st2327

We will be in Panama city for three days and want to take a boat trip thru or partially thru the canal. Can anyone recommend a tour company with their contact information?? Terry

sandy_b

We went in Mar 2002 and booked a half-day trip through the canal . . . booked it at a local travel agency at the same time we were booking flight/hotel to the San Blas Islands.

I think we paid about $90 and that included breakfast, lunch, soft drinks, snacks (beer was extra). Our half-day tour began at 7:30 and we didn't get back to dock until around 3:00!

We thought the trip was great, we went through several locks and turned around in the lake . . . after the first lock, it was all same-same.

Buen viaje,
Sandy ([email protected])

falcon

We, too, are looking for a locally-based transit of the canal. Unfortunately, the cruises that do a complete transit are too long for us. We'd like to do a full transit, or at least one that goes through the cut. What agency did you use?

TioGringo

I did the full transit about 3 months ago. GREAT way to spend a Saturday!

I used Pacific Yacht Tours leaving out of Panama City. They run transit journeys every Saturday with the 3rd Saturday of the month being the "Full Transit" -- all others run only as far as a dredging dock just past the San Miguel lock.

There are other tours too, mostly the same deal with just one Saturday being the full transit.

Pacific Yacht Tours is on the web at www.pacificyachttours.com

My thoughts on the transit trip are at:
http://www.epinions.com/content_139655614084

I *highly* recommend the full transit -- it's a blast!

Have fun,
Mark
www.tiogringo.com


http://www.epinions.com/content_139655614084

mikemo

We did a daylight transit in March '03 on a local Panamanian small ship arranged by Clipper Cruise Lines.
The trip from Panama to Colon took most of the day and we got a bus back to the Yorktown Clipper in time for dinner in Panama.
We were accompanied by a new, German built, diesel-electric submarine from Equador or Bolivia (I forget the flag) - her crew spent the transit watching the ladies on our vessel with
high power binoculars.
I think Clipper Cruise booked the Pacific Yacht Tour boat mentioned by Mark @ tiogringo.
They had a couple of local experts on board who gave lectures and had small group discussions which were really super.
The food and beer was great too.
M

TioGringo

WHOOPS!

Made a mistake on the URL I posted earlier. It should have been PANAMA Yacht Tours (not Pacific).

Try:
http://www.panamayachtours.com/

Sorry 'bout that...(now I'm off to write 100 times...."I must test links before clicking POST&quot

Mark