Colon, Panama Carnival Shore Excursions

Does anyone recommend any of the shore excursions while in Colon, Panama via Carnival? There is one person sailing in our group of 10 that has trouble walking and is either in a wheelchair or using his walker. Does that information change your choice of shore excursion? Trying to find something for this person to do while docked in Colon.

I am also loooking for some advice here. We are going on the Freedom June 6. Who has been on Carnival to Panama? I have read that sometimes you aren't allowed off ship unless you have booked a ship tour. Is this true on Carnival?

My family & I are going to Panama in a few weeks via Carnival Freedom. My dad & DH are planning to take the Panama canal tour. My mom & I might do the indian village. Those two excursions seem to have gotten pretty good reviews based on other threads I've read.

I'll try to post my findings when I get back from the cruise.

Has anyone done the Carnival Portobelo excursion from Colon?

Has anyone done the Carnival Portobelo excursion from Colon?

Just got back from the cruise a couple of weeks ago. We did the Portobelo Tour w/o the Gatun locks. It's a 1 1/2 hour bus ride (bathroom broken). Was it worth it? I'd say yes only because I'd never done it before. You do get to see the remnants of the forts and poverty that surround it. You stop in Portobelo and get to see the Black Christ statute. The tour guide was informative. There really is nothing at the port. Even I felt leery of venturing away from the fenced in area.

I've heard the panama city tour is really nice, however, it takes all day. Make sure you do it through carnival since they wil leave you if you're not back in time.

Thanks- Good to know how the tours are first-hand.

My family & I are going to Panama in a few weeks via Carnival Freedom. My dad & DH are planning to take the Panama canal tour. My mom & I might do the indian village. Those two excursions seem to have gotten pretty good reviews based on other threads I've read.

I'll try to post my findings when I get back from the cruise.

Please do post because I just can't make up my mind about an excursion for Panama.

I have done this on the Carnival Liberty and am doing it again next year on the Freedom.

Carnival will allow you off no problem. But this is the only port I've ever been to where I would recommend you take a ship excursion. There is a small shopping center at the pier you can walk around but you really shouldn't wander outside the gated area - Colon is not a nice place.

That said, Panama is one of my favorite places so far - you just have to get outside of the squalor and poverty in Colon to really experience it. Traffic and crime are a problem there so I think it's best not to venture out without a tour - and preferably a tour in numbers. This is coming from someone who has never felt the least bit leery in other ports, fine walking around or taking an independent excursion, I've walked through big U.S. cities at night, etc. I'm not the type to be scared by poverty, either. But Colon is rough. :(

We took the Two Oceans by Railroad tour last time. We loved it. It was a quick 10 minute bus ride to the train station, then a 1 hour train ride across the country running mostly along the length of the Canal. The train is very nice - Amtrak could take lessons! Lots of scenery and very relaxing. When we reached the station on the other end, we boarded another bus which took us to the Miraflores locks - spent about an hour there and got to see a ship going through the locks (this was pure luck.) After that we stopped for a photo opportunity in front of the Bridge of the Americas and had a quick visit to Ft. Amador where you can see Panama City and the Pacific Ocean. Then we took the train back, although some other members have reported that they took the bus back and I'm not sure how to tell which your sailing will do.

Seeing the canal is up there on my "can't believe I got to see that" list things I've done. The ferry tour also gets good reviews but we opted against it for a few reasons - mainly reports of crowding how hot it was with no A/C, and also that the ferry only does two sets of locks - we figured if we were going to do it, we wanted to transit the whole canal and not just part of it. Gives us an excuse to take a full transit cruise one of these days. :p

Just got back from the Freedom yesterday (sigh). Had a wonderful time. the ship is beautiful. The crew was great. As for Colon. I agree with the posts above, Colon is really not a place you'd want to wander around by yourself.

