Ship Panama City Tour & Gaton Locks Excursion

Celebrity do a Panama City Tour & Gaton Locks Shore Excursion (CO52).

Has anyone done this 6 hour excursion and how did you find it? We want to see a bit of Panama City and just wondering how long the walking tour part of excursion lasts?

Taxis into Panama City expensive, train times don't suit ship schedule and public bus can take up to 2 hours.

There is another excursion - Panama City Drive & shopping but it involves 3 hours at Multiplaza Pacific Mall and as a woman even that's too long for me!

Any advice appreciated.

Don't like the sound of Colon Port area from safety point of view.

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We have had a very similar shore excursion... ours did not include the trip to Gatun Locks. The walking portion lasted about 45 minutes or so, really not a huge distance and could be done on the leisurely side of things. I really would dissuade you from considering the public bus (I think you already have reached that conclusion;)) unless you are a real adventuresome traveler. You could probably arrange for a taxi at the pier in Colon after you get off the ship using some bargaining skills for less than the ship's tour. Honestly I think you get a superior product from the ship even if it is more expensive.

I feel sure the walking portion of the tour will be in the Casco Antiguo (also called Casco Viejo, Colonial Panama, San Felipe district) here a couple shots of the area. The first is called Las Bovedas which will take you to La Plaza Francia. The second pic is a street scene looking back towards Plaza Francia.

Sadly Colon is not the place for you to strike out on your own without being on a tour or in a taxi, however the mall connected to the pier is OK to browse.

We have had a very similar shore excursion... ours did not include the trip to Gatun Locks. The walking portion lasted about 45 minutes or so, really not a huge distance and could be done on the leisurely side of things. I really would dissuade you from considering the public bus (I think you already have reached that conclusion;)) unless you are a real adventuresome traveler. You could probably arrange for a taxi at the pier in Colon after you get off the ship using some bargaining skills for less than the ship's tour. Honestly I think you get a superior product from the ship even if it is more expensive.

 

I feel sure the walking portion of the tour will be in the Casco Antiguo (also called Casco Viejo, Colonial Panama, San Felipe district) here a couple shots of the area. The first is called Las Bovedas which will take you to La Plaza Francia. The second pic is a street scene looking back towards Plaza Francia.

 

 

 

Sadly Colon is not the place for you to strike out on your own without being on a tour or in a taxi, however the mall connected to the pier is OK to browse.

Thank you so much for the helpful photos. I'm normally happy to go with public transport on holiday and find it interesting but Colon just doesn't feel safe.

Would hate to travel all the way from Ireland and not see a bit of Panama City so will probably book this as my first ever shore excursion out of 12 cruises. We normally go with an independent tour provider.

Walking doesn't bother us. I enjoy a good walk which will help walk away some of those ship desserts.

Thanks again.

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You are welcome... and yes get over to Panama City, it is such a contrast from what you will find in Colon.

I actually just booked an independent version of this tour with MyFriendMario (aka Almiza Tours).

anybody have any thoughts or experience with them?

I actually just booked an independent version of this tour with MyFriendMario (aka Almiza Tours).

 

anybody have any thoughts or experience with them?

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Does look very similiar to the ship excursion. Same price too. I'm tempted to book the ship one as any issues with traffic you're guaranteed to get on the ship. Colon is somewhere I would not wish to be stranded after missing a ship!

 

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On my sailing the ship excursion is $99 and this is $75

On my sailing the ship excursion is $99 and this is $75

I really don't think there is a significant price gap for piece of mind of the ship excursion guarantee that you make it back on board. When you compare with Almiza it's pretty good value.

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I actually just booked an independent version of this tour with MyFriendMario (aka Almiza Tours).

 

anybody have any thoughts or experience with them?[/q, loveduote]

 

While I don't have any personal experience with Mario/Almiza people that have use them and have shared their experiences with this board have been largely positive. They have been around awhile.

 

PS Eric, really enjoyed your Hawaii postings... gotta go now.

We are doing the exact same tour on our Zuiderdam Transit in December.

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