The Panama Canal & Costa Rica - Westbound 2025

12 days
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4.4/5 Great
100+ reviews  
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USTOA

Small Ship Cruise
Cruise along Panama and Costa Rica for a 12-day adventure aboard one of Ponant's new Explorer Class yachts, and a full transit of the Panama Canal – plus explore the ecological diversity of Panama, Costa Rica and pristine islands in the Pacific and Caribbean.
From$8,990
See departure dates

Overview

Trip type
Small Ship Cruise
Lodging level
Premium - 4 star
Physical level
Moderate

Highlights

    • Marvel in awe of one of the greatest engineering feats of the 20th century... cruise along the canal that revolutionized shipping patterns... gaze in awe as you pass the tropical forests
    • secluded beaches
    • diverse wildlife and clear waters that make up Costa Rica and Panama
    • and whose many treasures remain undisturbed by development.A 7-night voyage aboard Ponant's Explorer Class yacht features a complete transit of the Panama Canal
    • and an opportunity for cultural exchange with locals in Panama and along Costa Rica's Pacific coast. Explore the rich interior and its abundant wildlife with our expert naturalists. Go swimming or snorkeling
    • land on islands via tender or Zodiac craft
    • visit a gold museum in San José and learn how coffee beans are harvested and brewed to perfection. Experience the pleasures of Tauck small ship cruising on a Panama Canal and Costa Rica cruise!

What's this trip about?

    Cruise along Panama and Costa Rica for a 12-day adventure aboard one of Ponant's new Explorer Class yachts, and a full transit of the Panama Canal – plus explore the ecological diversity of Panama, Costa Rica and pristine islands in the Pacific and Caribbean.

Details

Itinerary focusOperator does not provide
Group sizeStandard Group - 25 + people
Age rangeNo age restrictions
Flights and transportN/A
Start City Panama City, Panama
End CityPanama City

Travel Themes

  • Small Ship Cruise

Destinations

Activities

  • Culture

Trip includes

    • Tauck's experienced naturalist, Tauck Director and local guides join the cruise aboard ship, leading excursions ashore to enrich your experience of the jungle, water and flora & fauna Visits to Carara National Park in Costa Rica, the Darien and the San Blas Islands Tauck's private shore excursions and distinctive inclusions valued at $3,147 7-night cruise aboard one of Ponant's Explorer Class yacht Your cruise may be a shared ship experience with non-Tauck guests onboard as well; all Tauck guests will be accompanied by one Tauck Director for approximately every 40 Tauck guests, and your itinerary will always be highlighted by exclusive, private Tauck shore excursions Full small-ship transit of the Panama Canal with onboard commentary by a local expert

Itinerary

Travel Map

Day 1 Arrive Panama City

Tour begins:

Panama City.
 

Day 2 Exploring Panama City

Begin today's exploration of Panama City in its key historic district, Casco Viejo; a walking tour will show you this walled cobblestoned city, built in the 1670s at the foot of Ancon Hill, to provide safety from attack. The area is...

Day 3 Gamboa Rainforest & crossing the Isthmus

Your journey today brings you to the Gamboa Rainforest Resort, where you'll choose between an aerial tram ride with a naturalist through the rainforest at eye-level with exotic birds and animals (aboard the only gondola of its kind ...

Day 4 The Guna people of the San Blas Islands

Your yacht arrives in the archipelago of San Blas today, where you'll transfer by Zodiac for a wet landing at Holandes Cayes. Here, you'll visit Guna Indians, whose language and customs reflect lives with few outside influences, wom...

Day 5 Transiting the Panama Canal

Opened in 1914, and considered an engineering marvel of the 20th century, the Panama Canal opened trade to the Americas by creating a transit path between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Thanks to the canal, today ships traveling f...

Day 6 The Emberá people of the Darien

Today you'll stop in the beautiful but remote Darien region of Panama, calling on Playa del Muerto for a wet landing by Zodiac craft to visit an indigenous community of the Emberá people, whose lifestyle remains largely unaffected b...

Day 7 A day at sea on the Pacific

Enjoy a relaxing day at sea today, taking advantage of your Explorer Class ship's many amenities as you make your way across the Pacific Ocean waters off Panama's coast, bound for the remote Darien region of Panama. Throughout the d...

Day 8 Adventures in Quepos

Call on the city of Quepos this morning, a perfect jumping off point for a day of activities in Costa Rica's eco-wonderland. Your day today is rich with excursions, as you'll have a choice of activities in both the morning and the a...

