Pride of panama

Are there any ports on this cruise that you can wander around on your own for a somewhat inexpensive day (I believe Panama is a definite no?)

What currency do you bring? (I’m Canadian, if that matters)

We used US dollars all the time but mainly went on trips from the ship except Montego Bay, Cartagena and Grand Cayman

What did you do in Cartegena?

First time walked up to the fort and then into town

Second time got a taxi into town

Lovely buildings and squares Get a map from Destination services

Loads of bars

Trying hard to think which ports are on that cruise. :confused:

Colon is very definitely a no-no. Grubby and dangerous - most folk who took the shuttle buses to the centre returned on the very next one, police turned back those who wandered away from the port area on foot, there was an attempted robbery of a ship's cycle tour & their ride was cut short & escorted back by police. I rate Colon and La Guaira as by far the two most dangerous ports in the Caribbean - by comparison Jamaica is full of pussycats.

Colon is the gateway to the Panama Canal. I very strongly recommend early booking of ship's partial transit by boat. You are bussed to the pier on Gatun Lake and sail the canal through the lake, the Caleta Cut and the locks into the Pacific at Panama, then bussed back to the ship.

Both the partial transit by boat & the excursion broadly following the canal to Panama by train sell-out and I strongly advise you book one or the other soonest.

In the time-scale it's not possible to do either independently - and we really did research that very carefully.

Cartagena is easy to DIY, though you'll need to start with a bus or taxi. A very good day.

Grand Caymen is easy to DIY. Ships tender you into the middle of Georgetown, plenty there to amuse you. But I recommend you pick up a boat trip (the trip starts with an included 10-minute bus shuttle to the boat harbour) to Stingray City, a shallow sandbar about a mile offshore where wild stingrays congregate. Check it out on Google Images. For the best experience take your snorkelling gear (no need for the fins). An excellent day.

Havana is easy to DIY. The centre is a longish but interesting walk, or use a ho-ho bus. Make sure you take a taxi ride in one of the classic '50s American cars (google for the background if you don't know it). They're available everywhere but simplest and best choice is from in front of the Capitol. A brilliant couple of days.

Our ship failed to call at the island off Panama (I forget its name). It is missed on many Marella cruises due to tendering at a fairly exposed spot. By now it might have even been removed from the itinerary for that reason.

We also failed to port at Limon due to the weather.

USD are good everywhere except Cuba.

In Havana you use the exchange facility at the cruise terminal to get your CUC (Cuban convertible pesos). If you take cash for the exchange, take some of your CAD to avoid the exchange-rate double-whammy of getting USD before the cruise & converting them to CUC. (same advice to Brits - take sterling to convert in Havana).

JB :)

Cartagena is a lovely old town and we found it to be totally hassle free.Get a taxi and ask them to pick you up later.

We had a fantastic day in Cartagena on a Segway tour (privately arranged through ports of call on here owner is called Jesus) it was so good def recommend

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Trying hard to think which ports are on that cruise. :confused:

 

Colon is very definitely a no-no. Grubby and dangerous - most folk who took the shuttle buses to the centre returned on the very next one, police turned back those who wandered away from the port area on foot, there was an attempted robbery of a ship's cycle tour & their ride was cut short & escorted back by police. I rate Colon and La Guaira as by far the two most dangerous ports in the Caribbean - by comparison Jamaica is full of pussycats.

Colon is the gateway to the Panama Canal. I very strongly recommend early booking of ship's partial transit by boat. You are bussed to the pier on Gatun Lake and sail the canal through the lake, the Caleta Cut and the locks into the Pacific at Panama, then bussed back to the ship.

Both the partial transit by boat & the excursion broadly following the canal to Panama by train sell-out and I strongly advise you book one or the other soonest.

In the time-scale it's not possible to do either independently - and we really did research that very carefully.

 

Cartagena is easy to DIY, though you'll need to start with a bus or taxi. A very good day.

Grand Caymen is easy to DIY. Ships tender you into the middle of Georgetown, plenty there to amuse you. But I recommend you pick up a boat trip (the trip starts with an included 10-minute bus shuttle to the boat harbour) to Stingray City, a shallow sandbar about a mile offshore where wild stingrays congregate. Check it out on Google Images. For the best experience take your snorkelling gear (no need for the fins). An excellent day.

Havana is easy to DIY. The centre is a longish but interesting walk, or use a ho-ho bus. Make sure you take a taxi ride in one of the classic '50s American cars (google for the background if you don't know it). They're available everywhere but simplest and best choice is from in front of the Capitol. A brilliant couple of days.

Our ship failed to call at the island off Panama (I forget its name). It is missed on many Marella cruises due to tendering at a fairly exposed spot. By now it might have even been removed from the itinerary for that reason.

We also failed to port at Limon due to the weather.

 

USD are good everywhere except Cuba.

In Havana you use the exchange facility at the cruise terminal to get your CUC (Cuban convertible pesos). If you take cash for the exchange, take some of your CAD to avoid the exchange-rate double-whammy of getting USD before the cruise & converting them to CUC. (same advice to Brits - take sterling to convert in Havana).

 

JB :)

How long before your cruise does the excursions become available to book and buy, we are doing the Pride of Panama but still no excursions are available to purchase and we particularily want to do the canal trip.

Keith (Southend)

There are various facebook reports that Marella (Tui) are changing their excursion provider and hence online bookings are not available at the moment. Some reports suggest that the TUI Travel agents are now able to do bookings.

There are various facebook reports that Marella (Tui) are changing their excursion provider and hence online bookings are not available at the moment. Some reports suggest that the TUI Travel agents are now able to do bookings.

