For the first time in four years, Princess Cruises will offer Summer Caribbean cruises including Panama Canal transits in 2018.

The 3,192-guest Caribbean Princess returns to sail on a full summer season of voyages ranging from seven-day Eastern and Western Caribbean to a 20-day Caribbean and Panama Canal Explorer.

All summer Caribbean cruises are open for sale December 1.

New for 2018, the 20-day Caribbean and Panama Explorer voyages combine a 10-day Southern Caribbean Medley or Eastern Caribbean Voyager cruise.

“Summertime is the prime vacation season for most Americans and we’re happy to offer the Caribbean in 2018,” said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises president. “We have award-winning itineraries of various lengths so families, honeymooners, couples, friends and travelers alike can get away to explore new places, reconnect with one another and ultimately ‘come back new’ with Princess.”

Highlights for Summer Caribbean 2018, roundtrip out of Fort Lauderdale, include Eastern and Western Caribbean options, which operate on an alternating schedule and can be combined for a 14-day voyage.

Other options include the Southern Caribbean Cruise, with stops in Princess Cays, St. Thomas, Antigua, St. Lucia, Barbados and St. Kitts; Southern Caribbean Medley, with stops in Princess Cays, St. Thomas, Dominica, Grenada, Bonaire and Curacao; and Panama Canal with Costa Rica, with stops in Grand Cayman, Cartagena, Colon and Costa Rica.

Guests can combine the cruise line’s 10-day Panama Canal voyage with the 10-day Southern Caribbean Medley or Eastern Caribbean Voyager for a 20-day cruise vacation.

Select itineraries in the Caribbean are offering extended stays in Aruba, Curacao, Cozumel and St. Maarten with departures of 9 pm or later.

While guests sail aboard Caribbean Princess they will continue to enjoy the destinations they visit with offers like locally-inspired cuisine; Festivals of the World– live entertainment celebrating Mardi Gras and Festival de Panama; steel drum lessons, local crafts and rum tastings; live narratives while sailing through the Gatun Locks; and Discovery Encounters– local guest speakers sharing authentic stories and passion for their homelands.

Princess Cruises past guests are eligible for a special promotion when they book before August 31, 2017.

— Dana Niland, CJ Contributor