I had been longing to do a Panama Canal and Caribbean cruise for years. And so, I finally took the plunge and booked onto a sailing on Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Gem. And not only did the itinerary include an incredible partial Canal transit, but it also stopped at some other bucket list cruise ports in Central America and the Caribbean. From the colourful vibrant streets of Cartagena, to the magical natural world of Costa Rica, and the dreamy beaches of the Cayman Islands, I loved every second of this sailing!
As you may know, if you’ve read my Norwegian Pearl post, where I sailed around New England and Canada, I have been a long time fan of NCL.
This guide aims to give a complete overview of the incredible itinerary, as well as the all round experience on Norwegian Gem for transiting the Panama Canal.
The Panama Canal and Caribbean Cruise Itinerary
The cruise started and finished in Miami, USA, and the itinerary spanned 11-days and an incredible 6 different countries. There were 4 sea days dotted in between too, which I loved!
The first stop was the Cayman Islands, which was the only Caribbean island on the route, followed by a stop in South America in beautiful Cartagena, Colombia. After this, we sailed over to do a partial transit of the Panama Canal, and an evening in Colon, Panama. The next day we stopped at Puerto Limón in Costa Rica for the day, before a much needed sea day afterwards!
Following this, we stopped at NCL’s private island in Belize, called Harvest Caye, before a day in Cozumel and a final sea day before disembarking in Miami.
All in all, an incredible itinerary and one I specifically chose for the Colombia and Costa Rica ports, as well as the Panama Canal transit. The cruise was slightly more expensive than a normal 10 or 11 day Caribbean sailing, which will be down to the sheer cost of transiting the Panama Canal. We absolutely loved this cruise with NCL!
George Town, Cayman Islands
Our first stop was George Town in Grand Cayman, in the Cayman Islands. George Town is the capital of this tiny island nation. It is mostly known as a financial hub and for its brilliant year-round weather.
I’d been to George Town before, more than 15 years ago. I had really wonderful memories of going on an NCL-organised cycling excursion with my Dad. We cycled to the famed town of ‘Hell’, tried tons of rum cake and met the turtles at the Cayman Turtle Centre. It was an incredibly good day.
So naturally in my return, I wanted to do the same but save money and hire the bikes independently. Prior to our cruise, I had researched several bike hike places in George Town and we felt pretty set as we hopped off the tender.
However, we had a bit of a surprise (and some frustration) to find that none of the bike hire places listed were there, and even the local bike-share scheme’s app didn’t work. So we couldn’t use those either. It wasn’t the start we wanted, we had ambitious plans to rack up some serious cycling hours!
We ended up having to give up. After a stroll around George Town, we hopped in a taxi to the very famous Seven Mile Beach (USD 5 per person for the 15 minute drive).
Seven Mile Beach is a gorgeous stretch of dazzling white sand and turquoise waters. The sand underfoot is silky soft and there are no rocks or coral pieces to navigate. The beach is backed by several hotels, ranging from massive international chains, such as The Westin, The Ritz-Carlton and a huge Marriott to smaller hotels, guest houses and condos. The beach has a really safe feeling, and very few beach vendors. The whole beach is also open to the public, and none of the luxury hotels own the beachfront they sit on.
A warning though – there isn’t a ton of shade. So if you don’t rent an umbrella or use the facilities of the hotel, be prepared to sizzle a little in the sun.
We spent a couple of hours at the beach and really enjoyed it. In the end, we got chatting to some Canadians living on the island working in construction. They shared some drinks with us and we ended up going to a pub before one of them dropped us off back at the port.
It was a good day in the end, and a relaxing beach spot. Next time, we’d definitely think about doing Stingray City, as it looks amazing!
Cartagena, Colombia
Well, what can I say about Cartagena. It lived up to all my expectations and pretty much exceeded them too! The magic started the minute we docked in the port.
The ships dock in a fairly industrial looking port. There are lots of shuttle buses waiting right next to the ship to take you to the main entrance, or you can walk to the exit (10 minutes max). The port of Cartagena is without doubt, the best port I have ever been to. There’s an incredible wildlife sanctuary that you have to walk through to get out to the road.
