panama Canal repositioning cruise deals usually go down with time. Still, the economic law of “Supply And Demand” will always rule – cruise lines will price their deals and cabin categories accordingly. So good luck with those, and happy Panama Canal “reposition” vacations!