Panama Canal Cruise

[Cruzin with BQ & CQ]

After many years of wanting and waiting, my DW and I will be going from San Diego back to Fort Lauderdale in December of this year. We will be stopping in the following ports along the way:

 

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Huatulco, Mexico

Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala

Corinto, Nicaragua

Puerto Caldera (Puntarenas), Costa Rica

Cartagena, Colombia

 

We have a couple of things we thought you may be able to help us out with. First is what you may think are the more worthwhile excursions for these ports. I know that's a bit of a subjective request, but I'm guessing there are some that are "don't miss". I have visited the ports board and that was helpful, but I'm hoping some of you may have some favorites.

 

We have about $1000 in OBC so I'm wanting to book excursions on board, but also don't want to miss out. I know that's tricky, but does anyone know from their experience if specific excursions sell out before boarding for which I may want to book before departure? Again, I know I'm pushing the envelope a bit here, but any help is greatly appreciated. Thank you for your help

[euro cruiser]

We just did this cruise last month, I would focus on Cartagena first, there are lots of options to choose from.

[Cruzin with BQ & CQ]

Thanks for letting me know.

[Essiesmom]

In Puerto Quetzal, either book the ships tour to Antigua, or book the transfer to Antigua and book a separate walking tour with Elizabeth Bell (google her). Make sure you not only get inside the cathedral, but also out back where the ruins are. The portion now in use is only the narthex of the original building. EM

[Krazy Kruizers]

Have you joined your Roll Call to see what private tours others may be doing?

[Krazy Kruizers]

Puntarenas, Costa Rica we have done the Mangrove River Cruise -- we saw lots of wildlife.

Corinto, Nicaragua -- not much here. The first time we were there we did the city tour. The next few times we just walked into town -- not much to see here.

Puerto Vallarta -- the best tour we did was an all day out into the country side -- had lunch in a small town. Lovely scenery.

Puerto Quetzal -- the best tour we ever did is no longer available -- flew to Copan.

Hautulco -- 5 Bays by Catamaran.

Cartagena -- city tour that includes the fortress. Do not do the pirate ship of the bay -- extremely hot as the boat doesn't go very fast.

[Cruzin with BQ & CQ]

Thanks KK for your response. We are very much looking forward to this cruise!

[OlsSalt]

After many years of wanting and waiting, my DW and I will be going from San Diego back to Fort Lauderdale in December of this year. We will be stopping in the following ports along the way:

 

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Huatulco, Mexico

Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala

Corinto, Nicaragua

Puerto Caldera (Puntarenas), Costa Rica

Cartagena, Colombia

 

PUERTO VALLARTA: is pretty easy to do on your own - we take the local buses that ply by the port entrance (across from Walmart shopping complex) - any of them will do if they go Centro-downtown-Malecon - they will take a dollar or so for the trip if you don't have pesos. The just walk around downtown, follow the oceanside path to the end if you like, and have a wonderful lunch at LaPalapa. Wonderful dining choices in this town.

 

We always shop for Puebla ware - their beautiful painted pottery at the Galleria Indigena" (Calle Juarez) store a block of so up from the main oceanside street - Malecon area. Other HAL shoppers seem to know about this shop too so maybe someone can guide you to it.

 

Then take the busses the travel back to the dock area and the Walmart which go the other way out of town one street up from where you got off at the ocean side street.

 

We have also done the small colonial city silver mining town tour - very lovely and nice change of pace - San Miguel de Tovar?. Or even a day trip flight to the major colonial city of Guadalajara.

 

HUATULCO - only once - did a bird watching tour which was on a luxurious golf course - not much to see but a nice stroll and a chance to see the very nice resort development in this area. Small town, fun to just kick back in one of the beach side restaurants and enjoy a Mexican beer and some snacks - we like Pacifico beer from Mazatlan the best.

