Got into San Fran from Detroit (Frontier Air $135) a day early and booked the San Remo hotel which is walking distance from the pier. Embarkation was a breeze at about 1:30 p.m. We did notice right away that this was an older crowd then the many Carnival cruises we have taken. Wasn't going to let that get us down and it really never became an issue. Being a fifty year old young man isn't all bad. Room was typical for an inside cabin. Enough space for my Wife and I but would be crowded if we needed those drop down beds for two more. Picked the late seating and a table of eight. Great companions to share the days activities with. Food was at par with other cruises; no complaints and wait staff was top notch. The Lido deck for lunch and breakfast was an improvement over other cruises. Food service areas were divided into about six areas preventing lineups. No waiting to get to your desired dish. I think with an older crowd and a lot of balcony rooms, the full ship did not seem crowded. No waits for machines in the gym and always a deck chair. Advice to others. Your allowed to bring beer and wine on board (not liquor) and there is a small fridge in your room. Join the cruise critic group for your cruise. It adds to your group of friends on board and it got us to the front of the line when boarding tenders in Panama. Pick a larger table for your dinner seating and join tables on the Lido deck. We had a blast.
Actually the stop is Hualtuco, Mexico (wasn't on the list) A small port
town which looks like it was built for the cruise ships. Janet and I
walked to the nearest town Crucieta (about 45 minute walk through safe
streets) Bus to town from the ship is $45 and a cab is only about
$5/person but if it's a nice day, it's a nice walk. Nice town. Walked
past 3 hospitals on our way to the town square. Nice church to visit
and a good town to walk around to shop. Picked up a panama hat for $5
and a six pack of Caronna for $6. Was going to take a taxi back but
needed to burn off some calories, so we walked back. There was roadwork
going on which looked like it could cut the time down to about half an
hour. Shopped at the port shops for a while. The better deals were in
Crucieta.
PUNTARENAS, Costa Rica (not on the drop down list) Pre booked a tour
with charlie Soto of OkeyDokey Tours. Only the four of us this day plus
Charlie and his driver Ricardo. Our first stop was the monkey lady's
house. It's down a road where no tour bus could get. This lady brings
out a bucket of cut up bananas and starts clapping her hands. At least
a dozen Capuchin monkeys come down from the tops of the trees so you
can feed them. You put a piece of banana in your fist and they will
peel your fingers back to take it. Fed them for a good 20 minutes. She
expects at least $2 per person and well worth it. Stopped at a
wilderness hotel where you could go zip lining but we chose the next
stop. The Crocodile Man tour on the Tarcoles river. One and a half
hours on this tour boat travelling the river (we counted at least 35
crocs) at one point the driver gets out on the muddy shore and feeds a
croc some turkey legs. Lots of wildlife with a well narrated tour by
local Costa Ricans. The Scarlett Macaws are something to see if you get
lucky. Next we stopped at an outdoor buffet by Jaco beach for a Costa
Rican Lunch (included). Went to a Marriott resort and fed the iguanas
at the shore. The driver stopped at a local grocery store where I
bought local beer and some premium coffee. (4 bags $13.38). Went to a
local wood shop and then got dropped at the pier. Lots of good market
stalls there to shop. Probably the best prices of the tour and locally
made products. Not the usual stuff you see in most ports. Coffee was $7
a bag.
FORT AMADOR - PANAMA CITY Booked VistaMar Panama Tours. (eco-rainforst
tour) A driver with a van met the nine of us in the port area and we
drove for 45 minutes to a dock where we got on a hard canopied boat
with our tour guide Carl. Headed out into the canal and Gatun lake.
Lots of info. Got up close to the drilling rigs working on deepening
the canal and the pipelines carrying the dirt and rocks away. Pulled up
on a jungle island and capuchin monkeys came on the boat to be fed
peanuts and dried fruit. Another island produced Tamarind monkeys that
we fed grapes. We could hear howler monkeys as we cruised down a
smaller river. We arrived at Carl's place. looked like 2 big houseboats
attached with an upper and lower deck. It had washrooms, a diving
platform,gift shop, kitchen and a large eating area. a hot lunch was
ready for us with unlimited refreshments. He had on board a night
monkey (very cuddly)a couple of large iguanas, toucans, a couple of
small caymans and a boa (if you wanted a picture with one around your
neck). After lunch we got into a motorized canoe and a couple of kayaks
and headed further into the rain forest to a waterfall where we went
swimming. Back to the houseboat and then the 30 minute trip back to the
dock for the waiting taxi and the ride back to the port.
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