Panama City cruise port

[31 cents]

 We will be on the NCL Bliss in December transiting the Panama Canal with an overnight in Panama City.  Does anyone know where we dock?  I have booked a tour that starts at 5:30 AM.  Is this going to be possible and how?  Can we just get off the ship and maybe walk to the gate/terminal to meet our mini van?  

       Ancon Hill Walking Tour. Sunrise, Nature & Authentic Breakfast

[Turtles06]

You will dock at Fuerte Amador, where the new cruise terminal, according to most recent reports, is still under construction. Unclear when it will be finished.  The docks have been completed, and ships are docking there, but unless something has changed recently, passengers are being bused to and from another location, where they can get taxis, etc. Since you have a private tour, you should ask the tour operator where to meet. 
 

There’s a specific forum here in CC for the Panama Canal and related questions like yours, at the link below.  You should monitor that forum for updates on Fuerte Amador. 

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/54-panama-canal/

 

Enjoy your cruise! And if you haven’t already done so, please read David McCullough’s “The Path Between the Seas.”  You will appreciate the Canal even more. 

 

 

 

[jsn55]

Don't let the size of Path Between the Seas daunt you.  Reading the book first will enhance your cruise a thousand times.

[mcmarya]

You may have trouble meeting your tour at 5:30 am.  How early you can leave the port facility will depend entirely on what arrangements have been made by NCL.  We were there last November when 2 ships were docked.  Our small ship had shuttles running starting at 7 am and we had no issues leaving the port fairly early--of course we were bussed to another location for further transport.  The larger ship's passengers had to wait until all of the tours had departed before independently touring passengers could get out of the port area.  Many missed their arranged tours.  Unless some major construction has occurred since then, no private vehicles/taxis will be able to enter the port area.  If so, you are at the mercy of the shuttle bus setup.

[31 cents]

3 minutes ago, mcmarya said:

You may have trouble meeting your tour at 5:30 am.  How early you can leave the port facility will depend entirely on what arrangements have been made by NCL.  We were there last November when 2 ships were docked.  Our small ship had shuttles running starting at 7 am and we had no issues leaving the port fairly early--of course we were bussed to another location for further transport.  The larger ship's passengers had to wait until all of the tours had departed before independently touring passengers could get out of the port area.  Many missed their arranged tours.  Unless some major construction has occurred since then, no private vehicles/taxis will be able to enter the port area.  If so, you are at the mercy of the shuttle bus setup.

Thanks. That is what I was afraid of.  I can cancel my tour three days before so I figured I could wait until on board ship to see what the situation is.  Looks like I'd better book something later in the day.  Any suggestions?

[mcmarya]

Hopefully someone will report on the current situation there before you need to make a final decision.   Maybe things will be improved by then.  The current situation is actually worse than when tenders were necessary.  When we've been anchored there previously tenders started early and ended late.