Logistics at a Glance
From the PONANT flight email and your United itinerary
By Dec 21, 2026Send flights to PONANTEmail your full flight itinerary to Lindsay Miller (lmiller@ponant.com, 833-889-0800) so transfers can be arranged.
Before you goSign up for the hospitality suiteRequired. Email lmiller@ponant.com with your first and last name and number of guests.
Thu, Feb 18United EWR 3:32 PM → SJO 7:53 PMThe hospitality suite is daytime only, so you need your own room at the DoubleTree Cariari for the night of the 18th.
Fri, Feb 19 · by 12:30 PMHospitality suite → group coachDoubleTree Cariari suite open 9:00–3:00. Arrive by 12:30 so luggage can be tagged. Embarkation 4:00–5:00 PM.
Your excursion choicesFeb 20: Birding (CRXQP13) · Feb 23: PAFAM16 (tentative)Feb 23 is still open between PAFAM16 (Panamá Viejo) and PAFAM14 (Casco Antiguo). Darién and San Blas each have one excursion, so there's nothing to choose.
Fri, Feb 26Disembark in Colón · Post-cruise extensionTwo nights at Gamboa Rainforest Reserve. Transfer to Tocumen (PTY) on Feb 28 is included.
Sun, Feb 28United PTY 10:00 AM → EWR 3:16 PMAn early departure: confirm your airport transfer time with PONANT when you send your flights.
15-Lesson Study Guide
Each lesson pairs one short article (10 minutes or less) with a video under 5 minutes. Tap the circle to mark a lesson done — your progress is saved in this browser.
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Packing Context Sheet
The practical "why" behind what to bring for an expedition cruise in the tropics in late February
What the tour expects: Smithsonian says to expect temperatures over 80°F, high humidity and strong sun, with time on small open boats that give no shade. Landings are "wet" — you step from the Zodiac into ankle-deep water — and rainforest trails can be uneven and slippery, with walks of two to three miles.
Zodiacs & wet landings
Water shoes or strapped sport sandalsYou'll step into the surf at Playa Muerto and San Blas. Flip-flops slip off; closed-toe water shoes protect against coral and rocks.
Small dry bagKeeps your phone, camera and passport copy dry on Zodiac rides and spray.
Quick-dry shorts or roll-up pantsHems get wet on landings. Synthetics dry in an hour; cotton stays damp all day.
Trail shoes with gripFor the Esquipulas trails, the hilly Darién waterfall hike, Panamá Viejo's uneven ground and Pipeline Road in Gamboa.
Sun, heat & bugs
Wide-brim hat with a chin strapOpen boats have no shade, and the strap keeps it on at Zodiac speed.
Reef-safe sunscreenFor snorkeling at Cayos Holandeses on the San Blas reef — mineral (zinc) formulas are kinder to coral.
Insect repellentPONANT specifically recommends it for the Esquipulas birding walk and Darién. Gamboa is mosquito territory too, especially at dusk.
Long-sleeve sun shirtCovers you from sun and bugs at once, and is cooler than it sounds.
Light rain shellRainforests earn their name, even in the dry season. Also handy against strong ship air conditioning.
Wildlife watching
BinocularsSloths, toucans and monkeys sit high in the canopy. PONANT recommends them for your Esquipulas birding walk, and you'll want them at Gatun Lake and Pipeline Road too.
Camera with zoom, or phone lens clipThe Canal transit is a full day of photo moments; wildlife needs reach.
Your own snorkel mask (optional)The ship's marina has complimentary snorkel gear, but a mask that fits you is more comfortable.
Money & practical
Small US billsPanama uses the US dollar. Emberá and Guna artisans sell baskets, carvings and molas for cash, and change is scarce in villages.
No adapter neededBoth countries use the same plug shape as the US.
Passport valid 6+ monthsPONANT recommends six months beyond the end of the cruise, with blank pages for stamps.
Ask your doctor about yellow feverPONANT notes the vaccine is recommended for Panama east of the Canal Zone — which includes Darién. Check CDC guidance well ahead.
Village visits
Ask before photographing people"¿Puedo tomar una foto?" Some Guna communities ask for a small fee per photo.
Room in your bag for craftsEmberá woven baskets and Guna molas are flat or light, but bring a spare tote.
Modest, easy layersShorts are fine; a light cover-up is respectful when you're a guest in someone's village.
Leave at home
Heavy jeans and cottonToo hot and won't dry in the humidity.
Wheeled bag for village daysBring a soft daypack; you'll be climbing in and out of Zodiacs.
