Central America

Secrets of Central America (Colón – Puntarenas)

11 Days aboard Le Champlain. From AUD $13,250pp.
Small Ship Expeditions
Details

Overview

Discover Panama and Costa Rica with an 11-day expedition cruise. A circuit of extraordinary beauty around the isthmus of Panama, a link between two continents, which concentrates a biodiversity that is unique in the world; from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean, you will experience dream islands, natural reserves and encounters with the fascinating local communities.

Itinerary Highlights

  • An expedition cruise to discover Panama and Costa Rica, meet the local populations, and explore the lush natural environment.
  • Discover the fabulous National Parks, biodiversity and tribes of Central America.
  • UNESCO sites: San Lorenzo’s Fort; Darien National Park and its superb jungle, from Playa Muerto.

Itinerary in Brief

  • Day 1: Embarkation
  • Day 2: Colón - Fort San Lorenzo (Colón)
  • Day 3: San Blas Islands
  • Day 4: Crossing the Panama Canal
  • Day 5: Pearls Islands - Pacheca Island
  • Day 6: Playa Muerto, Darien National Park
  • Day 7: Cébaco Island
  • Day 8: Rio Esquinas
  • Day 9: Drake Bay
  • Day 10: Curú Wildlife Refuge
  • Day 11: Puntarenas

The encounters with the wildlife described above illustrate possible experiences only and cannot be guaranteed.

Ship Information

For more information on the Le Champlain please view the ship page.

View Le Champlain

Travelling with Eclipse

Peace of Mind
  • Eclipse Travel is Australian owned and run, and an ATAS accredited travel agent.
  • 24/7 emergency numbers and local contacts provided for support while you’re abroad.
  • We provide all the information you need to organise your visas and vaccinations, making travel preparation stress-free.
  • No currency surcharges. Once your deposit is paid, your price is guaranteed.
Specialists
  • Our consultants are true destination experts, with firsthand experience and extensive travel in the regions we offer.
  • Expect quick, professional responses and dedicated service from our knowledgeable team.
  • We conduct regular checks on destinations, hotels, and services to ensure quality for every trip.
Authentic Travel
  • Tailor-made itineraries designed around your unique requirements.
  • Freedom to select your preferred style and standard of accommodation.
  • Unique itineraries that take you beyond the major highlights, immersing you in each location.
  • Committed to responsible travel: we reinvest in the environment and local communities across our destinations.

Day 1: Embarkation

Embarkation from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM

Dinner included.

Day 2: Colón - Fort San Lorenzo (Colón)

Departure at 7:00 AM

Colón is the second largest city in Panama, at the Caribbean entrance of the Panama Canal. Colón is today an important port, and the free trade zone created in 1953 contributed greatly to the development of the city. Colón was founded in 1850 by Americans working on the Panama railroad connecting the Atlantic and Pacific coasts through the isthmus of Panama; the city rapidly overshadowed the older Caribbean ports of Panama when the canal opened.

In the Colón District, Fort San Lorenzo faces the sea, its canons pointing towards the horizon as they used to under the Spanish Crown. This construction is part of a group of buildings exemplifying the military architecture of the 17th and 18th centuries along the Caribbean coast of Panama, hence its status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Wander along the fort’s alleyways accompanied by the melodious singing of the birds that have made the surrounding forest their home. Enjoy an unforgettable port of call combining history and walking in nature.

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included.

Day 3: San Blas Islands

Located on the north-east coast of Panama, the San Blas archipelago is a string of coral islands in the heart of the Caribbean Sea. More than 300 islands and cays cover an area of 300 square kilometres offering travellers a multitude of treasures. Sheltered behind a long coral reef, the San Blas Islands are full of enchanting anchorages. The long sandy white beaches bound by crystal-clear waters will allow you to relax and enjoy incredible marine fauna before engaging with the Kunas Indian community. Still subsisting on hunting and fishing, they will welcome you in their villages of bamboo houses gathered near the beaches.

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included.

Day 4: Crossing the Panama Canal

Aboard your ship, experience something unique, that has inspired the imagination of numerous adventurers in the 20th century: sailing the Panama Canal. Its construction started in 1880 under the direction of Ferdinand de Lesseps. Abandoned then resumed, this marvel of engineering was completed by the United States and opened in 1914. The canal crosses the Isthmus of Panama and links the Atlantic to the Pacific. Including three levels of locks and by raising ships to the level of Lake Gatun, almost as if the water was a lift, it allows them to avoid having to round Cape Horn.

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included.

