Santo Tomas is it still on the schedule..really?

[lvcruises]

I just went to NCL shore excursions in Santo Tomas... nothing found. Interesting..very interesting. Just a week ago there were excursions.

 

Shore Excursions Results for Santo Tomas De Castilla

 

0 Shore Excursions match your criteria

[NMLady]

I just went to NCL shore excursions in Santo Tomas... nothing found. Interesting..very interesting. Just a week ago there were excursions.

 

Shore Excursions Results for Santo Tomas De Castilla

 

0 Shore Excursions match your criteria

 

It could just be a glitch at the site. Heaven knows that the NCL site has lots of problems.

 

However, it could be that there aren't going to be port stops there anymore. Rumor has it that NCL isn't going to use Santo Tomas anymore but I hope that's just a rumor since on our Oct Caribbean cruise that is the only one of the port stops that would be new for us. I was looking forward to it.

[sunlover1060]

I just went to NCL shore excursions in Santo Tomas... nothing found. Interesting..very interesting. Just a week ago there were excursions.

 

Shore Excursions Results for Santo Tomas De Castilla

 

0 Shore Excursions match your criteria

 

I had this same issue a few weeks ago with Samana excursions. They were saying the exact same thing. Then as I was getting ready to call NCL, bingo they showed back up. ;)

[STARFISH*4]

if they were there and gone now...maybe a glitch

for my dec sailing there hasnt been any...just figured to far out still

interesting about NOT going to Santo Tomas-wouldnt it be posted or something on NCL?--i cant say i was really looking forward to it but if it isnt going to be on our itinerary i HOPE they put something in its place...not another sea-day:(

[flashdog_1]

-i cant say i was really looking forward to it but if it isnt going to be on our itinerary i HOPE they put something in its place...not another sea-day:(

 

Although some people decide to stay on the ship in ports where there has been some isolated, but serious, problems in the past, (like some do not like to get off the ship in Jamaica) if you get a tour that takes you out of Santa Tomas proper, like with Gus of "Go With Gus" to Livingston and the Rio Dulce, or the NCL excursion to the Quirigua Ruins either by bus or by bus & boat you will see stuff you never imagined existed. Take a look at the ports of call board to see what other folks have done, and maybe that will increase your interest. Just seeing the dense & lush foliage, so different from the rest of the W Carib itinerary, is worth a try if you feel safe. BTW Gus speaks English (lived in the states for 20 years I think). BTW I have not taken the tour with Gus, so am not trying to "sell" him. I did take the tour the first year NCL went there, but with another hotel operator, the one next door to Gus' called Casa Rosada. You have to arrange with them privately, though. They prefer smaller groups.

[fin]

Ours was the first cruise ship to stop there, and when sailing time came, the locals came down and put on a long show for us, the likes of which I have not seen before or since. I would feel bad for them if the ships quit visiting.

[tallyho8]

The last time the Spirit will go to Guatemala is April 17, 2011. On April 24, 2011 they start going to Roatan instead.

[hon2u]

The last time the Spirit will go to Guatemala is April 17, 2011. On April 24, 2011 they start going to Roatan instead.

 

Oh I hope this is true! :D :D :D I have two more cruises booked this year but looking at 2011.

 

I loved the Spirit and Guatemala!

Go with Gus was the best tour I've ever done in the Caribbean! ;)

[roger001]

Ours was the first cruise ship to stop there, and when sailing time came, the locals came down and put on a long show for us, the likes of which I have not seen before or since. I would feel bad for them if the ships quit visiting.

 

This past March, they did the same. The local folks were wonderful I thought. Evelyn, our Rio Dolce river and Livingston guide (NCL tour) will forever be my sweetheart. She was a delight.

[Litehouse9]

Last spring my family cruised on the Spirit, and we all thought Santo Thomas was the most interesting, best adventure we had! The lush, full foliage and jungle was such a contrast from the dry and barren Yucatan we had been to the day berfore.

