Cruising the Panama Canal (full transit time lapse)

We explored the Panama Canal first by taking a small boat through its locks from Gatun Lake toward the Pacific, learning how the locks raise and lower ships and watching cargo vessels transit alongside us. The next day, we crossed the canal aboard our cruise ship, rising through the locks to Gatun Lake before descending to sea level and reaching the Pacific Ocean. We also learned about the canal’s construction, its enormous transit fees, and the engineering behind its artificial lake and lock system.