Colon shopping/port:

Basically you get off the ship then walk across this overhead walkway to a shopping area. You go through security at one end. They'll check your passport/copy of passport & your ship sail & sign. There are several souvenir shops right there at the end of the walkway. They are very similar in what they have to offer but their prices can vary. Surprisingly the first place we went into seemed to have the best prices on molas, panama hats & inexpensive stuff. They will bargain with you some if you pursue it. I was undecided on a panama hat, not because I was trying to get a lower price but because I didn't know my husband's hat size, & the store keeper lowered the price twice for me. I bought the hat & am now the proud owner of it since I guessed wrong. Oh well it fits me fine :)

Embera Indian Village:

As for excursions, I did the Embera Indian excursion with the ship. The ship used a company called Adventuras 2000 & they were very good. Our tour guide was very informative & the mini bus/van was comfortable & air conditioned. We left the port at 11am & drove about 45 mins to an hour. Once we got to the river/canal (?), we waited about 15 mins until the Embera came for us in their wooden canoes (with motor). There were three canoes & each had maybe two to three men in them. They were dressed with beaded wraps around their waists & beads around their necks. They were very particular how they loaded you into the canoes to keep them well balanced. The ride to their village was very pretty along the waterway. At one point they had to let us off to walk a short distance (but very rocky) to get back on the canoe (due to the shallowness of the water in this section). I believe that if you were unable to walk this, they would probably let you remain on the canoe (as long as it was only one or two people).

Once at their village, you walked a little ways to their village (not far, but a little ways). It was pretty. Their village is small. they gathered us in a large hut where the chief greeted us & told us about the Embera indians. Then they danced for you. You had time before & afterwards to wander around & to buy jewelry, carvings or woven baskets/masks. Everything was very reasonable. I bought mostly beaded necklaces ($5 each).

Afterwards we returned via canoe to the vans & then back to the ship. The tour was suppose to be 3 1/2 hours long & it went 4 3/4 hours. We were suppose to be on the ship at 3:30 & instead were still on the van. At 3:31, our tour guides cell phone rang & it was her company wanting to know exactly where we were & when we would get to the ship. I was glad that I was on a ship excursion since otherwise I would have been panicking. The downside to getting back late was that there was no time for shopping (so if you go on a late morning excursion, get out to the shops before you leave since you might not get a chance afterwards).

The tour cost $99/pp (on ship) & was sold out the eve before we hit port. Was it worth it? For me it was. All of the Carnival excursions are pricey but if you are going to go all the way to Panama, you want to see some of the area. There was a couple on cruise critic, that took a taxi to the Gatun Locks on their own & did fine. I wasn't gutsy enough to do that.

Panama Canal:

My dad & husband did the Panama canal tour (there is absolutely no time to shop on this tour as it gathers at 6:45 & got back just before the ship was set to sail at 4pm). This was a Carnival excursion as well. If you want to do this excursion - book it on line since it was sold out by the second night of the cruise. Also go with the Carnival excursion vs an independent since this is an all day affair & one of the buses on this excursion caught on fire & had to unload & then reload passengers. These things happen & you wouldn't want to be stranded somewhere with a private company that can't get you back to the ship.

Hope this info helped.

Thanks so very much for this report! It was very helpful to me. I am going on the Freedom June 6. I hope you will post about Costa Rica also!

Well, we dicided and we r taking the Carnival offered excursions. Gonna do the Treetops and water in costa rica and the Panama canal in Colon. Not worrth the chance of missing the ship, and I get very ansious.

Does anyone recommend any of the shore excursions while in Colon, Panama via Carnival? There is one person sailing in our group of 10 that has trouble walking and is either in a wheelchair or using his walker. Does that information change your choice of shore excursion? Trying to find something for this person to do while docked in Colon.

Im a wheelchair user, we r doing the treetops and water tour in costa rica, and the canal tour in Panama. I was guarresteed by Carnival that my wheel chair would go on the bus and the tour would be accessable. I can walk a little, but not far. Hope this helps.

Shirl

My family & I are going to Panama in a few weeks via Carnival Freedom. My dad & DH are planning to take the Panama canal tour. My mom & I might do the indian village. Those two excursions seem to have gotten pretty good reviews based on other threads I've read.

I'll try to post my findings when I get back from the cruise.

Be aware....the BUS ride of this tour is over 4 hours...2 hours each way!!!!

Hello

Are you back from your cruise. I am really curious about your Panama canal tour that you were going to take through carnival. Could you post the details - what exactly did you see and do- did u go through the locks and lake and is it worth the price. i am sure a lot of people like me would really really appreciate some 1st hand information from someone who has recently been on this excursion.

