Costa Rica & Panama Canal Discovery Cruise

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12 days from

£7265.0

* Current p/p indicative rate.

Overview
Highlights
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Highlights

  • Isla Tortuga: Visit the tropical paradise of Isla Tortuga, located in the Gulf of Nicoya. Enjoy its pristine white sand beaches, crystal-clear waters, and abundant marine life. Relax and soak up the sun or engage in water activities such as snorkeling and swimming.
  • Quepos and Manuel Antonio National Park: Explore the bustling town of Quepos and its proximity to Manuel Antonio National Park. Discover the park's diverse ecosystems, including rainforests, beaches, and mangroves. Spot a variety of wildlife, from monkeys and sloths to colorful birds, in this tropical paradise.
  • Golfito and Golfo Dulce: Experience the beauty of Golfo Dulce, a deep and sheltered gulf bordering the Osa Peninsula. Explore the lush rainforest of Piedras Blancas National Park and encounter incredible biodiversity, including towering trees, waterfalls, toucans, macaws, and monkeys.
  • Cartagena: Immerse yourself in the rich history and vibrant culture of Cartagena, Colombia. Wander through the enchanting old town, with its colorful colonial architecture and charming cobblestone streets. Visit the well-preserved fortifications, museums, and enjoy the lively atmosphere of this UNESCO World Heritage site.

Highlights

  • Isla Tortuga: Visit the tropical paradise of Isla Tortuga, located in the Gulf of Nicoya. Enjoy its pristine white sand beaches, crystal-clear waters, and abundant marine life. Relax and soak up the sun or engage in water activities such as snorkeling and swimming.
  • Quepos and Manuel Antonio National Park: Explore the bustling town of Quepos and its proximity to Manuel Antonio National Park. Discover the park's diverse ecosystems, including rainforests, beaches, and mangroves. Spot a variety of wildlife, from monkeys and sloths to colorful birds, in this tropical paradise.
  • Golfito and Golfo Dulce: Experience the beauty of Golfo Dulce, a deep and sheltered gulf bordering the Osa Peninsula. Explore the lush rainforest of Piedras Blancas National Park and encounter incredible biodiversity, including towering trees, waterfalls, toucans, macaws, and monkeys.
  • Cartagena: Immerse yourself in the rich history and vibrant culture of Cartagena, Colombia. Wander through the enchanting old town, with its colorful colonial architecture and charming cobblestone streets. Visit the well-preserved fortifications, museums, and enjoy the lively atmosphere of this UNESCO World Heritage site.
Ship Diana
Capacity: 192, Type: Luxury Expedition

Explore the natural wonders of Costa Rica and Panama on a Costa Rica and Panama Canal Discovery cruise. Journey on our boutique expedition ship to Costa Rica, home to over 500,000 species of plants and animals, and discover stunning beaches, lush rainforests, and diverse wildlife. Take in sight a bioluminescent bay, a natural phenomenon that lights up the water at night. Take a boat tour of mangrove forests and swamps, and see monkeys, sloths, jaguars, ocelots, tapirs, and toucans in their natural habitat. Cross continents in Panama City, the only capital located on two continents. Cruise through the busy shipping lane of the Panama Canal, a marvel of engineering that connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Disembark in Cartagena, Colombia, knowing you have visited a region renowned for its environmental conservation, ecotourism, and natural beauty.

  • Isla Tortuga: Visit the tropical paradise of Isla Tortuga, located in the Gulf of Nicoya. Enjoy its pristine white sand beaches, crystal-clear waters, and abundant marine life. Relax and soak up the sun or engage in water activities such as snorkeling and swimming.
  • Quepos and Manuel Antonio National Park: Explore the bustling town of Quepos and its proximity to Manuel Antonio National Park. Discover the park's diverse ecosystems, including rainforests, beaches, and mangroves. Spot a variety of wildlife, from monkeys and sloths to colorful birds, in this tropical paradise.
  • Golfito and Golfo Dulce: Experience the beauty of Golfo Dulce, a deep and sheltered gulf bordering the Osa Peninsula. Explore the lush rainforest of Piedras Blancas National Park and encounter incredible biodiversity, including towering trees, waterfalls, toucans, macaws, and monkeys.
  • Cartagena: Immerse yourself in the rich history and vibrant culture of Cartagena, Colombia. Wander through the enchanting old town, with its colorful colonial architecture and charming cobblestone streets. Visit the well-preserved fortifications, museums, and enjoy the lively atmosphere of this UNESCO World Heritage site.

