There are not many days in your life where you start your morning in the Caribbean Sea and then fall asleep that same night in the Pacific Ocean, but that is exactly what happens when you transit the Panama Canal onboard the beautiful Disney Magic. It was truly one of those bucket list experiences that I had been dreaming of for such a long time, and I could hardly believe that the day had finally arrived.

It was another early start as I woke up at 4:50am which was even before my alarm was due to go off as this was definitely not a morning to have a lay-in! We already knew that it was going to be a very long day ahead of us but at the same time, we were so ready for it even though we were still feeling quite tired from our previous morning in the wonderful city of Cartagena. I could already tell the ship was barely moving by the complete lack of that familiar stateroom rattle that, after sailing in this exact same cabin on the Disney Magic three times before this cruise, we knew only too well.

After grabbing a quick cup of tea to help us fully wake up and stepping out onto our verandah, we could see the lights of so many other ships and boats that were anchored all around us. As the tolls to transit the Panama Canal are so eye-wateringly expensive, many vessels will often wait for several days (and sometimes longer) for their turn to enter the locks, whereas cruise lines pay a significant premium for a reserved time slot which allows them to “Skip the Line” and transit on a specific date of their choosing.

We quickly got dressed and walked straight up to Deck 10, where we were immediately greeted by a wall of intense humidity that hit us the moment we stepped outside. It was definitely going to be another very sweaty day, but thankfully, because we had left our cameras and lenses outside on our verandah overnight, they were already acclimatised to the hot temperature and did not fog up at all. If you are planning your own Panama Canal cruise and are travelling with a camera (instead of just using your phone), the best tip I can give anyone is to make sure that it is acclimatised before you start your day. Otherwise, you could easily miss out on some of the first photo opportunities of the morning while waiting for what feels like forever for your lenses to clear.

We both knew that we wanted to make the most of every minute of the entire day, so we made our way straight to the front of Deck 10 just before 6:00am. It was just starting to get light and the whole area was already getting a little crowded, which we were fully expecting. However, if you want to have a front row spot, you will need to wake up even earlier as I know that some people had been standing and waiting since 4:30am, which is true dedication and not even something I could have managed that morning.

We managed to grab a central spot at the front of Deck 10, just behind another family, and I was easily able to take all of my photos over the top of their heads without any issue. While it might look like I had a clear, unobstructed front row view, the reality was quite different as every photo I took from that spot was carefully framed either between people’s heads or straight over the top of them, all while dodging a constant barrage of arms, shoulders, phones and hats.

It was also fascinating to see so many people using proper cameras, as I saw more DSLRs and mirrorless cameras on this one day than I did during the entire cruise combined. I only saw them on this day, however, as it seemed that everyone went back to using their phones to take photos for the rest of the sailing, whereas we used our cameras the entire time we were onboard the ship. The whole area was a sight to behold, not just because of the number of people that were out so early in the morning, but also because of the sheer number of GoPros zip-tied to the railings and iPhones attached to every available part of the ship’s structure as well as one of the longest monopods I have ever seen!

Once the pilot had boarded the Disney Magic around 6:00am, we began to sail very slowly towards the Puente Atlántico (Atlantic Bridge) and you very quickly realise that nothing on this day is rushed at all, as transiting the Panama Canal takes an entire day. We also watched as various tugboats approached to start guiding us on our incredible journey and they stayed with us for almost the entire day as they are responsible for keeping the ship correctly positioned while entering, exiting and once inside the locks as well as while sailing along the canal itself.

As the ship approached the Puente Atlántico, the front of Deck 10 started to feel packed, however, where we were standing in the centre remained surprisingly comfortable as so many people were standing at both entrances to this narrow area on either side of the ship that it completely blocked access, making it almost impossible for anyone to push through to the centre, which worked well for us.

The crew were also setting up various stations with tea, coffee and pastries for everyone in the covered area at the front of Deck 10, which I could only look at longingly through the glass behind me as there was no way I could get to them as I did not want to lose my spot just as we were approaching the first locks.

At 6:45am, the on-deck narration began with Jaime Robleto from the Panama Canal Authority, who started explaining everything that was happening around us and the process for transiting the canal. Sadly, it was very difficult to make out exactly what he was saying because the speakers near where we were standing sounded a little muffled.

After sailing under the bridge a few minutes later, we could also see both sets of locks on this side of the Panama Canal. The original and older Gatun Locks were on the right and the newer and much larger Agua Clara Locks which we would be using for our transit that day, were on the left. The Disney Magic and the Disney Wonder no longer fit through the Gatun Locks like they once did as they both had ducktails fitted which made both of the ships too long. Another great bit of trivia is that the Disney Wonder actually made history when she became the very first cruise ship to transit the new Agua Clara Locks back in April 2017.