Thanks

hello 4spring09

Could you post the details of the panama Canal tour please- did they get to go through the locks and were they in a ferry- how long was the boat ride, bus ride and the overall experience? is it worth it or is the railroard one better.

thanks

Hello

 

Are you back from your cruise. I am really curious about your Panama canal tour that you were going to take through carnival. Could you post the details - what exactly did you see and do- did u go through the locks and lake and is it worth the price. i am sure a lot of people like me would really really appreciate some 1st hand information from someone who has recently been on this excursion.

 

Thanks

Not sure if this was meant for me or not...but we went in January...I was so excited to go as my great Uncle actually did some electrical work on the locks a LONG time ago!

The description doesn't tell you about the 2+ hour bus ride EACH way - bus has no bathroom either - we did go through the locks..it was pretty cool, but the 4 of us thought when we got back that the train one may have been a better bet...not sure tho

The Ferry/boat that you take through the canal gets pretty crowded...they did serve a buffet lunch and had drinks as well...for free. They also sold some t-shirts and things like that. The bathroom situation isn't much better on the boat than the bus...They prefer you "throw away" as opposed to "flush"...I didn't use it, so can't comment on that, except YUCK!

It didn't seem as exciting as I thought it would be if that makes sense...I don't know what I was really expecting...

Probably not the best review, but it was a little anticlimactic I think...for me...if you have specific questions, let me know...

Panama Canal:

Also go with the Carnival excursion vs an independent since this is an all day affair & one of the buses on this excursion caught on fire & had to unload & then reload passengers. These things happen & you wouldn't want to be stranded somewhere with a private company that can't get you back to the ship.

 

Hope this info helped.

we were actually LATE coming back...all 6 buses or whatever of us! Carnival held the ship since it was their excursion!

My son (age 11) and I (age 34) went on the Panama Canal tour....oh boy, very informative, but very long. Read my review for this. Bring a seat cushion too...and make certain you get on the first bus out of the cruise port or you will be last onto the ferry...putting you at the top in the hot sun. Everyone tends to stand up the first time you get into the first lock. Just be patient and not get frustrated, bcs they all sit down eventually and everyone can finally see what's going on. By the time you get to the second locke, you will enjoy yourself. It is a very very very long day. 2 hrs on the bus, 2 hours on the canal, and 2 hours back to the ship...have fun, and bring your camera.

Not sure if this was meant for me or not...but we went in January...I was so excited to go as my great Uncle actually did some electrical work on the locks a LONG time ago!

 

The description doesn't tell you about the 2+ hour bus ride EACH way - bus has no bathroom either - we did go through the locks..it was pretty cool' date=' but the 4 of us thought when we got back that the train one may have been a better bet...not sure tho

 

The Ferry/boat that you take through the canal gets pretty crowded...they did serve a buffet lunch and had drinks as well...for free. They also sold some t-shirts and things like that. The bathroom situation isn't much better on the boat than the bus...They prefer you "throw away" as opposed to "flush"...I didn't use it, so can't comment on that, except YUCK!

 

It didn't seem as exciting as I thought it would be if that makes sense...I don't know what I was really expecting...

 

Probably not the best review, but it was a little anticlimactic I think...for me...if you have specific questions, let me know...[/quote']

 

That bathroom situation is another thing keeping me from doing the ferry next time - I can't imagine 2 hours on a bus on bumpy Panama roads if you needed to go! :eek:

 

I will say that the "throw away" request I have found in almost every restroom in Mexico or Costa Rica - that's very common to that part of the world as the paper jams up their plumbing and sewer systems. Also very common when using a marine toilet on an small boat - you can't put paper in the system or it clogs.

Below is what I had written on another thread, but I have copied and pasted here.....contrary to what another said, we did NOT have an issue with the ferry's bathroom...it was clean, and flushable. My mom and I were VERY worried about not having a restroom facility on the bus, but we just made sure we drank very little that morning beforehand. We also made sure we took advantage of the restroom before leaving the ship while waiting in the lounge before leaving the ship. Although the trip was about 1.5 hrs long, it went by very quickly as there was so much to see along the way.....

now, on to my review and description...

yes, we did the $179 Panama Canal tour through CCL.....

it was worth it to us.

I wouldn't do it again, but SO glad I did do it.

Before hand, I read through (although I didn't get through it completely) the book PATH BETWEEN THE SEAS by David McCollough.....it helped me appreciate the Panama Canal SO much more....

even if you don't get all the way through the book, (it's VERY long), get it anyway....I brought it with me on the trip, and had it with me on the ferry...

I didn't completely understand what I was getting into before the excursion, despite having read every description available and thread, too.

The bus (similar to a Greyhound, without a potty) takes you through the countryside to get to the Pacific Coast - about 1.5 hours....lots to see along the way. Narrated tour, but the speaker system was scratchy so I couldn't understand a lot of what was being said.

Once there, we boarded a ferry that held 150+ people. Our buses from the ship (about 9 or 10) took two ferries.....

a special Panana Canal pilot has to "drive" you through the canal.

The canal consists of three locks.

1) Miraflores - two chambers, each 27 feet

2) Pedra Miguel - one chamber - 31 feet

3) Gatun - one chamber - 85 feet.

This tour takes you through # 1 and #2.

In order to get to Gatun Locks, you have to go clear across the Gatun Lake...and that would take a LONG time.

Once you get through the Pedra Miguel locks, and go a little further, you get by the Gamboa Bridge (where the dyke had originally been)...and get off the ferry. Here you reload the bus, and head back to port.

We DID run late. We were to sail at 5pm. We got to the port at 5:15.

No shopping at all :(

Fortunately, they had a few things on the ferry.

My mom and many others at the food (a buffet) on board that was included in the cost (I was worried about it_).....but they all did fine.

Guess I should have eaten it after all.

Hope that helps.

Be sure and touch the wall when you go through the canal....but they will remind you :)

It really helps so much if you have done a little bit of reading/research or whatever on the canal before you go....just helps you to appreciate it that much more.

It made for an exhausting, LONG day....yes. I'm so glad I did it once.

Would I do it again? probably not....because there's so much more of Panama I'd like to see. But being as this was my "once in a lifetime" opportunity, I'm so glad I was given this chance!

Although my mom is not in a wheelchair, she has trouble walking for very long or for long distances, and has major back problems, but she did fine on this excursion.

Hope you all enjoy it as much as we did!

p.s. and YES, Carnival will let you off the ship if you are doing a non-Carnival excursion.....our table mates were celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary, having been married in Panama....they found a driver to help them find the chapel where they were married 40 years ago.....and they DID find it!! So, yes you can!:)

contrary to what another said, we did NOT have an issue with the ferry's bathroom...it was clean, and flushable. Although the trip was about 1.5 hrs long, it went by very quickly as there was so much to see along the way.....

hmmm....there were 2 ferries I think...maybe you got the better of the 2. We were told to not flush at all... The other reason I think you had the other ferry is cause you said you could go on the top deck - there wasn't anywhere to go on the top of ours. The only part that wasn't covered was the very front of the ferry.

My mom and many others at the food (a buffet) on board that was included in the cost (I was worried about it_).....but they all did fine.

Guess I should have eaten it after all.

We ate the food as well...wasn't bad. I didn't eat a lot (cause I didn't want to have to go to the bathroom! lol)

Be sure and touch the wall when you go through the canal....but they will remind you :)

They didn't tell us to do that...what's the significance?

I'm glad I did it as well, the whole once in a lifetime thing, but also, wouldn't do it again.

Booked on the Freedom July 4. Anyone taken the Grand Tour excursion? Do you see much of the Panama Canal, especially the locks?

Have never been there and would like to experience something wonderful>

Significance of touching the wall???

* If a married couple touches them together, they will stay together forever

* If a person touches it, he/she will live eternally

so they say.........

(be sure and get a picture :))

Thanks for all that helpful information about the canal excursion. I'm going to be on that next month so I found what you had to say very helpful.

One question - you mentioned they is some small amount of shopping on the ferry. What kinds of things were available to buy?

vacruizer -

For this tour - Two Oceans by Railroad - was there air conditioning on the train? Also, were there bathrooms on the train?

Thanks.