A question about

JoeyandDavid · November 18, 2006

I have heard rumors that unless you are on a tour in Fuerte Amador Panama it is best to get off the boat, stretch your legs, buy a souvenir and get back on the ship. Can anyone else confirm that this man made port of call is nothing more than a rest stop?

I do understand there is one or two local resturants and even a night club?? But I think the excitment of the canal crossing will be the highlight of the 25th..

Dan · November 18, 2006

If it's anything like Colon was, then I would say that is true. We got off the ship, walked around the shopping centre at the cruise terminal, went to cross the street, and a guard armed with a rifle said it was not in our interests to venture away from the terminal.

This other port of which you speak, I haven't heard of, so I don't know if it is in a built-up area like Colon or Christobal, or how safe the area is.

Shari2 · November 19, 2006

Hi Joey...

When we were on our Panama Canal cruise on "Infinity" we stopped at Fuerte Amador for a short stop in the evening. We had to tender ashore. I was kind of tired out so my DH and my SIL and BIL went ashore and I stayed on the ship. They didn't stay long...my DH said there were armed guards, and it really was just a few shops and restaurants and such.

There were quite a few locals hanging out, and they did not seem friendly, and a couple of young men came by my DH, and one brushed up against him, and he thought that he tried to steal his wallet. Hubby had a really big wallet that was pretty tight in his pocket, so that was a good thing. He's not usually the type to be scared of anything, but he told my SIL and BIL that he didn't think it was really safe there. This was back in Jan. of 2003, so things may have changed, but if you get off the ship, I would be very careful there, especially if it's at night.

JoeyandDavid · November 19, 2006

Thanks guys..... thats what I will be passing this on to our friends...

TheSkipper · November 19, 2006

This is truly a "nothing" stop. We did it last May. As you have heard you are tendered into the port in the evening. There are some tours which are drive through Panama City. Heard a lot of complaints about those as they we so pressed for time they just zipped through the city and back to the ship.

When we stepped ashore the walkways were covered with thousands of huge dead bugs, must have just sprayed. So we crunched our way up to their "shopping center" which was a total waste of time unless you needed booze for your cabin. We strolled through the center, not buying a thing and back down to the tender pier and boarded the next tender back to the ship. Total time ashore about fifteen minutes.

Hope this helps guys.

JoeyandDavid · November 19, 2006

Interesting I was wondering about the tours... kinda what I figured..

Has anyone else had experience with any of the organized tours

Dan · November 19, 2006

If this is an evening stop, is it mainly for the purpose of collecting the passengers that got off somewhere else for tours of the canal, etc? That's what our stop in Colon was for. We docked there at around 430pm, and left shortly after 6, and the main purpose was for the passengers who tendered off in Gatun Lake earlier in the afternoon to get back on the ship. (One of their tours was to go back over to the locks and watch the ship as it went back down).

If this is truly a "nothing" port, then I'm sure this has been reported on comment cards, and one would wonder why they stop there unless there is an operational reason, such as above.

jtutak · November 20, 2006

I loved it even though I did the Panama Canal by night to the Locks & the excellent Museum. Night tendering is a blast. I can't figure out why everyone is so scared of Panama. I guess we all have our own opinions. Oh by the way I also like Cartagena, Columbia but I dislike parts of NYC & Miami. :shocked:

JoeyandDavid · November 20, 2006

So Jim you are suggestion the Panama Canal by night to the Locks & the excellent Museum thingy they are offering.. I was concerned about the turnaround time considering they have to tender us to port and then get us back and we are only there 5 hours....

Dan · November 20, 2006

You might get off the ship in the canal for tours. They had shore-based tenders in Gatun Lake that came to our ship and took the people off for their tours before the ship went back through the locks. Maybe that happens on yours as well.