A little confused. The January 18 trip departs out of San Jose, not Panama. Our flight arrives from MIA to SJO at 7:42 on the 17th of January at SJO. We then arrive at Panama City Hilton the evening of the 27th, apparently the evening after the Pope checks out, and departs Panama around six PM.
For sure everything should be winding down, but just like Woodstock, those 500,000+/- attendees won’t just miraculously disappear, nor will the road barriers, etc. be gone, etc. on the 27th (which is a Sunday) - things move at a slower pace here- in the land of mañana. I just wanted folks to be aware and am sure Tauck has taken all this into account. To illustrate how seriously they are taking this whole shindig, my granddaughter started XMAS vacation last Friday, but doesn’t go back to school until 29 Jan!
. . . . At the Welcome dinner on our Iceland tour, we dined at the Captain's table, which I am still starry eyed from, he was so handsome!
I’ve been told, there is just something about a man in uniform, especially if in whites- e.g. Richard Geer in “An Officer and Gentleman.” Or how about Tom Cruise in “Top Gun.” ????. The carry over for those of us who weren’t either was not insignificant! ???? I’m sure Sealord might be able to comment on this.
We come in on AA 4496 that arrives at 2-10pm from Miami. I'm looking at that flight on our Tauck reservation page. I can't see our first flight on that and Mr B does the booking anyway. We leave Philly at 5am. It wasn't that early originally but the flight kept getting changed from when we originally booked, but that was almost a year ago when flights first opened up.
Wow, there is hardly anyone that even comes from Pennsylvania on any Tauck tour we have been on! We live a few miles from you. I shop at the Trader Joe's at the ValleyForge shopping center now and again. But I am always going on 202 or the back way, 23 and 52.
I never divulge my real identity here, I'm too controversial, but I have met Sealord. He and his wife are now Africa crazy like us. I will look out for you on the tour, but who knows if our paths will cross. Our only other small ship cruise, there are so many people it's just not the same. At the Welcome dinner on our Iceland tour, we dined at the Captain's table, which I am still starry eyed from, he was so handsome!
Well thats intrigueing. Which trip? I met some ‘forum’ people on our last Africa trip, but I was not aware that we had met somewhere. (Trijet0 (numeral 0) at comcast dot net.). I know there are two people in the picture on the Tauck ‘forum’ home page that we were with in the Galapagos but that was on the Celebrity Xpedition. They had a ‘British’ background. They are the two people on the far right in the picture ... Phil and Judith.
We met some years ago prior to your first K and T tour. You are very tall and your wife is petite. I guess you had no idea that day what the magic of Africa is like, but we already knew.
We still have a busy schedule until we leave for Panama on the tenth. We are off for a night in the city today and a romantic dinner. Happy New Year!
We met some years ago prior to your first K and T tour. You are very tall and your wife is petite. I guess you had no idea that day what the magic of Africa is like, but we already knew.
We still have a busy schedule until we leave for Panama on the tenth. We are off for a night in the city today and a romantic dinner. Happy New Year!
A mystery ... OK. I do remember another couple that we were with talking about travel ... and Africa, where we had never been. And I asked which was a better trip, the Galapagos or Africa. “They” said, emphaticly ... Africa. That was again on the Xpedition. We never travelled with Tauck until our first K&T, but we have done a lot of cruising. Actually, in recent years the Wind Surf has been like a second home. We will be aboard her with Tauck in July for the Portugal and Spain Eastbound.
British, I called Tauck and we are too late to book the tours. She said they sent the tour request to Agent, which she denies. Whatever, reportedly, we can book what we want with the Tour Director when we see him/her as they rarely fill up. We are going with Tauck again in May, Bucharest to Budapest so I’ll be on top of things well before. We’ve both been to Budapest but only I’ve been to Bucharest in 1999 with an NGO so I wanted to see the changes in 20 years.
This is our 4th trip with Tauck and know they go out of their way to accommodate. The Rome to Malta Trip was on the Ponant sailing ship and all Tauck. We had several tour directors and it was a great trip as was Australia and New Zealand.