 

We had a fabulous river adventure on the Rio Dulce with our Aussie guide, Jerry. We met a few local families and had the best fish meal in a local restaurant in Livingston I had ever eaten!

 

We have been to Roatan on previous cruises, and although it is a gorgeous place and has great snorkeling, Santo Thomas was much more of an "adventure" and something different. I hope they don't drop the cruise. It seemed to mean a lot to the local economy, where not much is happening for the people.

 

What a shame to drop this port....

[lvcruises]

St. Lucia also shows 0 and there have been many posts about NCL pulling out of there.. Makes you wonder even more about Santo Tomas.

[alwalaska]

Oh I hope this is true! :D :D :D I have two more cruises booked this year but looking at 2011.

 

I loved the Spirit and Guatemala!

Go with Gus was the best tour I've ever done in the Caribbean! ;)

Would a teenager enjoy the tour with Gus?

[alwalaska]

Our cruise isn't until next March, so I go into my shore excursion page in MyNCL, it simply says: We are working on developing exciting tours for this destination. Please check back with us soon.

 

When I didn't see too many shore excursions for our ports on the main pages, I figured they were just re-negotiating their contracts. Hopefully we will keep Santo Thomas. It looks like a very neat place to go.

 

We loved Dominica when many others did not. It too was lush and green but quite poor, no Diamonds International (big joke in our family), and no great beaches.

[romrai]

I went there and found it lacking. I do recommend everyone take organized tour only if they continue. I was on the Spirit las oct/nov where one passenger decided to do his own thing, hiring a taxi (which is exactly what we had planned) As we went to hire a taxi, both DH and I had a bad feeling about the place and turned around and went back. This Dutch tourist kept going...and while stopping at a local cemetary to take pictures, two guys tried to steal his camera. He fought back and was shot and killed.

[STARFISH*4]

Although some people decide to stay on the ship in ports where there has been some isolated, but serious, problems in the past,

 

oh no that wasnt even in my thoughts for this port, i just wasnt finding anything of interest-dont think i would like the RIO DOLCE-just was looking for SOMETHING to do thru the ship at this port--i ALWAYs read the Ports of Call board, but i wouldnt STAY ON THE SHIP--will FIND something!!!

i LOVE city tours at all the ports so i can SEE where i have 'landed' so to speak...

[OceanDreaming2]

Although some people decide to stay on the ship in ports where there has been some isolated, but serious, problems in the past, (like some do not like to get off the ship in Jamaica) if you get a tour that takes you out of Santa Tomas proper, like with Gus of "Go With Gus" to Livingston and the Rio Dulce, or the NCL excursion to the Quirigua Ruins either by bus or by bus & boat you will see stuff you never imagined existed. Take a look at the ports of call board to see what other folks have done, and maybe that will increase your interest. Just seeing the dense & lush foliage, so different from the rest of the W Carib itinerary, is worth a try if you feel safe. BTW Gus speaks English (lived in the states for 20 years I think). BTW I have not taken the tour with Gus, so am not trying to "sell" him. I did take the tour the first year NCL went there, but with another hotel operator, the one next door to Gus' called Casa Rosada. You have to arrange with them privately, though. They prefer smaller groups.

 

We just came back from the Santo Tomas Rio Dulce tour with Javier (Casa Rosada tour) and HIGHLY recommend it! It's a real eye-opener!

[soonerplyr]

I really likes Santo Thomas. Really nice people and had a blast doing things that day.

[alwalaska]

We just came back from the Santo Tomas Rio Dulce tour with Javier (Casa Rosada tour) and HIGHLY recommend it! It's a real eye-opener!

 

Do you think a teenager would enjoy it?

[OceanDreaming2]

Do you think a teenager would enjoy it?

 

Defintely! It will give them a new appreciation for everything they take for granted.

[alwalaska]

Defintely! It will give them a new appreciation for everything they take for granted.

 

Thanks. I've tried Google and can't find any info on it. Do you have a web site or something? I have also heard wonderful things about Gus's tour. I hope everything goes well between now and next March so we can do all our scheduled ports. We haven't been to any of them and I am sooo excited.

