Excursions Confusion

We will be taking a partial transit in January on the Island Princess. This past week we had a get together of the group and discussed shore excursions etc. I am more confused now then before the meeting.

We will be coming in from the Atlantic side and thru the Gatun Locks into Gatun Lake. From there is where the tours are offered. This is where I am confused - all the tours that are offered, but 3, go back to the Gatun Locks.

Why? You just went through them and are going to back through them on the way out of the canal. I understand there are other attractions with some of these tours such as the Embera Indians, Railway ride, Fort San Lorenzo, rainforest, observation tower and wildlife but they still include the Gatun Locks as part of the tour. Is it that you get a very different perspective viewing the locks from land verses from the ship?

( I would enjoy the Expansion observation tower but that is only offered with one of the tours)

Three tours take you to the other end of the Canal, but I know I do not want to the ferry - too long and hot. That leaves:

Colonial Panama, Miraflores Locks & Scenic Drive &

Scenic Drive & Walking Tour of 'Old Panama City'

If you were only going to this cruise once - is going to the Pacific a must? The Colonial Panama, Mirafloreslocks is the only one the includes a stop at the other observation center.

Any insight on why you need to see the same locks a third time would be appreciated. Thanks!

Well, it is about your priorities and interests.

If you stay on the ship, you will go back through the Gatun Locks. If you take the ferry, you will see the rest of the Canal (which is of some serious importance to some people, perhaps not you), then return by bus, I believe, to Colon, where you will reboard the ship. At least that is the typical way of doing it.

Are you sure all those go back through the locks? You won't be on the ship if when it goes back through if you are on an excursion. Most excursions return you to the ship at Colon.

A "scenic walk" in Panama is not going to be cool.

If you do the Miraflores Locks bus tour, you will get to see much of the rest of the Canal in an air conditioned bus. Better for you?

The fact that the Gatun Locks can be seen from different perspectives is simply an acknowledgment of the importance of that site in the area. It is pretty key to the Canal!!

By the way, I would just have everybody take whatever tour interests them- don't try to get everybody on one excursion. Much easier.

We will be taking a partial transit in January on the Island Princess. This past week we had a get together of the group and discussed shore excursions etc. I am more confused now then before the meeting.

 

We will be coming in from the Atlantic side and thru the Gatun Locks into Gatun Lake. From there is where the tours are offered. This is where I am confused - all the tours that are offered, but 3, go back to the Gatun Locks.

Why? You just went through them and are going to back through them on the way out of the canal. I understand there are other attractions with some of these tours such as the Embera Indians, Railway ride, Fort San Lorenzo, rainforest, observation tower and wildlife but they still include the Gatun Locks as part of the tour. Is it that you get a very different perspective viewing the locks from land verses from the ship?

( I would enjoy the Expansion observation tower but that is only offered with one of the tours)

 

Three tours take you to the other end of the Canal, but I know I do not want to the ferry - too long and hot. That leaves:

Colonial Panama, Miraflores Locks & Scenic Drive &

Scenic Drive & Walking Tour of 'Old Panama City'

 

 

If you were only going to this cruise once - is going to the Pacific a must? The Colonial Panama, Mirafloreslocks is the only one the includes a stop at the other observation center.

 

Any insight on why you need to see the same locks a third time would be appreciated. Thanks!

Several reasons... Although you probably had the one of the best vantage points from your ship to view the locks, seeing the operation from shore side will give you a completely different perspective. A commentary will be provided that detail the operation, some of which maybe similar to what was presented on the ship, but you will be a lot closer to the mules, miter gates and such. There are also equipment and machinery displays. Most of the tours that include Gatun Locks do so to plus up the tour a bit, since the other attraction really won't take that much time. I think you would wind up feeling a little short changed, even with the Gatun Locks stop the tours on the Atlantic side only run about 4.5 hours. When you lock up through Gatun Locks in the morning that is the last time you will see Gatun Locks (if your tour doesn't include it as a stop), because while you are on your tour the ship will lock back down Gatun. The ship does not wait for you in Gatun Lake, the ship will dock in Colon where you will re board the ship.