I asked when I called and was told that the entire ship is Tauck.
We’ve only been disappointed with Tauck once and it was on the Yellowstone-Tetons Trip. The trip was awesome but the tour director gave a very bad first impression for those who had never been with Tauck before.
I’ll look for someone on this trip who looks controversial and goes to Trader Joe’s LOL. The Ship isn’t that large.
Ok, I’ll look for you! Thanks for finding out it is an all Tauck ship! I’m usually on my best behavior on tour!
I would change your Travel agent. On our Iceland tour this summer, several people had not picked their tours beforehand, and as far as I know there was no problem getting on the ones they wanted, but I would get it sorted as sooon as you can, I bet you won’t be the only ones who have not chosen yet.
We have taken around thirty tours with Tauck, we have lost count, and when we were still counting Tauck appeared to have missed a few we had taken with them. But never a river cruise. We will take our first river cruise in July.
We took the Australia and New Zealand but separately, the one tour was tooo long when Mr B was still working.
Now here is the interesting thing—- we have always had fabulous guides—— until this September we went on the Mythic West tour to Yellowstone and the Tetons. The tour director was sub par and it’s the first time we commented about it to Tauck in no uncertain terms. The tour was new this year and has been discontinued already.
We have so many things to do and organize before the 10th but we look forward to visiting Costa Rica again, we love it there. Happy New Year.
We are on the January 11 departure. It seems they are using two hotels in Panama City. We're at the Intercontinental arriving January 10 from Miami. I wanted to let CL and DL know that we had an issue with the selection of tours as well. We are traveling with another couple with a different travel agent. They got an email from their agent asking for the tour selections. We didn't. I called my agent, and she said she didn't receive anything about tours from Tauck but later found it in her office SPAM file!! If the other couple hadn't alerted us, we would never have known either. We are definitely looking forward to this adventure. Can't wait to see the new ship.
I use a travel agent frequently for other trips, but with Tauck trips I find it much more convenient to book directly with Tauck. Using a TA for these trips just inserts an unnecessary ‘middle man’ that can provide little benefit. When you book directly you have direct contact in a more timely manner. We did use a TA for two Tauck trips, but we are now done with that. We actually got a significant ‘rebate’ from one of the two agents, but it still was not worth it.
Sealord - Once my current travel agent retires, I will definitely do all my bookings direct. But I've been with this gal for 40 years, and I feel an obligation to continue. You're right, in this day and age there's no reason to have a middle man unless it's a complicated "non tour" itinerary. 7 days and counting!
We use a TA because, as a former small business owner, I think we should help keep them in business but this gal also made an error on our Visa on a trip and if it hadn’t been for Air New Zealand reps we’d have been stranded in LA. Prolly last time at least when going with Tauck or tour companies or river boat companies we’ve used in the past.
Hoping no problem with choosing tours. Wow, British, thirty tours with Tauck. They should come you a trip or two ????.
Looking forward to the trip.
Ok, I’ll look for you! Thanks for finding out it is an all Tauck ship! I’m usually on my best behavior on tour!
I would change your Travel agent. On our Iceland tour this summer, several people had not picked their tours beforehand, and as far as I know there was no problem getting on the ones they wanted, but I would get it sorted as sooon as you can, I bet you won’t be the only ones who have not chosen yet.
We have taken around thirty tours with Tauck, we have lost count, and when we were still counting Tauck appeared to have missed a few we had taken with them. But never a river cruise. We will take our first river cruise in July.
We took the Australia and New Zealand but separately, the one tour was tooo long when Mr B was still working.
Now here is the interesting thing—- we have always had fabulous guides—— until this September we went on the Mythic West tour to Yellowstone and the Tetons. The tour director was sub par and it’s the first time we commented about it to Tauck in no uncertain terms. The tour was new this year and has been discontinued already.
