Cruise Talk: Panama Canal

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Topic: Panama Canal

luvtocruise
First Class Passenger
Member # 680

posted 05-30-2000 03:16 PM

Can anyone tell me about shore excursions for Costa Rica and Cartagena Colombia. Is Colombia safe?

Posts: 20 | Registered: Feb 99 | IP: Logged

sympatico
First Class Passenger
Member # 797

posted 05-30-2000 03:50 PM

I, personally, would not get off the ship, but if you do, go with an excursion from the ship. The hawkers will drive you crazy. They are everywhere and usually the same one.
They follow the tour bus and they don't seem to understand that NO is NO. The first time we were there we went in a cab with friends from LA, who spoke Spanish, and they helped. Some cab drivers don't speak English. DO NOT buy any channel #5 from anyone on the street. The box containing the bottle will be wrapped in celophane and when you open it on the ship, it will just be water. The second time we were there we took a ship's excursion on a tour of the city. There are soldiers with guns everywhere. As I said I no longer get off the ship.
In Costs Rica, again take a ship's excursion. In Puerto Caldera we took a half day tour and enjoyed it. The full day tour to San Jose was 8-10 hours and we didn't want to be away for that long, but our friends who did take it enjoyed it. If you dock in Limon there isn't much to do except go to a banada plantation. This side of CR is very hot and humid and also very poor.
There are some other posts on this forum telling you more about these two ports. Just go into "search" and type in either Cartegna or Costa Rica and you will find them. Have Fun.

Posts: 3305 | From: Toronto, Ont. Canada | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

Guest
First Class Passenger
Member # 1157

posted 06-20-2000 05:47 AM

Cartagena is very hot and humid.

Posts: 1888 | From: Earth | Registered: Mar 2000 | IP: Logged

Pam Kane
First Class Passenger
Member # 1280

posted 06-20-2000 11:00 AM

Things have changed in Cartagena. There is a new tourist welcome area at the pier complete with cab starter. You can either take a cab with a driver or a driver and a guide. Maybe because my friend and I are sorta nice looking middle-aged ladies we got the guide (English-speaking), tossed in.

I speak Spanish, but it was nice for me not to have to translate for Suzanne. We looked at a fort then got down to business, shopping at the Dungeons. Our driver parked himself under a tree, waited, and came to Suzanne's aid during a particularly intense negotiation. After shopping, we went to the zocalo, parked the driver in a restaurant, and went wandering. We felt perfectly safe at all times.

The only real annoyance were the guys selling post cards, using the in-your-face tactic.

Use credit cards for purchases to get the float. I "paid" $84 (in local currency, converted) for a $150 piece of embroidery work (fabulous stuff) and the charge came through as $72, once it was converted again.

Pam
http://happysails.com

Posts: 10 | From: Wilm, DE, USA | Registered: May 2000 | IP: Logged

Pam Kane
First Class Passenger
Member # 1280

posted 06-20-2000 11:06 AM

Sorry, forgot Costa Rica. Most cruise ships are now porting at Puntarenas. When I was last there (last year) a tourist "mall" was beginning to spring up, but there wasn't much meaningful shopping. I did go to a local grocery store and buy LOTS of coffee.

We spent pre-cruise time there, so I don't know about the shore excursions. When we ported at Caldera on the previous trip there was an excursion to Sarchi where they make little wooden carts painted in garish colors. With flowers. The Poas volcano is an interesting outing (warning! COLD on top of the mountain!) if you happen to hit a time when it is not fogged in. There is a "cloud forest" that might be on an excursion list. The city of San Jose is not particularly interesting, but that's a personal observation.

Pam
http://happysails.com

Posts: 10 | From: Wilm, DE, USA | Registered: May 2000 | IP: Logged

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