Crusing on Holland America - Panama Canal partial transit

[Schnauzers4us]

Hi! I'm new here and not sure of what to ask...

 

My husband and I are taking a partial transit of the Panama Canal on the Zuiderdam in April 2014. We are looking for any advice about ANYTHING...what to pack, what to buy at ports of call (Half Moon Cay, Aruba, Curacao, Cartegena Columbia, Cristobal, Colon Panama, Puerto Limon, Costa Rica), what to avoid, what to bring that won't be available on the ship.

 

Should we sign up for 'excursions' prior to sailing, or are the ports small enough that we can wander on our own?

 

Are there security issues in any of these places?

 

Thank you, in advance for any information.

[CruiserBruce]

Hi! I'm new here and not sure of what to ask...

 

My husband and I are taking a partial transit of the Panama Canal on the Zuiderdam in April 2014. We are looking for any advice about ANYTHING...what to pack, what to buy at ports of call (Half Moon Cay, Aruba, Curacao, Cartegena Columbia, Cristobal, Colon Panama, Puerto Limon, Costa Rica), what to avoid, what to bring that won't be available on the ship.

 

Should we sign up for 'excursions' prior to sailing, or are the ports small enough that we can wander on our own? If you are going to do excursions, you need to book in advance. Wondering is a possibility in some of the ports.

 

Are there security issues in any of these places? Cartagena and Colon are not really places to wander around

 

Thank you, in advance for any information.

 

See above.

 

The best source for all things Holland America is the Holland America board, here:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=171

 

Tons of good port info on the Ports boards, here:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=5

 

You should join your roll call. Assume you are on the Zuiderdam, so here are the Zuiderdam's roll calls:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=325

 

Find your sailing date and join in.

[sail7seas]

Half Moon Cay, Aruba and Curacao are among our favorite places in the caribbean. We love those islands and have always gone off on our own with no worries. Use the usual care and common sense you would use anywhere.

 

Go to the bottom of this page and see the Forum Jump drop down menu.

There are links to port forums for Aruba and Curacao. You can ask specific questions about any ports on the forums available for different ports.

 

Welcome to CC.

Happy you found us.

 

 

[A2Mich]

I will also second not wandering off on your own in Colon or Cartagena outside of the tourist area. In Panama, I would definitely do the Panama City tour IF it includes the railroad trip as part of the tour. Though I had been to Panama countless times, the city tour was very nice. I got to see places I remember from 20 years prior, though now Panamanian owned and controlled as opposed to when they were in the Canal Zone. The tour I was on have you some time at the visitor center at Miraflores Locks as well. Puerto Limon is very picturesque as well. Bring plenty of film/SD cards (if you can't download them regularly), and a LOT of sunscreen and insect repellent, as well as some handkerchiefs or towels to wipe the sweat is it will be HOT AND HUMID no matter when you go!

[Schnauzers4us]

Half Moon Cay, Aruba and Curacao are among our favorite places in the caribbean. We love those islands and have always gone off on our own with no worries. Use the usual care and common sense you would use anywhere.

 

Go to the bottom of this page and see the Forum Jump drop down menu.

There are links to port forums for Aruba and Curacao. You can ask specific questions about any ports on the forums available for different ports.

 

Welcome to CC.

Happy you found us.

 

Thank you for your information. It is very helpful.

 

[Schnauzers4us]

Hi,

Thanks for the quick response. I hadn't thought of bringing insect repellant...Advice from actual travelers is so much more useful than from the cruise lines.

Looking forward to the cruise, but not so sure about the heat and humidity. We've had below zero weather here in VT for so long I don't know what I'll do when I'm hot again!

[A2Mich]

85 degrees on Christmas day with 95% humidity is pretty typical for Central America. Have been to the beach on Christmas Day in Panama more than once.....

[Nukesailor]

The day the ship locks through into Gatun Lake is usually a long one. You should get up before dawn to see the approach to the breakwater that's a little bit before the locks. All the other ships you see at anchor are waiting for their turn through the Canal. The cruise ships have a reservation for a specific time, so they don't wait (all told, it costs them, actually the passengers, about $350,00 to go through the locks, including the extra fee for reserving a specific time). We found the best place to watch the lock through to be the forward deck on Lido, just in front of the fitness center (accessed through the spa/fitness center). The last three times we were in the Canal, lock-through started about 7:30 AM. Look for sunrise on the port (left) side of the ship; the Canal actually goes from northwest to southeast. If you have a balcony room, you can order room service breakfast for 8:30 or 9:00AM and have a nice breakfast on the balcony while locking through or while in Gatun Lake. Locking through takes about 1 3/4 hours. Then the ship hangs out in Gatun Lake for a couple hours, and goes back through the locks.

 

As you approach the locks, you will see some steel structures on the land that look like small buildings. These are the doors for the new locks currently under construction. You can also see parts of the construction area both before you enter the locks and while in Gatun Lake.

 

After exiting the locks, it goes back a couple miles to Colon (you passed it on the way in earlier). Unless you have a booked excursion, it's recommended that you stay in the area of the shops in the port of Colon; i.e. don't try to go outside the port on your own. By the way, in the shops at Colon is a supermarket, "Super 99" where you can get some things a little cheaper than in the souvenir shops. Bag of Panamanian coffee $4, vs. $10 in the other shops. All shops take American money. Change will likely be a mix of American and Panamanian.

 

Enjoy the experience.

 

Art