Panama Canal cruises are a dream for many travelers. The Panama Canal connects the Atlantic Ocean with the Pacific Ocean. The historic waterway is most frequently visited during winter and spring. The best time to plan a cruise to the Panama Canal depends on certain factors that have been listed as shown below:

Weather
Panama Canal cruises run from late September through April. The monsoons last from May to December. So, it the best time to visit the Panama Canal is from November as the months from December to May are fairly dry. There are short, sudden thunderstorms that occur on the Caribbean side of the Canal from April to July.

Holidays
The citizens of Panama take their holidays seriously. On a lighter note, if you happen to land in the city during holidays, you might find everything closed. The holiday season must be avoided, which is October to April, with the peak months being December and January. The whole city almost remains closed and they have a holiday on Monday, even when the official holiday falls on a Saturday or a Sunday.

Look for bargains
The prices are the highest from mid-December to mid-April.

Decide your interests
Deciding on how your time will be spent when visiting Panama will also be a guiding factor in deciding on the best time to plan a Panama Canal cruise. Hiking on high mountains, surfing, and diving, means a visit should be planned for the month of December until May, while canal cruising, white water rafting is best done from May to December.

Plan to match the events
The best time to plan a visit is in January if you love music and culture which brings the Jazz festival to Panama City and Flower and Coffee festival to Boquete. To enjoy the local flavors and events, structure your plan around the Mardi Gras festival in February for parades, events, dance, and music. After Easter comes a two-week festival that is marked by dancers who wear devil-like masks. November marks Independence Day celebrations.