Celebrity Panama Canal Cruise Excursions

[SadieC]

In the final stages of researching excursions for our Panama Canal adventure in early November. Ports include Cabot San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta, Puerto Quetzal Guatemala (Antigua?), Puntarenas Costa Rica, Panama Canal/Colon, and Cartegena. Though I think we will just explore the Mexican ports on our own, I would so appreciate any advice that you might have.. These are all brand new ports for us and because of that, I have been thinking of going through Celebrity for some of the excursions. Have booked a private tour (Thumbs Up 10 in 1 Tour) in Costa Rica, but otherwise nothing for sure. So appreciate all ideas and any recommendations!:D

[Payd]

In the final stages of researching excursions for our Panama Canal adventure in early November. Ports include Cabot San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta, Puerto Quetzal Guatemala (Antigua?), Puntarenas Costa Rica, Panama Canal/Colon, and Cartegena. Though I think we will just explore the Mexican ports on our own, I would so appreciate any advice that you might have.. These are all brand new ports for us and because of that, I have been thinking of going through Celebrity for some of the excursions. Have booked a private tour (Thumbs Up 10 in 1 Tour) in Costa Rica, but otherwise nothing for sure. So appreciate all ideas and any recommendations!:D

 

 

You are in store for a fabulous cruise. We did the Panama Canal east to west in April and it was beyond amazing. We met so many terrific people.

 

I've included information below, on a tour that I coordinated with with a group of 18 from our roll call.

 

I would highly recommend working with this tour company. The planning was really easy, forwarding emails, posting on cruise critic and then making sure payments were arranged. Eva was great to work with. Our driver and guide for the day were excellent. It is important to note that there is a fair bit of walking on this tour. I am accustomed to long walking/hiking days, so it was nothing to us. We did have a few participants that found it a bit tiring, but they really enjoyed the day.

 

Enjoy your cruise planning!!

 

Thank you for your mail, I am gladly sending you the information as follows:

Option 1: THE BEST OF ANTIGUA

Antigua Guatemala is a city in the central highlands of Guatemala famous for its well-preserved Spanish Baroque influenced architecture as well as a number of spectacular ruins of colonial churches

8:00 a.m. Pick you up at the dock of Puerto Quetzal (our staff will welcome you with a sign of your name) and then come to Antigua (1 1/2 hour driving) where you will visit: The Main Square, The Cathedral, San Francisco El Grande Church, The Convent of La Merced, Hotel Museum Casa Santo Domingo, some jade and silver factory ending at 1:30 p.m.

Free time for lunch and at 2:30 p.m. you will be heading back to Puerto Quetzal.

The trip Includes: Transportation, professional and informative English speaking Guide,entry to mentioned cloisters.

Does not include: lunch

Price:

2 passengers: US$ 125.00 per passenger

3 passengers: US$ 90.00 per passenger

4 passengers: US$ 70.00 per passenger

5 passengers and up: US$ 60.00 per passenger

Our transportation could be: Hyundai H-1 (from 2 to 7 passengers) and Toyota Coaster (for 8 to 22 passengers), see pictures attach.

Option 2: combined The best of Antigua with a Coffee Plantation:

8:00 a.m. Pick you up at the dock of Puerto Quetzal (our staff will welcome you with a sign of your name) and then come to Antigua (1 1/2 hour driving), first you will visit a Coffee plantation and you will discover why Guatemala is famous for its coffee, How coffee is process; How we can produce the best quality coffee.

Learn all about coffee, the most complete tour that includes: Coffee nursery, shade grown plantation, wet mill, sun drying patios, hand sorting, roasting and packing plant, copping lab, coffee and souvenir shop.

Then, you will visit the Ancient Colonial City beginning for its Main Square, The Cathedral, San Francisco El Grande Church, The Convent of La Merced, Hotel Museum Casa Santo Domingo, some jade and silver factory ending at 2:30 p.m.

You will be heading back to Puerto Quetzal; please consider to take packed lunch (not included).

The trip Includes: Transportation, professional and informative English speaking Guide,entry to mentioned cloisters.