As much as I love blue skies when I travel, I was actually feeling very grateful that morning because it was so overcast. I cannot even begin to imagine what it would feel like to transit the Panama Canal in the blazing sun, especially since you can end up standing in one place for such a long time where there is absolutely no shade. It was so much more comfortable like this, even though it was still incredibly hot and humid.

After making a very slow approach, during which we even spotted some adorable capybaras along the banks, the gate to the first chamber of the Agua Clara Locks started to open just after 7:15am. As small and teeny tiny as the Disney Magic felt, it really looked like we were only just able to fit in from where we were standing, even though in reality there was plenty of room on either side of the ship. I cannot even begin to imagine the tight squeeze of the giant Disney Adventure when she became the biggest passenger vessel to transit the locks two months previously in February 2026, on her way to her new home in Singapore.

After entering the first lock at 7:25am, the gates behind us closed at 7:40am and we watched as the water began to flood into the chamber, slowly lifting the Disney Magic to the height of the next stage. By 7:55am, the gate in front of us opened, clearing the way for us to move into the second chamber and start the entire process all over again.

Once we left the first chamber of the Agua Clara Locks, we decided to move from the front of Deck 10, as standing still in the same place for such a long time was starting to hurt just a little bit. When we sailed on the Disney Fantasy earlier this year, we had chatted about the Panama Canal with Peter who was our Cruise Director on that sailing, who told us to make sure that we moved around the ship throughout the entire day to take in all of the different views during the crossing.

However, only a few short minutes later, heavy rain began to fall, so we quickly ran down onto Deck 9 for shelter. I will always be grateful that we had already completed the first chamber of the locks before the downpour started, as standing out in the pouring rain would not have been anywhere near as enjoyable.

As we were both starving since we had not yet had anything to eat that morning, we thought this would be the perfect time and excuse to grab a quick breakfast. Unfortunately, everyone else onboard also seemed to have exactly the same idea, so we took our plates from Cabanas back outside to one of the undercover areas on Deck 9. While we ate our food, we could also watch the Bridge Cam which was showing on Funnel Vision, which showed us exactly where we were in the locks at that time.

Less than ten minutes later, the rain had passed so once we had finished our quick breakfast, we walked back up to Deck 10 to finish watching our journey through the second chamber of the Agua Clara Locks from a different perspective.

Because of the rainfall that we had just experienced, I also noticed that there were piles of free plastic ponchos available on deck for anyone to take, but given the intense heat and humidity in Panama that morning, I cannot even begin to imagine why you would even want to put one on and make yourself even sweatier and more uncomfortable than you already were!

We entered the third chamber of the Agua Clara Locks at 8:35am and as the front of Deck 10 was much quieter and still flooded from the rain (which the crew were doing their best to clear), we walked back there once again. It was much calmer than it had been first thing that morning and it was a great feeling to know that we were almost through the first set of locks.

We could also see so many people at the Agua Clara Locks Visitor Center watching as the Disney Magic made her way through the locks and with some help from the entertainment team who were all out on the bow of the ship, everyone onboard was cheering and waving to them. At 9:05am, the Disney Magic left the final chamber and entered Gatun Lake after being raised a total of twenty six metres from the Caribbean Sea and the When You Wish Upon a Star horn was blasted for the first time that day.

The journey from entering the first chamber of the Agua Clara Locks to reaching Gatun Lake took just over an hour and a half, but it really did not feel long at all as the time passed so quickly. I immediately treated myself to one (or maybe two) of the Raspberry Danishes that were available on deck, which I had not been able to reach earlier that morning. I enjoyed both of them while walking around Deck 10 and as the sun had started to finally appear, I spent some time taking photos looking back at the locks we had just sailed through, as well as the vast Gatun Lake around us, where we anchored for the next two and a half hours before continuing on the next part of our journey.

As it was now time to enjoy some of the activities onboard, our next stop of the morning was the Port Side Gazebo next to the Goofy Pool, where there was an extremely long line to meet Donald and Daisy at 9:15am. Once we had met them, we immediately rejoined the same line to meet Minnie and Pluto at 9:45am, just as the rain started to come down once again. However this time, it was torrential rain and even heavier than before if that is possible and we got absolutely drenched while we waited but that really did not matter as I could not stop laughing the entire time!

