Making the most of Colon Cristobal Pier
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
Colon is served by two separate cruise terminals:
1. Cristobal Pier stands in Colon, Panama, on the eastern side of the Panama Canal. The facility is now rarely used.
2. Colon 2000 Cruise Terminal is one of Colon's two terminals and sits within the world's largest free zone and duty-free retail district. The Colon 2000 building includes lounges, an internet café, a rather deserted duty-free mall, restaurants and boutiques selling native crafts. Despite this relatively new facility, Colon remains predominantly industrial and has few visitor attractions. Downtown Colón is approximately 1 mile (1.6 kilometres) from the Colón 2000 cruise terminal, reachable by a brief taxi journey or, for those who prefer, a short walk...
Organised excursions generally board directly outside the Colon 2000 terminal. Tour passengers join buses in the parking area only a few yards from the gangway; independent visitors walk beyond the car park boundary, enter the terminal and cross the overhead walkway to the shopping centre.
View the cruise calendar for Colon.
Check the separate cruise calendar for Cristobal.
A taxi anywhere within Colon costs around $3. The cathedral on Calle/Street 5, open 2 p.m. - 5:45 p.m., is appealing, as is the restored Washington Hotel, whose terrace overlooks ships waiting to enter the Panama Canal and serves drinks or lunch. Beyond these, Colon has little for visitors and mainly functions as a route elsewhere. It is not considered the safest town, so walking around it is not recommended.
Getting around
Originally constructed for freight, the Colon railway was converted for passenger services in 2001. It runs from Colon to Comzal station near the Miraflores Locks. To make the Panama Railway journey independently, travel to the station by shuttle van or taxi.
Regular buses leave Albrook bus terminal on Avenida Bolivar in Colon for Panama City, while trips to Portobelo take one hour; one-way fares are $2 and $3 respectively. The central desk inside Colon 2000 fixes taxi prices and records booking and vehicle details for security. Approaching drivers yourself may secure a lower rate but removes that protection. Tourism taxis enter the port after cruise excursions depart.
Canal ferry excursions are very popular and fill quickly, particularly when several cruise ships are in port.
Food and shopping
Opposite the ship is a strip shopping centre containing a large supermarket, a Subway sandwich shop, souvenir outlets and other businesses, with further shops behind. Another duty-free shop stands immediately beside the disembarkation point.
Money
Panama's currencies are the Balboa and US Dollar. Each balboa equals the US dollar in value, although Balboas exist in practice only as coins matching US coin denominations.
Staying connected
Spanish is official; 14% speak English, and many Panamanians are bilingual.
Opening Hours and
Opening times vary, but most shops trade from 9:00 am to 6:00 p.m., with some remaining open until 10:00 p.m., Monday through Sunday.