The Panama Canal has long been recognized as one of the greatest achievements of the 20^th century. More than a century ago, the 50-mile-long passage created the ultimate shortcut for ships – eliminating the perilous journey around the southern tip of South America and changing international trade forever. Here are a few lesser known facts about the Panama Canal.

1. The waterway was originally meant to be built through Nicaragua. However, Americans were later convinced by French engineer Philippe-Jean Bunau-Varilla that Panama was a far safer choice due to the volcanoes in Nicaragua.
2. The soil and rubble that was removed to build the canal could bury the entire island of Manhattan to a depth of about 12 feet.
3. More than 50,000 workers from nearly 50 countries were employed to build this engineering marvel between 1904 and 1913.

There’s much more to learn about the incredible Panama Canal. Join us on one of these unique Panama Canal voyages to experience this modern wonder in person:

September 20, 2017| San Francisco to Miami aboard Regatta
December 29, 2017 | Miami to Lima aboard Marina
January 20, 2018 | Rio de Janeiro to Lima aboard Sirena
April 6, 2018 | Los Angeles to Miami aboard Marina