Chip and Dale were also due to appear in the same place at 10:15am, but while we were waiting, the crew decided to move the meet and greet indoors due to the weather and the decks that were rapidly flooding once again. This caused total chaos as the queue completely disintegrated as many guests ran inside to try and push past and beat everyone else to Chip and Dale instead of just following and staying in the line that had already formed. It turned out to be so chaotic that we immediately decided to skip this meet and greet as no photo was worth that level of craziness.

As we were already soaked through from the rain, it was the perfect time to “Swim Through the Panama Canal,” which was taking place in the Goofy Pool between 10:00am and 11:00am. So many people lined up for this activity in advance, but the reality was that there was absolutely no need as the line was so fast and moved constantly. After quickly changing into our bathing suits, we joined the short line just after 10:20am and were done less than five minutes later. This fun experience is naturally only available when the ship is in the Panama Canal and all you have to do is get into the pool and then either swim, walk or even dance (if you feel like it) across to the other side. Once we were done, we were even handed a certificate to commemorate this momentous occasion on the 11th April 2026, which we took straight back to our stateroom for safekeeping.

Once back in our stateroom, we each had a quick and cold shower to cool down and wash off the sweat from the first part of the day before putting on some dry clothes, ready for whatever was coming next. It was such a great feeling knowing we had completed our “swim” and met some of the characters while the ship was not moving through the canal, as it meant we did not have to sacrifice any of the views along the way to do so – and now, we had the rest of the day to simply enjoy the rest of our Panama Canal experience.

After walking back up to Deck 9, we noticed that a table had been set up selling cocktails in fresh pineapples. They looked amazing and as much as I wanted one, I had to pass because I knew they would be strong. I am such a lightweight that one boozy drink that early in the day would have sent me to sleep and there is no way I wanted to waste a single moment of the rest of this day.

Even though some parts of the outdoor decks were still flooded and someone had even left their soaking wet stateroom blanket in a puddle on the floor on Deck 10, which would later prove to be a very expensive mistake on their part, the crew were all working nonstop to dry them off once again for the second time that day. Walking around the very quiet and empty decks (everyone seemed to have disappeared at this time), taking it easy and just looking at all of the views around us was simply perfect and the best way to continue the rest of our day onboard.

Just after midday, the Disney Magic began to slowly move as we continued our transit through the Panama Canal. The canal is approximately forty eight miles long and connects the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean by lifting ships up to the level of Gatun Lake, which allows them to sail across the Isthmus of Panama before lowering them back down to the sea on the other side. It is a true engineering marvel that saves vessels from having to travel all the way around South America – a long journey that could add almost two weeks to their trip – which first opened in 1914 before being expanded in 2016 to be able to accommodate much larger ships.

As we were already feeling hungry again, we made our way to Cabanas to get some lunch. The plant-based special that day was “Crispy Fried Vegetable Dumplings with Stir Fry Vegetables and Mirin Dipping Sauce” which took forever to arrive, and when they did, they were just five small vegetable samosas served with some mint chutney instead which was a bit of a disappointment and not at all what I was expecting. I added some cabbage rolls as well as some dry and flavourless potatoes to my plate to try and make more of a meal out of it, but I honestly did not really enjoy my lunch at all that day, and this meal was the exact start of the vegetarian options at Cabanas barely existing for the next seven days, which I knew was going to make for a very long week ahead.

Even the speciality that day was “German Corner” which was all meat as well, and after sailing on both the Disney Wish and Disney Treasure where the plant-based options at Marceline Market are so plentiful, they really felt like an afterthought at Cabanas on this sailing, which also made me think of our last cruise from Galveston where the food was also extremely meat heavy. Thankfully, the meal was saved by some amazing desserts (which I had two of as I was so hungry) as well as the amazing views of Gatun Lake outside the ship.

We were both ready for a change of scenery, so we walked down to a very empty and quiet Deck 4 just to sit and watch the world go by for a little while. There were even tables set up there with drinks and snacks and just when you least expected it, a crew member would appear out of nowhere to offer an icy cold towel to help you cool down in the hot and humid weather. It was the best way to reset after lunch and start the afternoon afresh, leaving us feeling ready for the rest of the canal to come.

We even started walking a few laps of Deck 4 just to take in all of the different views around us and even spotted a crocodile on one of the banks as we slowly sailed past one of the many islands. My best tip is to keep your eyes open during the entire crossing – and maybe even bring binoculars – as you never know exactly what you will see along the way. At this time, there was also a presentation taking place in the Walt Disney Theatre about the Panama Canal by Jaime Robleto, but there was no way we wanted to sit inside on a day like this and miss out on the views outside.

