Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
Planning a Panama Canal cruise and wondering which cruise excursions are actually worth it? In this video, I’m sharing my honest review of the shore excursions we took during our 17-day Celebrity Panama Canal cruise, including both ship-sponsored excursions and independent tours booked through Shore Excursions Group and Viator.
We visited George Town, Grand Cayman; Cartagena, Colombia; Colón, Panama; Puntarenas, Costa Rica; Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala; Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; and Mazatlán, Mexico — and not every excursion went as planned!
From a canceled Dolphin Encounter and Stingray City tour in Grand Cayman, to a crowded but fascinating Cartagena city tour, to our favorite wildlife adventure on Gatun Lake and Monkey Island in Panama, I’m breaking down what we loved, what disappointed us, and what I would do differently next time.
We also experienced a Costa Rica crocodile river tour, a disappointing substitute tour in Guatemala after our Antigua excursion was canceled, a Marieta Islands eco and snorkeling tour in Puerto Vallarta, and a fun open-air Mazatlán pulmonia tour booked through Viator.
If you’re trying to decide whether to book cruise excursions through the ship, through an independent excursion company, or explore on your own, this video will help you compare the pros and cons. I’ll share which excursions were worth the money, which ones were just okay, and when I think a ship-sponsored cruise excursion may be the smarter choice.
Whether you’re planning a Celebrity cruise, a Panama Canal cruise, or any cruise with multiple port stops, these real-world shore excursion tips can help you avoid surprises, plan better, and spend your travel budget wisely.
Which cruise excursion would you choose — wildlife, city tour, beach day, snorkeling, or just wandering near the port? Let me know in the comments!
Watch next:
If you’re planning a Panama Canal cruise, check out my other videos on our Celebrity Panama Canal sailing, including sea days, the canal transit, cruise packing, cabin review, and more.
#PanamaCanalCruise #PanamaCanal #CruiseReview
✅Check out my other channel * Prepper Potpourri youtube.com/@PrepperPotpourri * where we discuss emergency preparedness, have fun cooking new recipes, and test Prepper and cooking gear.
Planning a Panama Canal cruise and wondering which cruise excursions are actually worth it? In this video, I’m sharing my honest review of the shore excursions we took during our 17-day Celebrity Panama Canal cruise, including both ship-sponsored excursions and independent tours booked through Shore Excursions Group and Viator.
We visited George Town, Grand Cayman; Cartagena, Colombia; Colón, Panama; Puntarenas, Costa Rica; Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala; Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; and Mazatlán, Mexico — and not every excursion went as planned!
From a canceled Dolphin Encounter and Stingray City tour in Grand Cayman, to a crowded but fascinating Cartagena city tour, to our favorite wildlife adventure on Gatun Lake and Monkey Island in Panama, I’m breaking down what we loved, what disappointed us, and what I would do differently next time.
We also experienced a Costa Rica crocodile river tour, a disappointing substitute tour in Guatemala after our Antigua excursion was canceled, a Marieta Islands eco and snorkeling tour in Puerto Vallarta, and a fun open-air Mazatlán pulmonia tour booked through Viator.
If you’re trying to decide whether to book cruise excursions through the ship, through an independent excursion company, or explore on your own, this video will help you compare the pros and cons. I’ll share which excursions were worth the money, which ones were just okay, and when I think a ship-sponsored cruise excursion may be the smarter choice.
Whether you’re planning a Celebrity cruise, a Panama Canal cruise, or any cruise with multiple port stops, these real-world shore excursion tips can help you avoid surprises, plan better, and spend your travel budget wisely.
Which cruise excursion would you choose — wildlife, city tour, beach day, snorkeling, or just wandering near the port? Let me know in the comments!
Watch next:
If you’re planning a Panama Canal cruise, check out my other videos on our Celebrity Panama Canal sailing, including sea days, the canal transit, cruise packing, cabin review, and more.
#PanamaCanalCruise #PanamaCanal #CruiseReview
✅Check out my other channel * Prepper Potpourri youtube.com/@PrepperPotpourri * where we discuss emergency preparedness, have fun cooking new recipes, and test Prepper and cooking gear.
