News

Two of the world’s biggest cruise companies, Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCL) and Royal Caribbean International (RCI), have announced plans to make Panama a home port 

Both companies will launch a variety of excursions from the cruise ship terminals in Panama City,  and Colon, introducing Panama to a new generation of travelers. Home porting means travelers typically start and end their journey in Panama, providing more opportunities for travelers to stay and explore, compared to passengers who simply spend a day and leave.

The Panama Maritime Authority has announced that home porting cruise ships is a top priority, noting that transit passengers spend money on tours, food, shopping, and layover accommodations. 

“Panama meets all the conditions to be chosen as a port of call or home port: it has a solid hotel infrastructure and indisputable tourist attractions,” Panama Maritime Authority Director of Ports and Auxiliary Maritime Industries Max Florez told reporters. 

In the 2023-24 season, the cruise industry generated more than 571,342 tourists to Panama, which is simply free publicity for the real estate industry. Every one of the travelers gets to experience a little bit of Panama City, and we know many of them will return. 

Norwegian says it will launch six itineraries from Panama in the next year on the Norwegian Jade, Norwegian Gem — with capacities of 2,400 and 3,400 passengers, respectively — and the “six-star” Sirena, an 800-passenger luxury ship operated by Oceania Cruises.

Royal Caribbean announced recently that it would once again use Panama as its home port for its operations in the Caribbean in the 2025-2026 cruise season. According to recent press reports, the cruise ship “Serenade of The Seas” will launch the 2025 season with an itinerary departing from Colón to Cartagena, Colombia.