Check who your tour is with in Panama!

[jennab0220]

So my husband and I just got back from our Honeymoon and we had a fantastic time other than Panama. Our trip included Cozumel, Mexico; Limon, Costa Rica, and Colon, Panama. Costa Rica was our favorite of all, it was the most amazing excursion we could have imagined.

 

Our Excursion in Colon, Panama was horrible to say the least, and Carnival didn't help as much as we thought they should have. We booked our "Fishing in Panama" excursion through Carnival, paid a total of $270 with taxes. My husband was really excited, and I was as well, I like fishing and he loves it. I don't know if all of their Panama excursions are through the company "Aventuras 2000", but if I was you I would check with Carnival to find out who your excursion is with and if you haven't booked one yet, check prior to booking.

 

We go on our excursion and we show up to a fishing boat that is crazy small for the cost we paid. They were using some salt water poles and we were in fresh water, and to try and use those on an already small boat is very difficult. On our way out to the fishing spot (with a smile on our face, rule #1 no complaining) and the boat breaks down. We have other boats come to try and help, other boats running into the boat, etc.... Finally another boat came and hooked up to us and towed us back. Total time break down, trying to fix it themselves, others trying to fix it, being towed and switching to another boat, was about 2 hours. Finally we get on another boat, which has a canopy top, so now it's not just a small boat, it's a tour boat, with a canopy top and we have salt water poles, our fishing experience so far was miserable. We get to the spot to fish and we fish for about 45 minutes.

 

Once it's said and done they just offer an apology. We go Carnival and make a complaint, they turn it over to "Aventuras 2000" and they lie telling Carnival we were broke down at max 30 minutes, and fished for almost 3 hours and refused to refund any of our money. Carnival then tells us that since Avenutras 2000 says we fished that long all they can do is refund 15%, which is a total of $40. We ended up paying $230 for this horrible excursion and Carnival pretty much slapped us in the face by refunding only that amount. If a home builder contracts a plumber to come in the house and do work and they do a bad job, you better believe a good portion of money would be refunded, that's what you do when your company you hire to do something does a horrible job.

 

It's unfortunate because I've always cruised with Carnival, I hoped our Honeymoon would have all been amazing and it is really disappointing that when we needed Carnival to come through it's like they believed Avenutras 2000 over us.

 

Check your excursion company before you take it out of Panama!

Sorry so long, just needed to inform everyone!

[melis74]

I'm sorry you had such a horrible experience in Panama!

 

I was selfishly wondering what you did in Costa Rica that you loved so much, if you don't mind sharing!

 

Thank you!

[jennab0220]

In Costa Rica we went through a tour company, JJ's Tours I think that's the name of it. A big group of us from Cruise Critic got together and booked with him. We went to a Jaguar Rescue Center where we actually got to go into the monkey cage and play with all of these adorable little monkeys. They touched you, hung on you, sat on you, to much fun. Then we got to actually hold a sloath (unlike the sloath tours you don't get to touch them) you actually get to hold the sloath. Last but not least we actually got to pet a baby jaguar.

 

Then we left there when for lunch at Elen Brown restaurant where we were served amazing amazing food.

 

Followed by a visit the the Banana Plantation. Beer, Water, and Soda was provided to us on the tour bus. He also has many other tours that he offers. We got all of this and he is very very informative, we learned so much about Costa Rica and general things about Banana's, Monkeys, etc.... all for $65 per person including the lunch.

 

It was amazing to say the least!

[melis74]

Thanks! Sounds amazing! Would you happen to have a website for JJ?

[canadarocks]

I would also appreciate any info you can share about your Costa Rica tour, ie a website or email address for JJ Tours.

 

I would love to have the animal experiences that you describe!! :)

[Richard in Panama]

I believe Carnival has a financial interest in Adventuras 2000. Tourism is kinda new in Panama so they are just "learning" . . . not by way of excuse, just explanation. The Gatun Lake fishing should not really be sold to fishermen . . . especially serious fishermen. Your issue is probably more with Carnival or that you didn't fully understand what you were booking. It's a nice way to get out on the lake, but if you're a fisherman or woman you know that it takes probably longer than the typical shore excursion. I've done it. Yeah, I caught a 6" peacock bass. I'd persist with Carnival.

 

Regards, Richard

[grandmato4]

I would also appreciate any info you can share about your Costa Rica tour, ie a website or email address for JJ Tours.

 

I would love to have the animal experiences that you describe!! :)

 

Here is J.J.'s website http://jjcostarica.bravehost.com/tour.html#4 We toured with him in 2009 and had a wonderful day and will tour with him again when we are in Costa Rica again in 2011.

[canadarocks]

Here is J.J.'s website http://jjcostarica.bravehost.com/tour.html#4 We toured with him in 2009 and had a wonderful day and will tour with him again when we are in Costa Rica again in 2011.

 

Thank you SOOOOOOO much for this. Hopefully we can go with him to the Jaguar Center in March! :D

[melis74]

Here is J.J.'s website http://jjcostarica.bravehost.com/tour.html#4 We toured with him in 2009 and had a wonderful day and will tour with him again when we are in Costa Rica again in 2011.

 

Thank you very much!!