Best Shore Excursions

[Bilek]

We will be sailing on Dec 1 aboard Brilliance to Aruba, Panama Canal, Limon, Costa Rica and Grand Cayman. What are the best shore excursions. I am inclined to try to book private tours because of the crowds on the cruise line tours. The couple we are traveling with think we will have problems if we don't book through RCI particularly if the weather is bad. We want to snorkel in Aruba and Cayman also do para sailing, take the ferry in the Panama Canal and do the zipline and canals in Costa Rica. If anyone has done these and has input I would appreciate it.

[wrp96]

I did the 10 night Panama Canal cruise through RCCL this past February. We were the only ship in port in Aruba and Grand Cayman so we had absolutely no crowds in port.

 

In Aruba I did a snorkel excursion through RCCL, and our boat had less people on it than the independent excursion boats. It was a good day and highly enjoyable. There were only 18 of us onboard.

 

In Grand Cayman, I did a stingray and snorkel excursion through the ship because I could not get any of the independent operators to respond (they may have already been booked as I booked the cruise last minute). I really enjoyed the Rays and Reef excursion.

 

 

I definitely recommend the Ferry at the Panama Canal. You have to book this particular excursion through the Cruiseline. In fact, you cannot get off the ship in Gatun Lake unless you are on a cruiseline excursion.

[Sheffie]

In Grand Cayman I recommend Captain Bryan's Buccaneer - it is a nice catamaran that takes you to three stops. There are not a lot of people on the boat, and the timing of the excursion is perfect.