Thanks Alan for the quick reply. We go on November 27th 2018 and thought perhaps they would be available once the main cruise balance was settled, which it is. Also booked the seats on the plane yesterday, the date we were given. I'll just keep looking everyday.

Keith (Southend):D

How long before your cruise does the excursions become available to book and buy, we are doing the Pride of Panama but still no excursions are available to purchase and we particularily want to do the canal trip.

 

Keith (Southend)

Hi Keith,

Yep, IMHO the partial transit by boat is definitely the one to go for.

Can't help with the current booking situation, it has been changeable with Thomson over the years - up until mebbe 8 years ago they couldn't be pre-booked at all, you had to book once you were on-board !!.

Sounds like Alan has his finger on the pulse.

JB :)

Second that we've done it twice Really good value There is more than one boat and we'd recommend the smaller flatter one and sit at the back outside You really get a feel of how the big the ships are when in the locks

You return from Panama City by coach - which can be hair raising so don't sit at the front!!!

I emailed TUI and they replied in 24 hours, can't fault them for that.

"I’m afraid that our Winter 2018/19 Cruise Excursion release has been delayed, they are due to be released at the end of this month. "

Alan your reply seems plausibly.

Keith (Southend)

I emailed TUI and they replied in 24 hours, can't fault them for that.

 

 

"I’m afraid that our Winter 2018/19 Cruise Excursion release has been delayed, they are due to be released at the end of this month. "

Alan your reply seems plausibly.

 

 

Keith (Southend)

Yet I went into a Tui shop and booked excursions for January. They have a new booking system, available in shop but not online.

The booking website has gone right up the swanny atm. As with the Excursions, when you put in your details it only show the Panama week, come back Cuba Fusion all is forgiven.?

Keith (Southend)

Have you been informed of the drastic reduction in port times in Havana?

Have you been informed of the drastic reduction in port times in Havana?

No, just checked any email etc, nothing I can see. Still can't book excursions on website.

Keith (Southend)

Can you do a “dummy”booking for your departure and you may see the revised port times on there, the new arrival times are 14.00 in Havana the first day departing next day at 12.00- losing about 9 hours in Havana. Tui have known about this since July !

Can you do a “dummy”booking for your departure and you may see the revised port times on there, the new arrival times are 14.00 in Havana the first day departing next day at 12.00- losing about 9 hours in Havana. Tui have known about this since July !

That will cut any 7 hour excursions out. Maybe this is part of the reason the excursions haven't been accessable on-line. Differicult for me to get toa TUI shop as I am led to beleive these can be booked there. I'll try a dummy booking later, got to dask now.

Keith (Southend)

That will cut any 7 hour excursions out. Maybe this is part of the reason the excursions haven't been accessable on-line. Differicult for me to get toa TUI shop as I am led to beleive these can be booked there. I'll try a dummy booking later, got to dask now.

 

Keith (Southend)

I take it there are no other port changes/additions? We are also doing the Panama week.

Keith (Southend)

I don’t know about that but there is a lot about this on social media, many of the travel agents knew nothing about this. Look at the link to the article in the Independent newspaper yesterday it is in my post Cuban Confusion.

How long before your cruise does the excursions become available to book and buy, we are doing the Pride of Panama but still no excursions are available to purchase and we particularily want to do the canal trip.

 

Keith (Southend)

Keith, we still can't book online due to a new system and new excursions provider. We have been advised we can do so at the end of September, but nothing more definite as yet.

BUT you can book in certain TUI stores either by calling in the shop or over the phone. Chelmsford store is one such store I believe. Some stores are not set up yet.

I have booked my canal trip over the phone as I really wanted to do that excursion.

Also, the ports on my Pride of Panama cruise on 13 November have been reversed - check under Manage My Booking on the website.

Keith, we still can't book online due to a new system and new excursions provider. We have been advised we can do so at the end of September, but nothing more definite as yet.

 

BUT you can book in certain TUI stores either by calling in the shop or over the phone. Chelmsford store is one such store I believe. Some stores are not set up yet.

 

 

I have booked my canal trip over the phone as I really wanted to do that excursion.

 

Also, the ports on my Pride of Panama cruise on 13 November have been reversed - check under Manage My Booking on the website.

Thanks for that information.

Interesting that when I run through a new booking for the two weeks we are doing it say's that both weeks are Pride of Panama... Website is a mess atm.

Keith (Southend)

Thanks for that information.

 

Interesting that when I run through a new booking for the two weeks we are doing it say's that both weeks are Pride of Panama... Website is a mess atm.

 

Keith (Southend)

Keith, I do apologise.... I meant to say I had heard that Colchester ( not Chelsmford) is a store where you can book over the phone. I don't know about Chelmsford.

I booked over the phone with the Cannock TUI store even though I don't live anywhere near Staffordshire..... worth a try if a more local one fails for some reason.

Sorry!

Keith, I do apologise.... I meant to say I had heard that Colchester ( not Chelsmford) is a store where you can book over the phone. I don't know about Chelmsford.

 

I booked over the phone with the Cannock TUI store even though I don't live anywhere near Staffordshire..... worth a try if a more local one fails for some reason.

 

Sorry!

I rang my local branch in Southend-on-Sea High Street and have booked the Panama Canal excursion through them over the phone using my debit card. They will send confirmation through the post a month prior to departure. She also said it was unlikely the excursions will be available to book online for quite a while, so I may book some of the others in a few weeks if nothing has come online.

I didn't ask anything about the Cuban Fusion mystery..

https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/cuban-cruise-fushion-marella-havana-tui-latest-a8552216.html

We have been to Cuba before, but I can understand why many will be upset about this change, especially when this is thehighlight of the weeks cruise so there won't be any full day excursions.

Keith (Southend):cool: