When does Celebrity start tendering off shore excursion?

[tak2]

I will be on the March Infinity sailing going from Valparaiso to Fort Lauderdale.

Having transitted the canal once before, I'm planning on doing a ship excursion this time. Celebrity website said shore ex passengers will be tendered off, but due to varying durations of the many different excursions, I cannot guess when we will be off the ship. Itinerary said "tender "from 6:00 am to 4 pm. I do not want to sign up for a tour that starts before 7 am, yet I need to do some planning because we are traveling with friends so decisions has to be made soon.

 

Any comments from those that have done this itinerary?

Thanks.

[BillB48]

Let me preface this by saying I have not done this particular itin on Celebrity, but have completed a couple of Canal transits in that direction on RCI. The way I have seen tours operate on transit day going Pacific to Atlantic, you will stay on the ship for the transit of the Pacific Locks, Gaillard Cut and Gatun Lake. When the ship arrives in the Gatun Lake Anchorage, the ship will tender passengers ashore to meet their tours, this will occur around 1PM. While the ship completes the transit through Gatun Locks and proceeds to Cristobal you will be on your tour. The ship will arrive in Cristobal around 4PM. On the completion of your tour you will rejoin the ship at the Cristobal pier. If this is the way Celebrity will be offering tours, the only other thing to keep in mind is to leave the ship from the Gatun Lake Anchorage on a tour, you must use a ship's tour. There generally is not enough time to take a tour when the ship is docked in Cristobal. There is a nice shopping facility at the Cristobal pier for those who want to get off and stretch their legs.

[tak2]

Thanks for the info.

Shore excursions vary in duration, as long as 7 hrs, as short as 4. I am wondering about the logistics of unloading passengers as various times, but all get picked up at Cristobel between 4 to 6 pm.

[BillB48]

If the tendering/tours operate as I believe, all the tendering will take place at the same time. The 6PM departure from Cristobal is flexible. On a recent cruise we were supposed to arrive at Cristobal at the same 4PM and sail a 7PM. Due to weather we did not arrive until almost 5:30, they slipped our departure until after 9PM. The wide range of tour lengths is often due to the fact the longer tours take you back to the Pacific side where Panama City and Miraflores Locks are located. The tours to Ft. San Lorenzo and Gatun Locks are on the Atlantic side much closer to Cristobal/Colon.