We have so many things to do and organize before the 10th but we look forward to visiting Costa Rica again, we love it there. Happy New Year.
Yes all packed. Been to hairdressers, pedicure etc today, you know, all the stuff you guys don’t have to worry about. Daughter and grandson popped in on the way to his science class. ( think he is going in the direction of his grandad) Told us no tear gas or football riots on this trip as we experienced on our last Tauck tour....so they really do worry about us. Meanwhile, have been having fun and games with the app and the forum. Tauck is having problems with the app, so even though it’s not super useful, it would have been nice to remind me where at least we were each day, even if there are no times. I don’t Ithink i am the only one from what the techs says, my password is not recognized on this iPad, the one I travel with, but will on my old big iPad at my bedside. So the app is there, to much use here.
With the forum, one minute it does not recognize me so I can’t post and says my password is wrong, the next I can get in and post. I hope I can send you some tips. As the forum is my only vice, I better take an extra book with me!
So we leave home at 3-45am, that early plane better not be delayed after our efforts to get up in the middle of the night, even I don’t usually wake until 4am.
I had my travel laptop with me the last few days while I was up in the mountains skiing. With that computer, I have to sign out, then back in every time, because I come up as Guest otherwise. No password issues.
Back home now and with my desktop computer, all is well with no need to sign out and back in to be recognized on the forum.
Yes all packed. Been to hairdressers, pedicure etc today, you know, all the stuff you guys don’t have to worry about. Daughter and grandson popped in on the way to his science class. ( think he is going in the direction of his grandad) Told us no tear gas or football riots on this trip as we experienced on our last Tauck tour....so they really do worry about us. Meanwhile, have been having fun and games with the app and the forum. Tauck is having problems with the app, so even though it’s not super useful, it would have been nice to remind me where at least we were each day, even if there are no times. I don’t Ithink i am the only one from what the techs says, my password is not recognized on this iPad, the one I travel with, but will on my old big iPad at my bedside. So the app is there, to much use here.
With the forum, one minute it does not recognize me so I can’t post and says my password is wrong, the next I can get in and post. I hope I can send you some tips. As the forum is my only vice, I better take an extra book with me!
So we leave home at 3-45am, that early plane better not be delayed after our efforts to get up in the middle of the night, even I don’t usually wake until 4am.
You ‘girls’ couldn’t keep it a secret forever. I had my ‘mani’ and ‘pedi’ yesterday. My toes had started to look like bear claws before my wife talked me into trying it. Now if I could talk my new puppy into not biting me. I had trouble with the ‘app’ but it is working today. Still exploring. I liked having the guest list on the last trip, but they don’t publish that until after the trip begins. Probably worry that British, or Sealord, or AlanS might cancel if we recognized the names of the people from Malibu. I doubt if they are still together. I have a friend who frequently ended his relationships by taking his girlfriend on a trip. They would disappear like smoke. Have a great trip, and if you have time tell us a little about it. I can’t wait to see that underwater lounge.
With that computer, I have to sign out, then back in every time, because I come up as Guest otherwise. No password issues.
That has been a fairly regular occurrence for me. At the top of forum page it says "Welcome Alan" and shows the number of reservations, so it appears that I am logged in, but I can't post until I log out and back in again. I haven't gotten around to reporting it.
Ah, the Underwater lounge! Well on the sister boat in Iceland it was a bit of a disappointment. Before we were allowed to experience it, we all had to be invited there in small groups. Of course it was Iceland and not much to see at all. It also does not open until about 9pm at night. Around that time, if there is entertainment, it also begins around the same time, so we never actually got down there again because we really enjoyed the shows. One night there was a classical pianist and he was fabulous. Several nights there was dancing in the lounge so we did that too. Then we were ready for bed, though still managing to stay up much later than we find ourselves doing on a land tour. In the Arctic, when the boat was moving at night it went pretty fast, so even if there was anything to see, you wouldn't see it. Let's hope it is better in tropical waters, but I am not holding my breath.
