Panama Canal Transit on Silversea

The itinerary

The full itinerary spanned 18 nights, beginning in Ft. Lauderdale and ending in Los Angeles. However, we opted for the shorter 7-night itinerary, which ended in Panama City (Fuerte Amador). Cartagena, Colombia, was the first port stop on the shorter itinerary and the ship docked there overnight. This gave us the opportunity to experience the city at night as well as have the entire following day to explore. Silversea offers a vintage car experience as one of the shore excursions. This was the perfect introduction to see the historic center on arrival night.

Panama Canal

The Panama Canal transit begins very early in the morning around 6 am. Since I had no idea what to expect, I jumped out of bed just before 6 am thinking that there would be a crowd gathering at the observation deck. I could not have been more wrong. Not only was there no one at the Observation Deck that early, I only saw one person (one of the crew members) up and out! Unbeknownst to me, the transit takes the full day and we didn’t reach the first set of locks until around 8 am — a more acceptable time to arrive and get a good spot to view from the Observation Deck. The crew did an exceptional job of providing coffee and smoothies to guests who had gathered outside to watch the transit through the Gatun locks. There are three sets of locks in the entire transit, and we passed through the second set (Pedro Miguel) at around 4 pm.

To get a better appreciation for what an engineering marvel the Panama Canal truly is, take a time-lapse video while the ship is moving through the locks. This, of course, requires a lot of patience and about an hour of holding the camera in one spot, but the resulting video is worth it and amazed everyone who watched it later.

Silversea provides a guest commentator over the PA system. Passengers can learn about the history and engineering achievements while the ship is moving through the three sets of locks. This enhanced the overall experience. Additionally, the ship offers a Panama Canal presentation in its theater the day before the transit for a more in-depth talk on the region.

The ship

The Silver Shadow was built in 2000, but underwent a soft refurbishment in 2016, so we saw no signs of aging or wear and tear. We have sailed Silversea several times, but this was the first time on the Silver Shadow. All of the things we love about Silversea — the spacious suites, butler service and all-inclusive pricing — were all part of the experience. The beauty of sailing a ship of this size, is the ability to meet and really get to know so many of the other guests. The crew members remember your name and your preferences. It really makes you feel special when a crew member brings your favorite drink without even having to order it!

Staterooms

All staterooms have ocean views and inside cabins do not exist. Only the Vista suites do not have balconies. The well-appointed staterooms come with a living area, walk-in closet with plenty of hangers and drawer space (very important for a cruise with a dress code). The bathrooms are spacious with full-sized bathtubs, double sinks, a separate shower and ample shelf space.

The minibar will be stocked with your beverages of choice once you communicate your selections to your butler on the first day.

Dining experience

Silver Shadow has four main restaurants. The Grill is located poolside and open for lunch and dinner with a varied menu of grilled fish, burgers and steaks.

The restaurant is the largest of the restaurants and is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The best tables in this elegant space are near the large windows looking out to sea. The menu is expansive and offers something for everyone, including a separate wine list.

La Terrazza is the Italian sit-down option for dinner, but is also open for buffet breakfast and lunch. This was my favorite restaurant for dinner as the homemade pasta and tiramisu were outstanding. If you time your dinner right, you can have a view of the sunset.

Lastly, La Dame is the only restaurant that requires a surcharge, but it was worth it. The restaurant is intimate and the service was attentive, yet not invasive. The food presentation was a standout, and each course we ordered was paired with a recommended wine. We dined at La Dame on the ship’s formal night, which made for a very special evening.

For more inspiration and insider recommendations, visit our Panama page.