The Panama Canal Authority says 220 cruise ships are scheduled to transit the waterway between October 2026 and May 2027. The Carnival Miracle kicked off the season with an eastbound crossing in early October, and the authority says the schedule reaffirms the canal as a key route for the cruise industry and international tourism.
The Miracle began a 16-night repositioning voyage on September 26 after a summer in Alaska. It is heading to Galveston for a winter season from Texas, with a full canal transit and calls on Central America’s west coast and in the Caribbean along the way.
She is not alone. MSC Poesia left Seattle on September 28 on a 19-night voyage to PortMiami, and the Disney Magic, Eurodam and Carnival Spirit are due to run similar itineraries in the coming weeks. The season will include both large Neo-Panamax ships and smaller vessels.
Size is part of the story. Star Princess, a 175,000-ton ship sailing Los Angeles to Vancouver to Fort Lauderdale, is making her second transit this fall, and earlier this year she became one of the largest cruise ships ever to pass through. The record holder remains Disney Adventure, which crossed in late 2025 while repositioning to Asia.
Sources: Cruise Industry News
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