Review: Coral Princess. January 7-17,2016

[Badgerone]

thanks for such a positive and infromative review especailly suggestions on Port tours .

Jim from WI

[LA_CA_GAL]

 

Our next stop was the real reason for the cruise, the Panama Canal. ........

 

We selected to get off and travel a short distance by bus, and then boarded a smaller boat and continued through the second set of Locks to the Pacific Side. If one has to select only one tour on the entire cruise, this is it. Totally, absolutely, unbelievably fantastic to take a small ship through the canal locks. By the way, we did travel by bus over the newer set of locks and did see the superships that were previously to large to travel through the Canal. Very long day, but well, well worth it. Make sure you take your cameras.

 

 

We are booked on this cruise and your info is tremendously helpful and greatly appreciated.

 

I have some questions.

 

1. You started with a bus ride. How long and what kind of bus, comfortable, air conditioned, etc?

 

2. Can you tell me more about the "small ship"? How long were you on it, did they serve refreshments (beer), comfortable, rest rooms, etc?

 

3. What time did the tour start and what time did you get back on the ship?

 

Again, thanx so much for your info, as we are really looking forward to this cruise. Also, we have cruised as a group of about 20 on two prior cruises, and this is beginning to look like a real blast. And as usual, I like to plan accordingly.

[stevenr597]

We are booked on this cruise and your info is tremendously helpful and greatly appreciated.

 

I have some questions.

 

1. You started with a bus ride. How long and what kind of bus, comfortable, air conditioned, etc?

 

2. Can you tell me more about the "small ship"? How long were you on it, did they serve refreshments (beer), comfortable, rest rooms, etc?

 

3. What time did the tour start and what time did you get back on the ship?

 

Again, thanx so much for your info, as we are really looking forward to this cruise. Also, we have cruised as a group of about 20 on two prior cruises, and this is beginning to look like a real blast. And as usual, I like to plan accordingly.

 

The day we cruised through the Canal we got up before sunrise, the ship was just approaching the canal and we watched from our balcony as the ship with through the Gatun Locks. We then had breakfast on the Lido Deck, at which time it was announced what time we would be leaving the ship for tours. We left the ship by Tender and were ferried to shore (5-10 minutes), when we walked to the bus. We were on the bus for approximately 30 minutes and during this trip we did travel over the new locks to see them in operation. We then left the bus near the pacific side and border a small ferry type ship that carried several hundred people. We then traveled on to and through the Mira Flores (Pacific) Locks. On the ship/boat we had a fairly decent buffet type lunch. The trip on the boat was 2-3 hours. We exited on the Pacific Side and traveled by bus back to the ship which was in the city of Colon. Very smooth trip on the boat, and we would highly recommend it, probably the highlight of the trip. Note that the buses are fairly new with a tour guide explaining the site and are comfortable. We live the ship around 9:00-10:00 and returned to the ship by 6:00 P.M.

[jagsfan]

Thank you so much for the detailed description. I'm excited about this shore excursion, my DH not so much. I think he'll really be glad he did it, since we've done the partial transit before. This will add another dimension.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[LA_CA_GAL]

The day we cruised through the Canal we got up before sunrise, .......... when we walked to the bus. ........

 

Note that the buses are fairly new with a tour guide explaining the site and are comfortable. We live the ship around 9:00-10:00 and returned to the ship by 6:00 P.M.

 

One more question, did you book this tour through the cruise line or was it a privated tour?

[jagsfan]

The day we cruised through the Canal we got up before sunrise, the ship was just approaching the canal and we watched from our balcony as the ship with through the Gatun Locks. We then had breakfast on the Lido Deck, at which time it was announced what time we would be leaving the ship for tours. We left the ship by Tender and were ferried to shore (5-10 minutes), when we walked to the bus. We were on the bus for approximately 30 minutes and during this trip we did travel over the new locks to see them in operation. We then left the bus near the pacific side and border a small ferry type ship that carried several hundred people. We then traveled on to and through the Mira Flores (Pacific) Locks. On the ship/boat we had a fairly decent buffet type lunch. The trip on the boat was 2-3 hours. We exited on the Pacific Side and traveled by bus back to the ship which was in the city of Colon. Very smooth trip on the boat, and we would highly recommend it, probably the highlight of the trip. Note that the buses are fairly new with a tour guide explaining the site and are comfortable. We live the ship around 9:00-10:00 and returned to the ship by 6:00 P.M.

 

Was the bus traveling on the right side of the canal or the left? Wondering which side of the bus to sit on passing the new locks.

[stevenr597]

One more question, did you book this tour through the cruise line or was it a privated tour?

 

We booked through Princess cruise lines.

[stevenr597]

Was the bus traveling on the right side of the canal or the left? Wondering which side of the bus to sit on passing the new locks.

 

I don't think the one side is superior. We crossed on a bridge which went over the new locks. I think that the new gates was to the left of the bus.

[Cras108er]

Thanks for the great review Stevenr. We're doing this cruise in April, and your insight was extremely helpful. I have heard different opinions about whether to get off the ship in Panama or not. Sounds like you found it worthwhile. We may give it a shot. It's our first time, so I think we owe it to ourselves. 😀

[yuccaman]

oops

Edited February 1, 2017 by yuccaman

[yuccaman]

One more question, did you book this tour through the cruise line or was it a privated tour?

 

You can only book Panama tours on the partial canal trip through Princess- it's the only way you can leave the ship on Gatun Lake via the tenders