Distance from port to canal

We are taking the Halloween cruise on the Carnival Legend which stops in Colon, Panama. Does anyone know the distance from where the ship docks to the canal locks? I can find no excursions which simply take you to the locks without also going to other areas. The excursion which busses you from the ship to the Pacific side and then through the canal on a smaller ship is approximately seven hours and would be too tiring. However, we definitely want to see the locks while we are there and I am wondering if a taxi is an option, as I have read on this website that venturing out on your own is risky. If anyone has been there and can give me any advice, I would very much appreciate it. TIA.

The nearest set of locks to Colon is Gatun Locks. They are about 12 to 15 miles from Colon. Don't really have any advice as to taking a taxi or how much they would charge. I'm surprised that Carnival does not have an excursion to Gatun Locks.

BillB48,

Thanks for your help. The excursions offered by Carnival are very long and include other things than just visiting a lock, such as ocean to ocean train ride or a bus to the Pacific side in order to ride a ferry back through the locks. None that simply visit a lock.

Thanks again.

BillB48,

Thanks for your help. The excursions offered by Carnival are very long and include other things than just visiting a lock, such as ocean to ocean train ride or a bus to the Pacific side in order to ride a ferry back through the locks. None that simply visit a lock.

Thanks again.

Paintwife - I assume you guys are back on DRY LAND now... how did you enjoy the cruise, and which tour did you end up taking in Panama?

We leave next Thursday on the Legend/Panama (along with DOZENS of CC'ers) and would love some feedback on your sailing!!!

Thanks!

Tom

Hi Tom-n-Cheryl,

I'm not paintwife but I did just return from this same Halloween cruise, Panama, Belize & Costa Rica. Just home Nov 8th. We took the Gatun Lake & Portobello City tour, it was very interesting and my family(dh & 13 yr old son) enjoyed it but my Parents were not so happy, as I posted to someone else, the buses leave pretty early in the morning, no restrooms on bus and we had a least a 45 min ride to Portobelo, when we arrived the restrooms were not working, (no flush, water, or soap) everyone was horrified, we had another half hour or so ride to the locks and again the toilets were overflowing, I don't know what is about Panama but the plumbing is bad! It would of saved my parents a lot of stress(and they wouldn't of gone) had they known ahead time that there would be little opportunity to use restrooms on the 5 1/2 hour tour. Other than that issue, this was a very interesting tour. You must be able to take the heat as well, it was like a 95 degree sauna the whole day, again I loved it but my mid 60's aged parents did not.

Hi Tom-n-Cheryl,

I'm not paintwife but I did just return from this same Halloween cruise, Panama, Belize & Costa Rica. Just home Nov 8th. We took the Gatun Lake & Portobello City tour, it was very interesting and my family(dh & 13 yr old son) enjoyed it but my Parents were not so happy, as I posted to someone else, the buses leave pretty early in the morning, no restrooms on bus and we had a least a 45 min ride to Portobelo, when we arrived the restrooms were not working, (no flush, water, or soap) everyone was horrified, we had another half hour or so ride to the locks and again the toilets were overflowing, I don't know what is about Panama but the plumbing is bad! It would of saved my parents a lot of stress(and they wouldn't of gone) had they known ahead time that there would be little opportunity to use restrooms on the 5 1/2 hour tour. Other than that issue, this was a very interesting tour. You must be able to take the heat as well, it was like a 95 degree sauna the whole day, again I loved it but my mid 60's aged parents did not.

Thanks SO much for your reply!!

We are booked on the "Two Oceans by Railroad" - we have read a lot about it (and the air conditioned train WAS a selling point!)

Do you - BY ANY WILD CHANCE - have copies of the capers (that you could either post/scan/fax..etc..)?

How were the shows on the ship?

How were the groups (musicians) in the bars?

How was the Piano Bar player?

How was the service, food, etc...!!!

How was embarkation/debarkation? (parking - luggage handling etc...)

Sorry for all the questions, but you are the first one that I have heard from who has gone on this itinerary since the Legend came back to Ft. Lauderdale.

If you can hit on any of the above points (or other things you might think of) that would be GREAT!!!

THANKS!

