Panama Canal partial-need shore excursion help!

[BillB48]

Thanks everyone for all of your wonderful replies and advice. You have given us lots to think about!

One more question - do you think it is important to book the Panama canal excursion (if we decide on one) online in advance, or can we wait and decide once we get on the ship? Do they fill up quickly?

 

It has been my experience that they always hold back a percentage to sell on board, so you could wait until you board. On popular excursions such as the transit of the Pacific Locks and the Cut they can sell out, so I would book that rather soon after you board if you don't book on line.

[kazu]

Thanks everyone for all of your wonderful replies and advice. You have given us lots to think about!

One more question - do you think it is important to book the Panama canal excursion (if we decide on one) online in advance, or can we wait and decide once we get on the ship? Do they fill up quickly?

 

 

If there is a particular excursion you like, I would book it on line. You can always cancel if you change your mind. I have seen tours sold out when we board (wait listed), so if there is something that is important to me, my tendency is to book it.

[sp2]

Moving on to Costa Rica - has anyone done the Sloth Sanctuary excursion? It looks interesting. Or any other recommendations for Costa Rica?

 

Also, where does the ship dock in Aruba? Is it in town so that you can just get off and walk around bit, shop etc. relatively close to the pier?

[sapper1]

Moving on to Costa Rica - has anyone done the Sloth Sanctuary excursion? It looks interesting. Or any other recommendations for Costa Rica?

 

Also, where does the ship dock in Aruba? Is it in town so that you can just get off and walk around bit, shop etc. relatively close to the pier?

 

In Aruba you can just leave the pier and be shopping in minutes. :)

[take us away]

It really depends on what you want to accomplish. We have been through the Canal several times and we still find the Canal so very interesting and would not book a shore excursion off the ship that day as we love to watch the mechanisms. HAL usually has a lecturer come on board to talk about the Canal from inception to completion and also the new section. We have sat on deck and watched shipmates go up on the bleachers to watch us go through the Canal, which was different. On an upcoming cruise, we are docking for a day in Panama City so we will explore on that day.

 

In Costa Rica, we loved the boat tour through their interior waterway and have found the Sloth Sanctuary to be a bit of a snore.

Edited August 12, 2014 by take us away

[VermeulT]

Moving on to Costa Rica - has anyone done the Sloth Sanctuary excursion? It looks interesting. Or any other recommendations for Costa Rica?

 

We opted for the Tropical Train Ride & Exotic Mangrove Cruise excursion. We are railroad buffs and really enjoyed the vintage train ride through the rainforest.

The second part of the trip was very similar to the cruise in Gutan Lake we took the day prior. So while it was interesting, it wasn't awesome.

Our third stop was a banana plantation. I actually found it very interesting to learn about how bananas are grown and shipped.

 

In hindsight - I wish we did the taxi through the locks and then the Train trip. Not saying we didn't have a great time... just might have gotten more varied experiences that way.

[BearInStPete]

Sorry if this may have been repeated, but if you are doing a partial transit, and getting up early (5 am-ish) to view the inbound transit to Gatun Lake, and then get on a full-day excursion it makes for a very long day. I decided I would enjoy the transit both ways, and look to see the rest of the canal and excursions on a future visit, where I won't be as likely to worry about getting up early on canal day.

[ithaca gal]

I see that this thread was started back in August, but your cruise isn't until December, so I thought I'd throw in our two cents! :)

 

We did the ferry ride to the Pacific for the reason most do -- if you are going to go to the canal, see it all!.

 

It was HOT when we went in January but there is the air conditioned inside area that another poster mentioned. You see SO MUCH on this excursion. You can even reach out and TOUCH the walls of the canal (if that suits your fancy!)

 

As for the Sloth Sanctuary, it was okay. You get to see sloths up close and personal, but you cannot touch them (for an animal lover, it was hard to be so close but not be able to touch them like the volunteers do). There is a boat ride, but it doesn't really go anywhere -- it's more like a little waterway on their property. It isn't a BAD excursion, but not one of my favorites.

[Roz]

I did a partial transit on the Coral Princess, and our tours were canceled due to an electrical storm. I spent hours out on deck as we went in and out of the first set of locks. Don't know if HAL does this or not, but Princess had a Canal expert on board who narrated the whole time, which was interesting and helpful to gain a full understanding of what was happening. Depends on what you want out of this cruise.

 

Roz