When to go Panama Canal?

[phabric]

Panama Canal cruises go in the spring or fall.

 

Which time of year is not as hot spring or fall?

[Tapi]

It will be hot no matter what, but I’d go with spring simply because it’s not hurricane season and your itinerary is less likely to be altered. Panama is outside of the hurricane belt, but other ports in your itinerary may not be. We are booked on a Panama Canal for April 2022 [emoji2]

[Essiesmom]

Panama is so   close to the equator that there is little temperature change year round.   Might be a little more rain in the fall.  EM

[Shmoo here]

5 hours ago, phabric said:

Panama Canal cruises go in the spring or fall.

 

Which time of year is not as hot spring or fall?

We've done the Panama Canal in May and in October.  Both times it was hot.  Difference was in October we had spectacular light shows in the evening from the thunderstorms that were, basically, every day.  But it was still hot.

 

 

[geoherb]

January, February, and March are the driest months. The summer and fall months are the wettest. I went this past December and had great weather. The cruise before mine had a lot of rain.

[BarbinMich]

We've done it in Jan (WB) and Apr (EB).  As others have said it will be hot whenever you go because it's very close to the equator.  Thus, don't plan on being outside on deck the whole time.  And when outside in the sun be sure to wear sun block or sun lotion.  Assuming you're going thru the old locks, there are two sets of them with Gatun Lake in between.  Ships may anchor in the lake and stay there for some time because I think that's where folks get off for ship excursions.  Say you go from Ft. Lauderdale, you'll enter the canal around 6 a.m. (around sunrise) and then leave it at the other end about 4-5 p.m.  Enjoy!

[gatour]

If this is a bucket list type cruise, go in the Spring.  That way you avoid the chance of the trip being changed due to a hurricane.