The Panama Canal administration expects to receive approximately 234 cruise ships through the Panamax and Neopanamax locks during the upcoming 2018-2019 cruise season.

The first transit will occur on October 5 with Seven Seas Mariner on a northbound transit travelling from the US West Coast to the US East Coast.

‘As the second full cruise season with the expanded Canal, we aim to build off our recent milestones and success,’ said Panama Canal’s senior international trade specialist Albano G. Aguilar.

‘In the coming year, we look forward to welcoming more than 237,000 passengers through the Panama Canal.’

Ten maiden transits

Ten cruise ships will transit for the first time this season, including vessels from Princess Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, MSC Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Viking Ocean Cruises, Hurtigruten, Ponant and Blount Small Ship Adventures.

Norwegian Bliss, the largest passenger vessel to ever transit the waterway, will return to the Neopanamax locks again this season, along with Caribbean Princess, Carnival Freedom and Disney Wonder.

Norwegian Bliss a record holder

The 168,000gt Norwegian Bliss, which first transited in May, can carry nearly 6,000 passengers. In addition, Carnival Triumph, Carnival Valor and Emerald Princess will transit the Neopanamax locks for the first time.

As in previous years, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line, among others, will offer itineraries with complete and partial transits that feature Panama and the waterway.

Smaller cruise ships, including Wind Star and National Geographic Quest, will operate cruises with Central America’s Pacific Coast as their destination.

Mary Bond