Question on MSC Panama Old Quarter excursion

[Bluewake]

I am hoping we can get some advice from someone who has taken the MSC "Panama Old Quarter" excursion. Four of us will be on MSC Divina in April 2024 and are looking at excursions. We all are interested in the Panama Old Quarter excursion which we believe is a tour of the historical part of Panama City.   The excursion is 4 and 1/2 hrs. Our specific questions are:

 

Does the ship stop at Colon or does it go on into Lake Gatun where passengers on excursions can disembark?

We assume the excursion "Panama Old Quarter" involves taking a bus to the old section of Panama City...do we catch that bus in Colon or at Lake Gatun?

Will we have any time to get off the bus and explore the old section of Panama City before we return?

 

I called MSC and tried to ask these questions but the rep was unable to answer them.  She had no idea if the ship goes into Lake Gatun.  When I asked about the excursion, she just kept repeating the time the ship arrives and leaves and saying we needed to take an excursion that got us back to the ship on time.  When I said it was a ship's excursion and I was aware of timing issue, she kept repeating the same thing. Then, she said I should ask my other questions when I get on the ship.

 

Any info would be greatly appreciated

 

Edited June 20, 2023 by Bluewake

[Essiesmom]

Looking at your itinerary, Divina will not enter the Panama Canal.  You will dock in Colon and chances are the tour will be by bus from the terminal in Colon.  EM

[Bluewake]

1 hour ago, Essiesmom said:

Looking at your itinerary, Divina will not enter the Panama Canal.  You will dock in Colon and chances are the tour will be by bus from the terminal in Colon.  EM

Yes.  That is what we are assuming.  In 2019, we sailed into Lake Gatun where we boarded a small boat that went through the canal to the Pacific and then took a bus back to Colon. The traffic was bad and it took a couple of hours to get back to Colon.  That is what makes us wonder if this "Panama Old Quarter"excursion will include any time in the historical section.  Is 4 1/2 hours enough, time especially if it starts in Colon?  I just wish MSC had someone with whom we could speak about the excursion.

[BillB48]

I haven't look at MSC's tour description and too often the cruise lines just have some customer service agent penned up in some cubicle parroting off a script.  In most cases the trip from Colon to Panama City will be just a little more than an hour, so the balance of time will be what your tour will consist of.  I would think the 4.5 hours is a rather conservative time estimate.