If given a chance to go to Visitor's Center for the new expansion locks I certainly would not pass it by, but being honest other than a nice video presentation and a nice view of the complex a visit there will be short. There is the possibility they will be testing the facility with a post-Panamx ship, but other than that the only thing to see is the overlook of the lock complex. The new locks will have less visual impact when they are operating without the mules "herding" the ship through the lock.

As Bruce said, priorities and interests... IMO Panama is so different from many of the other Caribbean stops, even if you don't want to do the ferry through the Pacific Locks and Gaillard Cut Panama has a lot to see. Although I think the ferry has a reputation far worse than reality and would be my first choice for someone who is only coming this way once. Then again it is priorities and interests. Seeing Panama City is such a contrast to what you will see on the Atlantic side, many people can't say enough about the Embera Indian visit.

Don't have any idea how big your group is, but this might be the stop to break up into smaller groups to enable all to pick what suits them. While touring with friends is always great, I think there are such divergent choices here that could wind up leaving some less satisfied.

Whatever you decide... enjoy!

Thank you Gentlemen for some good information.

Yes, we will be breaking the group up as each as their own interests but I am sure some of us will be together on some tours.

I guess at this point what we need to decide is if seeing the rest of the canal is the priority or seeing the Gatun Locks from land and the Observation Tower is more to our interest. We can not do both.

I understand things a little better - that if we will only be going through the locks by water one way if we take an optional tour. We will meet back up with the ship in Colon via bus. If we opt to stay on the ship then we would go back through the locks to get to Colon.

Unfortunately, from what I am reading, there is only one tour that would take us to the Observation tower which I think we would enjoy. Decisions, decisions.

Staying on the ship is certainly an option and has a few advantages, such as all the prime viewing areas will be a lot less crowded and you can see some of the area you covered in darkness in the daylight. However it really is mostly retracing already covered ground. I think you will take away much more of Panama and the Canal if opt to take one of the tours.

One cautionary note on any of the shorter tours on the Atlantic side, this would include Today's Lock System and the Future , PC1-235 where you would go to the observation center for the new locks... There is a good possibility your tour will be completed and you will have returned to the pier area in Colon before your ship arrives at the pier. The timing of the ship's arrival at the pier is rather fluid... from the time the ship initially reaches Gatun Lake, the time the tendering begins, the time your particular tour departs and ultimately when the ship begins the return down lockage at Gatun Locks. Lot of places for time to slide. Sometimes there is little or no wait and other times 2 hour wait is not uncommon. There is a shopping mall attached to the pier area that is safe to wander through, should be able find some air conditioning and even buy a T shirt from my old friend Matt!

Thanks again, Bill.

I have heard the timing of the ship through the locks is never set in stone, as it all depends on what is coming and going in the canal. I will be sure to look up Matt if we get to that shopping area :).

The timing of the ship etc is one of the reasons I was concerned about the ferry tour. If the tour would be 6 hours as listed, that would be fine but I have read on several occasions where it has last 10 hours of more. I totally understand that this cannot be controlled and no one's fault but instead of being on the ferry for that length of time, I have sort of ruled out that tour.

It sounds like the trip you're taking is a partial transit...so whether you're on an excursion or the ship, you will go back thru the Gatun locks....I don't think any excursion is necessary on a partial transit...there is a navigator onboard explaining all about the locks...and the transit in and out of Lake Gatun IS an excursion!

If you get off the ship in the lake, ALL of the excursions are quite long, and you meet back up with the ship at the pier....and it's HOT and HUMID....really HOT.

Stay on the ship, enjoy the transit in and out of the lake...and retreat to the AC when you get too hot. It's really quite a relaxing day, as there will be many passengers who do leave the ship, meaning less crowds for you to deal with!

It sounds like the trip you're taking is a partial transit...so whether you're on an excursion or the ship, you will go back thru the Gatun locks....I don't think any excursion is necessary on a partial transit...there is a navigator onboard explaining all about the locks...and the transit in and out of Lake Gatun IS an excursion!

 

 

Sorry, bad and confusing info here...If you go on an excursion the ship will go back through the locks, and dock at Colon. You may- rarely- go back through the locks on an excursion, but the vast majority of excursions DO NOT go back through the locks. They may overlook the locks at observation points or visitor centers, but they don't go back through the locks.

There is no "navigator" on board talking about the Canal and it's operations. A ship's pilot is brought on, along with a narrator- who describes what is happening and info about the Canal.

Honestly Denise, I don't get a commission on any tours... let alone the ferry:D! But the Pacific side and the Gaillard Cut shows has more visual interest than just the passage through Gatun alone. However, if your main concern is the tour turning into a marathon on the Canal, that probably won't happen. You are right, vessel movement in the Canal is absolutely not set in stone... sometimes even Jello would be to restrictive, but sometimes ship happens. When the excursion is on time, you have about 4 hours on the ferry and about 2.5 bus transportation to and from. An 8 hour excursion would not be out of the ordinary including the bus.

As far as Matt, he is pretty easy to spot, his location was just before you went to board the ship. Big tall guy with long thinning blond hair, surfer looking... easy to spot among the locals!

Several years ago we took the Holland ferry excursion through the Cut to Pacific Locks and will be doing so again in Jan 2016.

Yes it was hot & humid, but not horribly hot!!! What we were seeing made up for any normal heat. There were 3 decks (bottom 2 inside sitting, top deck all outside partly shaded) & we sat up top at a table in shade. Light lunch was served buffet style on the lowest deck. Drinks & snacks available for purchase. I prepared for heat & for rain showers: I took a couple bottles of water, sunscreen, an extra shirt & hat, a washcloth, a towel, an umbrella (for rain or too much sun) & plastic ponchos (in case of rain). I walked up to front of deck where there was a breeze. We really really enjoyed the Ferry!! As I recall there was some commentary. The cut, continental divide, bridge were quite interesting. We passed several ships (containers, cruise ships, yachts, etc) heading to the Gatun Locks. The 3 Pacific side locks are 1 by itself & 2 together. We had to wait briefly to go into 1 of those Pacific locks, while a large ship entered the lock ahead of us and a smaller boat caught up with our ferry to go through with us. There was a large observation building close to the canal. Then we could see the tall buildings of Panama City in the distance and then sailed into the Pacific ocean. Most of the bus ride to Colon to meet up with our ship was through city & country. Near Colon was a terrible traffic jam due to a couple of downtown buildings on fire....our bus driver creatively cut through several parking lots & side streets to get out of the traffic standstill & back to the ship!!

Thanks, Kay.

We have not made any decisions yet, just a lot to consider with this cruise.

What would you say was the total time of the excursions? from the time you got off the ship until you boarded back in Colon.

Thanks, Kay.

 

We have not made any decisions yet, just a lot to consider with this cruise.

What would you say was the total time of the excursions? from the time you got off the ship until you boarded back in Colon.

I was on the Island Princess last December (partial transit) and did the ferry tour. We got through the locks into Gatun Lake about 9:30 or 10, tendered ashore and were on the ferry itself approx. 4 hours. Then an hour and a half back to Colon by bus. I think we got back to Colon about 5. That doesn't sound like it adds up but that includes time to board the ferry, time on the bus to get to the ferry, etc. In many persons' minds, going through to the Pacific IS a must, because you might not ever get back there and if you want to see more of the Canal than just Gatun Locks, there's no better way than the ferry. As far as seeing Gatun Locks from land (observation tower) you are going to get no better close-up view of the locks than from just being on the ship. Go to the highest deck, the lowest deck, forward, aft, promenade deck, views all different.