Outside on the main road beside the port, we did have a little trouble getting an Uber but only because the morning traffic was quite bad – it was 7am. We ended up walking about 10 minutes along the highway, to a Holiday Inn where we found it easier to book the Uber.
Once in the main part of Cartagena, we asked to be dropped off at the Fort. We decided not to go in as we were a little short on time. We then crossed on foot over the bridge to the historical centre. I was a little sceptical about safety in this area, but actually it felt completely fine. Just note the pavement/sidewalk is very uneven.
There are two core areas to explore in Cartagena. There is Getsimani and the historic walled city, now a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Although our port call was only from 7am – 2pm (so all aboard was 1.30pm), I really felt that the full morning was enough time for a really good exploration of Cartagena.
From the Fort, we crossed the lagoon via Carrera 11. This led us straight into Getsemani, considered the bohemian neighbourhood of Cartagena. We wandered its streets for around an hour, mostly around the Plaza de la Trinidad area. It was such a lovely atmosphere, and we enjoyed spotting other cruisegoers strolling around, including a group doing a tour by vintage car. Looked very cool!
After an iced coffee stop at popular cafe chain, Juan Valdez, we continued strolling into Cartagena’s Old Town. This walled city offers a labryinth of colourful laneways, stunning views over the Caribbean Sea from the City Walls, and a vibrant atmosphere that we absolutely loved!
Whilst we didn’t need lunch in Cartegena, as our all aboard time was 1.30pm, we did stop for another coffee. We decided to visit Abaco Libros y Café, which was the perfect place for a delicious coffee within this independent bookshop cafe.
I recommend keeping a minimum of 2-3 hours for strolling around Old Town. Not only is it insanely aesthetic and colourful, but so vibrant and fun. I could have easily spent several days there working my way around the foodie spots.
Panama Canal and Colon, Panama
I was incredibly excited about our partial transit through the Panama Canal. A partial transit means that instead of going all the way through, you enter one set of locks and then turn around in the lake in the middle, and come back out the way you came in.
We arrived at the opening to the canal at around 6am. I got up super early and got a front row seat in the Spinnaker Lounge at the front of the ship on Deck 13. My logic was to prioritise having a comfortable place to sit, as the transit does go on for a fair few hours. I was very happy with this decision as we enjoyed Starbucks coffees, a comfortable seat and an unobstructed view.
After we were well into the locks, we actually went down to Promenade deck to walk the perimeter of the ship. What a great idea that was – and we were even within touching distance of the walls of the lock!
We also enjoyed viewing the transit later in the morning from the bow of the ship, which they’d opened for the special occasion. Incredible viewing point!
NCL had a local guide on board who spent the day on the bridge to talk us through the history and engineering of the incredible Panama Canal. That was really interesting. Norwegian also had drinks and pastry stations set up in all the viewing areas, so you didn’t even need to go anywhere to replenish your energy levels.
After 2-3 hours, we arrived in Gatun Lake where we anchored for the day. I slightly misunderstood the excursion set up for the day. I assumed it was either do an excursion OR stay on board for the canal transit. Turns out the excursions only started after we arrived in the lake, so we could have done both. It was of course too late to arrange an excursion. So instead we spent a lovely relaxing day on board – enjoying a significantly quieter ship.
Late afternoon, it was time to head back towards the locks. We were supposed to have between 5-8pm in Colon to explore, and also pick up all the ship excursion passengers. However, as is often the case, the Panama Canal transit was slower than expected and we didn’t arrive into Colon until nearly 7pm. So unfortunately, we didn’t get the opportunity to step foot in Colon. I was a bit disappointed but later I found out that there isn’t a ton to do there anyway and it’s not the most safe of cities.
Those that went on excursions told us they all had really good days, but the driving times are long. So I’d definitely recommend taking snacks and preparing for the long travelling time whilst on land in Panama.
All in all, it was a great day despite not being able to step foot in Panama in the end!
