Fuerte Amador- still a tender port by Oct 2021

[Essiesmom]

6 hours ago, mcmarya said:

The Quest has to dock in order to disembark/embark passengers.  That would be pretty difficult using tenders.  Until the cruise port is more complete, tendering is not a bad option for ships just making a port stop.

Wind Star and Star Clipper also embarked/debarked by tender.  EM

[JennKach]

We are embarking in February on NCL Jewel which I assume means taking a bus from somewhere through the construction zone to the new pier.  Does anyone know where the actual check in will take place?  We are not using NCL transportation from our hotel so I need to know where tell the taxi or Uber to drop us off.  

[Turtles06]

Just now, JennKach said:

We are embarking in February on NCL Jewel which I assume means taking a bus from somewhere through the construction zone to the new pier.  Does anyone know where the actual check in will take place?  We are not using NCL transportation from our hotel so I need to know where tell the taxi or Uber to drop us off.  

 

So far no one has been able to answer that question (which has also been posted on one of my Roll Calls); I hope you get a reply.   One thing you should take heart in  -- if you tell the taxi or Uber to take you as far as they can to the Cruise Terminal, I have to believe there will be signs for embarking passengers, maybe on Flamenco Island, maybe on Perico.  There will be some point beyond which the taxis and other vehicles simply cannot go.  I am just guessing here based on what others have been posting about Fuerte Amador. 

[v3cruiser]

Hopefully hotels and taxi drivers in area will have an idea as well. It sounds like on day of embarkation we will need to take a taxi to flamenco island and look for signs/instructions to board a bus to pier. I guess they have check in facilities that are operational inside the main building. 

[Turtles06]

53 minutes ago, v3cruiser said:

I guess they have check in facilities that are operational inside the main building. 

 

If you mean the cruise terminal, it's not complete.  I don't think anything is happening inside it besides construction.  Look (again) at the end of the video in comment 95 above.   🙂 

 

 

[v3cruiser]

Ok. So I presume no one replying on this thread has yet to embark a cruise at this port?

[Essiesmom]

I believe that is correct.  I try to extract info by looking in the various forums here for ‘live from’ threads by people who are embarking here.  No luck so far.  EM

[Turtles06]

Well, if no one reports in by February 6, I'll try to do so from the NCL Gem, which will be turning around in Fuerte Amador that day.  I'll be on the B2B that starts and ends in NY, but there are a number of folks who will be embarking in Fuerte Amador for the cruise back through the Canal to NY.

[v3cruiser]

it looks like the jewel feb 4th may be first sail date out of there by ncl. its a 9 day. Atleast when I type in panama canal panama city at embarking port. 

[BenoYo1]

Hello everyone, I just came across this forum and saw it interesting. I am currently living in Panama City so I've driven past the port many times. Ships dock there however the main port building is not finished, people are still boarding via busses and ramps. I am not sure about any specific cruise line check in procedures as I have not boarded a ship from here but I am pretty knowledgable about the rest.

[v3cruiser]

How often does the tide move in and out? Ive seen pictures of the area around french square and the cinta costera road that loops out and its pretty fascinating. 

 

Hopefully they get more done at the terminal and embarking goes smooth for the circumstances. 

[BillB48]

1 hour ago, v3cruiser said:

How often does the tide move in and out?

There are two high tides and two low tides every 24 hrs.  The range of the tides can reach over 20' during spring tides, most days of the month a 12'-14' swing is normal.  Neap tides will provide about an 8' difference.

 

Clarification... the above is for the Pacific side, meanwhile tides on the Atlantic side are less than 2'.

 

Edited January 5, 2023 by BillB48

[BenoYo1]

As bill said is correct, here you can see each tide cycle for the next month:
https://www.tide-forecast.com/locations/Balboa-Panama/tides/latest 

 

Yes the cinta costeras are beautiful and a joy to take a drive on, the views they give of both the city and ocean are stunning.

[logocop]

16 hours ago, BenoYo1 said:

Hello everyone, I just came across this forum and saw it interesting. I am currently living in Panama City so I've driven past the port many times. Ships dock there however the main port building is not finished, people are still boarding via busses and ramps. I am not sure about any specific cruise line check in procedures as I have not boarded a ship from here but I am pretty knowledgable about the rest.

Thanks very much for sharing this information. Are you able to shed any light on one question that several of us have, which is where we would go to meet the buses that take us out to the pier? Put another way, where would we have a taxi drop us off? I realize the details might vary depending on the cruise line, but even a general sense of how the process works is helpful. Thanks again!

