Reservations 877·97·CRAFT  (877·972·7238)

17-Day ~ Panama Canal Knitting Cruise (Nov 2022)

Holland America Line


Start Date:

   

November 19, 2022

   

End Date:

   

December 6, 2022

Panama Canal Knitting Cruise (Nov 2022) ~ Knitting Cruises Description

17-Day Panama Canal and Inca Discovery Knitting Cruise w/ Gwen Bortner
Nov 19 - Dec 06, 2022


The Panama Canal is an engineering marvel connecting the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. Transit the twelve locks that lower ships from Gatun Lake down to the Pacific Ocean. Travel from the sparkling Caribbean through the ecologically diverse rain forests of Central America on your way to South America.


South America is the fiber lover's dream destination, where there is gorgeous fiber and color inspiration at every turn. Traveling with like-minded people, pristine scenery, friendly locals, and indulging in delicious food will make this epic cruise through the Panama Canal a trip of a lifetime. After the cruise, learn about fiber production in Chile by visiting the Quintessence Alpaca farm before flying home.


In Lima, you'll be given a chance to glimpse Peru's rich textile culture on a private tour that includes visits to top textile museums and yarn shopping. For centuries, textiles have impacted all regions of Peru. These highly skilled textile traditions and techniques have been passed down since ancient times. The sights, sounds, and smells of this fabulous cruise will make South America a place you'll want to return to again and again. No matter where you go in here, you'll find interesting textiles everywhere, friendly locals, and mind-blowing cuisine.


The onboard education program includes a range of classes taught by Gwen Bortner, known for her "superpower" of being able to share valuable information in easy-to-process bite-size pieces. Gwen Bortner will be teaching such popular favorites as Mobius Mysteries, Brioche, Knitting Hacks, Making Charts Intuitive, Making the Gradient, the Perfect Pick Up and Entrelac Basics.


Whether you take classes or just come along for fun, this cruise is going to be a trip to remember with incredible scenery, amazing people, and experiences unique only to this region.


17-Day Panama Canal and Inca Discovery Knitting Cruise Cruise Highlights


  • Learn a range of new knitting techniques with knitting expert Gwen Bortner.

  • Make new friends while in class, enjoying shared dining experiences and evening social knitting gatherings.

  • Relax on a catamaran as you sail across the turquoise waters of Aruba, go snorkeling, or just soak up the sun on Manchebo Beach, the widest white sand beach on the island offering seclusion and pretty palapas for shade.

  • Transit the Panama Canal while learning its history and importance to world trade.

  • See birds, monkeys, flora, and fauna indigenous to this tropical jungle region.

  • Take a dug-out canoe up the Changes river to an authentic Embera native village in the Panamanian jungle, where you will be entertained and enriched by these fascinating people.

  • Learn the history and shop for famous hand-woven Panama hats in Manta, Ecuador.

  • In Lima, shop for the highest quality alpaca yarn while learning about the role Michell & Cia, the world leader in the production of alpaca, plays in connecting the immense Peruvian alpaca industry to the world.

  • Visit the Larco Herrera Museum, housed in an 18th-century colonial mansion, where you will see an immense collection of pre-Inca pottery and enjoy exquisite Peruvian cuisine in their award-winning courtyard restaurant surrounded by lovely flowers.

  • Tour the Aliaga House, the oldest colonial mansion in Lima and longest inhabited family home in all the Americas.

  • Sip Pisco sours, savor succulent seafood and shop for handicrafts such as pottery and alpaca products at the La Recova Market in La Serena, Chile.

  • Learn how top-quality South American alpaca is processed using techniques that are both socially and environmentally sustainable at the Quintessence Alpaca Farm.

  • Shop for Quintessence Alpaca that is grown, processed, and hand-dyed in Chile.

  • Enjoy a farm-to-table lunch while sampling local wines in the Central Valley of Chile with its rich farmlands and mix of Spanish colonial elements before your evening flight home from Santiago.