Puerto Limón, Costa Rica
Costa Rica! A country I have dreamed of visiting for a long time. Puerto Limón was the perfect one day experience in Costa Rica, and we can’t wait to go back for a longer adventure and explore more in the future.
We chose to do a ship excursion for this day to maximise our time. I had one core goal that day and that was to see a sloth in the wild! So we didn’t want to depend on taxis, timings and making things tick by perfectly ourselves. It ended up being a really brilliant excursion. We had a group size of around 30, and we were heading off down the coastline in our small coach within 20 minutes of arriving at the port.
The drive was so beautiful as it meandered along the coastline. We saw such a variety of beaches, including black-sand volcanic beaches, as well as all kinds of dense rainforest and lowland coastal grasses. Something that was really obvious was how little litter there was and everyone seemed to really care for their homes and their land.
Our excursion took us straight to Punta Uva beach which is near the Cahuita National Park. We first kayaked, before enjoying a coastal hike. I couldn’t believe the amount of wildlife we saw whilst kayaking. I was thrilled to spot my first sloth, but by the end of the day, we actually saw 14 sloths! So far exceeding my goal of spotting 1! We also spotted howler monkeys, a toucan and dozens of these small turtles in the water.
The beach itself was stunning, and super laid back. If we had had more time, apparently the snorkelling is amazing here too. There was plenty of shade and dozens of local families enjoying a relaxing Saturday at the shore. It was just beautiful!
Nearby is the cool surf town of Puerto Viejo which we drove through. It had such a great ambience and vibrant colourful storefronts, I will definitely return there on a future trip.
After our kayak and hike though, we were just enjoying some fresh fruit on the beach when I spotted a sloth behind us in the mangroves climbing down one of the hanging trees. I waded straight into the water, right up to him, for one of the most magical wildlife encounters ever. He probably stayed there for 3-4 minutes, before climbing back up. Magical!
Harvest Caye, Belize
Harvest Caye is an island in the Placencia Peninsula, and owned by Norwegian Cruise Line. The company opened its private island experience back in 2016, following the success of its Bahamas private island.
The investment in this tiny island is a partnership between NCL and the Belizean governmen. And as part of the agreement, only locals can be employed here and only local businesses can operate. Therefore, unlike Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas, all food and drink on Harvest Caye are an additional cost when you’re on the island. I was a little surprised at first, but after all, it seems better this way to support the local economy.
The island has its own dock, with a magnificent walkway bringing you to the gates of the island. Within Harvest Caye you’ll also find a huge 15,000 square foot swimming pool. There are also dozens of eateries, a whole shopping village, as well as private luxury beach villas to rent. There is also the zipline that starts from the lighthouse, as well as a huge array of watersports and activities. It is private island paradise!
We actually ended up doing an excursion and spent the day deep-sea fishing. The charter left right from the jetty in Harvest Caye and we had a delightful day out on the water.
If you wanted to experience the real Belize, there is a regular ferry scheduled to Placencia, the nearest town which is about 15 minutes away. Alternatively, some of the other ship excursions here go to the mainland for a variety of cultural or adventure activities. Some friends we made did the river tubing and had a brilliant time!
Cozumel, Mexico
The final stop on our Panama Canal and Caribbean Cruise itinerary was Cozumel, Mexico. This is a port I’d already been to more than six times, and was the destination I was least excited about. I typically find Cozumel very commercial and touristy.
We decided to join an excursion to Playa del Carmen and join a traditional shaman experience in a Temazcal, as well swim through the Chaaktun Cenotes. We had a really enjoyable time, and it was completely different to anything we had done before. I don’t have any photos though as neither allow for cameras!
The Ship – Norwegian Gem
The Norwegian Gem is a sister ship to the Norwegian Pearl, so I pretty much knew what to expect. And except for some interior design choices, they are actually very similar in layout and feel. I love this class of ships in the Norwegian fleet. They’re mid-sized, manageable and really can begin to feel like home after a few days.
Stateroom
So I opted again on this sailing for an inside stateroom. A bit rogue, since this was my husband’s first cruise and I really wanted him to love it. And fortunately, he loved the inside stateroom (and the cruise in general!).
