In the First Half of 2026, Cruise Tourism in Panama Grew 21.6%.
The Royal Caribbean cruise ship Grandeur of the Seas pictured below arrived at the port of Colón with 2,396 passengers and 791 crew members.
Cruise tourism continues its positive trend in Panama. Between January and June 2026, the country’s main cruise ports received 243,075 passengers, a 21.6% increase compared to the same period in 2025, when 199,874 travelers were recorded. The growth represents 43,201 additional passengers during the first six months of the year and positions the cruise segment as one of the entry points for visitors to the country, representing 14% of the total visitors registered in that period.
This tourist movement continues with the arrival of the Grandeur of the Seas , from the Royal Caribbean shipping company, which docked this Sunday in the port of Colón with 2,396 passengers and 791 crew members. During the stopover, 1,055 passengers disembarked to engage in tourist activities in the province, while 1,341 remained in transit. In the afternoon, 1,073 travelers re-embarked to continue their Caribbean journey. The cruise itinerary included stops in Cartagena de Indias and Santa Marta, Colombia; Curacao; Aruba; and Limón, Costa Rica, before returning to Colón.
Passengers Disembark in Colón During the Stopover of Royal Caribbean’s Grandeur of the Seas.
The arrival of the Grandeur of the Seas adds to the dynamism of an activity that boosts sectors linked to tourism, such as transport, excursions, commerce and services, especially in destinations like Colón, where cruise ports concentrate an important part of the flow of international visitors. The National Migration Service reported that it coordinated documentary controls to ensure an orderly and safe process during the cruise ship operation. The peak cruise season in Panama runs from October to April each year.