Day 5: Pearls Islands - Pacheca Island

The Pearl Islands archipelago, formed by over 220 islands and islets, is named in memory of the pearl oysters present in the Gulf of Panama. In colonial times, the pearls were extracted and used as ornaments or currency. “La Peregrina” was discovered in this archipelago: this pearl is famous for its perfection and for belonging to several royals and, more recently, Elizabeth Taylor. While the pearls have now disappeared from the azure waters of this paradise with its history of adventures and piracy, you can still swim from the sandy white beaches and observe shoals of multi-coloured fish performing their gracious ballet.

Isla Pacheca lies in the far north of the maze of more than two hundred islands composing the Pearl Islands. This small piece of uninhabited land is a special place for the numerous bird species that have taken up residence there. Among these is the unusual-looking blue-footed booby, which you might spot wandering along one of the island’s beaches. The shore visit in a Zodiac dinghy holds the promise of an unforgettable moment spent in lush nature between white-sand beaches and verdant rainforest.

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included.

Day 6: Playa Muerto, Darien National Park

The most remote and least developed region of Panama, the province of Darien is an unspoilt land with an extremely rich variety of flora and fauna. Listed by UNESCO as World Heritage, Darien National Park offers its extraordinary scenery of rocky coastlines, mountain ranges, mangroves, rivers and creeks. Discover Playa Muerto, a tiny coastal village home to the Emberas Amerindian community. You will visit the village, attend traditional songs and dances of the locals, and admire beautiful local craft.

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included.

Day 7: Cébaco Island

Off the Pacific coast of Panama, at the entrance to the Gulf of Montijo, Cebaco Island conjures visions of paradise lost. Covered in tropical rainforest, edged by white sandy beaches, home to exceptionally rich plant and wildlife, the island offers a number of hiking routes along which to discover its pristine natural environment. Its magnificent coral reefs, located in the outlying regions of the Coiba National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, are the refuge for many marine species and offer stunning underwater landscapes.

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included.

Day 8: Rio Esquinas

The beauty of Costa Rica and the richness of its biodiversity reveal themselves at this port of call in the heart of the mangrove. In the meanders of Rio Esquinas, a tropical corner of paradise, you will discover an incredibly dense ecosystem. Aboard your Zodiac dinghy, you will brush past the tangled arms formed by the roots of the mangrove trees. This green and lush gallery forest and its inhabitants welcome you. Watch closely: common squirrel monkeys, white ibis, Eurasian whimbrels, ospreys, toucans, snowy egrets and great blue herons can be found hiding here.

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included.

Day 9: Drake Bay

Located on Costa Rica’s remote Osa Peninsula, Corcovado National Park covers 164 square miles, making it the country’s largest national park, the largest primary forest on the American Pacific coast, and one of the few remaining large areas of lowland tropical rain forests in the world.

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included.

Day 10: Curú Wildlife Refuge

On the southern part of the Nicoya Peninsula, the small Curú Wildlife Refuge is the oldest protected park in Costa Rica. This refuge is an exemplary site in terms of ecotourism as well as a research centre for scientists from all over the world. It has been at the heart of an original conservation and sustainable development project since the 1930s. After a short zodiac trip, you will discover, via the paths that criss-cross the tropical forest and lead to magnificent beaches, the most emblematic species of Costa Rica: monkeys, iguanas and over 200 bird species. Since their recent reintroduction, the scarlet macaw and the spider monkey have thrived in this preserved environment.

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner included.

Day 11: Puntarenas

The capital of the eponymous province, Puntarenas is sometimes called “the pearl of the Pacific”, for its unique charm. It sits on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica, along the Gulf of Nicoya, lined with long expanses of wild natural environments. Further inland, among the countless natural wonders to be found in the generous rainforest of the Costa Rica’s national parks, Poas and Arena volcanoes towers up in all their majestic glory. In this luxuriant natural setting, Costa Rica protects one of the planet’s richest biodiversity: monkeys, sloths, tropical birds, iguanas, crocodiles, waterfalls, canyons, and more than ten thousand species of tropical plants.

Breakfast included.

Next Departure Date: 19 Jan 2026
DatesCabinFromAdditional
19 Jan 2026 - 29 Jan 2026 AUD$13250ppExpand to view prices
Deluxe Stateroom Deck 3AUD$13250ppContact us
Prestige Stateroom Deck 4AUD$14740ppContact us
Prestige Stateroom Deck 5AUD$15480ppContact us
Prestige Stateroom Deck 6AUD$16360ppContact us
Deluxe Suite Deck 3AUD$22870ppContact us
Deluxe Suite Deck 4AUD$22870ppContact us
Deluxe Suite Deck 5AUD$22870ppContact us
Deluxe Suite Deck 6AUD$22870ppContact us
Prestige Suite Deck 5AUD$31010ppContact us
Prestige Suite Deck 6AUD$32630ppContact us
Privilege Suite Deck 6AUD$34260ppContact us
Privilege Suite Deck 5AUD$34260ppContact us
Grand Deluxe Suite Deck 6AUD$37670ppContact us
Owner's Suite Deck 5AUD$39590ppContact us
05 Mar 2026 - 15 Mar 2026 AUD$13250ppExpand to view prices

