I have to think this was a once in a lifetime because they have pulled out of Fuerte Amador. The ability to fly to Panama, do a full transit, and see five ports in nine days was amazing
Embarkation
3 out of 5
Disembarkation for Panama City currently consists of checking in at the Panama Convention Center and then getting bused over the new pier next to the still-unfinished cruise terminal at Fuerte Amador. There was an Ironman competition on the day of embarkation which closed roads and added to the general confusion as to where the drop off point at the convention center was. Still, once we were there, I didn't find the whole process all that bad. I've definitely had worse experiences at other ports
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
The best I can say is that the MDR and buffet met my expectations for cruise ship food. Beef dishes were usually a poor choice and the listed sea bass or trout dishes were just not available (likely due to their resupply issues). Specialty restaurants were all good. The Teppanaki show was done very well. Strange, but no shrimp cocktail or lobster on the MDR menu.
Le Bistro French Restaurant
4 out of 5
Very good experience and food
Teppanyaki
5 out of 5
Very good food and outstanding presentation
Onboard Activities
3 out of 5
We just didn't really do anything. A lot of port days
Entertainment
4 out of 5
It seemed like it was either latin or for the older set. They all did a good job, but I would think younger guests might have felt like I did when Lawrence Welk was on
Service and Staff
4 out of 5
All staff were very nice. I have seen many complain about the guest services staff on the ship and they did always seemed a bit on the defensive.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
It's an older ship with few to none of the modern amenities found on newer ones. I found everything clean and appeared new. No worn furniture and no visible rust spots. It met my expectations for this cruise as the new larger ships cannot navigate the original Panama Canal locks.
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
Cabin was a unique "enclosed balcony" at the front of the ship that gave an excellent view of the canal transit. A bit tight, but the enclosed shower was a big plus.
Ship tip
For this itinerary, ours was probably the last. NCL has advised Panama they will no longer home port there. .As the terminal is unfinished and behind schedule (it appears work has stopped), the outlook does not look good for Fuerte Amador
Ugh. Not a terrible experience, but not a good one either on the old city. Just an okay tour and vendors everywhere. The hop on/hop off took an hour and a half to get back to the shop in heavy traffic (1p on a Tuesday!). The aviary at the port is a.dont miss.experience. seeing multiple parrots in flight was amazing
Our ship excursion to a rainforest park, a ride on the banana train, and a boat ride was a lot of fun. The drive to all showed us many rural areas and banana plantations
Disembarkation went super smooth. Also unlike many comments I have seen. We Disembarked at Colon, were immediately put on buses, and traveled the 1.5 hours back to airport in Panama City
Thanks Auntpinkie, I might say some crazy stuff, but I'm not going to do anything that would result in me being locked up in a foreign jail. I do find the comments others put in very helpful in making travel plans. I can only hope mine will do the same.
Appreciate your detailed and informative review. Nicely filled in things you left out of your daily reports. Glad you weren’t arrested or anything along the way. Happy you got to experience the canal transit as planned.
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