Fort Lauderdale is a coastal metropolis in southeast Florida’s panhandle, nestled between the blue exotic Everglades and turquoise waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The United States’ top cruise destination welcomes 11 cruise lines, 33 cruise ships and more than four million tourists annually. Fort Lauderdale is famed as the birthplace of “Spring Break’, which originated in the 1930s and has shaped the city as one of America’s party capitals.

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What better way to see the Panama Canal than by cruising through it? Sail in the wake of history as your ship navigates the locks which have been in service more than 100 years and are still functioning flawlessly today. Plagued by difficulties during construction, the final lock system was so effective, it has remained virtually unchanged throughout the years. The entire Panama Canal crossing takes 8 to 10 hours.

An island located off the west coast of Panama, Fuerte Amador is the gateway to Panama City. Sitting close to the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal, it offers the perfect place to watch ships enter the locks as they begin to traverse the canal. In addition to holding numerous canal-related museums and attractions, Fuerte Amador offers easy access to Panama City, the metropolis-like capital city and heart of the nation.

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