[roger001]

Do you think a teenager would enjoy it?

 

Some pictures of the Rio Dulce boat tour, NCL with my sweetheart Evelyn tour guide, are at the following.

 

http://s241.photobucket.com/albums/ff281/roganderson60/Santo%20Thomas/?start=all

[OceanDreaming2]

Thanks. I've tried Google and can't find any info on it. Do you have a web site or something? I have also heard wonderful things about Gus's tour. I hope everything goes well between now and next March so we can do all our scheduled ports. We haven't been to any of them and I am sooo excited.

 

http://www.hotelcasarosada.com/home.htm

 

We had 15 on our tour, most ordered lunch (we did not). Getting in and out of the gibb boat could be tricky and the ride was quite bumpy.

 

The info we received from Javier prior to our tour follows:

 

09:00 a.m.( promptly after ship arrival). Meeting on the pier as a group & then meeting our guide inside de reception hall, you will find Javier at the end of the counters to your right hand side, when you walk in. We recommend to use the bathrooms before you leave the ship.

 

Departing to Livingston via gibb boat. We will navigate the Amatique Bay, along the shore for about 30 minutes to Livingston, most of the houses

we will see are retreat houses for people from Guatemala City, as well as fishermen houses.

 

Technical stop at Hotel Casa Rosada, use the bathroom or relax with a delicious cappuccino, latte or an espresso coffee before we depart to the Rio Dulce. ORDER LUNCH CHOICES

 

Starting our trip in to the beautiful canyon of the Rio Dulce, the vegetation you will see in the park belongs to the Very Humid Tropical Forest.

 

Arriving at the Tatin River, here is based a NGO hoe works with the Q’eqchi villages. You can sample some handmade crafts from the locals.

Humanitarian Stop at Ak Tenamit: We stop at the Lagunita Village, if you are bringing school supplies with you, just to decentralize the help tourist brings, because I see that Ak Tenamit receives the most of the help. (For the school supplies you might bring: notebooks, pen, pencil, erasers, rulers, tooth paste and tooth brush are good options, they also like candys). Arriving at the tectonic hot spring, sulfured water with high temperature, be ready to bathe. We make a short walk to the spring of the river, good spot for a swim.

We also visit a cave just a few steps from here with the help of the local people, there is an entrance fee of US2.00 per person, to support their community and the work they are doing in this place.

 

Starting our tour in a totally different environment El Golfete (flooded zones and swamps) the lagoon network which features mostly mangroves and water plants. Here we pass by Laguna las Flores and Laguna Duarte.

 

Passing by bird island, here we will see mostly cormorants and white herons nestling and if we are lucky we might see some iguanas.

 

Going to the northwestern part of El Golfete to visit more lagoons and the small Calyx river.

 

Arriving at Hotel Casa Rosada( www.hotelcasarosada.com), for lunch.

If you would like to have lunch, our restaurant serves local seafood: (Not included) You can choose between our Traditional Local Garifuna Soup called Tapado: soup based of coconut milk and spices with shrimp, fish,

crab and plantains, US14.00

Marinated Grilled Shrimp, served over rice and veggies , US 12.00

or Fillet of Snook: served with rice and veggies, US12.00

 

Our meals start with a green salad, coconut bread and homemade

dressing and finish with dessert.

 

Walking to Livingston for 30 min. visit before departure to the ship( if time permits) Departure to Santo Tomas de Castilla via boat( 30 min ride).

 

Back to Santo Tomas de Castilla.

 

Cost of tour $ 50 + $2 cave admission & lunch cost. The tour fee is due on completion of tour.

[alwalaska]

Thank you Roger for the pictures and OceanDreaming for the detailed tour info. This sounds really interesting.

[alwalaska]

Thank you Roger for the pictures and OceanDreaming for the detailed tour info. This sounds really interesting.

 

CC is always so much ahead on everything. I guess this info won't matter now that we are not going there any more. :rolleyes: