2cool2cruise

Puerto Amandor is where you want a port stop for Panama City!

Island Princess and Coral Princess were especially designed for the Panama (long & narrow). :)

LuLu

Hi Lulu,

Just now came back on CC board...been very busy during the holidays.

Thanks for your reply and input.

We're booked on the Legend, RCC and the port stop is Colon. Please tell me...we can also go to Panama City from Colon, correct?

Thanks.

Went to panama city on my cruise trip back on October 7th, had a really nice time, people there is so nice and polite! Very good place to visit.

Hi Ginger.ale

You mentioned you went to Panama City on your cruise....can you please give some details as to how? Did you sign up with a tour guide/company? Can you please share the contact info? What was your experience?

We have a full day in Colon prior to a full transit and would like to go to Panama City.

Appreciate any info you can share.

Thanks!

P.S. If anyone else does have this info...your feedback would be appreciated.

I have booked a Private tour of the locks and Panama City with a Private tour operator. The operator has asked for our passport details one month prior to our tour so he can give this to Tourism Authorities.

 

Is this normal?

 

 

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Hello Nerang,

My husband and I will be on the Legend in April and we have one day in Colon prior to our full transit. I'm very interested to know who you have booked your private tour of Panama City. A contact info is much appreciated.

Thank you!

Hi BillB48...

Thanks for the excursion info but I'm particularly interested in Colon and do you mind if you expand a bit more about what to do in Colon?

We have a port stop in Colon from 9am-7pm. This happens a day before our full transit. Are you saying to do a partial transit of the Pacific Locks and Gaillard Cut by ferry would be redundant?

Thanks!

If you have taken the Panama Canal cruise, which excursions did you take? More importantly, do you recommend the excursion you took or would you tell me to save my money? My DH and I like to hire our own taxi excursions to take us around but sometimes this is not advisable, so your input is appreciated.

Hello! We are on the Legend April 29 and just started research on tours/excursions in Cartagena, Colon, Puntarenas, Huatulco, not necessarily Cabo San Lucas and Ensenada.

Have you book any excursions to these places yet? Perhaps if you may, can you share them?

Thanks!

Since the Canal and Panama are subjects I am much more familiar with, I will just point out some of the highlights if the other port calls. I go into much more detail for Panama (Colon) at the end.

 

I sort of took the day off in Puerta Vallarta and did not do much... but if you are feeling a little homesick across the street from the pier there is a pretty big Wal-Mart! I'm kidding about going there, but it does seem surreal.

 

There really is not a whole to do in Puerto Quetzal unless you take a tour. Going to Antigua near Guatemala City in the highlands is very popular. Wonderfully preserved old city with some cooler weather, something you really don't expect to find on a cruise to the tropics.

 

Puntarenas, I never took any of the longer tours into San Jose or into the Volcanic parks... stayed nearer to the coast, cruised the Tarcoles River where they had some the biggest crocodiles I have seen in the wild. On another cruise we went to a nice little town (I think it was Orotina) in the foothills and entertained by folkloric dances, music and such. Stopped in a fairly typical roadside restaurant that provided a great view of the ship in Puntarenas off in the distance. By the way the maduros (fried ripe plantain) fried yucca and tostones (or patacones depending on the country, which are double fried green plantain) were great as well! Don't worry... nothing healthy in any of those selections, but perhaps you can say it was all organic:D!

 

Cartagena, probably the old walled City will give you a great deal of history, going back to the Spanish Inquisition. Well preserved architecturally. You could also take in La Popa Monastery or the fortress of San Felipe which is certainly a very prominent fixture in Cartagena.

 

Colon; First the disclaimer... there is nothing for you to do in Colon. This particularly true if you would just like to hit the streets on your own. Other than the mall that is connected to the pier there is not anything for you to do or go on your own without the benefit of a tour or at least a taxi to take you somewhere. There are so many great things to do in Panama and it is a real shame Colon could not be more inviting.

 

Now that is out of the way, I'm not sure where to begin... I am going to assume that your stop in Colon is a full day stop either before or after your transit and not what is called a "technical" stop. Probably the tour that is going to be the most obvious choice would be the partial transit of the Pacific Locks and Gaillard Cut by "ferry." Unless you don't get enough Canal from your transit on your ship, then this tour is going to be a bit a repeat of your transit. You will be retracing a portion the exact route you were on during your transit. Now, for the Canal aficionado like me, that would not be a bad thing. However, I try to see things through other peoples likes and for some this could possibly be too much of the same thing.

 

Probably one of the most popular non-Canal related tour would be to the Embera Indians. Depending on which village that is visited, you can get really off the beaten path. For many this is as close to a National Geographic experience any of us ever get. I can't remember hearing anyone having significant negative comments about this tour.

 

There is another tour that depending on the cruise line is called the Shaping of Panama. This tour takes you to the Pacific side to Panama City where the ruins of Old Panama, Casco Antiguo along with modern Panama City are combined. Quite a contrast.

 

For the railroad buff there is always a ride on the first and the fastest... better make that first and the quickest transcontinental railroad in the Americas. A lot of history on those rails.

 

There are a number of other tours that are offered that you may be interested in, but the ones I mentioned are certainly the ones that attract the majority of cruisers. Be glad to elaborate the best I can on any of the Panama tours if you have any questions.

Thank you for these information. These tours which you mentioned, are they ship excursions or private tours which can be hired at the dock of online?

While the Canal transit is certainly one of the main events of this cruise, I think the stop in Panama is the cherry on top! Over the years cruise lines have been a little slow to embrace the idea and as you can see the Panama stop is not yet universal. Whether you choose a tour that will compliment or reinforce the transit, tour the Panama City, visit the Embera Indians, ride the Panama Railroad or any other tour, the Panama stop is worth the extra sea day you will have to "endure";). Stopping in Colon or if you stop at Ft. Amador you will be able to avail yourself to a great selection of shore excursions.

This is an eye-opener...certainly I will consider it.

Thank you!

Have you looked at Princess from Los Angeles or Fort Lauderdale. Some of their Panama Canal cruises actually stop at Puerto Amandor for tours to Panama City etc.

Actually, I haven't but I'll take a look at Princess.

Thank you!

There's been numerous cruise sales going on this weekend and I have to decide soon which itinerary I should book. I'm not loyal to any one cruise line.

Royal C. and Celebrity's itinerary from Ft. Lauderdale to San Diego has a stop in Colon, Panama but has more cruising days compared to that of NCL. However, NCL itinerary looks good in that there's fewer sea days and more port stops. (Two sea days for me is a bit too much). However, it doesn't stop in Colon, Panama. It would be neat to see Panama City while already in the vicinity. Will I be missing a great deal (of Panama City) if I go with NCL's itinerary?

Any input is greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

rainforestgirl~ i see we are working you up big time! thank you so much for the taxi/zone info.

how about Da House? and Pier 4 (Carnival dock)?

Thanks.