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Days
8
Price from
2120EUR
Map of Cruising Costa Rica and Panama - Panama to Costa Rica including Costa Rica and Panama

Travel through the Panama Canal and along the Costa Rican coast on a memorable small ship adventure cruise

Central America is truly a place to fall in love with nature – be it dense, wildlife-filled forests, white beaches with irresistible waters, or vast jungle-ringed lakes – and you’ll get to experience it all on this memorable small ship adventure cruise. Aboard the M/S Panorama, cruise along the Pacific Coast and choose to explore lush nature reserves, snorkel among the marine life of idyllic islands, and indulge in beach barbecues. You can travel up river in dugout canoes to a hidden village and spend time with the indigenous locals, swim in crystal clear waters, and enter the locks of the famous Panama Canal. With stops at the likes of Gatun Lake, Playa Muerto Darrien, and Granito de Oro Island, this trip is a unique way to experience this diverse corner of Central America.

Start
Panama City, Panama
Finish
Puntarenas, Costa Rica
Destinations
Costa Rica, Panama
Style
Peregrine
Theme
Adventure Cruising
Code
PMSS
Physical rating
Ages
Min 7
Group size
Min 1, Max 50

Why you'll love this trip

  • This trip includes an optional adventure in dugout canoes, paddling up the Mogue River to spend time with Embera Indians. Not something you find on a traditional itinerary.

  • This is the adventure cruise for nature lovers. Crocodiles, turtles, Coiba Aguit, howler monkeys, scarlet macaws, kingfishers – you’ll have the chance to see them all in their natural habitat. There’s also an on-board naturalist with you for the entire journey.

  • The Pacific waters off the coast of Panama are some of the most beautiful you’ll see anywhere. We’ll be swimming off the back of the boat and exploring the shore via zodiac boats.

Is this trip right for you?

  • This is a small ship adventure cruise, which means you’ll be sailing on a yacht with between 30 – 50 other people. The boat is spacious and comfortable, but it focuses more on the destination than on-board activities. Instead of a pool, we have the sea itself. Instead of a casino, we’ve got board games and a good book. There’s also no formal dress code to worry about. Wifi is available for a small charge.

  • Our ship moves under engine power, rather than sailing, so all cabins will experience light engine noise when the ship is moving (and occasionally when we drop anchor). It’s probably worth packing earplugs if you’re a light sleeper.

  • Onshore activities and excursions will involve a bit of walking. You’ll be visiting a lot of National Parks, and you may have to cross uneven ground, sometimes in slippery conditions.

  • If you’re concerned about seasickness, there are seasickness tablets on-board. The ship will experience some roll and pitch in choppy conditions, however all of our ships come equipped with stabilisers to minimise movement. Most of our departures run in peak season, when the seas are calmer. Your crew do all they can to minimise any discomfort.

  • There are no lifts (elevators) on-board our ships, so you’ll have to navigate a few steep flights of stairs on-board. Handrails are always available.

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Boats

Panorama boat on Cuba Greece Adventure Cruising

Panorama

Relaunched in 2014, the M/S Panorama offers the highest standards of comfort, safety and sustainability that cruising has to offer. This three...

Passengers
49
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Itinerary
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Embarkation will take place at 3pm at Maina Flamenco.  This evening, there is a welcome dinner. Overnight in port.
Accommodation
  • M/Y Panorama (1 night)
Meals Included
  • Dinner

Today you have a full day to explore Panama City and a choice of two half day optional excursions. First to Gatun Lake and the San Lorenzo Spanish fort. Visit the Panama Canal Expansion Observation Centre in Gatun. Alternatively, you could visit the Canal Museum and have time to watch the movement of ships in the locks at Miraflores locks (a device for raising and lowering boats into different stretches of water) and call into Casco Viejo, Panama City's historic, and hippest quarter. Late afternoon sailing to Playa Muerto. Overnight is spent at sea.
Accommodation
  • M/Y Panorama (1 night)
Optional Activities
  • Panama City - Gatun Lake, Panama Canal Museum & San Lorenzo - EUR115
  • Panama City - Miraflores locks, Casco Viejo and Panama Canal museum - EUR80
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

Optional excursion in the Darrien National park. We reach Playa Muerto by tenders ( wet landing ) and reach an Emberra Village where we are welcomed by Emberra Indians, one of the 7 indigenous groups living in Panama. They are proud and very friendly and known for their beautiful handicrafts and well preserved traditions. We will be invited to share their lunch and dance with them. Later in the afternoon we return to the ship. Afternoon sailing to Granito D’ Oro Island – Overnight at sea.
Accommodation
  • M/Y Panorama (1 night)
Optional Activities
  • Darien Natoinal Park - Embera Indigenous Culture Tour - EUR160
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

Midday arrival in Granito de Oro, for swimming and snorkelling in a pristine environment. Deck BBQ and sailing to nearby Coiba Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the largest island in Central America. Early afternoon guided walking tour with our Ship Naturalist who will take you for a short walk up hill to discover the local forest and animal life. In the afternoon, we leave Coiba and sail to Golfito. Overnight at sea.

