Disney Wonder is the first ever cruise ship to make its way through the new Panama Canal Locks.
The Disney Cruise line operated vessel didn;t just become the first cruise ship but also the first passenger vessel to make its way through the new locks. On April 29 the ship went through the new locks as part of a 14-night voyage from Port Canaveral, Florida to San Diego in California.
The new locks which first started operation in 2016 are a vital route for not just cruise ships but also cargo vessels between the American east coast and west coast. Without the canal, the journey would take a lot longer as ships would have to sail around south America.
Disney Wonder is set to begin cruises to Baja, Mexico, before a summer season from Vancouver to Alaska. The 2,713 passenger ships recently underwent a huge refurbishment which included areas themed to the Marvel Universe and Disney’s “Frozen”. The ship is 83,300 gross tons.