There are no future departures for this trip at this stage.

show reverse itinerary
DAY 1 PRE CRUISE
DAY 2 PUNTARENAS
Puntarenas is a place to experience the authentic and diverse culture of Costa Rica, located on a narrow peninsula that stretches into the Pacific Ocean. Puntarenas is a popular destination for locals and tourists alike, who come to enjoy its beaches, seafood, and carnival atmosphere. Puntarenas is also a gateway to explore the region's natural wonders, such as the Tortuga, Chira, Coco islands, the Nicoya Peninsula, and the Monteverde Cloud Forest.
DAY 3 CURU WILDLIFE REFUGE & ISLA TORTUGAS
Curu Wildlife Refuge is a private reserve on the southern tip of the Nicoya Peninsula, near Paquera. It is a hidden gem for nature lovers, who can explore its diverse habitats, such as tropical forests, mangroves, grasslands, and beaches. Curu Wildlife Refuge is home to many species of animals, such as monkeys, deer, armadillos, iguanas, and birds. Isla Tortuga is a tropical island in the Gulf of Nicoya, off the coast of Costa Rica. It is a popular destination for day trips from the mainland, offering stunning scenery, white sand beaches, and clear blue waters.
DAY 4 QUEPOS
The bustling town of Quepos is a great base for accessing Manual Antonio National Park, one of the most popular parks in Costa Rica. The park has it all really, beautiful mountain vistas, mangrove forests, lagoons, beaches and lush rainforest. With over 350 species of birds and over 100 species of mammal, wildlife enthusiasts will be in heaven. Head along the stunning Perezeso trail to spot scarlet macaws, toucans, hawks, sloths, armadillos and much more. Back in Quepos, take walk through the pretty Marina Pez Vela to see the impressive fishing boats. There are also plenty of restaurants, galleries and shops around town to enjoy.
DAY 5 GOLFITO (FOR GOLFO DULCE)
The deep and well sheltered Golfo Dulce, or ‘Sweet Gulf’, borders the Osa Peninsula’s eastern shore. The northeast section of the gulf is part of the 35,000-acre Piedras Blancas National Park, a stunning tract of rainforest that used to be part of Corcovado, and still protects the same amazing biodiversity. As you explore the lush rainforest here, you’ll come face to face with some of the tallest trees in the world, you’ll also come across pretty waterfalls and perhaps also toucans, macaws, anteaters, sloths, howler monkeys and more.
DAY 6 CEBACO ISLAND
Cebaco Island is a private island in the Gulf of Montijo, off the coast of Panama. It is a hidden gem for nature lovers, who can enjoy its pristine beaches, lush forests, and abundant wildlife. Cebaco Island is ideal for diving, snorkeling, fishing, and hiking, as it has a rich marine life, including fish, rays, and turtles.
DAY 7 DARIEN JUNGLE
Today we will be making our way to an authentic Emberá settlement in the Darien Jungle. We will travel using local boats alongside our zodiacs as we make our way through the mangroves and waterways. On the journey keep a lookout for birds like heron, egret, osprey and harpy eagles. The indigenous Emberà have lived in this region for centuries. This is a unique opportunity to visit a tribe that rarely receives outside visitors. After a briefing on local customs and courtesies, you’ll meet the tribe and be able to explore the village. You’ll learn about the tribe’s strong connection to the surrounding jungle and how they rely on the natural environment for clothing, food and medicine.
DAY 8 FUERTE AMADOR (PANAMA CITY)
Located west of Panama City, at the Pacific terminus of the Panama Canal, Fuetre Amador is a manmade causeway, constructed with material excavated from the canal. Before boarding your boutique cruise ship, be sure to stop in at the Miraflores Locks’ visitor’s centre. Here you will learn about the impressive engineering that went into building this legendary waterway. Watch the mighty barges make their way through the canal from the panoramic observation deck. A short taxi ride away, Panama City is a modern and vibrant place that has evolved around its Spanish colonial centre, the Casco Veijo. Here you can wander through a conquistador-era UNESCO World Heritage Site, sip coffee in the street cafés or enjoy some shopping in the malls.
DAY 9 CRUISING PANAMA CANAL
Cruising Panama Canal is a bucket-list experience that allows you to witness one of the most astonishing human-made wonders in the world. The Panama Canal is a 48-mile waterway connecting the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, saving ships from sailing around South America. Cruising Panama Canal lets you enjoy the scenery through three sets of locks, an artificial lake, and a narrow mountain cut. A once-in-a-lifetime adventure that you will never forget.
DAY 10 SAN BLAS ARCHIPELAGO, LEMON CAY
Lemon Cay is one of the 49 inhabited islands of the San Blas Archipelago, a stunning network of cays and islands off the coast of Panama. It is a small and secluded island where you can enjoy the pristine white sand beach, the turquoise water, and the palm trees. Lemon Cay is also home to a community of indigenous people, the Guna, who live in traditional huts and welcome visitors with their hospitality and culture.
DAYS 11-12 CARTAGENA
Cartagena is a historic city on Colombia's Caribbean coast, famous for its well-preserved colonial walls and fortifications. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a cultural treasure, where visitors can enjoy the old town's colorful architecture, lively music, and rich history. Cartagena also offers beautiful beaches, tropical islands, and diverse museums for every taste.
Please Note:
Itinerary changes and surprising experiences are part of expedition cruise life. The world has a habit of amazing us with incredible things when we yield to the unexpected. Join us with an open mind and a sense of adventure and you’ll find that this can pay off in the most rewarding ways.
Diana
Launched in 2023, SH Diana provides elegant and spacious 5-star accommodation for 192 guests in 96 spacious staterooms and suites, the vast majority with large balconies. Operated by an onboard team …