I made my way back up to Deck 10 to continue walking around and just before 1:50pm, our Cruise Director David made an announcement to keep us updated on our progress through the Panama Canal and at this time, he also let us know that our expected time to enter the Cocoli Locks would be between 3:30pm and 3:45pm.

A few minutes later, we sailed past the small town of Gamboa which is located on the edge of the rainforest and was originally built to house employees of the Panama Canal and their families. We also passed the mouth of the Chagres River to the side of Gamboa, which flooded the surrounding areas to create Gatun Lake when the Gatun Dam was built across it back in 1913 during the construction of the canal.

Shortly after passing Gamboa, we entered the Culebra Cut (which was formerly known as the Gaillard Cut), which is an eight mile long artificial valley that cuts through the Continental Divide of Panama and links Gatun Lake to the Pacific Ocean.

At this time I was starting to feel tired as it had already been such a long and tiring day, so I headed to the Cove Cafe as I had a free coffee that I wanted to get. However, this was another time on this cruise that I really missed the newer ships once again which have multiple coffee shops, whereas the Disney Magic and Disney Wonder only have one, as the line here was so long and was out of the door. I decided not to wait as I really did not want to miss anything outside, especially as we were sailing along such an interesting part of the canal. So instead, I went and got a cold iced tea from the drink station, which I took back down to Deck 4 to sit in the shade once again for a few minutes.

However only a few moments after I sat down, I could see that we were already approaching the Centennial Bridge, so we quickly headed straight back up to the front of Deck 10 to get some photos as we sailed towards it. Thankfully it was not too crowded and we were able to get a central spot once again behind two other people who I could easily see over. The one thing that I really noticed on this day was how friendly and accommodating everyone onboard was, as people would always step aside to let others get their photos if needed throughout the entire day. It really was such a sane cruise and it was also such a pleasant and calm atmosphere during our entire two weeks onboard.

After passing Gold Hill and sailing under the Centennial Bridge, we cruised past the older Pedro Miguel and Miraflores Locks on our left – which was the route that the Disney Magic and Disney Wonder used to take – and instead, we continued straight on where I could already see the massive Cocoli Locks ahead of us in the distance for the final part of our journey into the Pacific Ocean.

We arrived at the Cocoli Locks just before 3:00pm, but we did not actually enter them for almost another hour. During this time, Deck 10 became a lot busier while we waited, and with the tropical heat and humidity growing ever stronger by the minute, as if by magic, a crew member appeared out of nowhere once again with icy cold towels to help us cool down and power through the final part of our transit through the Panama Canal.

We finally entered the first chamber of the Cocoli Locks at 3:55pm but as we wanted a change of scenery again, once we were inside the lock, we actually left our amazing spot at the front of Deck 10 and walked all the way down to Deck 4. From here we were able to watch the ship being lowered in the water from a completely different angle, which was a lot more obvious on the lower decks as you are so close to the walls of the lock chamber and it was also absolutely fascinating to see the size of the giant gates which are even more imposing as well as impressive from close up.

Just before we entered the final chamber of the Cocoli Locks, we headed back up to Deck 10 as we decided that the only place to watch this one from, was the very aft of the ship and it was the perfect spot to watch as the Disney Magic made her final descent inside the locks – and for the very first time that day, I even felt a gentle breeze which felt truly wonderful in the swelteringly hot temperatures that had not let up for even a minute since first thing that morning.

After being slowly lowered back to sea level, the gates of the Cocoli Locks opened for the final time just after 5:30pm and as we sailed out towards the Gulf of Panama and the Pacific Ocean, the When You Wish Upon a Star horn was blasted for the final time that day.

Once we had left the final lock, the deck seemed to completely empty out very quickly however we wanted to stay outside for a little while longer just to enjoy the last few moments of our epic day transiting the Panama Canal. It was so quiet as we watched the ship sail past the Port of Balboa, and after such a long and busy day, it was just nice to be able to stand there and take in the final views of Panama City in the distance.

The Disney Magic sailed under the Bridge of the Americas at 6:00pm which was over twelve hours since we had first walked out on Deck 10 that morning full of excitement and all ready for the day ahead. It really is a much longer and more tiring day than you ever think it will be, but after everything that we had experienced, I would not change a single second of it. Well if I am telling the honest truth, the one thing that I definitely would change is that I would love to go back in time to first thing that morning and remember to put on plenty of SPF, as it was only at this point of the day that I realised that my arms were completely sunburnt.

