Panama Canal 2023: 15-Night All-Inclusive Norwegian Encore Cruise with Pre-Cruise Miami Stay & Onboard Credit
Step aboard the acclaimed Norwegian Encore and set sail on a bucket list, 15-night adventure through the Panama Canal. Let the spellbinding beauty of the Caribbean enchant you as you glide from the colourful colonial buildings of Cartagena, Colombia through the marvel that is the Panama Canal to the Pacific Ocean. Immerse yourself in the rich cultures of South America as you stop in the picturesque Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala. Plunge into kaleidoscopic seas in Puerto Vallarta and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico before returning to the world’s groovy entertainment capital – Los Angeles, California.
Everything you could wish for is at your fingertips on this incredible ship, including a host of restaurants serving global cuisine, a swimming pool, hot tubs, live music, a blissful spa and more. Throughout your journey, you’ll enjoy all-inclusive daily dining at select onboard restaurants, five speciality dining experiences per guest, Premium Drinks Package — including standard soft drinks, spirits, cocktails, wines by the glass and bottled or draught beer — and 250 minutes of onboard Wi-Fi to share your travels.
Your journey takes you to: Miami, USA – Cartagena, Colombia – Transit Panama Canal (sailing only) – Panama City, Panama – Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala – Acapulco, Mexico – Puerto Vallarta – Mazatlan – Cabo San Lucas – Los Angeles, USA.
Your cruise includes:
- 15 nights onboard Norwegian Encore in a Balcony stateroom
- One night of pre-cruise accommodation at Hilton Miami Downtown with breakfast
- Daily breakfast, lunch and dinner in select restaurants onboard
- Five-meal Specialty Dining Package per person (ten meals total per package)
- Premium Drinks Package onboard, with spirits, cocktails, beer and wine
- US$50 shore credit per package
- Stay connected with 250 minutes of Wi-Fi per package
- US$100 onboard credit per package
- All port taxes, service charges and onboard entertainment
Dining
- The Local Bar & Grill
- Garden Cafe
- Savour
- Taste
- The Manhattan Room
- Room service
Speciality Dining
- Ocean Blue
- Onda by Scarpetta
- Cagney’s Steakhouse
- Food Republic
- Teppanyaki
- Los Lobos
- American Diner
- Coco’s
- Dolce Gelato
- Le Bistro
- Q Texas Smokehouse
- The Bake Shop
Bars and Lounges
- Starbucks®
- The District Brew House
- The A-List Bar
- Sugarcane Mojito Bar
- The Cellars Wine Bar
- Skyline Casino Bar
- The Local Bar
- Mixx Bar
- Maltings Whisky Bar
- Observation Lounge
- Atrium Bar
- Horizon Lounge
- Vibe Beach Club
Entertainment
- Vibe Beach Club – Access Pass
- Vibe Beach Club – Cabana
- Choir of Man
- Kinky Boots
- Social Comedy and Night Club
- The Cavern Club
Kids Clubs
- Splash Academy
- Entourage Teen Club
Activities
- Encore Speedway
- Outdoor Pool
- Hot tubs
- Boutiques
- Perspectives Studio
- Professional Portraits
- Aqua Park
- Galaxy Pavillion
- Kids’ Aqua Park
- Encore Casino
- Pulse Fitness Centre
- Mandara Spa
- Video Arcade
- Spa Thermal Suite
Surcharges apply to select services and facilities
Your experience begins with a one-night pre-cruise stay at Hilton Miami Downtown (or similar) in Miami, USA and ends in Los Angeles, USA.
Your cruise departs Miami at 4pm on Day 2 and returns to Los Angeles at 8am on Day 17. Transfers are not included. Please ensure you arrive in time for boarding (Norwegian Cruise Line will advise boarding time ahead of departure).
Roundtrip flights are not included in your package and must be purchased separately. Please do NOT book your flights until your cruise is confirmed.
A visa may be required for the destination you are visiting. It is each traveller’s responsibility to ensure they are holding a current visa. Please take the time to visit our preferred vendor website Visas Direct to assist you with any visa application requirements and processes. If you require any supporting documentation when applying for your visa please let us know and we would be more than happy to assist. Click here to visit the website.
Need flights? Our dedicated flights concierge can assist with all your flight requirements (subject to availability). Contact sales@luxuryescapes.com.
Day 1: Miami, USA
Arrive in Miami, where you’ll have one night to explore the buzzing coastal town before setting sail tomorrow. Make your own way to your stylish pre-cruise accommodation – Hilton Miami Downtown – to drop your bags before exploring this beachy metropolis. Find yourself just steps from the Bayside Marketplace, venture to Miami Beach or spend the evening taking advantage of the vibrant nightlife Miami is known for.
Accommodation: Hilton Miami Downtown
Day 2: Depart Miami
Enjoy a full day in Miami to explore the Art Deco architecture and world-renowned beaches on your own schedule. Among the iconic landmarks, you’ll find treasure-packed museums, vintage-filled shops and wonderful eateries. In the afternoon, make your own way to PortMiami, where your ship – Norwegian Encore – awaits (departure at 4pm). As your ship sets sail, settle into your stateroom before venturing out to one of several onboard restaurants and bars.
Accommodation: Norwegian Encore
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Days 3–4: At Sea
Spend the next two days familiarising yourself with Norwegian Encore as you sail in style. Head to the fitness centre for a workout, bask in the bright lights of theatre productions at sea, delight in a pamper session at Mandara Spa, browse the onboard boutique shops or enjoy a delicious meal at one of the mouthwatering onboard eateries. Get your adrenaline fix at the Aqua Park, race around Encore Speedway or soak in the glittering sun poolside with a cocktail in hand.
