Private tour in Colon????

I've been searching for our March cruise to Colon and haven't seen much posted about private operators in this area.

Has anyone booked a tour without going thorough the ship?

Any info appreciated!

Thanks

Hi, we have a private tour booked with a guy who was recommended on the old cruisecritic boards. We don't go until December but that's before you so I will tell you later if you like what it was like. His name is Ricardo Laurie and he can be contacted at ricolaurie@hotmail.com. We are a couple of Aussies and were searching for a safe and affordable way to see Colon. I hope this works out for us.

Hi, we have a private tour booked with a guy who was recommended on the old cruisecritic boards. We don't go until December but that's before you so I will tell you later if you like what it was like. His name is Ricardo Laurie and he can be contacted at ricolaurie@hotmail.com. We are a couple of Aussies and were searching for a safe and affordable way to see Colon. I hope this works out for us.

That's Great! I will be looking for your review of the tour. Thanks so much for posting!

Well, how did those private tours work our and would you recomend this person? I will be in Colon in March 2005 on the Horizon along with my three kids, ages 11, almost 9 and 6. I am at a lost as to what to do there. I really don't like to book with ship since I beleave it's a rip off, and even more so when you need to buy those tickets for three kids. Any advice would be apreciated.

I remember reading on the old board about a company called :) Gold Coast Travels and Expeditions. There rates sounded pretty resonable. Is there a way to read back on the old board?

I thought about using Goldcoast Tours for my up coming cruise I emailed them and they were quick to reply and tell me what Tours were available for Cruise ships. My concern was how they wanted to be paid it involved sending full amount to a bank in Washington DC a month or so before you cruise so I decided against using them based on that and the fact I could not find any reviews from people who have used them. Here is their web site

http://panamagoldcoasttravels.homestead.com/GOLDCOAST.html

Just got off the Legend a few days ago and our last stop was in Colon Panama. We found this port to be the most aggressive pushing tours at the port! They would follow you around and bug you constantly. We took our two teens and

went to the shopping area so that they could get gifts for their friends and

after spending an hour in the supermarket there (now this is the place to shop for CHEAP liquour, coffee, etc.) our kids just wanted to go back to the ship. They were tired of being harrassed. We took them back to the ship and decided to do a carriage ride around Colon. We found a carriage and the girl that took us there also went with us on the carriage for safety reasons and she also was

a good guide. We went all over Colon and saw the poverty like we have not

seen except on TV. The housesthat they lived in there in our country would be condemed. There was trash everywhere! The kids that actually go to school only go for 2 hours a day. Most quit before reaching high school. There are alot of unwed mothers carrying 2-3 children and they can be older than 18. Our guide said jobs are very hard to find and most just do what they can to survive. We saw signs for haircuts for $2.00, but they were cutting your hair right on the sidewalk. We passed the free trade zone and didn't bother to stop there. It's not in a good area and alot of bums around there. We never felt safe in Colon and really have no desire to return.

If you go to Colon, take a tour through the cruiseline! You will be safe.

I have a Kayak Trip planned with Gold Coast for our 12/13/04 cruise. decided to use them after trading emails with the owner Jill she was very helpful and responsive to all my concerns and took a deposit instead of payment in full. I will give a full review when I return.

Hi! I am on the same ship/cruise and having been reading this board with lots of interest. I haven't posted much because I am password challenged, can't remember all this log in stuff! I will be with my 32 year old daughter who is pretty physically fit, me however is another story. She was interested in the kayaking in Panama. I did some sea kayaking about 10 years ago in Costa Rica, and it is pretty hard on the back so I am not real sure I want to do this. Sounds like fun though. How much is the tour, and do you have any more details. Can't wait to go on this cruise!

Yes there is room for 2 more to Kayak the cost is $75.00 per person we had to change from kayaking to Charges river(because of new panama Gov. restriction)to portabello which will include a short walking tour also of th historic district anyway you need to contact Jill at GoldCoast and tell her you are interested in the Tour mention the cruise date and ship name and tell her you wish to join the Allen Francis group if you decide to do it. There will be me and my wife and Sandy Dee,s Husband and 3 teeenage sons you can read on the roll call about some of our diiscussions. The email for Goldcoast is gold-coast@cwpanama.net Here is the email Jill sent me about why we had to change Kayak tours.

Good morning Allan and Sandy,

>

> Yeseterday we were informed by (ACP) - Panama Canal Authority -

> that tour

> groups, business' or operators are no longer able to use the Lower

> ChagresRiver for reasons of security. It is believed that it

> should be an off

> limit area due to the closeness of the watershed of the Panama Canal.

>

> I am sorry to infor you of this.

>

> I hope though you will want to change your tour from the Chagres River

> Kaykaing to the Portobello Kayaking.

>

> Again sorry for the change,

>

> Jill & Skip Berger

> Gold Coast Travels and Expeditions Panama S.A.

> website: http://travel.to/goldcoast

> e-mail gold-coast@cwpanama.net

> Office phone: (507) 441-4339

> Skip Cell: (507) 635-2292

> Jill Cell: (507) 651-2197

>

If you are looking for things to do in Colon, why not go diving.

Portobelo is 45 minutes from Colon, and there are different places you can go diving. you can make a 2 tanks dive or a 1 tank dive with a stop at Portobelo old Forts.

more info about SCUBA Diving in panama? contact Julio at julioa@buzopanama.com

Julio A.

Looking for those Dec. reviews of the private tours!!!!!!

Hi Judy! I'm on the exact same cruise as you on the same date! I've been looking as well without much luck. I have e-mailed Colon 2000 and am awaiting a reply as well as Gold Coast. Let me know what you hear. My registration allows me to receive e-mails.

TB

I wll let you know and if you could please do the same for me! email autumnsam@aol.com just put something in the title about cc.

Hi Judy! I'm on the exact same cruise as you on the same date! I've been looking as well without much luck. I have e-mailed Colon 2000 and am awaiting a reply as well as Gold Coast. Let me know what you hear. My registration allows me to receive e-mails.

TB

I can't e-mail you! Profile won't let me. E-mail me. I found some info to share.

Thanks

Judy

We are just off the Legend. We also took the horse and buggy ride around the city. We never felt unsafe. There are plenty of people at the dock if you want to take a tour. We told them we had a tour booked and they were very pleasant. We went to the Embara Indian Village through the ship. It was very interesting and we could ot find anyone who booked it independantly. I really think you have to realize most of these countries are extrmely poor but we found the people to be very pleasant.

I hope all those people who promised reviews from their private tours got back safe, becuase they never got back to us here. Please post your reviews.

I am leaning towards the kayaking in the lake and then visit to the canal. I am traveling with my three kids ages 6, almost 9 and 11. I am concerned about the tour I mentioned for the six year old girl. So far, I have only receaved recomendations to take that trip from the ship, any other sugessions would be welcomed.