Well I’m glad I got that balloon deflated early. I did anticipate that it was a fairly small area and probably could not accomodate many people at one time.
Just arrived in Panama. Hilton is excellent. Great view of the bay and the Canal. Hopefully have time to give you the scoop along the way
Sounds good. We are at the Hilton in Panama and the Marriott in San Jose. Just starting to pack. A note about the Le Champlain laundry might help with that. But don’t take a moment out of having fun!
Bare in mind, the tour I am on starts today and is the one that begins in Panama. Staying at the Hilton.
We have had a great day. The tour begins in one hour fifteen minutes.
We had a leisurely breakfast and then headed out to walk to the old city. There is a walkway that takes you over the very busy roadway just outside the hotel, to a walkway/cycle way along the bay, very pleasant. We walk very briskly, it took us around 45 mins to get to the city. There is a public restroom about halfway there. We walked around and I think went into every church. Lots of lovely old buildings to see and good atmosphere. Not many stores but everyone sells Panama hats by the dozen of every description. Had a good iced coffee at Cafe Americano.
Returned to hotel for late lunch and then spa treatments at 3pm. 90 minute facial/body exfoliation/ back massage, body lotion $125 best we have ever had and the spa has a great steam room, sauna and jacuzzi and relaxation area. We ate in the hotel last night at Ni Ba, Panamanian restaurant, great prices, good local food, nice service.
Large rooftop outdoor pool, swam in there yesterday. Swimsuits easily dried overnight.
The concierge area had a display TV advertising the tours you can take, they are very pricey. We wanted to chill out today and glad we did. The view from our room of the bay and canal in the distance is fantastic
Sealord - We traveled with you and your wife in Africa and had a great time. We still talk about the time the entire tour group wanted to get on that small 10 person plane with you since you are a pilot. That was hysterical. This trip is very interesting and we are considering it and would like to see your future reviews. Are you going Westbound or Eastbound and what was the reason for the route you took? Was there a ship choice? Deborah says hello to your other half. Have a fun trip!
A bit too late for you British but maybe Sealord will have the time for a hike (on the road) up to the top of Ancon Hill. You get a great view of the city, bay/approaches to the canal, and the area around the Miraflores locks. Panama City has a very interesting skyline and a few unique sykscrapers- J.W. Marriott, the corkscrew shaped F&F Tower, and others listed here.
I took this photo from Ancon Hill looking N.E.* during one of our trips to see our daughter and family:
A gotcha question: What direction are you heading when you transit the Panama Canal from the Pacific to the Atlantic on Tauck's eastbound Panama Canal & Costa Rica tour? Answer: If you look at a map, you'll see it is N.W.!!!
A bit too late for you British but maybe Sealord will have the time for a hike (on the road) up to the top of Ancon Hill. You get a great view of the city, bay/approaches to the canal, and the area around the Miraflores locks.
Just returned from our first day of the tour. It’s been very hot today. Great views from the tower in the Viejo ruins amd from our hotel room on the 22nd floor.
Hundreds of young people migrating through San Jose to Panama to see the Pope. Mob scene. Took two and a half hours to get from ‘arrival’ to the hotel. Not normal. We’ve been here before. Now at the Marriott getting ready to begin. Our green book said there would be no more than 90 in our group, but they meant ninety at each hotel. It is a full boat charter that could hold 184, but we have many singles ... at least 20, so the total guest list is about 160. The Costa Rica Marriott is gorgeous ... very pleased.
Hello Sealord, I have been of low energy this week because I caught a cold on day 3 and now Mr B has it, quickly turns into a cough, others have it. Have been reading the forum but lazy to post anything about our tour. There is a huge amount of down time. 28 people cancelled on our tour so it certainly does not feel full.
The food is delicious. The Canal day and visit to The Enbera People our favorite. If you get the ink ‘tatoo’ there, be sure to wear an old t shirt as we all got it on ours. Tattoos still good, almost everyone got one.
I have swam in the pool every day.