Accommodation: Norwegian Encore
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 5: Cartagena, Colombia
A jewel of the Caribbean coast, the old walled city of Cartagena is a superbly preserved beauty with bougainvillaea-covered squares, cobblestone streets and colourful colonial architecture. Famed for its turbulent history of conquistadors and pirates, Cartegena is sure to be an echanting stop. Climb ‘las murallas’ (Cartegena’s monumental walls) for an unforgettable view of the harbour, shop for emeralds and leather goods in the enchanting laneways or plunge into the pristine waters to uncover coral reefs.
Accommodation: Norwegian Encore
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 6: Transit Panama Canal
Experience firsthand one of the world’s best shortcuts – which changed travel and the transport of goods worldwide – as you sail 34 nautical miles through the Panama Canal. Watch the world go by from the comfort of Norwegian Encore and take time to relax and enjoy the ship’s first-class facilities as you glide through this manmade wonder.
Accommodation: Norwegian Encore
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 7: Panama City
Arrive in Panama City, the oldest, continuously occupied European settlement on the Pacific Coast of the Americas. Here, past and present seamlessly entertwine – explore historic sites, watch ships gliding through the Panama Canal or stroll past imposing skyscrapers as you discover this cosmopolitan city’s endless offerings. Nature lovers will also be right at home – spend the day hiking through the lush rainforest or lounging on pristine beaches.
Accommodation: Norwegian Encore
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 8: At Sea
Spend the day sailing in style. Head to the fitness centre for a workout, bask in the bright lights of theatre productions at sea, delight in a pamper session at Mandara Spa, browse the onboard boutique shops or enjoy a delicious meal at one of the mouthwatering onboard eateries. Get your adrenaline fix at the Aqua Park, race around Encore Speedway or soak in the glittering sun poolside with a cocktail in hand.
Accommodation: Norwegian Encore
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 9: Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala
The modern port city of Puerto Quetzal is your introduction to the Central American nation of Guatemala. Situated on the Pacific coastline, this mountainous hideaway is the gateway to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Antigua and Lake Atitlan, where you can uncover history that dates back to Mayan times.
Accommodation: Norwegian Encore
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 10: At Sea
Spend the day sailing in style. Head to the fitness centre for a workout, bask in the bright lights of theatre productions at sea, delight in a pamper session at Mandara Spa, browse the onboard boutique shops or enjoy a delicious meal at one of the mouthwatering onboard eateries. Get your adrenaline fix at the Aqua Park, race around Encore Speedway or soak in the glittering sun poolside with a cocktail in hand.
Accommodation: Norwegian Encore
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 11: Acapulco, Mexico
A beach resort town nestled along Mexico’s Pacific coast, Acapulco is one of the country’s oldest coastal tourist destinations. Lounge on perfect golden sands, shop at the city’s many boutiques or head to Le Quebrada to see fearless divers hurl themselves from the cliffs into the water below.
Accommodation: Norwegian Encore
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 12: At Sea
Spend the day sailing in style and head to the fitness centre for a workout, bask in the bright lights of theatre productions at sea, delight in a pamper session at the spa and salon, browse the onboard boutique shops or enjoy a delicious meal at one of the mouthwatering onboard eateries. Get your adrenaline fix at the splash zone waterpark, go-cart speedway and high-ropes course or bathe under the glittering sun with a cocktail in hand.
Accommodation: Norwegian Encore
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 13: Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
Whether you’re seeking an adrenaline-pumping adventure through the lush jungle or a relaxing day spent beachside, Puerto Vallarta has it all. This town beams with village charm and is home to over 40km of spectacular beaches along Banderas Bay. Splash in the sapphire waters, venture inland on a guided tour, visit the world’s largest Catrina sculpture – as recognised by Guinness World Records – stroll the cobblestone streets or peruse the open-air markets.
Accommodation: Norwegian Encore
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 14: Mazatlan, Mexico
Today, unwind in beachy Mazatlan, where you can sip margaritas as you lounge on golden sands and feast on endless supplies of chips and guacamole. Wander through the town and get a sense of its illustrious colonial past or drive along the foothills of the Sierra Madre Mountains, taking in stunning scenery along the way.
Accommodation: Norwegian Encore
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 15: Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Visit the jewel of the Baja Peninsula today with a stop in Cabo San Lucas. Take a trip to El Arco, a magnificent arch-shaped rock formation, where you can snorkel and admire the incredible marine life thriving below the surface or kayak through glittering blue waters. Adventurous types may want to take a dune buggy ride through the desert or get their adrenaline pumping by parasailing over the ocean.
Accommodation: Norwegian Encore
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 16: At Sea
Spend the day sailing in style and head to the fitness centre for a workout, bask in the bright lights of theatre productions at sea, delight in a pamper session at the spa and salon, browse the onboard boutique shops or enjoy a delicious meal at one of the mouthwatering onboard eateries. Get your adrenaline fix at the splash zone waterpark, go-cart speedway and high-ropes course or bathe under the glittering sun with a cocktail in hand.
Accommodation: Norwegian Encore
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 17: Los Angeles, USA
Today, you’ll arrive in busy Los Angeles, California at 8am. From laidback Venice Beach to bustling Hollywood and vibrant Beverly Hills, Los Angeles is a mecca of cultural hotspots. If you have time after disembarkation, familiarise yourself with this beautiful city during a stroll along the Walk of Fame, a photo opp at Griffith Observatory — offering panoramic vistas of the city — or a day of high-end shopping at the iconic Rodeo Drive.
Meals: Breakfast