The short answer
The very largest cruise ships, including Royal Caribbean’s Oasis and Icon classes, are generally considered too big to transit the Panama Canal. Most other large and mid-size cruise ships can go through, either via the original locks (smaller ships) or the newer, larger Neopanamax locks.
The exact list changes as new ships enter service, so for a specific vessel, check with the cruise line and the Panama Canal Authority’s published ship limits.
The limits: original locks and Neopanamax locks
The canal has two sets of locks:
- The original locks, opened in 1914, set the old “Panamax” size limits. Older and smaller cruise ships are built to fit.
- The Neopanamax locks, opened in 2016, are larger. They allow vessels up to roughly 366 m (about 1,200 feet) in length and 49 m (about 160 feet) in beam.
The Neopanamax size is why many modern cruise ships can use the canal that previously could not. See how cruise ships go through the Panama Canal for a comparison of the two sets.
Beam, length, draft and height
Four dimensions matter:
- Beam (width). The ship must fit between the lock walls, with a little room to spare. Wide ships and ones with broad structures extending out from the hull can be a problem.
- Length. The ship must fit in the chamber.
- Draft (depth below the waterline). The canal’s depth limits how deeply a ship can sit, and the permitted draft can be reduced when water levels are low.
- Air draft (height above the waterline). Bridges cross the canal, including the Bridge of the Americas at the Pacific entrance. A ship that is too tall will not clear them.
A ship that fits on one measurement can still be ruled out by another, and the very large modern ships tend to be limited by width or height.
Ships that fit, and the biggest reported
Reports have named Norwegian Bliss, at around 168,000 gross tons, as the largest cruise ship to transit the canal when it passed through in 2018. More recently, the Canal Authority has reported the passage of the Disney Adventure, at about 208,000 gross tons, 342 m long and 46.4 m wide. Both used the Neopanamax locks.
These records are snapshots. A higher gross tonnage does not tell you whether a ship fits, since the ship’s shape matters more.
Ships on mainstream Panama Canal itineraries have often included mid-size vessels such as Radiance- or Serenade-of-the-Seas-sized ships, Celebrity’s Edge Series ship Celebrity Ascent, and Holland America and Princess mid-size ships.
Ships that are generally too big
- Royal Caribbean’s Oasis and Icon classes. These are among the largest passenger ships in the world, and are generally described as too wide or tall for the canal.
- Other newest mega-ships with similar dimensions may fall into the same category. The newest ships from several lines have been designed with canal limits in mind or without them.
Because some measurements are borderline, avoid assuming from one article. Cruise lines publish where their ships sail, and ships that never appear on Panama itineraries may simply be assigned elsewhere.
Why a ship that fits may still not go
- Itinerary choices. Cruise lines pick ships for a route based on cost, passenger demand and the number of ports.
- Scheduling. Transits must be booked, and slots for larger ships can be limited.
- Water levels. Draft restrictions during a drought can affect which ships are allowed.
How to check your ship
- Look at the cruise line’s Panama Canal sailings and see which ships appear.
- Ask the line which locks your ship uses.
- Check the ship’s published length, beam and height against the canal’s limits.
Once you know the ship fits, read about full vs partial Panama Canal transit, and see Royal Caribbean’s Panama Canal cruises for how one line approaches its fleet.