elklemi

Jean, I think you will love the Grenadines and Bequia is one of my favorite stops ever. As much as I enjoy all my Star Clipper cruises I agree Costa Rica is a wonderful country to visit but the ports just don’t compare with the ones I the Caribbean. Just one of the stops was what I was expecting. I will admit that most people did excursions but I don’t care for ship sponsored excursions and do my own thing. I would come back to Costa Rica to visit but it will be land visit and will save my Star Clipper cruises for the Caribbean, enjoy Royal Clipper as I’m sure you will.

In San Jose now and when I get home will do review of my cruise in Costa Rica. Any questions from those of you who will be on these cruises I will answer as best I can. I will say our last port was the only one I thought was worth the stop. Still enjoy Star Clipped cruises and staff is first class.

Arrived San Jose yesterday and staying at Double tree by Hilton Cariari, really nice hotel very beautiful. Transfer to port tomorrow with Morpho Vans, $149 each way for 1-5 people. Plan to leave hotel at 11 am and drop luggage at port and spend time around port until check-in at 4 pm. Sunny and breezy in San Jose and cool in shade. Really enjoying the food and local beer Imperial light and people are friendly and helpful.I Will update as possible but not sure when next Wi-Fi will be available. The more I visit central America Columbia, Guatemala Hondouras, and now Costa Rica I really enjoy these countries and people. Get off ship 14th and fly back to Tennessee 17th so will post more then it not before.

Same here with useful information that would have made planning much easier

As you get off the tender walk around the first aid building and you should be able to see the fence and show your S&S card and there you are. If you turn left off tender like many do you bear to right and if you turn right you will see the fence and turn left. Just wander around and it will be easy to see. Enjoy your time.

I will post here after my trip with items I think may be helpful. Hard to find info regarding items on this trip so when I do if you have questions I do not mention please ask and I will try and help. We are not making a stoop in Nicaragua as the govt has stopped all cruise ships from stopping there and that is one stop I really wanted to make. When is your trip and are you doing the Cr/Panama or Nicaragua trip?

January 7 departure on Star Clipper Costa Rica and finally received cruise info email December 28. This answered my question that I could not get answered even after 4 calls to Star Clippers for info on port, embarkation and debarkation times, also info they offer transfers to port, hotel in San Jose, and even excursions before and after cruise. This would have been a huge help in planning for my trip and wish they would provide this information when booking would be a huge benefit in planning. My other cruises with them have been in the Caribbean and info was easy to find on my own but Costa Rica is different and heads up if you have a future Costa Rica in your plans and you might have more luck talking to someone who can provide necessary info which I was not able to receive.

I always have a letter delivered to my cabin with instructions on when and what time to meet to get early debarkation.

If you are going to a tender port you receive priority on an early tender to port, no priority on returning to ship. This is really useful if you go to HMC or have a private excursion planned. Enjoy

Since I cruise solo most of the time and pay double for my cabin I would like to receive credit for those two fares not just one.

Thanks to all for answering, it is very clear now and in some instances an upgrade to upper deck may save a little money but will have to see if I can pick deck or if it is picked for me.

Looking forward to 2024 and cruise offer says "free room upgrade". Does anyone know exactly how this works or is it just a come on?

I was in Nassau December and work was proceeding since I was there in June but can't imagine it will be finished in 6 months but this is a whole new area and does not affect the Nassau that was there before construction started. Plenty to do with short walk e.g. Fish Fry, Junkanoo beach, restaurants and bars, pirate museum, Watlings distillery, and plenty of shops and straw market. It is easy to walk past construction and you are in Nassau so I would not let the construction keep you on the ship.

January 7, 2023 sailing Costa Rica on Star Clipper and trying to arrange transportation to port but does anyone have exact information as to where the ship is actually located and what time you are expected to be at ship? Wish they were providing more information for planning purposes.

It is still a nice area and it does have one thing HMC does not in that you can walk outside the gates for some local shopping and George's bar where you can have beverages at better prices than at bars from the ship and they have Kalik and Sands.

This just started few days ago and occurs when I am reading a trip report and miss it for a day and two and am behind from one page to couple of pages. Was hoping others were having the same problem,.

When I am reading a post with multiple posts and click on next page it takes me to end of next page not top of page. Any fix?

I will be on board December 3 as Jax is close to home and with OBC from covid deals this will be my 3rd Elation cruise this year and really enjoy the smaller ship and I enjoy the Bahamas wo easy choice for a quick getaway. Enjoy your cruise.

Yes it is very close and a pretty walk, enjoy.

I pick from the group of hotels near the airport, there are aabout 5 close to each other and restaurants are within walking distance. Takes about 15 minutes to get to port. In December I am booked at Hilton Garden Inn.

You can always get a bucket of beer on ship and they will leave them unopened if I ask.

I take a fold up cooler when i am going to be at HMC or Princess Caye to take some beer off to save going to a bar from down the beach and sometimes they only have a limited selection at the bar and seems prices on the island are higher than on ship. At Princess Caye I go out the gate to George's bar and get some Kalik for $4 a bottle and cooler keeps them cold.

I would second Coral Breeze tour to Caye Caulker and if you do not snorkel you can stay on the island and cost is less than if you snorkel.

I am week before you on January 7, also found no hotels near port that caught my interest so am staying at Doubletree by Hilton Cariari San Jose which is close to airport. Have been getting quotes from shuttle companies and quotes are $140 per trip not per person and say it takes about 1.5 hours. Was the $120 quoted by Star Clippers just for your transfer? I have read they offer hotel and transfer but it was way too expensive for me.

I am sailing on the Star Clipper January 7, 2023 and everything I have says Puntarenas but have seen Puerto Caldera mentioned also so I am not sure. Hopefully someone will have experience and settle the questions. Also when I made final payment I was told they no longer require covid insurance but talking to them last week was told it was required and boarding would start at 4 PM. This seems later than sailings in Caribbean so still many questions. I think the first sailing from Costa Rica is early December so hopefully we will learn how it all works.