Accommodation
  • M/Y Panorama (1 night)
Included Activities
  • Coiba Island Walking Tour
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

We reach Golfito early morning for immigration procedures before arriving at Casa Orchideas for a swim stop and optional shore excursion. Disembark by tenders for a wet landing at Casa Orchideas to visit beautiful gardens, an Orchid house and learn about all tropical and medicinal plants from all over the world. There will also be plenty of time for swimming before returning back to the ship by tender. Late afternoon departure towards Drake Bay arriving early evening and spending the night at anchor.
Accommodation
  • M/Y Panorama (1 night)
Optional Activities
  • Casas Orquideas - Garden walking tour - EUR50
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

Optional excursion in the Corcovado National park and Oso Peninsula, a nature reserve and tropical rainforest that occupies almost a third of the Osa Peninsula.  Visitors have the chance to see some of the most incredible wildlife living in the jungles of the reserve including red-eyed tree frogs, quetzals, tapirs, harpy eagles, white lipped peccaries, monkeys and scarlet macaws. Swimmers can have the amazing opportunity to share the warm waters with marlins, dolphins and pilot whales. 
Sail towards Quepos for an evening arrival and overnight at anchor.


Accommodation
  • M/Y Panorama (1 night)
Optional Activities
  • Drake Bay - Corcovado National Park/Osa Penisula Exploration Walk - EUR130
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
Special Information
A permit is required to visit Corcovado National Park and must be booked in advance. Permits are not guaranteed as the park limits the number of visitors. Please contact your sales agent if you would like to prebook this optional activity to Corcovado. We recommend you book this activity at least 3 months in advance.

Enjoy an optional morning excursion to the Manuel Antonio Reserve which is a popular tourist destination due to its beautiful beaches and rich wildlife. This is a wet landing inside the reserve using the zodiacs. After lunch on board, you can take the optional forest canopy excursion. Afternoon sailing to nearby Playa Biesanz for an afternoon swim.  Those passengers doing the forest canopy tour excursion will rejoin the ship in Playa Biesanz). Tropical evening on board with a late night sailing to Puerto Caldera, spending the night at sea.
Accommodation
  • M/Y Panorama (1 night)
Optional Activities
  • Quepos - Manuel Antonio National Park - EUR85
  • Quepos - Titi Forest Canopy Tour - EUR95
Meals Included
  • Breakfast
  • Lunch
  • Dinner

We arrive early into Puerto Caldera in time to disembark after breakfast between 8 and 9am.
Meals Included
  • Breakfast

Meals

7 breakfasts, 6 lunches, 7 dinners

Transport

Small Cruise Ship

Accommodation

Small Cruise Ship 9 nights

Included Activities

  • Coiba Island Walking Tour

Dates & availability

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Important notes

Your voyage is operated by our partner company, Variety Cruises.

OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES
On this itinerary, shore excursions are optional and are paid on board the ship in Euro’s. The price and a description of these excursions are listed in the day to day itinerary. Prices are approximate and all activities are subject to availability and may require minimum numbers to operate.
A permit is required to visit Corcovado National Park and must be booked in advance. Permits are not guaranteed as the park limits the number of visitors. Please contact your sales agent if you would like to prebook this optional activity to Corcovado. We recommend you book this activity at least 3 months in advance.

BOOKING CONDITIONS
Adventure Cruising trips have a deposit of A$600 per person (different amounts apply in other currencies) and the balance is due 90 days before departure.
If a booking is cancelled 90 days or more before departure - the cancellation fee is the full loss of the deposit paid.
If a booking is cancelled between 89 and 31 days before departure - the cancellation fee is 50% of the total booking cost, or the deposit, whichever is greater.
if a booking is cancelled 30 days or less prior to departure - the cancellation fee is 100% of the total price of the voyage.
Other fees may apply for air tickets and other arrangements booked in conjunction with a voyage.
SINGLE TRAVELLERS
It is not possible to share with a stranger on a Variety Cruises voyage and single travellers must pay the Single Occupancy rate.
MINIMUM AGE
Children from the age of 7 can be accommodated on these voyages. Each boat has one cabin category that will accommodate a 3rd person allowing for triple sharing. Any child under the age of 18 must share with an adult.
DEPARTURE POINT
Please read the itinerary careful as certain departures embark from an alternative port.

Essential trip information

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