Vancouver Spring Panama Canal saillings

Sailing the Panama Canal on the Coral Princess

Did you know that you can take a Panama Canal cruise from Florida right to Vancouver? No flying on your way home... doesn't that sound lovely?

In the spring, there are usually only NORTHBOUND Panama Canal sailings to Vancouver, but this year there are two (2) SOUTHBOUND Panama Canal sailings from Vancouver... so take your pick!

You can choose between sailings from 17 to 22 nights - there is even an 28 night sailing that includes Alaska!

April 9, 2019: Island Princess - 22 nights

April 9, 2019 - NORTHBOUND SAILING
22 Night Panama Canal cruise on the Island Princess
Itinerary: Fort Lauderdale, Florida - At Sea - At Sea - Cartagena, Colombia - Panama Canal - Fuerte Amador, Panama - At Sea - Puntarenas, Costa Rica - San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua - At Sea - Huatulco, Mexico - At Sea - Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - At Sea - At Sea - Los Angeles, California - Santa Barbara, California - At Sea - San Francisco, California - At Sea - Astoria, Oregon - Victoria, British Columbia - Vancouver, British Columbia
Book with me now!

April 11, 2019: Emerald Princess - 22 nights

April 11, 2019 - SOUTHBOUND SAILING
22 Night Panama Canal cruise on the Emerald Princess
Itinerary: Vancouver, British Columbia - Victoria, British Columbia - Astoria, Oregon - At Sea - San Francisco, California - At Sea - Santa Barbara, California - Los Angeles, California - At Sea - At Sea - Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - At Sea - Huatulco, Mexico - At Sea - San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua - Puntarenas, Costa Rica - At Sea - Fuerte Amador, Panama - Panama Canal - Cartagena, Colombia - At Sea - At Sea - Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Book with me now!

April 13, 2019: Oosterdam - 21 nights

April 13, 2019 - NORTHBOUND SAILING
21 Night Panama Canal cruise on the ms Oosterdam
Itinerary: Fort Lauderdale, Florida - At Sea - At Sea - Cartagena, Colombia - Panama Canal - Fuerte Amador, Panama - Fuerte Amador, Panama - At Sea - Caldera, Costa Rica - Puerto Corinto, Nicaragua - Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala - Puerto Chiapas, Mexico - Huatulco, Mexico - At Sea - Manzanillo, Mexico - Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - At Sea - At Sea - San Diego, California - At Sea - At Sea - Victoria, British Columbia - Vancouver, British Columbia
Book with me now!

April 18, 2019: Volendam - 20 nights

April 18, 2019 - NORTHBOUND SAILING
20 Night Panama Canal cruise on the ms Volendam
Itinerary: Fort Lauderdale, Florida - At Sea - At Sea - Cartagena, Colombia - Panama Canal - At Sea - Caldera, Costa Rica - Puerto Corinto, Nicaragua - Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala - Puerto Chiapas, Mexico - Huatulco, Mexico - At Sea - Manzanillo, Mexico - Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - Cabo San Lucas, Mexico - At Sea - At Sea - San Francisco, California - At Sea - Victoria, British Columbia - Vancouver, British Columbia
Book with me now!

April 20, 2019: Coral Princess - 18 nights

April 20, 2019 - NORTHBOUND SAILING
18 Night Panama Canal cruise on the Coral Princess
Itinerary: Fort Lauderdale, Florida - At Sea - At Sea - Cartagena, Colombia - Panama Canal - Fuerte Amador, Panama - At Sea - Puntarenas, Costa Rica - San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua - At Sea - Huatulco, Mexico - At Sea - Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - At Sea - At Sea - Los Angeles, California - At Sea - At Sea - Vancouver, British Columbia
Book with me now!

May 1, 2019: Oceania Regatta - 28 nights

May 1, 2019 - NORTHBOUND SAILING
28 Night Panama Canal cruise on the Oceania Regatta
Itinerary: Miami, Florida - Havana, Cuba - Caribbean Sea - Caribbean Sea - Colon, Panama - Panama Canal - Pacific Ocean - Puntarenas, Costa Rica - San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua - Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala - Pacific Ocean - Acapulco, Mexico - Pacific Ocean - Mazatlan, Mexico - Cabo San Lucas, Mexico - Pacific Ocean - San Diego, California - Pacific Ocean - San Francisco, California - Pacific Ocean - Astoria, Oregon - At Sea - Sitka, Alaska - Hubbard Glacier, Alaska - Juneau, Alaska - Wrangell, Alaska - Ketchikan, Alaska - Inside Passage - Vancouver, British Columbia
Ask for a quote - or book with me now!

