Suggestions for port calls on Panama Canal cruise

[Two By Sea]

I just booked the Panama Canal cruise on Princess and looking for suggestions for port calls. I am on the Island Princes leaving from Ft. Lauderdale December 5th for 15 days and ending in Los Angels. The port of calls are Aruba, Cartagena, Colombia, Puntarenas, San Juan Del Sur, Cabo San Lucas.

I have been to Ft. Lauderdale, Aruba and LA so don't need info on these ports. Any suggestions would be most helpful.

Thanks in advance for any help.

[Markanddonna]

You will find lots of good advice on the ports of call boards. Cartagena is HOT. We took a city tour that could probably be done with just a taxi driver.

 

Cabo San Lucas is very nice and more "upscale" than many Mexican ports. Be sure to take a Land's End boat tour. That is very easy to do. Just get off the ship and you will find lots of people offering the same tour. The city is clean and a nice walk.

 

At Puntarenas, I would look into a private tour that takes you to one of the national parks. We went on a ship tour to a private "rainforest" and took a tram tour of the rainforest canopy. It was at the edge of the rainforest and we didn't see any wildlife outside of a cage, so I wouldn't recommend that.

 

Puntarenas itself is really shabby and is probably the trashiest (as in trash on the ground) place I have ever seen. We were told the locals have the habit of just tossing their trash and the town looks like it is a pretty unsafe place to live.

[cruzeluver]

I cannot imagine going to Cartagena and not touring the old walled city.

[CruiserBruce]

As we know nothing about you, your interests, budget, limitations or anything else, it would be a good idea for you to do some research and narrow down this very broad question. Start with what Princess offers on their excursions. You don't have to take their excursions, but this will help identify major sites and locations.

 

As mentioned, some research on the Ports boards, here:

 

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

 

would be the next step. You may not need a tour/excursion at all. You might then decide to take a cab, public transit, or even walk.

[JimAOk1945]

I just booked the Panama Canal cruise on Princess and looking for suggestions for port calls. I am on the Island Princes leaving from Ft. Lauderdale December 5th for 15 days and ending in Los Angels. The port of calls are Aruba, Cartagena, Colombia, Puntarenas, San Juan Del Sur, Cabo San Lucas.

I have been to Ft. Lauderdale, Aruba and LA so don't need info on these ports. Any suggestions would be most helpful.

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

At Cartegena, we did the 'Old City' & Folkloric Show by Dance Company CTG-200 and really enjoyed it. Here is a link to the description

 

http://www.princess.com/excursion/exDetails.do?t=T&exType=S&tourCode=CTG-200

 

My wife took tons of pictures of Cartegena as well as the ship and ports of call for her website and made them into slideshows for her website. You can view them at the link below.

 

Panama Canal Cruise

 

We were on a Partial Transit but looking at pictures may help you decide what is available at each port. Happy cruising!

Edited June 30, 2015 by JimAOk1945

[SPacificbound]

We have enjoyed private tours in Cartagena In 2014 and 2015.

 

Wonderful old city and some really good tour guides.

 

http://www.cartagenatour.com/

 

http://www.durandurantours.com/