Zuiderdam Question

[drcandon]

Hi Folks..we are contemplating the 11 day Panama canal Cruise on the Zuiderdam next February. I realise that you don't transverse the canal you just go into Gatun Lake and then back out..that is okay. My question is about the port call at Colon, Panama...I see there are no excursions listed for that port ( 4hours)..what does the Zuiderdam do there?...Do you dock and then you can get off??..tnxs

[maxsmamma]

Do you dock and then you can get off??..tnxs

 

Yes, if you do not have an excursion, that is what you will do. The excursions tender from Gatun Lake, and then get picked up in Calon.

 

We did not do an excursion, and we did not regret it! We had a quiet lunch in the MDR that was mostly empty. Then we swam in an empty pool, had a drink and then went and changed and got settled into new spots for the ride back through the canal. It was so empty that pictures and views from popular spots were very easy to get. There is a straw market. Don't buy anything in the shop area before you get into the market. It was very overpriced compared to what we found inside. Some very nice hand made crafts. We got a beautiful wooden turtle that we still treasure!

[Krazy Kruizers]

There are quite a few interesting tours that you can take once you get into Gatun Lake. That is the only way you can get off the ship. As said all the tours end in Colon.

[Valley Girl of VA]

We didn't do an excursion and I regret it. Friends of ours did the train and they thought it was worthwhile. They were able to buy some inexpensive mola's (hand applique fabric). When we went to the port to pick up those coming off their excursions, we got off the boat. We went through the port center and turned right. there is a great supermarket there and we were able to pick up some really good wine for very cheap. This is the same Chilean wine that I buy here in the states and found in the market for $3.50. We also picked up more Coke for our room :)

[Krazy Kruizers]

A number of years ago we did the train ride and thoroughly enjoyed it.

[sapper1]

The Panama Canal is one of those places on Earth that you don't visit without taking in the whole experience. Take the ferry ride to the Pacific and you will always be glad you did.

Trust me, there is nothing in Colon and you will be warned not to venture outside the terminal area. It is quite a dangerous place.

[sevenseasnomad]

I second those who are advising you to take a tour. We took the excursion to visit the Embera tribe. It was amazing, like stepping into a National Geographic magazine.

 

This cruise is fabulous; we'd love to do it again.

[drcandon]

Thanks all for the replies...I was unaware of the tours from Gaton lake..they sound interseting, especially the train ride - but the ferry to the Pacific and back is a possibilty as well. I was unaware that Colon was a dangerous place too bad ..it looks from some photos I saw that there is an old fortress in ruins there...

[rusty86]

We just came back from this cruise and would not recommend the ferry ride to the Pacific at all. We tendered off the ship at Gatun lake then took a bus ride for about an hour to the ferry. The ferry ride was interesting for the first hour or so and then it was the same thing for about 6 more hours. It was hot and uncomfortable for that long and boring.They did serve us a decent lunch. We then got to the Pacific and went back to Colon on a bus that took an hour and a half. We got back to the ship at 8PM and they had to wait for us since we were so late. So all in all we left the ship at 9:30 Am and returned at 8 PM almost 11 hours later. It was the same sights that we saw in the morning on the ship going through the first 3 locks. Not a big deal going through on the ferry. Do another excursion from Gatun Lake. We did complain and they credited us 25% of the cost of the tour.

[Typhoon1]

We took the train ride on our visit. It was a very interesting way to see Panama. I'd recommend it.

 

There will be quite a number of excursions available when they actually become available for booking.

[mastergator]

We loved the ferry boat ride. A bit long but it is much different than going thru locks on the z. If god was giving the world an enema the tube would go in at colon. It is a commercial port, not a tourist destination. There are a number of great excursion starting in Lake gatun. Yes the ferry trip was warm.....but that made those 2 dollar Panamanian beers go down fast. If you go, bring a sweater for bus ride back.....bus is freezing.

 

This is a great cruise. We did aruba and curacao and costa rica as well as the canal. Costa rica was gorgeous. You will have a big time.

 

Mastergator

[sapper1]

Granted, the ferry ride is very hot but boring??? Never--at least not for us. We found it so interesting that I did not take advantage of the air conditioned compartment to cool off, which was a big mistake that I paid for later. It made for a long day but the chance to see one of the engineering marvels of the world in its entirety was priceless.

 

In fact, we found it so interesting that we are booked next month for a full passage on the Zuiderdam. I will be glued to the rail from 5AM until we clear the last lock on the Pacific side---with suitable air conditioning breaks this time.

[kazu]

I really recommend an excursion as well. We did the Embera Village and had fun.

[cruisinggranmama]

All the excursions are listed under Gatun Lake not Colon.

 

We did the ferry and found it quite interesting (DH more so than I) to see the canal all the way through. It was hot but a pleasant mosey down the Canal. You also see the new construction. Seeing the big machinery of today and hearing about the early 20th Century construction was amazing. Incredible really! It was hot and long but after doing it, IMO Panama is not a place I would visit for more than a few hours for sure so an excursion of some sort would be the way to go.

 

Dangerous in Colon! Our bus broke down about 3 blocks from the pier on the way back. They would not let us off to walk. They brought another bus door to door (literally) with ours, a police car was there too, the two bus driver made sure no one got near us on our 5 foot walk from walk one bus to the other. Colon is obviously not a safe place to walk.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Granted, the ferry ride is very hot but boring??? Never--at least not for us. We found it so interesting that I did not take advantage of the air conditioned compartment to cool off, which was a big mistake that I paid for later. It made for a long day but the chance to see one of the engineering marvels of the world in its entirety was priceless.

 

In fact, we found it so interesting that we are booked next month for a full passage on the Zuiderdam. I will be glued to the rail from 5AM until we clear the last lock on the Pacific side---with suitable air conditioning breaks this time.

 

You will love the full transit!!

We have done it several times on different cruise lines.

[mastergator]

Sapper1, et al, I also found the canal fascinating and anyone who does find it so would enjoy reading the definitive book on the canal....The Path Between the Seas, by McCollough. It is long, 600 pgs, but reads very fast. It was really interesting to read how it happened.....almost didn't. And then to see the thing itself was amazing. Lake gatun had to be built to control the river and the monsoon rains this country gets. All the water for the locks is supplied by the lake. Did you know the canal runs southeasterly as you transit from Atlantic to pacific? French got it started but it never would have been completed without Teddy and the US...although we favored a path through Nicaragua initially. The ferry lets you see the famous calubra cut which was a huge challenge. It is impressive now and to imagine these folks did this over 100 years ago is amazing. Totally different perspective on the small boat...you can reach our and touch the concrete walls of the locks. Fascinating. I highly recommend the book if you really want to see how and what happened. About 14 dollars on Amazon as I recall.

 

Mastergator

 

PS....The contract for all the electric motors was the first government contract and first big order for a small emerging electrical component company in 1910 or so...General Electric. And those steel doors? All came from the Pittsburg area which was the steel capaital of the world at the turn of the last century. BTW...how long does it take to fill or empty the chambers on the locks? 8 Minutes! On the ferry boat you can watch the ship go down literally before your eyes.;)

[sapper1]

I am currently making my way through the book and finding it quite interesting. I have given up trying to remember all the names though. There are so many of them already and more thrown at you on each page.