May 16, 2019: ms Amsterdam - 17 nights

May 16, 2019 - NORTHBOUND SAILING
17 Night Panama Canal cruise on the ms Amsterdam
Itinerary: Fort Lauderdale, Florida - At Sea - At Sea - Cartagena, Colombia - Panama Canal - At Sea - Puerto Corinto, Nicaragua - Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala - Huatulco, Mexico - At Sea - At Sea - Cabo San Lucas, Mexico - At Sea - At Sea - San Francisco, California - At Sea - Victoria, British Columbia - Vancouver, British Columbia
Request a quote - or book online now!

June 30, 2019: Queen Elizabeth - 21 nights

June 30, 2019 - SOUTHBOUND SAILING
21 Night Panama Canal cruise on Cunard Line's Queen Elizabeth
Itinerary: Vancouver, British Columbia - At Sea - At Sea - San Francisco, California - Los Angeles, California - Los Angeles, California - At Sea - At Sea - Cabo San Lucas, Mexico - At Sea - At Sea - Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala - At Sea - Puntarenas, Costa Rica - At Sea - Panama City, Panama - Panama Canal - At Sea - Oranjestad, Aruba - At Sea - At Sea - Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Contact me now for this rare Cunard opportunity!

Please contact me if you are looking for a fall Panama Canal sailing, or even 2020 - I have the information you need, and am always happy to help.

More from cruisetravelbug
Squid Ink: Tattoos at Sea
Alaska Cruise Ships 2019 - BIG or small - What's Best?
Sailing solo on Celebrity Edge
Death by Selfie: is social media worth it?
South Pacific, without the flights
The Goroka Show
Paris: wandering the city's charming passages
New York: the Meetles

Alaska Cruise Ships 2019 - BIG or small - What's Best?

Picking the best cruise ship for your Alaska voyage depends upon a number of factors - personal choice being perhaps the most important - but ship size is a major consideration.

• A larger ship offers more things to do (believe it or not it can be easier to find a quiet spot alone on a big ship) and lower fares, but they aren't for everyone.
• Small ships are more intimate, can get into smaller ports and tend to be more inclusive (so more costly), but not everyone will enjoy the quiet evenings.

In 2019, quite a few cruise ships will be sailing Alaska for the very first time, so I thought a list of ships sailing from Vancouver and Seattle, organized by size, might be a helpful tool.

Alaska Cruise Ships - by cabin count

For Alaska, common industry categories aren't all that informative, because so many ships fall into the middle category. So, to make shopping for the best ship for you easier, I have broken down the cruise ships sailing Alaska in 2019 by their cabin count. The nicknames are entirely mine.

HUGE

Ovation of the Seas - 2095 cabins

Norwegian Bliss - 2043 cabins
Norwegian Joy - 2043 cabins

Royal Princess - 1780 cabins

VERY LARGE

Ruby Princess - 1530 cabins

Celebrity Eclipse - 1425 cabins

Celebrity Solstice - 1425 cabins

Golden Princess - 1316 cabins

LARGE

Star Princess - 1298 cabins

Norwegian Jewel - 1194 cabins

Island Princess - 1107 cabins

MEDIUM

Celebrity Millennium - 1079 cabins

Carnival Legend - 1062 cabins

Radiance of the Seas - 1061 cabins

ms Nieuw Amsterdam - 1053 cabins

ms Eurodam - 1052 cabins

Queen Elizabeth - 1043 cabins

ms Oosterdam - 1012 cabins

Coral Princess - 1000 cabins

SMALLISH

ms Noordam - 986 cabins

ms Westerdam - 984 cabins

Disney Wonder - 877 cabins

ms Volendam - 716 cabins

ms Amsterdam - 690 cabins

SMALL

Viking Orion - 464 cabins

Crystal Symphony - 452 cabins

Azamara Quest - 355 cabins

Regent Seven Seas Mariner - 354 cabins

Oceania Regatta - 349 cabins

Silversea Muse - 288 cabins

Seabourn Sojourn - 225 cabins

VERY SMALL

Windstar Star Legend - 106 cabins

Silversea Explorer - 72 cabins

Tip: multiply the number of cabins by 225% to get approximate passenger capacity

Updated on July 25 to reflect announcement thayt the Norwegian Joy (new ship) will replace the Norwegian Pearl for the 2019 Alaska cruise season.


Please contact me if you would like to learn more about a particular ship, or would like a quote.

Related resources
What's the Best Cruise Ship Size for You? - Cruise Critic
Planning a Travel Surprise
Death by Selfie: Is Social Media Worth It?
7 Comebacks to "I Hate Cruising!"
Vancouver Cruise Opportunities

  

West Coast Roundtrip Long Voyages

Amtrak makes it possible to cruise from
the West Coast without flying

Sailing roundtrip from the West Coast of North America is an attractive option for many of my clients who prefer not to fly long distances. These sailings become essential options for those who cannot fly at all, but still want to travel, as there is train service on the West Coast.