Diana

Length 125 metres
Launched 2022/23

Launched in 2023, SH Diana provides elegant and spacious 5-star accommodation for 192 guests in 96 spacious staterooms and suites, the vast majority with large balconies. Operated by an onboard team of 140 she provides a high level of personal service, exploring the Mediterranean and its famous sites of antiquity.

Now sit back, relax and take a moment to get to know this amazing new ship, purpose-designed for our unique cultural expedition cruises.

Named after the Ancient Roman goddess of light, the moon, hunting and the wilderness, SH Diana been specially designed for worldwide cruising to explore the most inspiring and inaccessible places on earth. Building on the outstanding amenities of her sister ships, she adds a dedicated Multifunctional Room next to the Observation Lounge, a Private Dining Room for special occasions, and two tenders which bring guests a comfortable alternative to Zodiacs for expedition landings. A Polar Class 6 ice-strengthened hull combines with extra-large stabilisers to make your journey as comfortable as possible.

SH Diana has been designed for immersive experiences, with extensive outside deck areas, multiple observation points and bright, open and relaxing public spaces with unobstructed views.

The pleasure and safety of our guests is paramount at all times, cared for by our attentive crew and seasoned expedition leaders. Cutting edge hygiene technology protects the health of all on board to the highest standards and includes air conditioning with UV sanitisation systems.

SH Diana’s 96 staterooms , including 11 suites, are each a superbly comfortable home from home and all feature panoramic sea views, a flame-effect fireplace, original works of art, plush couches, premium pocket sprung mattresses, en-suite bathrooms with glass-enclosed rain showers, and Egyptian cotton towels, bathrobes and sheets. A pillow menu offers customised head and neck comfort during rest, while a large flat screen TV, espresso machine with Illy premium coffee, tea making facilities with the finest Kusmi teas, and a minibar with refreshments enhance relaxation at any time. In-room dining is of course available at all hours.

Cabin layout for Diana
Overview
Highlights
Dates & Prices
Itinerary
Map
Ship

12 days from £7265.0

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