[Turtles06]

16 hours ago, BenoYo1 said:

Hello everyone, I just came across this forum and saw it interesting. I am currently living in Panama City so I've driven past the port many times. Ships dock there however the main port building is not finished, people are still boarding via busses and ramps. I am not sure about any specific cruise line check in procedures as I have not boarded a ship from here but I am pretty knowledgeable about the rest.

 

Hello and thanks for joining this thread.

 

Quick questions: we have a turnaround day (full day) at Fuerte Amador in February.  Do you know if we can expect cabs to be waiting to pick up passengers wherever the shuttle buses from the ship leave us off on the Causeway (possibly Flamenco Island)?   And, for the return,  how easy would it be to get a cab to return to the ship (or, more specifically, wherever on the Causeway we have to be dropped off) from, say, Casco Viejo, or the Miraflores Visitor Center?   Would Uber be a better option? 

 

Thanks for any advice!

[BenoYo1]

I would not be able to confirm about any of the specifics about getting on and off the cruise since i haven't boarded a cruise from Panama. Regard taxis/cabs, they will be avaiable at all touristy spots you may go to, Casco Viejo, the Causway, Miraflores, the airport etc. They are also available along the street wherever you want and see one. However some may want to charge you extra for being tourists. Overall they are a valid option but I'd keep Uber open as an option as they are pretty cheap here compared to in the US and the prices are confirmed by you, not them.

[mcmarya]

Looks like some ship shuttles are dropping passengers on Perico Island--on the Panama City side of the causeway not far from the port entrance--instead of the facility on Flamenco Island.  This makes for a little shorter trip.  Hope it doesn't take too many years to get the port building completed or at least a decent road built.

[BenoYo1]

I drove past the terminal entrance yesterday and took this picture. As you can see its still a dirt road with not much infrastructure. Also drove past flamenco island and there is not much to show about cruise ship check in, not saying its not there but that currently I didnt see any stands or anything.

[Essiesmom]

3 hours ago, BenoYo1 said:

I drove past the terminal entrance yesterday and took this picture. As you can see its still a dirt road with not much infrastructure. Also drove past flamenco island and there is not much to show about cruise ship check in, not saying its not there but that currently I didnt see any stands or anything.

Your picture isn’t showing for me, but here is a pic from the bridge am of NCL Bliss today:

 

 

[BenoYo1]

For context, Red is the cruise port and cruise port building, in light green is the current dirt road and the yellow X is where I took the picture from, the main road and port entrance. You can also see Perico island and the plaza there and all the way on the bottom you can see Flamenco Island and its plaza.

[quendar]

We need to catch a flight on Feb. 6th. Looks like a good flight at 10 am but I think that may be too early.  COPA has a flight at noon.  Boat docks at 7 am but I saw it could take 2 hours to start disembarking.  Any experience with getting to the airport with  NCL transfer or taxi?  And how much time. Thanks

[BenoYo1]

I'd move it to the noon flight. I don't know how the specific disembarking procedure will be but it would still be too tight, especially id it could take 2 hours to start disembarking. The drive from the cruise port to the airport takes 30-40 minutes. You can take a taxi or a shuttle if there is one or just get an uber, its around $30 for an uber from the port to the airport.

 

[quendar]

9 hours ago, BenoYo1 said:

I'd move it to the noon flight. I don't know how the specific disembarking procedure will be but it would still be too tight, especially id it could take 2 hours to start disembarking. The drive from the cruise port to the airport takes 30-40 minutes. You can take a taxi or a shuttle if there is one or just get an uber, its around $30 for an uber from the port to the airport.

 

Thanks that helps. Also considering spending the night and catching an earlier flight on Tuesday.  Priceline has a good price on the Raddison Panama Canal

[v3cruiser]

On 1/12/2023 at 3:12 PM, Essiesmom said:

Your picture isn’t showing for me, but here is a pic from the bridge am of NCL Bliss today:

 

 

Oh boy, that looks like fun. LOL. 

[Birdnutty]

On 1/13/2023 at 10:49 PM, quendar said:

Thanks that helps. Also considering spending the night and catching an earlier flight on Tuesday.  Priceline has a good price on the Raddison Panama Canal

That's what we're doing.  Staying at the Crowne Plaza in Panama City (not the airport), doing a half day tour the next day and then coming home the next night.  Took all the stress out of the day and allowed us to spend some time in this fascinating city.  The Crowne Plaza had excellent prices (even cancellable!) for seniors, and said they'd allow us to leave luggage with them for the day while we toured.