My 16-Day Holiday Cruise on the Coral Princess: Transiting the Panama Canal

When I started a new job and had to build up vacation time, I wanted to take full advantage of the week off we had between Christmas and New Years. By combining that time off with just a few vacation days, I could take the extended trip I was craving. A Panama Canal cruise was on my bucket list, so when I was looking at options over that holiday break, I was thrilled to find a cruise on the Coral Princess that worked just perfectly with my schedule.

Getting to the Port & Pre-Cruise Stay

I always try to get to the embarkation port at least a day in advance, but since this one left from the other side of the country, I flew out a couple days early and worked remotely from the DoubleTree San Pedro for a couple days before the cruise left. This hotel was a great location for the San Pedro port, although it is a bit of a drive from LAX. Some people prefer to fly into the Long Beach airport, which is a little closer and a smaller airport, or even the Orange County airport.

I preferred to take a direct flight, so I flew into LAX. One thing to note at LAX: the ride-share pickup area currently requires a shuttle or a long walk. If you’re willing to spend a bit extra, Uber Black and Lyft Lux can pick up right at the terminal, and this is what I chose to go with after a late arrival.

Aside from the great marina location and the shuttle to the port, one of the cool things about this hotel was the Amazon lockers right in the lobby. I was able to place a couple of Amazon orders in advance for things I didn’t want to pack in my suitcase for the flight. Just be aware that the lockers can get full, so you can’t always count on them to be available. Another option that I also used was an Instacart delivery to the hotel. I met the delivery person outside, and it was a really great way to get some of those extra supplies. One of the downsides of this hotel is that there isn’t really a lot in the way of restaurants or shops that you can walk to.

Embarkation Day & Adding a Package Onboard

Embarkation day is always a fun mix of chaos and excitement, and this was no exception. I had originally signed up for the hotel shuttle, but ultimately decided just to shell out a few dollars for a short ride-share over to the port to avoid having to cram myself and all of my things into the full hotel shuttle bus. A private car just seemed a lot less stressful, and who wants a stressful start to their vacation?

Princess offers packages with their cruises that include things like drinks, Wi-Fi, and specialty dining, which I wanted to take advantage of. When I booked the cruise, the deal I got was just for the Standard fare without any of the extras, and for whatever reason, I was not able to add on the package online or by phone. However, they assured me that I would be able to purchase the package on the ship.

As soon as I stepped onboard, there were staff right by the elevators with tablets offering to upgrade people. In all, it probably took about 30 seconds for them to scan my Medallion, and I was on my way with my Premier package for the trip.

Cabins generally aren’t ready until around 1:00 or 1:30 PM, so I didn’t leave my hotel until checkout time at noon. I always carry on my luggage rather than check it, so my goal is to be able to go straight to my room as soon as I’m onboard, and the timing worked well on this trip. I had booked balcony cabin C624 on deck 10 near the aft elevators. It proved to be a good choice and a great home for my 16-day cruise.

Cruising Through the Mexican Riviera

The first few days of the cruise were a bit chilly and rough, but as we headed south, the weather improved. Our first stop was Puerto Vallarta, which provided another great opportunity to pick up additional snacks or other forgotten items, as there was a Walmart and Sam’s Club right across the street from the port. I walked over more out of interest to see how they differed from stores in the US than anything, and they were definitely different!

Our next stop was the town of Huatulco, which just happened to be Christmas Eve. Despite the holiday, the port area was ready for our arrival with lots of shops and restaurants eager to welcome cruise guests. There was a beach for anyone who felt like swimming just steps from the pier. I spent some time walking the Corridor Turístico La Crucecita and then walking around Crucecita a bit. There was a lot of construction along the walk, both residential and commercial, and I hope to return someday to see how the area has changed. The walk was about a mile each way, and once back, I visited some shops, put my feet in the water at the beach, and then headed back onboard.

A Cruise Ship Christmas

On Christmas Day, we had another stop in a small port, Puerto Chiapas. This port area also seemed to be a bit up-and-coming. There weren’t any appealing excursions to me, so I just hung out near the unique port area. They had a pool area and a restaurant where you could spend the day if you’d like. There was also a bit of a cultural center with some shops and locals selling their wares. I walked around the port, but then got back onboard fairly early to call home and get ready for Christmas dinner.

The ship went all out to celebrate the holidays, including a visit from the jolly man himself. Shortly before dinner, Santa was visiting with the many children onboard and gave out small gifts to each. I didn’t participate in too many of the festivities myself, but it was great to see so many options to celebrate the holiday as you’d like.

Want to see exactly what day-to-day life looked like onboard during this holiday sailing? Check out my collection of the daily Princess Patters here!

Wildlife & History in Costa Rica and Panama

Our next stop was Puntarenas, Costa Rica. This was the only port of the cruise where I went on an excursion. We took a bus to an animal preserve where I got to see a number of sloths, monkeys, and lots of birds. We also stopped at a botanical garden and an oxcart factory.

The day before we went through the canal, we had a stop at Fuerte Amador (Panama City). The port there is fairly new and the area near the port was really nice. I did take an Uber into the old town area, and despite the rain, it was a cool place to see.

The Main Event: Transiting the Panama Canal

The next day was the main event. Everyone was up early and on the highest decks at the front of the ship to watch as we entered the canal. We were a bit delayed as we had to wait for a large auto ship in front of us, but we sailed under the Bridge of the Americas and eventually made our way into the first of the locks.

The Coral Princess is small enough to fit through the original locks, so it was really interesting to see how we went through the same locks that have been in operation for over 100 years.

Deciding on a Panama Canal itinerary can be a bit overwhelming. For a breakdown of full transits, lock types, and direction choices, check out my quick Panama Canal cruise overview here.

As the day went on, I moved around the ship to get different views as we went through each of the six locks. I spent some time on my own balcony to get away from the crowds, but the great thing about the Coral Princess is how many options you have for something like this. There are public areas on some of the stateroom decks at both the front and the aft of the ship. The Promenade deck also gave a unique view closer to the waterline.

By the time we were going through the last of the locks, many people had moved on to dinner plans, so there was lots of space on deck. It was definitely a bit surreal to start the day in the Pacific Ocean and end it in the Atlantic. It’s also pretty wild to think about how when you transit the canal in that direction, you’re actually heading northeast.

A Wild Stop in Cartagena & Heading Home

Our last stop of the cruise was Cartagena. Once again, I didn’t stray too far from the port. In order to leave the port area, they filter everyone through the Port Oasis Ecopark, which was filled with peacocks, flamingos, monkeys, and turtles. They also had places to grab a bite and a nice air-conditioned shop with all kinds of jewelry and gifts to purchase. It was a very cool place to spend an hour or two without really even leaving the port.

I will warn you to watch out for the monkeys, though! I had one climb up and get right into my shoulder bag! Thankfully, I was able to get my item back.

After 16 days, we docked in Fort Lauderdale and it was time to head back home. Rather than renting a car, I decided to take the Amtrak train from Fort Lauderdale back to Tampa. The timing and the train worked out rather well, and I don’t imagine it will be the last time I take Amtrak for a cruise.

Overall, it was a really great trip. Before this, my longest cruise was 12 days, and honestly, I was ready to get off the ship after that one. This time, I feel like I could have stayed indefinitely. The room, the crew, and the ship were all right up my alley, and I enjoyed every single minute of it.