It was of course compact and without a balcony. But it was more than adequate for an 11 day sailing where we were barely in our cabin. The bathroom had plenty of shelf space, and we were fine storing and hanging all our summer clothes in the stateroom storage. The bed was, as always, super comfortable and we had a very pleasant sailing with this stateroom!
The Norwegian Gem’s staterooms hadn’t had the refresh like the Norwegian Pearl, so they were a little dated and dark in colour and design still.
Public spaces
As on all Norwegian Cruise Line ships, the Spinnaker Lounge at the front of the ship is always my favourite place to spend time. I just love the panoramic views and relaxed atmosphere of this lounge.
We never struggled for tables at any of the restaurants and could always find a seat in any of the venues. Sunloungers on sea days had quite high turnover which people heading off to experience activities, so it wasn’t normally too hard to find place to sunbathe either.
Dining
As with my experience on Norwegian Pearl, and all NCL ships prior to this, we had a really enjoyable time dining around the ship. The Garden Cafe buffet was always organised, clean and with delicious options. We personally love to take our meal outside to the back section (called The Great Outdoors) and enjoy the ocean views. O’Sheehan’s continued to deliver my favourite Rueben sandwich (I think I had too many on this sailing), and we also had two fantastic meals at Teppanyaki and Le Bistro.
Entertainment
The entertainment on this sailing was pretty good. The only Broadway style show was Blazing Boots, one of Norwegian’s popular shows that’s on several ships. It’s a country-themed show with plenty of singing and dancing. In the 11-day sailing, we also enjoyed two performances from Titou, a French musician with some pretty funny humour too, as well as Tom Franek, an insanely talented and fun pianist. The comedian was also brilliant and did one family friendly show on the cruise, and one adults-only show. There was also a double show from a saxophonist. We chose to skip this and one night they showed a movie, which we also missed.
The game shows up in the Spinnaker Lounge were really good, and the cruise staff on this sailing were pretty great – especially the Cruise Director Emma. We even participated in one of the game shows (Newlyweds, Not So Newlyweds!) – and we won!
This sailing also had some great musicians on board – particularly the live bands. The rock band, from the Philippines, were so good that several afternoons on sea days it felt like a mini rock concert out on pool deck. Absolutely loved it – they were brilliant!
Pre and Post Cruise in Miami
This Panama Canal and Caribbean Cruise started and ended in Miami, Florida. I’ve personally always loved Miami and have been lucky enough to visit more than 12 times over the years. Make sure to check out my guides to Miami, including a neighbourhood guide here and an itinerary for 3 days in Miami.
For pre and post cruise stays in Miami, the easiest and most convenient location would be Downtown Miami. I’ve suggested some great choices here, covering all price points:
Budget
- YOTEL Miami (from around £148 per night)
- Hilton Miami Downtown (from around £159 per night)
- CitizenM Miami Worldcenter (from around £178 per night)
- Holiday Inn Port of Miami (from around £199 per night)
Mid-range
- InterContinental Miami (from around £245 per night)
- Novotel Miami Brickell (from around £351 per night)
Luxury
- SLS Lux Brickell (from around £512 per night)
- EAST Miami (from around £686 per night)
- Mandarin Oriental (from around £872 per night)
Panama Canal and Caribbean Cruise
So, there’s my complete overview of a Panama Canal and Caribbean Cruise on Norwegian Gem. As you can see, it was a really bucket-list trip for us and nearly port exceeded our expectations. We were very lucky with weather throughout the sailing, and fortunate indeed with some of our wildlife sightings!
I’d highly recommend this route and this ship for anyone looking for a unique and adventurous sailing. I really hope this blog post has helped in your research and planning for a Panama Canal and Caribbean Cruise cruise in this beautiful part of the world.
If you’re looking for other cruise destinations at another time of the year, how about a fall New England and Canada cruise? I’ve written a long and detailed guide to my recent solo cruise.
As always, let me know if you have any questions.
Disclaimer: This guide to a Panama Canal and Caribbean Cruise has no involvement from the local tourism board or the cruise line.
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