Panama Canal Sunfarer Cruise - Would Appreciate Your Advice

[Old As Dirt Mom]

Our first cruise ever is to Alaska this summer on HAL. No problem there, I've got all our excursions planned. Our second cruise this coming winter will take us to Half Moon Cay, the ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao), a partial transit of the Panama Canal, Colon, Puerto Limon, Grand Cayman, Roatan, and Cozumel. All these ports will be new for us. I do visit the Ports of Call board regularly, and I've received a fair amount of information there. If any of you who have cruised this part of the world have any tips on what to see and what to do, we'd be most grateful. We are a family of four: two middle-aged parents, one teen daughter (17), and one 8-year-old daughter. Thank you very much!

[SUZYHOFF]

Sounds like a wonderful itinerary. We have been to all ports, except Roatan.

Aruba - wonderful snorkling, booked thru HAL

Bonaire - again, wonderful snorkling, HAL excursion to Kline Bonaire, years ago. Cucacao - Porto Mari, great calm beach, full services, not crowded - also a fun canoe, snorkle, swim tour a couple years ago. Colon - Train ride to Panama City, watching the locks. Costa Rica - Jungle tour. Grand Cayman - swimming, snorkling with the sting rays, a Must-do!, Cozumel - cab ride to the National Park for swimming, etc.

We have cruised many times, some when our children were younger. They enjoyed all the above. Hope this is helpful. What cruise? Sounds like a great trip. Suzy (neighbor in Portland)

[Old As Dirt Mom]

...Thanks SuzyHoff, for your recommendations for the various ports we'll be visiting. It's a 14-day Holiday cruise, RT Fort Lauderdale, to the Southern and Western Caribbean with a partial Panama Canal Transit and a little bit of Costa Rica thrown in for good measure:), as well as Half Moon Cay! (Takes a deep breath; it IS quite an itinerary!) We're looking forward to it! Hope you have some exciting cruises coming up in your future as well.

[AAL]

We just finished a 10 day sunfarer with our two daughters, ages 13 and 18.

 

The highlight for them was Costa Rica, where we arranged a tour with Danillo Hall (Caribbean Adventures) and went ziplining. It was great fun. Danillo also took us to a small animal rescue center where we were able to hold monkeys, feed sloths, etc.

 

Another favorite excursion was the beach express in Curacao (through HAL). A good narrated tour and a morning at Blue Bay Beach, which is almost as beautiful as HMC. Snorkel gear and lounge chair were included.

 

We also did the ferry excursion in the canal. I thought it was fascinating. The girls did not, but I would make the same choice again. We also heard good things about the railroad excursion.

 

Have a great time!

[Old As Dirt Mom]

Thank you, Ardithl! I've taken notes from your post, and will look up both Danillo Hall and Blue Bay Beach. My husband wants to learn about the Panama Canal, and will probably take a ferry tour with our oldest daughter. We'll be up in your neck of the woods this summer (sort of, just several hundred miles away in Juneau, Glacier Bay, Ketchikan, and Sitka, etc.) Happy Future Cruising:)