Quepos and Colon Questions

[RemPuck]

Hi Everyone –

 

Thanks for all the answers to my questions a few months ago when we were trying to decide on taking a Windstar cruise.  In the end, we voted “yes,” and my husband and I are booked on the Star Breeze 12 December trip from Aruba to Costa Rica, via the Panama Canal. I now have two follow up questions:

 

1.      In Quepos, I am looking to arrange a private tour of Manuel Antonio park.  The guide has asked me if we can be off the ship by 8:00 AM.  From looking at the timing for other excursions, it looks like some are leaving as early as 7:00 so disembarking should be underway.  However, are there restrictions about getting in the tenders/zodiacs (only ship excursions first)?  Any guidance is appreciated.

 

2.      We have a full day in Colon, Panama, prior to the transit.  There are no excursions offered and it doesn’t look like there much of anything to do in Colon.  Many of the trips start or end in Colon but I haven’t seen any reports of what people have done in Colon that didn’t include coming from or going to Panama City pre- or post-cruise.  Is there anything to do that anyone can recommend?  Has anyone tried making a day trip to Panama City?  Is it feasible? Do we just call it an extra "sea day" (spa day )?

 

We’re very excited about the upcoming trip and appreciate everyone’s help (and patience!).

[Ski Mom 2]

I don't think you should have any trouble getting off by 8 a.m. Just head down when you're ready and if there's a small line, get in it. If you don't make the tender they are loading you'll get in the next one. (So I would suggest being down at 7:45 a.m.)On our recent WS cruise we had to wait only once for the next tender and it didn't take that long.

 

When we did our WS Panama Canal cruise, we flew into Panama City for a few days before having a car and driver take us to Colon for boarding. Our driver had lived in Panama for many years (he had actually worked at the canal) and told us to go right to the ship, no stopping because it really wasn't safe. There is a shopping area in Colon he said was OK. I would bet there might be excursions offered eventually. I can't remember how long it took us to drive over from Panama City. We stayed in the old part of town and wandered that area and enjoyed the shops and restaurants. It was lovely.

[RemPuck]

Thanks Ski Mom2!  Your information about the tendering process is especially helpful.

 

Windstar recently added ship excursions out of Colon and we've selected to take one that is doing a trip to Panama City (there are a few other options available but we really wanted to see Panama City).   I have confidence that any traffic issues we may encounter en route back to Colon won't lead to a panic attack about the ship leaving without us - my biggest fear of trying to do this trip on our own.

 

Five weeks from today we board...getting very excited!

 

[milepig]

If the excursion is booked through WS they will get you back to the ship on time. The real problem can be when you book a private tour.

 

Our trans-canal itin ended in Colon, and  the little bit we saw did not impress us. There is a big duty free zone there, but reports are that there are only a few retail stores, the layout is big and confusing and prices aren't all that great. We were flying home from Panama City the same day that we docked in Colon and just went ahead and booked the tour/airport transfer through WS. The tour part took us to a few parts of Panama City we hadn't previously seen - a big park with ruins, can't remember the name at the moment, and some repeats - we stopped at the old city for the exact same walk we'd had on another tour. We just skipped that walk, went back to a couple places we wanted more time in, did a little shopping and then waited for the walkers back at the bus. When you book this type of excursion WS takes note of the flight times and makes sure you get to the airport on time. Not the cheapest thing but it was easy. Sometimes easy trumps price!

[Doh15]

We did a WS tour of the canal from Colon and really liked it (at the time only group tours could see both the new locks and the old locks-- not sure if that's still what they do).  Of course we were just doing a Colon-Aruba cruise so weren't sailing through the canal...