Does not include: lunch

Price:

2 passengers: US$ 143.00 per passenger

3 passengers: US$ 108.00 per passenger

4 passengers: US$ 88.00 per passenger

5 passengers and up: US$ 78.00 per passenger

Which of those two options would you like to take?

For us, will be a pleasure wait your arrival and stay with you visiting this interesting City.

Yours truly!

1. 
   

Eva Piñón

 

_____________________________

 

 

 

Mobile/Celular: +502 5651-2289 | Phone/Teléfono: +502 7938-5113

Website: http://www.turansa.com | skype: turansa4

Our Catalog: http://issuu.com/turansa/docs/turansatravelcatalog

Versión para Android

Versión para Apple iPhone o iPad

 

Especialista de viajes por toda Guatemala, para grupos y pasajeros individuales desde 1989. Ofreciendo servicios a la medida, renta privada de buses, hoteles, tours Opcionales, circuitos, Etc.

Guatemala Travel Specialists for Group Tours & Individual Travelers since 1989. Offering Tailor Made Tours & Private Bus Rentals, Hotels, Circuits, Optional tours, Etc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Sandtrap328]

SadieC--we will be on the same cruise with you. This will be our 5th time doing this cruise. Mexican ports are easy to do on your own. Tours can be arranged right off the ship. Be sure to go to Lands End in Cabo. As for Antigua, I recommend that you take a ships tour. They are very similar to the private ones summarized by previous poster. Keep in mind that it will be a long day to visit Antigua and that ships tour provide the peace of mind of not missing the ship. We have visited all of these ports before on prior canal crossings and I feel strongly that ships tours are the way to go if you want to visit Antigua--which you should! As for Costa Rica, you have that covered. If you want a tour in Colon, I also recommend sticking with Celebrity. Cartagena you can do on your own. My only caution there is (unless you want to shop for tacky souvenirs) is to tell your guide that you do not want to visit The Dungeons!

[shipster60]

SadieC--we will be on the same cruise with you. This will be our 5th time doing this cruise. Mexican ports are easy to do on your own. Tours can be arranged right off the ship. Be sure to go to Lands End in Cabo. As for Antigua, I recommend that you take a ships tour. They are very similar to the private ones summarized by previous poster. Keep in mind that it will be a long day to visit Antigua and that ships tour provide the peace of mind of not missing the ship. We have visited all of these ports before on prior canal crossings and I feel strongly that ships tours are the way to go if you want to visit Antigua--which you should! As for Costa Rica, you have that covered. If you want a tour in Colon, I also recommend sticking with Celebrity. Cartagena you can do on your own. My only caution there is (unless you want to shop for tacky souvenirs) is to tell your guide that you do not want to visit The Dungeons!

We will be on this cruise also. Thanks for the advice. We booked the ships kayak tour in Cabo. Do you know anything about this? I love to kayak, but I am wondering how rough the water will be.

[TeeRick]

Did you go to the CC port forum and ask this question? Or did you research tours through Trip Advisor?

[Sandtrap328]

We will be on this cruise also. Thanks for the advice. We booked the ships kayak tour in Cabo. Do you know anything about this? I love to kayak, but I am wondering how rough the water will be.

 

Sorry, no experience with kayak tours. Sounds like fun though if you are experienced. My kayak experiences have been limited to Florida streams and generally headed downstream so easy-peasy.

[captdave]

We did the Sept 2015 San Fran to Fort Lauderdale 17 Night Aqua 1 Cabin 1125 Celebrity Infinity, great trip.

 

We researched the trip for 13 months beforehand. Read the books, listened to the tapes.

 

Got to see the Atlantic Side of the New Mega Canal days before they let the water in, very lucky.

 

 

 

 

 

 

CaptDave

[shipster60]

Did you go to the CC port forum and ask this question? Or did you research tours through Trip Advisor?

Yes. I posted on the port forum but got no reply. I read about similar excursions on trip advisor but saw no personal experience reviews. I was just hoping to find someone who has actually done the excursion.

