Excursion question for Feb/23

[Raisinette]

I'll be on the Emerald Princess full transit departing Fort Lauderdale Feb 1/2023.  This will be my first Panama Canal cruise.

Excursions are available for every (port) day of the cruise except the day of our full transit, is this normal? 

Thanks!

[njhorseman]

1 hour ago, Raisinette said:

I'll be on the Emerald Princess full transit departing Fort Lauderdale Feb 1/2023.  This will be my first Panama Canal cruise.

Excursions are available for every (port) day of the cruise except the day of our full transit, is this normal? 

Thanks!

Yes, on a full transit you stay on the ship, unless it is also doing a port call in Colon on the Atlantic side prior to the transit or Fuerte Amador on the Pacific side after the transit.

[Raisinette]

Aaaaahhh, so the various threads about ferry/train excursions only apply if you are doing a partial transit?

[Essiesmom]

Yes.  The transit IS the excursion.  EM

[CruiserBruce]

1 hour ago, Raisinette said:

Aaaaahhh, so the various threads about ferry/train excursions only apply if you are doing a partial transit?

Or, the fairly rare full transit cruise that has a port stop that might get you an excursion in Panama. But, overall, the full transits (the more desirable cruise, IMHO) don't stop in Panama. So no excursions.

[Raisinette]

6 hours ago, njhorseman said:

Yes, on a full transit you stay on the ship, unless it is also doing a port call in Colon on the Atlantic side prior to the transit or Fuerte Amador on the Pacific side after the transit.

I'm re-reading this, checked our itinerary, and we will have a stop in Fuerte Amador after the transit.  So does that mean we should have some type of excursion available after all?

I am very excited to be doing a full transit, but also trying to explore options!

 

[BillB48]

With  stop in Ft. Amador after the transit will allow to choose from a full range of shore excursions.  Usually these excursions include visits to both the old and new locks, possibly a partial transit of the original Pacific side Locks along with a passage through Gaillard Cut, visits to the Embera Indians and tours of Panama City.

[Raisinette]

Thanks to everyone for the information!

[Willwils]

We will be on The Emerald Princess for a full Panama Canal transit starting 1/22/24 in Ft Lauderdale. We will be docking for excursions etc. in Fuerte Amador.  Had a hard time finding this thread so we booked the Princess excursion "Best of Fuerte Amador- Colonial Panama & Mirafloras Locks Observation Center" . Has anyone ever done that excursion? Any recommendations pro or con? We have time to cancel and re-book if necessary. BTW, some of the tours for the rainforest and Gatun Lake take 1+ hours just to get there by their bus. 

[BillB48]

I am unsure what the "Best of Amador" would entail other than a drive through Ft. Amador on your way to the Old City and Miraflores Locks.  Primarily Ft. Amador is the causeway to the small group of islands where the cruise terminal is located (if they ever get it finished) various stores, restaurants and great views of Panama City and the Bridge of Americas.  The Biodiversity Museum is also located in Ft. Amador.  I don't believe the 1+ hour travel time is entirely accurate for the rain forest an Gatun Lake.  I believe that part of the tour description was just copied from the description when the tour operated from the Atlantic side.  To go directly to that area would only take 30-45 minutes under normal circumstances.