Confused on Colon excursions on Zuiderdam

I had read on a general thread that you can only take cruise ship - sponsored tours in the Panama Canal when arriving at Gatun Lake. Is this true for Zuiderdam? And if so, anyone have any recommendations for HAL excursions? We have interests in railway, canal and old/new Panama City. Will be there on a Tuesday. Your help is appreciated.

I had read on a general thread that you can only take cruise ship - sponsored tours in the Panama Canal when arriving at Gatun Lake. Is this true for Zuiderdam? And if so, anyone have any recommendations for HAL excursions? We have interests in railway, canal and old/new Panama City. Will be there on a Tuesday. Your help is appreciated.

Yes, that is true for the Zuiderdam. Ship's excursions only at Gatun Lake.

Lots of options for shore excursions.

We opted to do the Embera Indian Village and enjoyed it.

We did the train ride - back when we did it, it was a train in both directions. Now you take the train to the Pacific and ride a bus back to Colon. We enjoyed this excursion. But you don't get any time in Panama City.

HAL only permits approved (read expensive) tours from Gatun Lake. We took the "old and new" Panama City tour. It was very enjoyable but poorly organized. We were two hours late in returning to the ship Several people ended up on the "wrong" bus back to the ship because of poor organization and incorrect instructions. The contrasts and dichotomy that is Panama City is worth the hassle.

Joel Barry

Yes, it is true for the Zuiderdam.

You can only leave the ship if you have a HAL excursion. You cime ashore at the Gatun Lake Yacht Club.There are no other businesses around the club. Any excursion by boat on the lake will leave from the club and only motor vehicles for the excursions (besides members' vehicles) will be on the club grounds.

After the excursion groups leave, the ship will be anchored in the lake until time to go back through the locks.

In November. We enjoyed staying on the ship through the canal both ways and a leisurely pinnacle lunch. Our friends did panama old and new and were underwhelmed.

We walked off in Colon but after a quick look returned to the ship. It was very grotty.

In November. We enjoyed staying on the ship through the canal both ways and a leisurely pinnacle lunch. Our friends did panama old and new and were underwhelmed.

 

We walked off in Colon but after a quick look returned to the ship. It was very grotty.

We did the same........wouldnt even get off at the port next time but the canal was wonderful

No one ever goes to Colon to visit the sites and local color... it is just where the pier is to either start your shore excursion or return to the ship. Panama has a lot to offer, the Canal, cultural, history... it's just not in Colon!

We did the train excursion and enjoyed it immensely. You get to see a lot in one day. Only drawback is that snacks on the train are limited. Tip: sneak a lunch with you from the Lido. You're not "supposed to" bring food off the ship but nobody cares.

This trip for us is all about the Canal itself, so we booked the excursion that will take us through the rest of the locks on the ferry.

Looking forward to the whole experience, as the full passage did not fit into our vacation schedules, and this is as close as we'll probably ever get!

:cool:

This trip for us is all about the Canal itself, so we booked the excursion that will take us through the rest of the locks on the ferry.

 

Looking forward to the whole experience, as the full passage did not fit into our vacation schedules, and this is as close as we'll probably ever get!

 

 

 

:cool:

Have done a full transit as well as the ferry on a partial. Wow that was a really long day. We got stuck in traffic on the bus on the way to Colon at the end of the ferry transit and we’re almost 3 hours late getting back to the ship.

I hope you enjoy.

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Thanks, everyone, for all the insights and suggestions! Looking forward to whatever we decide to do.