[sdnich]

Hi payd

I wanted to ask you about the Guatemala tour I contacted the company but wanted to ask you if you were at all worried about getting back to the port on time? Seems like a lot of people are worried about that so they recommend taking the ship Tour but we would prefer to take a private tour. Just wanted to get your opinion and also it asked on their website to pay a minimum insurance do you remember how much that was?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[sdnich]

Oh also we are already booked with another company but they wanted 330.00 for two people so I thought I would switch to this company if they have availability.And you did use them and were pleased

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Sandtrap328]

CaptDave, we were on the Sept 2015 sailing with you. As you said it is a fabulous cruise. For those who want to avoid a ships tour to Antigua, WHY? The one we took was conducted with small groups--10-12 pax per guide. Plus, the cost is just as reasonale as the private ones noted. Consider that you will need to travel 1 1/2 hours each way and that a problem with transportation is not as quickly solved in Guatemala as it is in the US. Whatever you decide though, if this is your first visit to Guatemala, Antigua is not to be missed.

[captdave]

CaptDave, we were on the Sept 2015 sailing with you. As you said it is a fabulous cruise. For those who want to avoid a ships tour to Antigua, WHY? The one we took was conducted with small groups--10-12 pax per guide. Plus, the cost is just as reasonale as the private ones noted. Consider that you will need to travel 1 1/2 hours each way and that a problem with transportation is not as quickly solved in Guatemala as it is in the US. Whatever you decide though, if this is your first visit to Guatemala, Antigua is not to be missed.

 

Take the Ship's Tour Bus Ride to Antigua, Guatemala. Antigua and the Panama Canal Crossing were the best part of the Cruise.

 

 

 

 

 

CaptDave

[SadieC]

SadieC--we will be on the same cruise with you. This will be our 5th time doing this cruise. Mexican ports are easy to do on your own. Tours can be arranged right off the ship. Be sure to go to Lands End in Cabo. As for Antigua, I recommend that you take a ships tour. They are very similar to the private ones summarized by previous poster. Keep in mind that it will be a long day to visit Antigua and that ships tour provide the peace of mind of not missing the ship. We have visited all of these ports before on prior canal crossings and I feel strongly that ships tours are the way to go if you want to visit Antigua--which you should! As for Costa Rica, you have that covered. If you want a tour in Colon, I also recommend sticking with Celebrity. Cartagena you can do on your own. My only caution there is (unless you want to shop for tacky souvenirs) is to tell your guide that you do not want to visit The Dungeons!

 

 

Thanks so much for this great information and looking froward to hopefully meeting you on the cruise! It's great to have experienced cruisers like yourselves and ones previously posting, to help out those newbies like ourselves!

With Antigua, we are seriously considering the Celebrity excursion "Antigua-Self Guided"-Celebrity organizes the hour and 1/2 bus ride and they provide a map, and off we go!! Is that a safe option?

Also, we are thinking about the "Fort Lorenzo and Gatun Locks" Celebrity tour in Colon. So many different options that's for sure. Any favorites there would be so welcomed.

 

Have posted as well a few months ago in the other various port forums, but have found that there is little traffic so to speak, with responses to my newbie questions. :o:D

Very much appreciate everyone's advice!!

[Sandtrap328]

SadieC,

 

While I believe you would have no safety issue in most of Antigua, there are some sketchy areas and, please be aware, you will be followed most of the time by "vendors" trying to sell you their wares. This will happen even on a ships tour. The "vendors" might seem aggressive, but they are mostly females and young children all dressed in native costumes. Still, it is best to guard your valuables as the streets will be very crowded. That said, I think you will miss alot on a self-guided tour. The guided tour options would ensure that you see all the highlights----and learn the history of what you are seeing. The walking tour will be brisk in order to cover everything. But, if you are not disabled, it is doable. Also, if on the tour that includes a stop at a native music center, it is a wonderful addition to the Old City. We have never done the Colon tour you asked about, having chosen instead to visit the rain forest areas. And, on one trip, the Smithsonion Tropical Research Center. In 2015, we only left the ship for a quick walk around the port area. In doing so, while I was hunting for souvenirs, my husband met the President of Panama!

[SadieC]

Thanks very much everyone for the responses! Such a gift to have CC'ers with experience give us words of wisdom as we newcomers forge new experiences.