**Prices are per person based on twin / shared accommodation.
**Single supplements may apply

Cabin Details

Deluxe Stateroom Deck 3

• One king-size bed (180 x 200 cm) or two single beds (90 x 200 cm)
• A bathroom with shower
• A private 4 m² balcony with two armchairs
• A glazed panoramic swing door and rectangular window

Deluxe Stateroom Deck 3
Deluxe Stateroom Deck 3
Prestige Stateroom Deck 4

• One king-size bed (180 x 200 cm) or two single beds (90 x 200 cm)
• One chaise longue
• A bathroom with shower
• A private 4 m² balcony with two armchairs
• A panoramic sliding bay window or panoramic swing door

Prestige Stateroom Deck 4
Prestige Stateroom Deck 4
Prestige Stateroom Deck 5

• One king-size bed (180 x 200 cm) or two single beds (90 x 200 cm)
• One chaise longue
• A bathroom with shower
• A private 4 m² balcony with two armchairs
• A panoramic sliding bay window or panoramic swing door

Prestige Stateroom Deck 5
Prestige Stateroom Deck 5
Prestige Stateroom Deck 6

• One king-size bed (180 x 200 cm) or two single beds (90 x 200 cm)
• One chaise longue
• A bathroom with shower
• A private 4 m² balcony with two armchairs
• A panoramic sliding bay window

Prestige Stateroom Deck 6
Prestige Stateroom Deck 6
Prestige Suite Deck 5

• Champagne and fruit basket upon arrival
• An assortment of sweet or savoury canapés and fruit basket every day
• A bedroom with king-size bed (180 x 200 cm) or two single beds (90 x 200 cm)
• A lounge with convertible sofa to a king-size bed (180 x 200 cm) or two single beds (90 x 200 cm), armchair, second TV, and sliding courtesy door
• Two bathrooms with shower
• A private 8 m² balcony with four armchairs
• Two panoramic sliding bay windows

Prestige Suite Deck 5
Prestige Suite Deck 5
Prestige Suite Deck 6

• Priority boarding
• Champagne and fruit basket upon arrival
• Butler service
• An assortment of sweet or savoury canapés and fruit basket every day
• A bedroom with king-size bed (180 x 200 cm) or two single beds (90 x 200 cm)
• A lounge with convertible sofa to a king-size bed (180 x 200 cm) or two single beds (90 x 200 cm), armchair, second TV, and sliding courtesy door
• Two bathrooms with shower
• A private 8 m² balcony with four armchairs
• Two panoramic sliding bay windows

Prestige Suite Deck 6
Prestige Suite Deck 6
Grand Deluxe Suite Deck 6

• Priority boarding
• Butler service
• An assortment of sweet or savoury canapés and fruit basket every day
• A bedroom with one king-size bed (180 x 200 cm) or two single beds (90 x 200 cm)
• A lounge with sofa bed convertible to a double bed (160 x 190 cm) or a single bed (80 x 190 cm) , armchair, and second TV
• A bathroom with shower and Baleno bathtub
• A private 32 m² terrace with two deckchairs and four-seater dining table
• Two panoramic sliding bay windows

Grand Deluxe Suite Deck 6
Grand Deluxe Suite Deck 6
Owner's Suite Deck 5

• Concierge Service: tailor-made and fully customisable services, from your reservation until you return from your trip
• Private return transfer
• Priority boarding
• Champagne and fruit basket upon arrival
• Butler service
• An assortment of sweet or savoury canapés and fruit basket every day
• A lounge with armchair, double sofa bed, and second TV
• A bedroom with king-size bed (180 x 200 cm) or two single beds (90 x 200 cm)
• A bathroom with shower, balneo bathtub and smart mirror
• A one-hour spa treatments per person (for 2 people) in the well-being space, chosen from the facial and body treatments on offer
• Premium drinks at the bar
• A private 45 m² terrace: 2 deckchairs, jacuzzi, and lounge corner with sofa and armchair
• Two panoramic sliding bay windows

Owner's Suite Deck 5
Owner's Suite Deck 5
Deluxe Suite Deck 6

• Champagne and fruit basket upon arrival
• One king-size bed (180 x 200 cm) or two single beds (90 x 200 cm)
• An armchair and sofa (90 x 190 cm)
• A bathroom with shower
• A private 6 m² balcony with two armchairs
• A panoramic sliding bay window

