Cruise port

Cruises from Balboa / Panamá (Panama)

Balboa is the commercial port at the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal. The cruise terminal for Panama City is located separately in Fuerte Amador on Isla Perico.

Balboa at the Pacific entrance to the Canal

Balboa lies on the Pacific side of the Panama Canal. The name refers to the port at the canal entrance. However, a canal transit and a stop at a cruise terminal are different parts of a trip: not every passage includes a shore visit in Panama City. For a shore visit, the pier specified in your travel documents is the one that matters.

The modern cruise facility in Panama City is located on the Amador Causeway on Isla Perico. Panama’s tourism authority reported its opening in 2024 as a cruise terminal for homeport operations. It is separate from the commercial port of Balboa. Balboa and Amador therefore do not refer to the same port location. A trip embarking or disembarking at Amador is different from a transit through the canal alone.

Getting your bearings for a shore visit

For navigating Panama, distinguish the areas around Amador, the historic district of Casco Antiguo, and the Albrook transport hub. Casco Antiguo is on its own peninsula; the old town is neither part of the commercial port nor the cruise terminal.

The Gran Terminal Nacional de Transporte in Albrook is a national and international bus station. The nearby Albrook metro station is a separate transport hub on Line 1, not a long-distance rail station. Tocumen Airport is far to the northeast of the city and belongs in a regional overview, not in the immediate port area.

If you are planning a shore visit, this helps you distinguish the actual pier, the excursion destination, and a possible starting point for onward travel. Follow the cruise line’s instructions for access to the specific quay. On the Atlantic side are the separate cruise facilities of Cristóbal and Colón 2000.

Balboa / Panama port map

Schematic map of Balboa and Panama showing the commercial harbour at the Panama Canal entrance, Amador Cruise Terminal on Isla Perico, Casco Antiguo, Gran Terminal de Albrook bus station and Albrook Metro station. The regional inset shows Tocumen Airport (PTY). — Balboa / Panama: Balboa commercial harbour, Amador Cruise Terminal on Isla Perico, Casco Antiguo and the adjacent Albrook bus and metro stations. The regional inset shows Tocumen Airport northeast of the city. Graphic: Max-TD / OpenAI · AI-localized schematic map

On shore

Excursions around Balboa / Panamá (Panama)

Bilbao and the Guggenheim Museum

A trip from Santurce to Bilbao. Within 1 1/2 hours visits to the most significant sights of Bilbao. A 90-minute tour of the Guggenheim museum. Return to Santurce.

Guernica & Urdaibai

Trip from Santurce along the Biscaya to the Urdabai National park and the San Juan de Gaztelugatxe peninsula. In Bermeo there will be free time to explore the area, e.g. with a visit to the Fishing museum. The trip continues to the small fishing village of Mundaka to Guernica. A chance to watch Basques playing the game of pelota.