CROSSING THE PANAMA CANAL: COSTA RICA TO PANAMA

Embarkation 15:00-16:00. Welcome drinks, safety drill and sailing to Quepos. Overnight at anchor.

Optional Morning Excursion to MANUEL ANTONIO RESERVE, one of the highlights of the cruise. After lunch on board, you can take the optional Forest Canopy excursion. Afternoon sailing to nearby Playa Biesanz for an afternoon swim. (Forest Canopy tour excursion participants rejoin the ship in Playa Biesanz). Tropical evening on board. Late night sailing to Drake Bay. Overnight at sea.

Optional excursion to the Corcovado National Park, a nature preserve and tropical rainforest that occupies almost a third of the Osa Peninsula. Visitors are almost guaranteed to see some of the most incredible wildlife living in the jungles of the reserve including red-eyed tree frogs, quetzals, tapirs, harpy eagles, white-lipped peccaries, monkeys, and scarlet macaws. Swimmers can have the amazing opportunity to share the warm waters with marlins, dolphins, and pilot whales. Early afternoon sailing to Golfito.

Immigration procedures

Midday arrival in Granito de Oro for swimming and snorkeling in a pristine environment. Deck BBQ and sailing to nearby Coiba Island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the largest island in Central America. Afternoon walking tour with our Ship Naturalist who will take you for a short walk to discover the local forest and animal life. Free time for swimming and snorkeling on Coiba. In the afternoon, we
leave Coiba. Overnight at sea.

Morning arrival at Iguana Island, a wildlife-rich territory, a bird-watching paradise, and key sanctuary for frigate birds. Snorkel the shallow reefs at the protected Isla Iguana Bay. Free time for swimming and snorkelling. You will see lots of colorful tropical fish, Morey Eels, Rays and even turtles swimming in the warm Pacific waters. On land you will spot crabs and iguanas. The wildlife refuge of Isla Iguana was founded in 1981 and includes over 50 hectare of land and water. The island is a snorkeling and diving paradise as it has the biggest area of well-preserved coral reefs in the Gulf of Panama with 17 different coral species, more than 350 tropical fishes and over 200 species of invertebrates.

Optional excursion in the Darien National park. We are then welcomed by Embera Indians, one of the 7 indigenous groups living in Panama. They are proud and very friendly and known for their beautiful handicrafts and well preserved traditions. We return to ship for lunch and sail to Panama City Flamenco Marina.

Morning Optional Panama City tour. Discover the old Panama City, Casco Viejo, its architecture, cathedrals and historical buildings. We return to the ship for lunch, and the ship is positioned at the Canal entrance for the Canal transit starting at 17.00 pm. We reach and cross the Pedro Miguel and Miraflores Locks before we enter the Gatun Lake and cross the Gatun Locks.

Disembarkation at 9:00 am after breakfast.