Panama Canal Shore Excursions

[anley]

We are going to Panama Canal on HAL and would like input on what is the best shore excursion. It looks like we will only have time to do one so we would like to do the best one and save the rest for other times.
Would really appreciate any help.
Thanks in advance .
Stan:cool::cool:

[wwinfl91]

Are you doing a full transit or a partial? If you are doing a full transit, I would suggest planning on just staying onboard and enjoy the canal and both sets of locks. If it is a partial and you will have time in the lake, you will have better luck listing what is available and you are interested in.

Have a great next cruise.

[Southbound]

Would highly recommend the Panama Canal railway excursion. We booked the domed railcar and it turned out to be an excellent decision. Did this on our 14-day Rotterdam holiday cruise and it was the highlight of the sailing.

[anley]

Thanks for the answer on Panama Canal train. I was wondering wether to do the regular or observation train, but now I Know . Is it available independently or just from the cruise line?
Thanks again,
Stan:cool::cool:

[Copper10-8]

Took the excursion to Panama City in FEB 05 on a partial transit on Rotterdam. It included a walking tour by the waterfront and a lunch. Never having been to Panama City before, we thought it was a nice one. Never have done the train but heard good things about it. On the full transits, one of the excursions we've taken was a river raft tour. Lots of wildlife (the animal kind). Pretty hot but fun. Whatever you decide, have a great one!;)

[eldercruser]

We also took the domed railway excursion. Since there was also a Celebrity ship in Lake Gatun with us that day we we went one way by bus and returned on the train. Actually, the bus tour was as interesting as the time on the train. Highly recommended.

[Southbound]

If memory serves me right, I believe the cruise line has the exclusive on that particular excursion. That's why we booked it thru HAL, as we usually book our excursions with a local company in each port. The domed railcar sells out fast, so if you're seriously considering it, would suggest you book asap. It includes a very nice boxed lunch on board in a really neat commemorative package. Ours had a turkey breast sandwich, fresh fruit, chocolates, potato chips, a box of raisins, and bottles of iced water were passed out to pax. The tour started with a bus ride to the train with an American gentleman as our tour guide (had a great sense of humor!) and while en route gave us interesting info about the areas we were passing through. Made a pit stop at a very attractive, new mall with shops and restaurants, and eventually arrived at the train station. Our return trip was again by train to the station, then the bus back to the ship. We felt this excursion and the domed car was very well worth the price and would do it again in a heartbeat.

[CruiseReg]

Here's another +1 for the train tour. We did this tour 12/04 on the Carnival Legend. It was a great tour, with the train, the bus and the visit to one of the locks. Highly recommended even though its the one and only time we've been to Panama.

[anley]

:)Thanks for your input we just booked the train and if thats all we do i'll be
happy . Of course we are stopping at Aruba, Curacao and Puero Moin so any input on cruises there would be appreciated.
Thanks Again
Stan:cool::cool:

[Blue Eyes]

Stan
Not sure what you like to do, but I think one of our best snorkel trips ever has been at Curacao. We took one with HAL and the last time we booked it ourselves. Both went to a cove off the southern end of the island over a boat wreck. We saw the most fish and the most colorful ones, too. There is a high bluff at the coastline with an abandoned hospital that was used during sailing times to isolate sick sailors. Don't worry if the water around the port is rough, the cove is very calm...In Aruba we rented a car at the pier and did the island on our own. We met a great couple on the ship and asked them to join us. We went south near the oil refinery to a little town to Charlie's, a local bar and ate some great huge shrimp at lunch, made a stop at the beach, went though some caves and drove over to the Natural bridge. I had gotten maps from an internet site and the car rental company gave us maps, too. Never got lost and could stop anytime we wanted to...

[GMoney]

I totally agree with Southbound. That dome car rides is a great excursion, and one of my favorites ever. Make sure you get the dome car though, and not the regular train car.