 

 

CORINTO: We keep going back to colonial Leon with various combinations of other activities - botanic garden or just the city itself. There are lovely indigenous pottery crafts there too. The UNESCO cathedral restoration has been completed and is quite stunning.

 

PUERTO QUETZAL: Antigua yes a very lovely colonial city that is now highly impacted by tourism, unless they are offering the day trip to Tikal which was pretty spectacular but a long daunting day of flights and hikes, if you are down this way.

 

PUERTO CALDERA: People rave about the zip line experience here and I think that might be one to book early. We really liked our long bus excursion to Poas Volcano and the Dokka coffee plantation with lunch. We thought the ride on the ariel tram through the canopy was over-rated as well as the mangrove boat tour.

 

CARTEGENA: Agree, this is a very special deeply historic city to appreciate, well beyond going to any of the emerald shopping sights. We have done both the old city walking tour (hot!) and this last time we did the old harbor and fort tour, which we liked a lot.

 

BTW: we have come to love these ports and this route along with the Mexican Riviera and Sea of Cores. We keep coming back.

Edited January 13, 2017 by OlsSalt

[Turtles06]

Corinto, Nicaragua -- not much here. The first time we were there we did the city tour. The next few times we just walked into town -- not much to see here.

 

We are on a Panama Canal cruise (on NCL) leaving in a week (so excited!), with many of the same ports as the OP, including Corinto. There, we are going on an excursion to León to see the Cathedral, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Obviously, since I haven't been there yet, I can't comment on this, but I wanted to mention this option for the OP.

 

In Puerto Quetzal, we are using the ship's transportation to get to Antigua and back; everything I've read about Antigua sounds great.

 

OP: you may not want to restrict yourself to ship's tours. In Cartagena, for example, there are several private guides who have excellent reputations here on CC.

 

A good place to research private tours of course is over on the Ports of Call boards.

 

In December (depending on when you'll be there), the whales may be back in Puerto Vallarta, so you might want to consider a whale watching tour.

[firegal2539]

I just did this cruise, some of the same ports. Cartagena was magnificent, did a old and new city with the fort tour. It was wonderful. Nothing in Puerto Quetzal, do Antigua. The port has barbed wire all around it and you are not allowed to walk around it. Corinth same thing, nothing in port, see Leon. We did a private tour in Puerto Vallarta, we found it on Trip Advisor, #1 city tour. One thing to remember, as all locals told us, there are only two seasons in Central America, HOT And DRY OR HOT And WET. Our temperatures were in the high 90s with humidity in the 90s. It was terrible. Several passengers suffered from heat exhaustion.

 

 

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[Sopwith]

Some cruises offer shore excursions in Panama while the ship transits Gatun Lake and the Gatun Locks. If this is your first Panama cruise I would highly recommend you stay on the ship and enjoy the full experience. We did a shorex on our second transit and were disappointed.

[3rdGenCunarder]

Some cruises offer shore excursions in Panama while the ship transits Gatun Lake and the Gatun Locks. If this is your first Panama cruise I would highly recommend you stay on the ship and enjoy the full experience. We did a shorex on our second transit and were disappointed.

 

I agree that staying on the ship all day for a first time transit is a must! Having done that twice, we're taking a tour on our partial transit. Which shorex did you do, and how was it disappointing?

[Sopwith]

I agree that staying on the ship all day for a first time transit is a must! Having done that twice, we're taking a tour on our partial transit. Which shorex did you do, and how was it disappointing?

 

The ship stopped briefly in Gatun Lake and we tendered ashore. The tour included a walk through the the jungle in a national park, where we saw a few howler monkeys. The guide made a big deal out of a nest of soldier ants :rolleyes:. We then went to the visitors centre at the Gatun Locks, which was interesting. Caught up to the ship at Cristobal, which is in a bit of a sketchy area of the city.

 

The jungle walk was nothing special (if you've seen one, ... ), the visitors centre was okay, but no more interesting than staying on the ship. Not a disaster, but not really worth the $.