Lock & Sluice Passage – Panama Canal & Cartagena

About this cruise

This is the kind of cruise where you actually have time to go back to a port highlight you missed the first time. 16 nights from San Diego on October 2, 2026, visiting Puerto Vallarta, Huatulco and Puerto Chiapas, with additional stops along the Mexican Riviera & Central America. The sailing ends in Fort Lauderdale. It starts gently with sea days, so by the time you reach the first port you'll have explored the ship and actually feel on holiday. 7 countries (Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Panama, Colombia, Bahamas and United States) across the Mexican Riviera & Central America, each with its own character. You get around 9 hours in each port, which is enough for an excursion, lunch, and some wandering around on your own. When you're not ashore, You won't go hungry on Nieuw Amsterdam. 5 restaurants come with the fare, plus 4 more when you feel like treating yourself. One of the underrated parts of a longer cruise: you actually get to know people. The couple from dinner, the group at trivia, the bartender who remembers your drink. An October sailing dodges the peak crowds while the weather is still cooperating. Well timed. If you've been thinking about a cruise, this 16-night sailing is a strong place to start.