Finding a private tour at 6 p.m. at Fuerte Amador

[katieralph]

The Statendam is there all night and we would like to see Casco Viejo and have a Mojito at the Plaza. Are there tour operators at the pier who are reliable and safe; cheaper than the ship and give you more time?

[Appygirl]

You're not docked at a pier in Fuerte Amador. The marina is too small for cruise ships. They anchor far enough out so they can operate the casino and passengers are tendered in. We anchored there overnight but there were no tenders that night, only the next day. But the Statendam might be on a different itinerary on your cruise and offering night tenders. When you get off the tender there are taxi drivers and maybe some tour operators inside the marina compound who are very eager to offer you tours or drive you where you want to go in Panama City - about a 10 minute drive from the marina. There are even more taxis and tour operators outside the marina gates. The ones inside the compound have to pay 10% of the passenger's fare or whatever fee the marina has instilled upon them to pay for the privilege of being inside the gates. Negotiate a price before getting in the taxi. And yes, the tour operators are cheaper than the ship's excursions, city tours are usually about half the price of the ship's excursion. You might want to double check that the Statendam is tendering passengers ashore the night they're anchored so as to avoid disappointment of drinking a Mojito at the Plaza while the sun is setting instead of enjoying a cool one at noon the next day.

[katieralph]

Thanks for such a quick reply. Yes, they are tendering in (preposition at the end of the sentence, bad). Ship in till 4 in the morning. Their tours are a drive around for a couple of hours. We want to walk around the plaza, if it is safe, and have that mojito. What do you think?