Panama Cruise

[cbeachrose]

Hi Cruisers,

 

Hubby and I are sailing on the Victory in Oct.; this will be our 2nd Carnival cruise. The cruise is from Miami. It goes to Cozumel (which I believe was trashed by a hurricane last year), Costa Rica, and Panama. Any cruisers who have taken this trip? Since the ship doesn't go into the Canal, we plan to take the "2 Oceans RR" tour. Is that tour worth the $$$ ?

 

Thanks for any info that you can give me.

 

2006 Cruise to Panama Carnival Victory (upcoming)

2005 Cruise to Alaska Holland America Oosterdam

2004 Carribean Cruise Carnival Fascination

[KroozFoolz]

We took this excursion two years ago (not with Carnival but sounds like the same tour) and though it is pricey, we thought it was worth it. You might check the Panama ports of call board for more recent reviews of it.

[danech]

Kid's (11 & 8) and I took that excursion in March aboard the Liberty. It was fantastic and while expensive at $450, was worth every penny. They will not be able to offer that trip in the future as the Railroad is being used more and more to carry frieght containers.

 

Dane

 

Holiday 10/06

Liberty 03/06

Insperation 05/04

Pride 05/03

Triumph 08/00

[cbeachrose]

Thank you for the info. On the itinerary for this 10/21/06 cruise it has the tours for 2 ports but not for Colon. Anyone know why that is? Do they add them later? I'd like to book before it fills up. Won't be going that way again in this lifetime. ;)

[SteelPonyCowboy]

I read a number of reviews on various web sites about this tour. Carnival actually charges double what some of the private tour companies charged for the same tour. The reviews were mixed. Most of them liked the train ride, some said they felt packed like cattle in the cars (I saw some pictures they took and it did look cramped), one said the service was terrible but the one that concerned me most was that the train travelled to fast to get any goot pictures and you werent that close to the canal most of the time to see much. If you figure the train takes an hour to get from coast to coast that is nearly 60mph.

 

For a few dollars more we are considering the tour that goes thru the canal in a 200 person boat. I am thinking the same thing that the canal is the "trip of a lifetime", at least it isnt the same old routine cruise and going thru the actual canal seems to be the way to really appreciate it.

[VikkiGarcia]

When I did a transcanal cruise I noticed the train in only a few spots. I assumed it would follow alongside the canal. If your goal is to see the canal, the boat sounds like a much better experience.

[wanda1101]

The railroad does generally follow the canal, but is hidden by the jungle in many places. Crossing the isthmus is a nice experience and the scenery is pretty provided the countryside is still green from rainy season.

 

Here's a link that has a map of the railtoad. Click the map and it will enlarge.

 

http://www.panarail.com/en/new-pma-railroad/index.html

[edste]

We returned from a Panama Canal cruise about a month ago and also went to Costa Rica. We went to the volcano and Tabacon Hot Springs. FANTASTIC and worth the money and the long bus ride to get there.