Tom

Hi Tom,

Well, I can not give a fabulous report, this was only our 6th cruise(2cnd time with Carnival). It was only mediocure, we sailed Conquest 2 yrs ago on Halloween, and it was great. The crew seemed burned out, I hope for you that they have new crew, our dinner crew however was great, Zsolt, Pindaley, & Rivere, excellent servers and I swear the only friendly crew we met. Our cabin guy, wouldn't look us in the eye, and we went 24 hours without him filling our soap in the shower. We have always been treated much better on previous cruises. I feel really bad complaining because it is not how I am. Most of the shows were good, Conquest shows were out of this World great. One night, guest talent, they only had one participant, and the Belize night, the guest show did not make it to port to get on the ship. Karaoke bar was pathetic, the host wouldn't let anyone sing but himself. Piano bar was okay, and we seen various others, a lone guitar singer and a party music band which were good and fun. No problems with embark/debark everything very smooth. The food was enjoyable, probably not as good as on the Conquest, but better than NCL,from our experience. Afternoon Poolside music was real good. The Captain very nice, we got to see him a lot. Something just seemed to be wrong, crew burnt out, not enough crew, not sure..but yes, we would do it again.

And, I did not keep my Capers copies, go figure, and we did hear from other passengers that the 2 oceans by railroad was great, A/c and a meal w/restrooms!

I planned all my excursions through what I read on the board so just trying to give back my experience. Hope your trip is Great!

What did you think of the new Menu selections, and do you recall which nights were formal (2nd and 3rd sea days?)

Thanks for the report! (it can't always be glowing/perfect!)

Tom

great to see someone giving some feedback.

did you happen to sail with any children with you?

Hi Bensona, to answer your question, yes we took our 13 yr old son. The game room on the ship was HUGE, real nice, our son really enjoyed the Locks and Portobelo, but Costa Rica was the highlight of all our trip.

And to Tom, the first formal night was the 2cnd night. And the 2cnd formal night was after Belize(mon).

The first we had lobster, the 2cnd formal doesn't really stick out in my head. They still had the old menu on the tv so sometimes we were disappointed to find the menu different when we got to dinner. ( I guess that means we would of liked the old menu over the new menu?)

Baked Alaska was a formal night, it was the best of the desserts, otherwise just okay. All the soups were great.

I guess if it had been my first cruise I wouldn't of noticed the fair service (bartenders, room stewards,) but your used to that special treatment!

I'd be curious to hear what others from the cruise thought about it..

...And to Tom, the first formal night was the 2cnd night. And the 2cnd formal night was after Belize(mon)...

So the FIRST formal night was the second night of the cruise (the FIRST Sea Day?)

and the SECOND formal night was the night you left Belize, or the Sea Day after Belize?

Sorry for the request of clarification, but this runs counter to some information I received from Carnival... (that would not be a FIRST, would it! :rolleyes: )

THANKS!

Tom

... Our cabin guy, wouldn't look us in the eye, and we went 24 hours without him filling our soap in the shower. We have always been treated much better on previous cruises. I feel really bad complaining because it is not how I am. ...

Just curious what cabin # you were in - in our LARGE group of CC'ers going this coming Thursday we are spread out all over the ship.... one of us may end up with your gem of a cabin steward...

We have, thus far, had good luck with cabin stewards. One or two which were not happy/friendly - but at least efficient.

Tom

The formal nights were the 2nd sea day, (we were happy it wasn't the first as we travel a long way) and the next formal night was the 7th sea day. On the Conquest 2 yrs ago formal night was the first night.

Our room # was 4231, we had a adjoining balcony with my parents, they were in 4229. Another thing about the steward is he was banging on the door every night by 6:30 pm to turn the beds down and our dinner hour wasn't until the late 8:15pm. He would come back at 7pm and bang again, even though he knew we went to dinner every single night he just couldn't wait. And even worse, the last day (the morning we were to leave) he banged on the door at 6:30 am and the ship said we could be in our room until 9am. He was so annoying! On the Disney ships the stewards come and go without you ever seeing them.

Another disapointment was that we ordered breakfast to the room on excursion day so we had more time to get ready, well, it never came and we were running to the front of the ship for our tour trying to swallow dry toast we grabbed from the 9th floor buffet. No explanation ever given.