The Chess Cruise Panama Canal 2026 will run from October 13 – November 1, 2026 on board the Norwegian Bliss as a FIDE rated international chess tournament at sea from Los Angeles, USA to New York, USA. This 2026 edition uses a classical chess format with a 7-round Swiss system, and it is rated for Elo and DWZ without title norms. The Chess Cruise Panama Canal 2026 combines tournament play with a 19-night cruise route through the Panama Canal and multiple ports across the Americas.

This international chess tournament is part of the Schachreisen chess travel program and is designed for players who book the cruise package and join the onboard event. The Chess Cruise Panama Canal 2026 includes a published chess schedule with seven rounds, games of the day, and additional chess activities during sea days and selected port days. The organizer also publishes clear rules for eligibility, grace period, prize allocation, and onboard participation conditions for this FIDE rated event.

🗓️ Event Details

🏆 Prize Fund

Prize money is awarded by tie-break order (points, Buchholz, Buchholz sum). The organizer also announces three Schachreisen vouchers of EUR 100 each by raffle, but these are non-cash prizes and are excluded from the cash prize fund total. Double prizes are not possible for the raffle vouchers.

⏱️ Time Control & Pairings

The Chess Cruise Panama Canal 2026 uses a Swiss system with 7 rounds. The official time control is 90 minutes for the game plus a 30-second increment per move.

The tournament is evaluated for Elo and DWZ, and no title norms are possible. The published grace period is 30 minutes. Only players with a FIDE ID number may participate in the onboard tournament.

📂 Sections / Groups

The event runs as one open onboard section with a 7-round Swiss format during the cruise. The organizer publishes one unified tournament format for all eligible participants on the ship.

📅 Schedule

📝 Registration

👥 Organizer

Schachreisen (Jörg Hickl) organizes the Chess Cruise Panama Canal 2026 and manages booking, tournament participation, and onboard chess program information for the cruise event. The organizer publishes the tournament page, cruise conditions, route schedule, and participation rules for players traveling on the Norwegian Bliss from Los Angeles to New York.

• Address: Lindenplatz 12, 65510 Hünstetten, Germany

• Phone: +49 6126 95 83 45

• Website: https://www.schachturnier-auf-see.de/

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/

🏨 Venue

Norwegian Bliss, cruise route from Los Angeles, California, USA to New York, USA

The tournament takes place on board the Norwegian Bliss during a 19-night Panama Canal cruise. The organizer publishes the chess tournament as an onboard event integrated into the cruise program with rounds played mainly on sea days.

🛎️ Accommodation

🚗 How to Get There

Players must travel to Los Angeles, California, USA in time for embarkation and complete check-in on the day of departure at least two hours before the ship leaves. The organizer states that guests are responsible for meeting boarding time at the port of embarkation.

The cruise ends in New York, USA, with disembarkation scheduled on the final day. The organizer also notes that route and schedule details may change and that an earlier disembarkation is possible in Miami without changing the travel price.

Join the Chess Cruise Panama Canal 2026 for a rare FIDE rated classical chess experience at sea with seven rounds, a full cruise itinerary, and tournament play across the Panama Canal route.

🧾 Other

Cell phones are not allowed in the playing venue. The organizer also states that no external participation is permitted and that only cruise participants registered under the published organizer conditions may join the tournament.

The organizer includes a separate onboard Blitz/Rapid tournament in the published cruise and chess schedule. Routes and schedule details may be adjusted based on on-site conditions.