Panama Canal Shore Excursions

[cowboy girl]

Cowboy Girl, In Cartegena the "old town" area is not to be missed. Aruba is the place to get in and under the water. In Panama it depends on your area of interest. I've written about Panama tours on my blog about the tours http://richarddetrich.wordpress.com/canal-cruise/ and if you are thinking about the Embera village tour there are lots of posts about the Embera as well.

 

Regards, Richard

 

My thanks to Richard and all who have written in response to my question. Currently, my mother and I are booked to do the Inquisition Palace and Shopping tour in Cartegena and the Taste of Jamaica & Bellefield Estate Tour there (though I may change my mind and go bobsledding!). We've both been to Aruba before, so we will simply go into town and shop there. I think we are both staying on board in Panama (can't afford to tour every port) and I'm going to do the Original Canopy Tour (zipline tour) in Costa Rica.

 

If anyone has any experience with any of those tours and can say "yea" or "nea", I'd appreciate hearing from you!

 

Many thanks!

[Nancy53]

We went on the Carnival cruise line in May to Panama. The acutual cruise ship did not go through the locks but we did a one day excursion and went on a smaller boat through the locks (I think 3 different locks) and it was very interesting. Long day though and was about 1 1/2 hrs. by bus each wayl

Then in Limon Costa Rica we did the Train, canal tour with the monkey's on the trip down the river and went to the Banana Plantantion. I enjoyed this excursion we could see monkeys throughout the forest.

Then we went to Belize (which is not on your cruise)

We did all ship's excursions except in Belize.

If you are taking a private excursion in Panama your taking a chance if you so it with a private excursion because it can take a long wait to go through the locks. So beware of that.