Royal Carribean from Colon, Panama
 

My wife & I are considering a trip on a Royal Caribbean cruise that departs
in Colon. I can only find flights that end in Panama City, Panama. We were
told by an acquaintance that the ride between Panama City & Colon is on a
dirt road - this gives me pause and question the comfort for such a ride. Am
I being overly concerned and is this an actual issue?

Royal Carribean from Colon, Panama
 

Wayne Dernoncourt wrote:

My wife & I are considering a trip on a Royal Caribbean cruise that departs
in Colon. I can only find flights that end in Panama City, Panama. We were
told by an acquaintance that the ride between Panama City & Colon is on a
dirt road - this gives me pause and question the comfort for such a ride. Am
I being overly concerned and is this an actual issue?

The Panama-Colon Expressway is a 100% paved, divided, four lane (two in
each direction) freeway the whole way. Just look on Google maps in
Satellite mode. You can see the whole freeway with cars and "rigs"
traveling it.

My cousin who's lived and worked as a civil engineer in Panama for over
40 years--and retired there--described the Canal Zone as like any
American area, except all the street signs are in Spanish.

Stef

Royal Carribean from Colon, Panama
 

In article , Wayne
Dernoncourt wrote:

My wife & I are considering a trip on a Royal Caribbean cruise that departs
in Colon. I can only find flights that end in Panama City, Panama. We were
told by an acquaintance that the ride between Panama City & Colon is on a
dirt road - this gives me pause and question the comfort for such a ride. Am
I being overly concerned and is this an actual issue?


That could be one of Royal Caribbean's Immersive cruises. That would
mean the primary language is Spanish. And the food and entertainment
geared to Latin Americans. That might be a consideration.

--
Charles

Royal Carribean from Colon, Panama
 

On Sun, 07 Jul 2013 06:51:44 -0400, Charles wrote:

That could be one of Royal Caribbean's Immersive cruises. That would
mean the primary language is Spanish. And the food and entertainment
geared to Latin Americans. That might be a consideration.

If you hate Latinos like Chuck does.

CC

Royal Carribean from Colon, Panama
 

On Sat, 6 Jul 2013 22:00:38 -0400, Stef wrote
(in article ):

Wayne Dernoncourt wrote:

My wife & I are considering a trip on a Royal Caribbean cruise that departs
in Colon. I can only find flights that end in Panama City, Panama. We
were
told by an acquaintance that the ride between Panama City & Colon is on a
dirt road - this gives me pause and question the comfort for such a ride.
Am
I being overly concerned and is this an actual issue?

The Panama-Colon Expressway is a 100% paved, divided, four lane (two in
each direction) freeway the whole way. Just look on Google maps in
Satellite mode. You can see the whole freeway with cars and "rigs"
traveling it.

My cousin who's lived and worked as a civil engineer in Panama for over
40 years--and retired there--described the Canal Zone as like any
American area, except all the street signs are in Spanish.

Stef

That's what I figured. It didn't make any sense that a cruise line would
deal with a dirt road, but that is what the acquaintance reported. I didn't
think of using Google maps.

The travel agent is pushing Crown Air(??) for the flight.

Royal Carribean from Colon, Panama
 

Wayne Dernoncourt wrote:

On Sat, 6 Jul 2013 22:00:38 -0400, Stef wrote
(in article ):

Wayne Dernoncourt wrote:

My wife & I are considering a trip on a Royal Caribbean cruise that departs
in Colon. I can only find flights that end in Panama City, Panama. We
were
told by an acquaintance that the ride between Panama City & Colon is on a
dirt road - this gives me pause and question the comfort for such a ride.
Am
I being overly concerned and is this an actual issue?

The Panama-Colon Expressway is a 100% paved, divided, four lane (two in
each direction) freeway the whole way. Just look on Google maps in
Satellite mode. You can see the whole freeway with cars and "rigs"
traveling it.

My cousin who's lived and worked as a civil engineer in Panama for over
40 years--and retired there--described the Canal Zone as like any
American area, except all the street signs are in Spanish.

Stef

That's what I figured. It didn't make any sense that a cruise line would
deal with a dirt road, but that is what the acquaintance reported. I didn't
think of using Google maps.

The travel agent is pushing Crown Air(??) for the flight.

Have no experience with Crown Air.

I did do some checking on airline flights from southwest US into
Panama City, and found, in general, Continental--through Hobby airport
in Houston--had the best prices, routes and times for me--one airline,
round trip.

Stef

Royal Carribean from Colon, Panama
 

On Jul 10 2013 2:15 AM, Christine Cruiser wrote:

On Sun, 07 Jul 2013 06:51:44 -0400, Charles wrote:

That could be one of Royal Caribbean's Immersive cruises. That would
mean the primary language is Spanish. And the food and entertainment
geared to Latin Americans. That might be a consideration.

If you hate Latinos like Chuck does.