Day 9 Carara National Park & Pura Vida Gardens

Your ship arrives at Playa Herradura for a choice of shore excursions offering a range of eco-activities. One includes a walking tour in Carara National Park with a local naturalist guide, after which you'll learn about various coas...

Day 10 San José gold & Sarchi crafts

As your cruise ends in Puerto Caldera, bid farewell to your Explorer Class ship and her crew, and set off to discover Costa Rica's fascinating interior en route to the capital city of San José. Visit the artisan village of Sarchi, k...

Day 11 Coffee, waterfalls & rainforest wildlife

Near-perfect growing conditions have made coffee one of Costa Rica's most important exports. Today you'll visit the Doka Coffee Plantation, located on the fertile slopes of Alajuela's Poás Volcano, where the soil and altitude make f...

Day 12 Journey Home

Tour ends: San José, Costa Rica.
 

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Dates & Availability

Price From $8,990
Price per day$749
Last Updated: 11/13/2024
Departure Date
Finish Date
Double Standard
Single Standard
Double Luxury
Availability
18 Jan 2025
30 Jan 2025
$9,390
$10,090
$10,390

Check Current Availability, prices, specials with Tauck.

The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.

Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.

Tauck Reviews & Ratings

4.4/5  Great
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Other Tauck Reviews

K

Kurlyk40

May 2024

Written on

Great Scenery but Accommodations Lacking for cost

My husband and I booked the Yellowstone tour with Tauck expecting so much more with the accommodations, food, and tour director based on the price point. We were sa...

S

Susan

Jun 2023

Written on

Nine Tours and Done

Sad to see a once good tour company stumble and fall into mediocrity. That’s Tauck post-Covid. My May 2023 tour of Normandy, Brittany and the Loire Valley was done o...

C

Cougess

Jan 2023

Written on

Skip this cruise - not worth it

My husband and I went on the Treasures of the Mediterranean Isles Trip jn October 2022. This was our third Tauck cruise with Ponnant but our first post covid and the...

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Tour Operator

Tauck

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It's easy to see the world's sights. To stand in long lines, push through the crowds, and generally have the same standard-issue vacation as everyone else. But that's not good enough for us, and it's not good enough for you. We believe that travel should be easy. It should be fun. It should be worth your time and the price you paid. It should re-energize and transform. And above all else, it should be beyond the ordinary. Because how you see the world matters.

In 1882, Herman Tauck arrived in New York City from Germany in search of the American dream. His determination and values were passed on to his son, Arthur Tauck, who would realize that dream. With ingenuity and an innovative spirit, Arthur started Tauck Motor Tours, a travel company that would give birth to a new industry. The first tour, through the back roads of New England, was created by this 27-year-old in 1925. It embodied the same successful formula used by Tauck today: do the right thing. Craft a life-enriching travel experience; provide it at a single all-inclusive price; ensure there is great value for money; and rely on recommendations of satisfied customers to build a following and grow the business.

Two elements that did change over the next 90+ years – and three generations of Taucks – were the scope of destinations served and the variety of modes of travel used. Today Tauck delivers life-enriching travel experiences to every corner of the globe, incorporating small cruise ships, premium riverboats, trains, helicopters and more. What started as a New England motor coach tour company has truly evolved into an extraordinary global travel company. The fourth generation of Taucks is now involved in the company. While remarkable in any business, this seamless continuity across generations speaks to shared vision and values.

Throughout its history, the concept of “family” at Tauck has gone far beyond those sharing the surname to include hundreds of valued employees, and hundreds of thousands of loyal guests. The story of Tauck is the story of a unique American family company celebrating a passion for travel – a story that will continue to inspire generations to come.

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What they’re known for
Fun group tours and cruises that are culturally-focused and great for families and seniors on vacation.

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Logistics

Accommodation

Travel Insurance
We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance alongside your travel package to safeguard against unforeseen circumstances such as medical expenses, trip cancellations, and other contingencies. It offers you peace of mind and ensures you are prepared for unexpected events that may occur before or during your journey
Visa requirements
Visa requirements vary depending on your country of origin and your country of destination. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the relevant requirements. For a handy tool that can help you quickly find the requirements, please visit this link .
Age Requirements
No age restrictions
ALL_AGES
Additional Information
Trip ID
tauck-PCW2025

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