Below is a list of long (30+ night) roundtrip cruise sailings from Long Beach, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Seattle and Vancouver.

January 20, 2017
111-Night World Cruise World Cruises Cruise
From Los Angeles, California (Roundtrip)
Princess Cruises - Pacific Princess
Itinerary details

February 22, 2017
30-Night Central America Cruise
From San Diego, California (Roundtrip)
Holland America Line - ms Maasdam
Itinerary details

March 24, 2017
33-Night Tahiti Cruise
From San Diego, California (Roundtrip)
Holland America Line - ms Maasdam
Itinerary details

October 1, 2017
80-Night World Cruise World Cruises Cruise
From San Diego, California (Roundtrip)
Holland America Line - ms Amsterdam
Itinerary details

January 8, 2018
137-Night World Cruise World Cruises Cruise
From Los Angeles, California (Roundtrip)
Regent Seven Seas Cruises - Seven Seas Navigator
Itinerary details

January 22, 2018
111-Night World Cruise World Cruises Cruise
From Los Angeles, California (Roundtrip)
Princess Cruises - Pacific Princess
Itinerary details

Interested in one of these sailings? Please contact me for more information and a quote.

If you don't see what you are looking for her, please let me know, as I can keep an eye open for other sailings that could work for you.


My recent top itinerary picks - from my cruise blog
From YVR: Volendam, Transpacific, September 27, 2017
To YVR: Nieuw Amsterdam, Panama Canal, April 9, 2017
Sailing Westbound from Honolulu
Sailing Eastbound from Honolulu


Cruise Research Resources - from my cruise website
Long sailing picks - hand picked by me
Vancouver cruise opportunities - hand picked by me
Unique journeys - sailings with ports you may not otherwise visit
Transatlantic cruises - the best itineraries, picked by me
Cruise search - search for your dream cruise!

From YVR: Volendam, Transpacific, September 27, 2017

My Vancouver sailing posts are written for those who call the West Coast home...

Featured itinerary:

September 27, 2017: 30 night Transpacific cruise sailing
from Vancouver to Shanghai on the ms Volendam

One of the most overlooked cruise itineraries is Pacific Ocean crossings. It's not unreasonable, given that there are not a lot of sailings, and many are not port-intensive, but there are some gems.

Here is a great example next fall:

30-Night Transpacific Cruise
From Vancouver, British Columbia to Shanghai, China
Holland America Line - ms Volendam
Itinerary details

The Volendam in Kobe, Japan

One of the reasons I this sailing is the northern route it is taking on its way to Japan, even making 4 port calls in Alaska along the way (there are not many ships that call on Dutch Harbor!). Most other Transpacific sailings just go straight across the Pacific Ocean.

I also picked this sailing for all the Asian ports it includes:

• Japan - 5 ports: Kashiro, Hakodate, Yokohama, Shimizu, Osaka
• South Korea - 2 ports: Cheju City, Incheon (overnight)
• China - 3 ports: Tianjin (overnight), Qingdao, Shanghai (overnight)

As you can see, there are 3 overnight port-calls on this sailing. These longer stays allow you more time to explore the ports, including being able to enjoy dining or a show in the evening.

You need to like sea days though: there are 12 on this itinerary, giving you lots of time to read about the lands you will be visiting.

If you don't have a month, you can always take the shorter 16 night sailing to Yokohama.*

Tip: these sailings are also referred to as Pacific Rim cruises

Looking for a different Transpacific experience?

Here are a few more Transpacific cruises from Vancouver in 2017. Some are unique sailings, while others are variations with different embarkation and/or disembarkation points.

September 8, 2017
16-Night Pacific Rim Cruise
From Vancouver, British Columbia to Tokyo, Japan
Celebrity Cruises - Celebrity Millennium
Itinerary details

September 24, 2017
28-Night Transpacific Cruise
From Vancouver, British Columbia to Sydney, Australia
Holland America Line - ms Noordam
Itinerary details

September 27, 2017
16-Night Transpacific Cruise* (shorter version of featured sailing)
From Vancouver, British Columbia to Yokohama, Japan
Holland America Line - ms Volendam
Itinerary details

Transpacifics from other West Coast ports:

September 27, 2017
24-Night Transpacific Cruise
From San Diego, California to Sydney, Australia
Holland America Line - ms Maasdam
Itinerary details

September 28, 2017
24-Night Transpacific Cruise
From San Francisco, California to Sydney, Australia
Holland America Line - ms Noordam
Itinerary details

September 28, 2017
39-Night Transpacific Cruise
From San Francisco, California to Auckland, New Zealand
Holland America Line - ms Noordam
Itinerary details

October 1, 2017
31-Night Transpacific Cruise
From San Diego, California to Hong Kong, Hong Kong
Holland America Line - ms Amsterdam
Itinerary details
 

What about other cruises to or from Vancouver?