On board: PONANT's dress guidance
From the cruise line's own packing advice for Le Lapérouse
Days on board
Comfortable, casual outfitsDaytime on the ship is relaxed.
Light sweater, light jacket or shawlThe whole ship is air-conditioned, which can feel cool after the tropical heat outside.
Light but comfortable shoesFor walking the public areas and decks.
Informal evenings
Smart-casual attireMost evenings. Shorts and T-shirts are not allowed in the restaurants.
Simple dress, or skirt or trousersPaired with a blouse or a polo.
Gala evenings (two)
One or two formal outfitsTwo gala evenings are held during the cruise.
Cocktail attireAn evening dress is optional, if you wish.
Officer's evening — probably not on this cruise
Stylish white outfit (or black and white)PONANT may hold a white-dress-code Officer's Evening on cruises longer than 8 nights. Yours is 7 nights (Feb 19–26), so it likely won't happen. Pack something white only if you have room, or ask PONANT.
What You'll See at Each Stop
A quick preview of every destination, so nothing comes as a surprise
1
San José → Puerto Caldera
Feb 18–19 · Arrival & embarkation
- Night at the DoubleTree Cariari, near SJO airport
- Hospitality suite and group coach to the port
- Board Le Lapérouse at the mouth of the Gulf of Nicoya
The drive crosses Costa Rica's Central Valley down to the Pacific. The ship has an underwater lounge, the Blue Eye, with windows below the waterline.
2
Quepos · Birding in the Rainforest
Feb 20 · Costa Rica · CRXQP13 · 5 hrs
- An hour's drive through the countryside to the Esquipulas Rain Forest
- Naturalist-guided birding on easy trails, about a mile on paved and gravel paths
- Coffee from the reserve's own beans, with tropical fruit, at a forest coffee house
Possible sightings: hummingbirds, King Vulture, Black Hawk-Eagle, Black-cowled Oriole, Turquoise Cotinga and Fiery-billed Aracari. Rated easy. Bring a hat, insect repellent and binoculars.
3
Playa Muerto · Darién
Feb 22 · After a day at sea
- Zodiac landing at an Emberá village
- Welcome by the chief, traditional dances
- Crafts for sale, about $5–$100 — bring small US bills
- Optional 20-minute hike to a waterfall (hilly)
PAMUE02 · 3.5 hrs. Darién became a reserve in 1980 and a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1981. About 30,000 Indigenous people live here, mostly Emberá. Wet landing: wear shoes you don't mind getting wet.
4
Panama City · Archaeology & Biological Diversity
Feb 23 · From Fuerte Amador · PAFAM16 (tentative) · 6¾ hrs
- Biomuseo, designed by Frank Gehry, with exhibits by Bruce Mau
- STRI's Punta Culebra Nature Center, guided by Smithsonian staff
- Lunch, then the Panamá Viejo ruins and traces of the Indigenous Cueva settlement
About a mile of walking over uneven dirt and cobblestones, up to 4 hours on your feet in very hot weather. The alternative, PAFAM14, swaps Panamá Viejo for a walking tour of Casco Antiguo.
5
Panama Canal transit
Feb 24 · Full daylight crossing
- Three levels of locks, Pacific to Caribbean
- Gatun Lake, once a jungle valley
- Expert lectures on the canal's history
The French began in 1881 and failed; the United States finished it between 1904 and 1914. Panama has run it since 1999.
6
San Blas Islands
Feb 25 · Cayos Holandeses
- Swimming and snorkeling behind a coral reef
- Meeting the Guna people
- Molas — layered, hand-sewn textile panels (cash only)
PAHOC01 · about 8 hrs. More than 300 islands governed by the Guna as an autonomous territory, Guna Yala. Wet landing; no restrooms, changing rooms or beach chairs on the island.
E
Colón · Agua Clara · San Lorenzo
Feb 26 · Extension day 1
- Agua Clara Observation Center over the new expanded locks
- Ruins of Fort San Lorenzo above the Chagres River
- Transfer to Gamboa Rainforest Reserve
San Lorenzo guarded Spain's treasure route across the isthmus; it's part of a UNESCO site with Portobelo.
E
Gamboa
Feb 27 · Extension day 2
- Boat cruise on Gatun Lake among the islands
- Sloth sanctuary, butterfly garden, orchids, frog pond
- Choice: Pipeline Road birding or the aerial tram
Gamboa sits where the Chagres River meets the canal, inside Soberanía National Park. Barro Colorado Island, STRI's famous research station, is in the same lake.
Tour Map & Day-by-Day
Your route at a glance, with a short video for each stop
Map: Smithsonian Journeys / PONANT, 2027 route (loaded from the Smithsonian site)