CC

He's not the only one who hates Latinos.
Going to be a lot more in the near future.

Royal Carribean from Colon, Panama
 

On Thu, 11 Jul 2013 02:07:28 -0400, Stef wrote
(in article ):

Wayne Dernoncourt wrote:

On Sat, 6 Jul 2013 22:00:38 -0400, Stef wrote
(in article ):

Wayne Dernoncourt wrote:

My wife & I are considering a trip on a Royal Caribbean cruise that
departs
in Colon. I can only find flights that end in Panama City, Panama. We
were
told by an acquaintance that the ride between Panama City & Colon is on a
dirt road - this gives me pause and question the comfort for such a ride.

Am
I being overly concerned and is this an actual issue?

The Panama-Colon Expressway is a 100% paved, divided, four lane (two in
each direction) freeway the whole way. Just look on Google maps in
Satellite mode. You can see the whole freeway with cars and "rigs"
traveling it.

My cousin who's lived and worked as a civil engineer in Panama for over
40 years--and retired there--described the Canal Zone as like any
American area, except all the street signs are in Spanish.

Stef

That's what I figured. It didn't make any sense that a cruise line would
deal with a dirt road, but that is what the acquaintance reported. I
didn't
think of using Google maps.

The travel agent is pushing Crown Air(??) for the flight.

Have no experience with Crown Air.

I did do some checking on airline flights from southwest US into
Panama City, and found, in general, Continental--through Hobby airport
in Houston--had the best prices, routes and times for me--one airline,
round trip.

Over the weekend we sat down with the agent and tried to get
everything taken care of. It pretty much fell apart when the last
transportation to the dock left at 12:30 and the plane we would
be on got there at 12:45. We had no desire to spend a night
anywhere along the way, so we are going on a Holland America
cruise that is 3 days longer leaving from Ft. Lauderdale.

Royal Carribean from Colon, Panama
 

Wayne Dernoncourt wrote:

On Thu, 11 Jul 2013 02:07:28 -0400, Stef wrote
(in article ):

Wayne Dernoncourt wrote:

On Sat, 6 Jul 2013 22:00:38 -0400, Stef wrote
(in article ):

Wayne Dernoncourt wrote:

My wife & I are considering a trip on a Royal Caribbean cruise that
departs
in Colon. I can only find flights that end in Panama City, Panama. We
were
told by an acquaintance that the ride between Panama City & Colon is on a
dirt road - this gives me pause and question the comfort for such a ride.

Am
I being overly concerned and is this an actual issue?

The Panama-Colon Expressway is a 100% paved, divided, four lane (two in
each direction) freeway the whole way. Just look on Google maps in
Satellite mode. You can see the whole freeway with cars and "rigs"
traveling it.

My cousin who's lived and worked as a civil engineer in Panama for over
40 years--and retired there--described the Canal Zone as like any
American area, except all the street signs are in Spanish.

Stef

That's what I figured. It didn't make any sense that a cruise line would
deal with a dirt road, but that is what the acquaintance reported. I
didn't
think of using Google maps.

The travel agent is pushing Crown Air(??) for the flight.

Have no experience with Crown Air.

I did do some checking on airline flights from southwest US into
Panama City, and found, in general, Continental--through Hobby airport
in Houston--had the best prices, routes and times for me--one airline,
round trip.

Over the weekend we sat down with the agent and tried to get
everything taken care of. It pretty much fell apart when the last
transportation to the dock left at 12:30 and the plane we would
be on got there at 12:45. We had no desire to spend a night
anywhere along the way, so we are going on a Holland America
cruise that is 3 days longer leaving from Ft. Lauderdale.

Most cruises I've ever looked into where air travel was involved
required one to arrive the day before departure since arriving the day
of departure didn't allow sufficient time to make it to the ship. So,
what you experienced with your Colon departure is not unusual. And it
would have been an international flight, so there would be
additional time lost due to customs and all, too.

In any case, enjoy your "new" cruise.

Stef

Royal Carribean from Colon, Panama
 

On Wed, 17 Jul 2013 12:34:31 -0400, Stef wrote
(in article ):

Wayne Dernoncourt wrote:

Over the weekend we sat down with the agent and tried to get
everything taken care of. It pretty much fell apart when the last
transportation to the dock left at 12:30 and the plane we would
be on got there at 12:45. We had no desire to spend a night
anywhere along the way, so we are going on a Holland America
cruise that is 3 days longer leaving from Ft. Lauderdale.

Most cruises I've ever looked into where air travel was involved
required one to arrive the day before departure since arriving the day
of departure didn't allow sufficient time to make it to the ship. So,
what you experienced with your Colon departure is not unusual. And it
would have been an international flight, so there would be
additional time lost due to customs and all, too.

In any case, enjoy your "new" cruise.

The agent never mentioned getting there a day early and we
do plan on enjoying our new cruise..