Your Opinions Wld Be Appreciated Re Panama Canal Itinerary

[Southbound]

We are booked on the 12/22 14-day sailing of the Rotterdam and this will be our first Panama Canal experience (partial transit). We usually arrange our own tours when visiting a port for the first time, but feel for this trip it might be more beneficial to try a couple of the ship's excursions.

For the stop in Puerto Limon, CR, we're considering the Tortuguero Canals excursion. It sounds like it would be a very interesting tour; however, based on HAL's description, we're wondering whether we should be prepared with rain gear/insect repellant.

The domed railcar tour of the Panama Canal is another one we think we'd enjoy, but are wondering if staying on board instead would enhance the experience of the canal.

We'll also be visiting San Blas Islands (from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.), but no excursions are shown on HAL's site, so we have no idea what might be available to see/do at that port.

Would greatly appreciate opinions/advice.

Lee

[DFD1]

We have taken the rail tour along side the canal to the west coast and Panama City.
It travels thru the jungle forest with several good views of the canal along the way. There is close up visit to one of the sets of locks. This is a walk about stop and provides good photo ops. The train cars have good A/C, are beautifully restored and there is a reasonably brief bus tour on the western end of the line. Lunch served on the return leg of the train tour is ordinary at best.....a cold boxed lunch.

All in all, we had a very enjoyable day and were very satisfied with the tour. Since we haven't done a partial transit, I can't compare the two....but I will speculate that the partial transit is probably better.

Have Fun. You're sailing on a fine ship.

[Krazy Kruizers]

In Puerto Limon we did the Tortuguero Canal tour - loved it. Wear DEET. Husband always carries small portable umbrellas in his back pack. Take water.

We did the domed railroad car - loved it. Take along some food of your own - the snack they serve on the return trip isn't much.

Do not stay on the ship while it is anchored in Gatun Lake - unless you want a day on the ship. You can't even go over to the "Yatch" club (as they call it) unless you buy what is called a tour - around $30 per person - not worth it. It really isn't a yatch club. Just some locals come down to the pier and sing and dance. They sell some native crafts.

[doone]

HIGHLY recommend the canal tour in Costa Rica. Maybe it was the time of year I was there, which was March, we weren't bothered by any insects. Also, while in Costa Rica, don't forget your Costa Rican Coffee!!!!

[OCruisers]

Southbound .... Good suggestions from the above posters. You might want to consider taking the MORNING Tortugero Canal Tour rather than going in the afternoon. We went in the afternoon and only saw two monkies in a distant tree. Those on the morning tour saw lots of different animals. Something to do with their "eating & hunting time"....

San Blas Islands: We were there on a Princess cruise some years ago. Don't know if it's the same with HAL ... but Princess offered no organized shore excursions in San Blas. There was continuous tender service to three of the islands. Rather interesting to walk through the villages and shops -- very colorful. Much begging for dollars -- maybe, that part is better now. We enjoyed watching the locals in their "dug outs" (canoes). They paddled out to our anchor location and completely surrounded our ship ... sort of like what you see the natives do in old South Pacific movies. We were instructed NOT to throw them quarters (diving for quarters). Naturally, many, many PAX were throwing quarters anyway. It's an experience. Don't care to go back BUT glad we've been!!!

Hope this help a little! Happy Sailing! OCruisers :)

[Gsel]

We were on the same trip as Doone and couldn't agree more. The canals are worth any amount of Deet it takes and the train is very interesting. The suggestion of doing the canals in the morning is also a good one. We would enjoy this itinerary again and again. Also, don't forget the coffee, have been ordering it by mail since March and couldn't be happier, Cafe Britt is great coffee and a wonderful company.

[Southbound]

Many THANKS to all for your input. It really helped in our decision making. The advice (Deet/C.R. coffee/food/small umbrellas) is also much appreciated.

One of our other ports is Curacao, which we've been to a couple of times where we've spent our time in Willemstad doing some shopping & and making modest donations at the casinos. Our itinerary shows we'll be there from 6 a.m. until 12 midnight, which gives us plenty of time. Is there anything else of interest in particular on the island that would merit taking a tour with a local taxi? Since we have the early dinner seating, also wondering if there's anything especially worthwhile to do on the island in the evening.

[dakrewser]

One of our other ports is Curacao, which we've been to a couple of times where we've spent our time in Willemstad doing some shopping & and making modest donations at the casinos. Our itinerary shows we'll be there from 6 a.m. until 12 midnight, which gives us plenty of time. Is there anything else of interest in particular on the island that would merit taking a tour with a local taxi? When we were there last fall we rented a car and drove out to the western end of the island (well, I thing we did the whole island eventually - road signs weren't ALL that good :) ). WE picked up the car at the shopping mall near the dock/floating bridge but had to return it to the airport (the mall office closed at 6).

There's lovely beaches, parks, a lighthouse and more out west - and very uncrowded. There's some pictures (we still haven't put them all up!) at http://vquill.com/carib4.htm

-dave

[OCruisers]

Southbound .... Saw a reply to a thread today in the ports of call section under Caribbean Other with more up-to-date info on The Sand Blas Islands than my post ... and immediately thought of you:

San Blas Islands Thread (http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=74258)

[OCruisers]

(continued from above ... hit the wrong button)

dakrewsers (dave) .... Great photos - Thanks! :) We will be back in Curacao in January on Veendam from Noon 'til Midnight. Gosh, we've never rented a car there before but you certainly make it sound attractive. If we were going to be there all day, we'd do it for sure. Right now, we think we'll go to Mambo Beach -- either to the Kontiki Beach Club or to Seaquarium Beach -- for a few hours in the afternoon .... Any thoughts on this .... :confused:

Happy Sailing! OCruisers :)

[Southbound]

Dakrewser - Taking a ride over to the other side of the island is a good idea and sounds interesting. Would probably do it after breakfast and, since the shops in Willemstad are closed from 12-2 we could thereafter spend the afternoon helping their economy. Have made a note of your suggestion. Thanks. (Tried to open your photos, but wasn't able to. Don't know why.)

OCruisers - How thoughtful of you to remember. Read the link you provided and now understand why no ship's excursions are offered. We always feel sad (and so fortunate) when seeing the poverty and living conditions on some of the islands we've visited, but yet the people are so friendly and helpful. In any event, am sure we'll patronize the vendors near the ship and do a photo op or two.

[Liat]

Before you go - read "The Path Between the Seas" by David McCullough. It is the story of the construction of the Canal - the failed French try and the successful American effort. We had a friend who read it after his trip, and he strongly recommended reading it first. I did so, and it made me appreciate this monument to man's determination and genius much more. We sailed on Infinity in December 2002, San Diego to Florida; and did not
get off the ship. The people who did the rail trip did not enjoy it, so I would stay on board.