Deluxe Suite Deck 6
Deluxe Suite Deck 6
Deluxe Suite Deck 4

• One king-size bed (180 x 200 cm) or two single beds (90 x 200 cm)
• An armchair and sofa (90 x 190 cm)
• A bathroom with shower
• A private 6 m² balcony with two armchairs
• A panoramic sliding bay window

Deluxe Suite Deck 4
Deluxe Suite Deck 4
Deluxe Suite Deck 3

• One king-size bed (180 x 200 cm) or two single beds (90 x 200 cm)
• An armchair and sofa (90 x 190 cm)
• A bathroom with shower
• A private 6 m² balcony with two armchairs
• A glazed panoramic swing door and panoramic window

Deluxe Suite Deck 3
Deluxe Suite Deck 3
Deluxe Suite Deck 5

• Champagne and fruit basket upon arrival
• One king-size bed (180 x 200 cm) or two single beds (90 x 200 cm)
• An armchair and sofa (90 x 190 cm)
• A bathroom with shower
• A private 4 m² balcony with two armchairs
• A panoramic sliding bay window

Deluxe Suite Deck 5
Deluxe Suite Deck 5
Privilege Suite Deck 5

• Priority boarding
• Butler service
• One king-size bed (180 x 200 cm) or two single beds (90 x 200 cm)
• A lounge corner with chaise longue and armchair
• A bathroom with shower
• A private 8 m² balcony with two armchairs
• A panoramic sliding bay window

Privilege Suite Deck 5
Privilege Suite Deck 5
Privilege Suite Deck 6

• Priority boarding
• Champagne and fruit basket upon arrival
• Butler service
• An assortment of sweet or savoury canapés and fruit basket every day
• One king-size bed (180 x 200 cm) or two single beds (90 x 200 cm)
• A lounge area with chaise longue and armchair
• A bathroom with shower
• A private 8 m² balcony with two armchairs
• A panoramic sliding bay window

Privilege Suite Deck 6
Privilege Suite Deck 6

Le Champlain Deckplan

deck plan

Specifications

  • Built: 2018
  • Length: 430 ft. / 131 m.
  • Draft: 15 ft. / 4.5 m.
  • Beam: 59 ft. / 18 m.
  • Tonnage: 9,900 gross tons
  • Cruising Speed: 12.5 knots
  • Air Conditioned: Yes
  • Elevator: Yes
  • Passenger Decks: 6
  • Number of Cabins: 92 staterooms & suites
  • Number of Guests: 184
  • Crew Members: 110
  • Registry: France

What's included?

  • Accommodation in your selected stateroom
  • Landings and zodiac outings
  • A full meal plan
  • Open Bar: beginning with boarding, and during the duration of the cruise, a wide selection of drinks (mineral water, soft drinks, wine, beer, Charles Heidsieck champagne, spirits, coffee, tea) is served on request and at any time of the day. Certain premium alcoholic beverages on the menu are not included in the Open Bar.
  • Free Wi-Fi internet access 24 hours a day
  • Port taxes

What's not?

  • Any items not mentioned as included.

Price Assurance

At Eclipse Travel, our expert destination knowledge and decades of travel planning experience come at no extra cost to you. While many think booking through a tour operator is more expensive than planning a trip independently, that’s not the case. We’re paid by our travel partners—such as hotels, activity operators, and cruise providers—via commissions, not by our clients.

Our team negotiates the best rates for you and ensures you receive unbiased advice, with no preference for any particular supplier. In fact, where we secure higher commissions, we often pass the savings on to you, giving us a competitive price edge.

Additionally, we lock in exchange rates at the time of your deposit, ensuring no surprise costs when it’s time for final payment. You can rest easy knowing we’ll handle the details with our suppliers. The only exceptions are national park fee increases or fuel surcharges imposed after your booking, though these are rare.

Take advantage of our team’s expertise and let us help you plan the perfect holiday—hassle-free!

Destination: Central America

Let us take you on an authentic journey throughout this rich and versatile region with its spectacular Caribbean beaches, smouldering volcanoes and lush green jungles sheltering a rich variety of fauna. Throw in its fascinating history, hidden Mayan ruins and the rhythm of Cuban salsa and we’re certain you’ll find this region is a treat to the senses.

Downloadable travel guide

Planning your next adventure has never been easier with our free downloadable travel guides. Get in-depth insights into local attractions, dining options, and hidden gems, all curated by our team of travel specialists with decades of experience.

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Secrets of Central America (Colón – Puntarenas)

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