There are two delightful professional photographers filming us, employed by Tauck for the website. They filmed me swimming, if they use it they better slim me down. The BBC guy has given three great lectures. He sat next to us again for lunch and we had great conversation. Have been to Manuel Antonio today, the early walk is at 6-10 am the late one 6-30 am. Back at the boat by 11am, rest of the day free. Not allowed to take a second choice in the afternoon. Lots of people did not know they had to chose the tours before the trip began, but I think they’d all used Travel agents.
Good to know the Marriott is nice. Hope San Jose has calmed down by the time we get to the airport.
Heading for the Canal in the morning. Spent the morning with the Embera people. So far, the highlight of the trip. It has actually been getting better every day. We got moved to a different tour director. I don’t know if we got fired or vice versa after I explained my concerns about some ‘problems’. Doesn’t matter. Really pleased with the last few days. I think the next crulise will incorporate some changes.
Comments
For sure everything should be winding down, but just like Woodstock, those 500,000+/- attendees won’t just miraculously disappear, nor will the road barriers, etc. be gone, etc. on the 27th (which is a Sunday) - things move at a slower pace here- in the land of mañana. I just wanted folks to be aware and am sure Tauck has taken all this into account. To illustrate how seriously they are taking this whole shindig, my granddaughter started XMAS vacation last Friday, but doesn’t go back to school until 29 Jan!
I’ve been told, there is just something about a man in uniform, especially if in whites- e.g. Richard Geer in “An Officer and Gentleman.” Or how about Tom Cruise in “Top Gun.” ????. The carry over for those of us who weren’t either was not insignificant! ???? I’m sure Sealord might be able to comment on this.
Well thats intrigueing. Which trip? I met some ‘forum’ people on our last Africa trip, but I was not aware that we had met somewhere. (Trijet0 (numeral 0) at comcast dot net.). I know there are two people in the picture on the Tauck ‘forum’ home page that we were with in the Galapagos but that was on the Celebrity Xpedition. They had a ‘British’ background. They are the two people on the far right in the picture ... Phil and Judith.
We still have a busy schedule until we leave for Panama on the tenth. We are off for a night in the city today and a romantic dinner. Happy New Year!
A mystery ... OK. I do remember another couple that we were with talking about travel ... and Africa, where we had never been. And I asked which was a better trip, the Galapagos or Africa. “They” said, emphaticly ... Africa. That was again on the Xpedition. We never travelled with Tauck until our first K&T, but we have done a lot of cruising. Actually, in recent years the Wind Surf has been like a second home. We will be aboard her with Tauck in July for the Portugal and Spain Eastbound.
This is our 4th trip with Tauck and know they go out of their way to accommodate. The Rome to Malta Trip was on the Ponant sailing ship and all Tauck. We had several tour directors and it was a great trip as was Australia and New Zealand.
I asked when I called and was told that the entire ship is Tauck.
We’ve only been disappointed with Tauck once and it was on the Yellowstone-Tetons Trip. The trip was awesome but the tour director gave a very bad first impression for those who had never been with Tauck before.
I’ll look for someone on this trip who looks controversial and goes to Trader Joe’s LOL. The Ship isn’t that large.
I would change your Travel agent. On our Iceland tour this summer, several people had not picked their tours beforehand, and as far as I know there was no problem getting on the ones they wanted, but I would get it sorted as sooon as you can, I bet you won’t be the only ones who have not chosen yet.
We have taken around thirty tours with Tauck, we have lost count, and when we were still counting Tauck appeared to have missed a few we had taken with them. But never a river cruise. We will take our first river cruise in July.
We took the Australia and New Zealand but separately, the one tour was tooo long when Mr B was still working.
Now here is the interesting thing—- we have always had fabulous guides—— until this September we went on the Mythic West tour to Yellowstone and the Tetons. The tour director was sub par and it’s the first time we commented about it to Tauck in no uncertain terms. The tour was new this year and has been discontinued already.
