One of the great adventures here in Panama is the Canal and while most know of Panama by this channel between two seas, few have actually seen it first hand.  The history and construction  of the Canal was indeed a historical feat and it is one of the wonders of the World. The cruise industry has capitalized on this and you can cruise from California down the Pacific coast to Panama, cross over and continue northward back to Florida.  More routes are opening up and dead head cruises from Europe are also gaining in popularity where you can fly to Spain spend a few weeks  and cruise back.  Here is more on the industry outlook for 2012 and beyond.

Shipping companies operating in Panama are set to increase the number of departures in 2012 and new firms may start operating, reports Prensa.com.

Royal Caribbean has already confirmed its sixth season (2013-2014), this company uses the Colon 2000 port in the province of Colon. On the other hand, the Spanish company Pullmantur will keep a boat sailing from Panama year-round from 2012.

According to Prensa.com, “Augusto Terracina, CEO of Adventure 2000, a company that manages the cruise port on the Atlantic coast, said that in the current season Royal Caribbean has registered an occupancy rate of 100%, so they are asking the company to use a bigger boat. In his opinion, the cruise industry in Panama has obtained a degree of maturity, which means there is a need to attract new shipping lines.”