Did you know you can cruise between Vancouver and Buenos Aires, Fort Lauderdale, Honolulu, Sydney, Tokyo or Valparaiso?

I invite you to check out the Vancouver Cruise Opportunities page on on my website, where I feature some of my top picks of sailings that embark or disembark in Vancouver.

Vancouver Cruise Opportunities

If you would like help finding a different sailing, please contact me. I am always happy to help!

More Pacific Ocean sailings
Sailing Westbound from Honolulu
Sailing Eastbound from Honolulu

More hand-picked sailings
My late picks - October 2016
Long sailing picks - hand picked by me
Unique journeys - sailings with ports you may not otherwise visit
Transatlantic cruises - the best itineraries, picked by me

Related resources
To YVR: Nieuw Amsterdam, Panama Canal, April 9, 2017
Sailing Westbound from Honolulu
Sailing Eastbound from Honolulu
What story do you want to tell post-cruise?
7 comebacks to "I Hate Cruising"

Cruising to/from Vancouver

You can cruise from many places to Vancouver
creativecommons image viajor on Flickr

Have you ever considered cruising to and/or from Vancouver?

Did you know you can sail from Vancouver to Fort Lauderdale, Honolulu, New York, San Diego, San Francisco, Sydney, Tokyo... just to name a few.

The thrill of passing under the Lion's Gate Bridge on the Star Princess
creativecommons image hubertyu on Flickr

How about getting the flying out of the way first, and beginning your journey in Auckland, Buenos Aires, Hong Kong, Papeete (Tahiti) or Singapore and disembarking in Vancouver?

The Coral Princess docking in Vancouver
creativecommons image royluck on Flickr

The links above are just a sampling.

For another sampling, I maintain a list of hand-picked favourites, chosen from across the spectrum of cruiselines, from budget to luxury, from short to long, from often-sailed to once-in-a-lifetime itineraries. Please have a look for a taste of what's possible:

Cruises to and/or from Vancouver

This could be you! Ask me how...
creativecommons image prayitnophotography on Flickr

Interested? Please contact me to help you find the right cruise to or from Vancouver that fits your interests, budget and travel dreams.

I'm located in Sidney, BC, but I assist many clients remotely. Please invite me to give you a quote!

Holland America Vancouver Sailings 2014/2015

ms Zuiderdam at Canada Place in Vancouver

The 2014/2015 cruise season promises to be an exciting one for Vancouver due, in no small part to the amazing array of sailings offered by Holland America. Of course, the star attraction is Alaska, but...

The Zaandam in Honolulu

Did you know you can cruise roundtrip to Hawaii from Vancouver?

Imagine boarding your cruise from Vancouver to Hawaii on the Zaandam on September 19, 2014 - you'll have a full 16 nights onboard before you return.

Did you know you can cruise to Vancouver aboard Holland America from:

• Buenos Aires (Argentina)
• Hong Kong
• Los Angeles
• Singapore
• Valparaiso/Santiago (Chile)
• Yokohama (Japan)
• ... and more

Or did you know you can cruise from Vancouver aboard Holland America to: 

The Volendam in Sydney

• Buenos Aires (Argentina)
• Fort Lauderdale
• Kobe/Osaka (Japan)
• Los Angeles
• San Diego
• San Francisco
• Seattle
• ... to name just a few

Did you know you can visit these ports-of-call on sailings either to or from Holland America's Vancouver sailings? 

The Westerdam in Curaçao

• Callao/Lima (Peru)
• CartaGena (Columbia)
• Corinto (Nicaragua)
• Half-Moon Cay (Bahamas)
• Jeju/Cheju (South Korea)
• Laem Chabang/Bangkok (Thailand)
• Manta/Quito (Ecuador)
• Noumea (New Caledonia)
• Oranjestad (Aruba)
• Pago Pago/Tutuila (American Samoa)
• Panama City (Panama)
• Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy (Russia)
• Phu My/Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam)
• Puerto Caldera (Costa Rica)
• Puerto Chiapas (Mexico)
• Puerto Quetzal (Guatemala)
• Shanghai (China)
• Sihanoukville/Kompong Som (Cambodia)
• Suva (Fiji)
• Willemstad (Curacao)
• Xingang/Beijing (China)
• ... and many more!

It's quite a list, isn't it? You can even take a 3 day shore excursion to Machu Picchu from Lima, meeting up with the ship later in the voyage (not cheap, but once in a lifetime...).

It's all true. What a great way for you to see the world, especially if you aren't keen on flying. For details, check out highlights in the brochure:

• Vancouver Sailings from Holland America April 2014 - April 2015

Want help? I would be pleased to help you book your Vancouver regardless of where you are located. Please get in touch.

Roberta