Panama Canal cruise- questions on shore excursions and upgrade

[FourthQ]

Greetings. We are relatively new to cruising (one cruise 10 years ago) and have booked a trans-Panama Canal cruise from Fort Lauderdale to Los Angeles on Emerald Princess. 

We see shore excursions offered by the ship at Cartagena, Fuerte Amador, Puntaarenas, San Juan del Sur, Huatulco and Puerta Vallarta. We have been to Puerta Vallarta twice and know enough to get around on our own. Looking for advise on whether it would be worthwhile to book shore excursions at the other ports through (1) the cruise line, (2) go on our own, or (3) stay on ship. 

Second question- we have booked a Balcony cabin. Princess is offering upgrades. The one which I might consider is an upgrade to Club Class Mini suite which offers Club class benefits. Are club class benefits worth $500/pp upgrade? We will be OK with the amount of space in our current cabin, but looking for advise on the other benefits of an upgrade.

[Essiesmom]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.  Suggest you ask your questions about the cabins and upgrade on the Princess board here.  As for your excursion questions, some might be answered on the Ports of call boards here.  Also, join the roll call for your cruise to see what your fellow cruisers are planning.  
As for Fuerte Amador,  it is hard to find info about tours other than what the cruise line might offer.  Viking Star sailed from there yesterday, and NCL Encore is in the canal now, after two overnights there.  There is an active roll call for the NCL cruise and you might browse some there to see what they had planned.  There were no roll calls for the Viking cruises.  We have a board here for the Panama Canal, under Ports of Call and eventually some might report back about tours.  EM

[FourthQ]

Thank you Eassiemom, will follow your recommendations.

[robthens]

Have cruised on Princess thru trans-Panama Canal twice.  Loved every minute of it!

Highly recommend you read The Path Between the Seas by David McCullough before you go. 

We enjoyed an aft facing balcony (actually the corner aft)  

Bring a state flag or school flag to display during the canal crossing.

Any tour you choose will be amazing. 

I'm sure there will be movies & a presenter giving talks about the canal.

Plan on ordering room service lunch for the day of.

 

[CPT Trips]

I recall really enjoying a Princess shorex that took in the amazing nature in Costa Rico. 

[Ashland]

We just did the Panama Canal San Pedro-Tampa with RCI. We avoided ship excursions and booked with members of our roll call. One in particular was just amazing in Puntarenus Costa Rica with Thumbs Up Tours.

[FourthQ]

Thank you robthens, CPT Trips and Ashland. You are helping a novice cruiser.