Explore the history, culture and tropical paradise of the Panama Canal

(ARA) - This winter don't let the cold weather, dreary days or lack of anything green get you down. You can get out of the seasonal funk quickly and easily with a trip south, where tropical jungles, colorful birds, the heady scent of flowers in bloom and sandals are the daily norms.

And to make your getaway even more exciting, consider adding a bit of history and culture to your trip with a cruise through the Panama Canal.

Royal Caribbean Cruises offers you the opportunity to travel by ship through the Gatun Locks - located halfway through the 51-mile-long canal, you'll rise 85 feet to get between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean.

The idea for a Panama canal was first put forth by the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V back in the 1500s, but European conflicts eventually caused the plans to be abandoned. In the 1800s the idea returned. Spain, France and a gold rush in America all fueled further interest. France started building the canal in 1881, but it wasn't completed until 1914 after the Americans took over the project.

During your nine-hour tour through the canal - which traverses three lock systems -- you'll also be able to explore and see firsthand what took the two countries a couple of decades to finish. If it weren't for the Panama Canal, it would take ships weeks just to get around South America.

You have plenty of route options between Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Lines and Celebrity Cruises, depending on which direction you want to travel through the canal and how many days you want to spend on your trip.

For example, Celebrity Cruises offers you and your family opportunities to not only explore the Panama Canal, but also Aruba, Costa Rica, several ports in Mexico, Columbia and even larger cities on America's West Coast.

And Norwegian Cruise Lines will take you to lesser-known destinations like Huatulco, Mexico, or Cartagena, Colombia, where you can eat fresh seafood directly from the ocean and play in the warm, turquoise waters of the Caribbean.

Schedule your cruise vacation now to leave winter behind. And then dig out your shorts and sandals for a fabulous time exploring the Panama Canal.

Courtesy of ARAcontent