We have so many things to do and organize before the 10th but we look forward to visiting Costa Rica again, we love it there. Happy New Year.
Hoping no problem with choosing tours. Wow, British, thirty tours with Tauck. They should come you a trip or two ????.
Looking forward to the trip.
I guess your ‘bags are packed and ready to go’?
With the forum, one minute it does not recognize me so I can’t post and says my password is wrong, the next I can get in and post. I hope I can send you some tips. As the forum is my only vice, I better take an extra book with me!
So we leave home at 3-45am, that early plane better not be delayed after our efforts to get up in the middle of the night, even I don’t usually wake until 4am.
Back home now and with my desktop computer, all is well with no need to sign out and back in to be recognized on the forum.
You ‘girls’ couldn’t keep it a secret forever. I had my ‘mani’ and ‘pedi’ yesterday. My toes had started to look like bear claws before my wife talked me into trying it. Now if I could talk my new puppy into not biting me. I had trouble with the ‘app’ but it is working today. Still exploring. I liked having the guest list on the last trip, but they don’t publish that until after the trip begins. Probably worry that British, or Sealord, or AlanS might cancel if we recognized the names of the people from Malibu. I doubt if they are still together. I have a friend who frequently ended his relationships by taking his girlfriend on a trip. They would disappear like smoke. Have a great trip, and if you have time tell us a little about it. I can’t wait to see that underwater lounge.
That has been a fairly regular occurrence for me. At the top of forum page it says "Welcome Alan" and shows the number of reservations, so it appears that I am logged in, but I can't post until I log out and back in again. I haven't gotten around to reporting it.
Sounds good. We are at the Hilton in Panama and the Marriott in San Jose. Just starting to pack. A note about the Le Champlain laundry might help with that. But don’t take a moment out of having fun!
We have had a great day. The tour begins in one hour fifteen minutes.
We had a leisurely breakfast and then headed out to walk to the old city. There is a walkway that takes you over the very busy roadway just outside the hotel, to a walkway/cycle way along the bay, very pleasant. We walk very briskly, it took us around 45 mins to get to the city. There is a public restroom about halfway there. We walked around and I think went into every church. Lots of lovely old buildings to see and good atmosphere. Not many stores but everyone sells Panama hats by the dozen of every description. Had a good iced coffee at Cafe Americano.
Returned to hotel for late lunch and then spa treatments at 3pm. 90 minute facial/body exfoliation/ back massage, body lotion $125 best we have ever had and the spa has a great steam room, sauna and jacuzzi and relaxation area. We ate in the hotel last night at Ni Ba, Panamanian restaurant, great prices, good local food, nice service.
Large rooftop outdoor pool, swam in there yesterday. Swimsuits easily dried overnight.
The concierge area had a display TV advertising the tours you can take, they are very pricey. We wanted to chill out today and glad we did. The view from our room of the bay and canal in the distance is fantastic
I took this photo from Ancon Hill looking N.E.* during one of our trips to see our daughter and family:
A gotcha question: What direction are you heading when you transit the Panama Canal from the Pacific to the Atlantic on Tauck's eastbound Panama Canal & Costa Rica tour? Answer: If you look at a map, you'll see it is N.W.!!!
The food is delicious. The Canal day and visit to The Enbera People our favorite. If you get the ink ‘tatoo’ there, be sure to wear an old t shirt as we all got it on ours. Tattoos still good, almost everyone got one.
I have swam in the pool every day.
There are two delightful professional photographers filming us, employed by Tauck for the website. They filmed me swimming, if they use it they better slim me down. The BBC guy has given three great lectures. He sat next to us again for lunch and we had great conversation. Have been to Manuel Antonio today, the early walk is at 6-10 am the late one 6-30 am. Back at the boat by 11am, rest of the day free. Not allowed to take a second choice in the afternoon. Lots of people did not know they had to chose the tours before the trip began, but I think they’d all used Travel agents.
Good to know the Marriott is nice. Hope San Jose has calmed down by the time we get to the airport.