When I had woken up that morning, I did not even think about suntan lotion as we were so eager to experience the Panama Canal. Even then when we first went outside it was still dark, and then it stayed overcast for most of the day and because there was so much to see and do, it did not even click in my mind to cover up as I could have easily just put on a long sleeved shirt. I was absolutely kicking myself for being so stupid and getting sunburnt as I am usually so careful, especially since I had been so meticulous the previous day in Cartagena, and as a result, I was really annoyed at myself for the next few days of the cruise.

Now that we had sailed through the Panama Canal, it was only then that it truly hit me how tired and exhausted I actually was and my body truly felt like it had crashed into a brick wall. The entire day had been a marathon that had never let up for a single second. You are constantly on the go, standing in the same spot for hours as well as battling the extreme heat and humidity at the same time and there is no real downtime unless you are okay with missing out on some of the action – and I was not willing to miss a single thing especially as I had waited so long for this experience.

Honestly, I have never known aches and pains like I was feeling at this moment on any cruise before. I thought our Marvel Day at Sea was tiring, but this was on a completely different and whole new level that I didn’t even know existed. My feet were throbbing, my legs felt like lead and my poor back was screaming at me after being on my feet for so long. We both felt completely burnt out and I can honestly say that transiting the Panama Canal is not a relaxing day in the slightest. But at the same time, when I looked back at everything we had seen and accomplished that day, it all felt strangely worth it.

All we wanted to do at this time was sit in the Quiet Cove Pool or one of the hot tubs to give our aching bodies a chance to relax, so we quickly headed back down to our stateroom to get changed and as we took a last few photos from our verandah, we also caught a glimpse of the Panama Canal pilot leaving the Disney Magic.

There were only a handful of people at the Quiet Cove, and for the next hour or so, sitting in the warm water of the hot tub felt absolutely perfect. We were the only ones left there a little while later when we had to decide whether or not to go for dinner. However, the thought of going down and sitting through a meal in one of the dining rooms was almost too much to even think about as it was the last thing that either of us wanted to do at that time. We did not even have the energy to go and see any of the characters who were out in the Lobby Atrium at this point, which goes to show just how exhausted we both felt as that rarely happens. So instead, we stayed exactly where we were in the hot tub to continue our slow recovery, and looking back now, it was the best decision we made all day.

We finally headed back to our stateroom just before 8:30pm, which had already been turned down and alongside the blanket lobster that was waiting for us on the bed, was a beautiful limited edition lithograph featuring the Three Caballeros to commemorate our Panama Canal sailing from Galveston to San Diego, along with a certificate of authenticity and a card from the cast and crew of the Disney Magic.

After a shower that felt like absolute heaven, I put on the most comfortable clothes that I had with me, which were a pair of leggings along with my spirit jersey. We were both feeling quite hungry, so we decided to grab a quick dinner from Duck-In Diner which we took to the comfortable chairs outside the Cove Cafe and sitting with my Impossible Burger and fries along with a cold drink in the peace and quiet was exactly what I needed.

After getting a small ice cream for dessert, we decided to take a little walk around the ship and it came as no surprise that it was so quiet everywhere we went, as I think so many people onboard had an early night and were already in bed after their long day.

Even though we both wanted to get some sleep as well, before we headed to bed ourselves, there were two character meet and greets that we wanted to do and as it was so quiet, there were absolutely no lines. Goofy and Pluto were out on Deck 4 at 9:30pm and even though we only turned up just as they arrived, there were only four other people in line. We then stayed to meet Mickey and Minnie who were out at 10:00pm and it was the perfect way to finish our evening onboard.

Now, if you can believe it (and I’m still not sure that I can), as tired and as achy as we both were, we randomly decided that we needed to do some laundry before we went to bed that evening as the sight and the thought of two days’ worth of extremely sweaty clothes festering away in our cabin overnight was simply too much to bear. It was definitely worth it though, as the laundry rooms were empty at this time and we already knew they would be a battlefield the next morning, as they always are on the first sea day after a busy port day. It was a glamorous end to a wonderful day and while our washing was on, we walked a few laps of Deck 4, grabbed one last cup of tea and collected our laundry, ready to finally collapse into bed.

It was 11:30pm when we both climbed into bed, feeling absolutely exhausted after such a long day. It was easily the best, most memorable and the most incredible day while simultaneously also being the single most exhausting day I have ever spent on a cruise ship – and yes, I would happily do it all over again in a heartbeat.

Panama Canal cruises are unusual because they are as much about the journey as they are about the destination and now, we had four wonderful and relaxing days at sea to look forward to before reaching our next port of Cabo San Lucas.

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