kyrisong1 Posted January 3, 2012 #26 Share Posted January 3, 2012 One thing to know about Cosol tour is that you're on a bus almost ALL day. We didn't like it at all because we like to be a little more active. We probably would have been a better fit for Spencers with the zip lines and such, but live and learn. All of those raving about Cosol never once mention that you are on the bus most of the tour. The sights they showed were great, the beach, the volcano. But again we'd rather see less and do more, it's a good excuse to come back and try it again. Also I wonder if your driver has a lot to do with how you enjoy the tour. I don't remember the name of ours and they didn't have an intercom on the bus (at least our driver said they didn't) I am hearing impaired (have cochlear implant) and just was so disappointed that I didn't get to hear the history of the island, because I really enjoy learning the history of the islands we visit. I know a few people that haven't been happy at me giving an opposing view but I wish someone had done that before we wasted our entire day at St Lucia with this tour. Carole Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NCBeachBride Posted January 4, 2012 #27 Share Posted January 4, 2012 On the Cosol tour you do go to the beach and have time to snorkel.....between the Pitons. I emailed him with a few questions and he emailed me back within hours with way more detail than I asked for! If you have specific questions, just email him. He was very nice! We booked his tour for when we are there! Carole~I wouldn't worry about those that don't like you posting opposing views! It's not like you are bashing them.....you are just stating why you didn't like the tour. I think that only helps us make our decision. So thank you for your point of view! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marys350 Posted January 4, 2012 #28 Share Posted January 4, 2012 We are just back from the Maasdam and used Frank for the third time ( 2005 and 2008 ). Contacted him by email and he confirmed promptly with price and time. We had an elderly couple with us and he was very accomodating for them. Saw all we wanted to see, had a wonderful lunch, and were back at the pier with plenty of time to shop. All for $40 a person. Can't say enough good things about Frank and we will use him again on our next trip to St. Lucia. In response to Bunny Little's request for Frank's contact information, check out his website by googling: st lucia frank We went on a tour with him in 2005 and enjoyed our day. Mary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Essexlass2 Posted January 4, 2012 #29 Share Posted January 4, 2012 Cosol gets our vote too. We have travelled the world and the trip Cosol gave us just prior to Christmas was one of the best we have ever done. And you will NOT be in the van all day, heaps to see and do, great tour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tae-tae Posted June 8, 2016 #30 Share Posted June 8, 2016 [code]http://jitantours.com [/code] My aunt and I were recently in St. Lucia and went on a tour with a man named Jitan at http://www.jitantours.com Jitan was extremely friendly, his van was clean, his driver very knowledgeable, and they stopped many places, both for pictures and for us to sample the food! Great experience all around and at a great price. :) Yesss...My family arrange a sightseeing tour with Jitan Tours in St Lucia and we had a blast...our guide was pleasant and informative, made many stops for photos, local treats like coconut cakes, organic bananas, cassava, freshly picked coconuts and sightseeing like the Pitons, Drive-in volcano, waterfall and the famous art studio. Throughout the excursions refreshment was served including the local beers and punch. I highly recommend this tour company.:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbarker1414 Posted June 18, 2016 #31 Share Posted June 18, 2016 We did a tour with Spencer Ambrose, and loved it! He is the former police chief of Castries, and knows everyone. He modified our tour when we "happened" upon a rum factory at 8:45 in the morning, and convinced the owner to open the tasting room for us. We met up with some of Cosol's groups along the way, and honestly, the experiences sounded very similar. Couldn't go wrong with either one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kahliasmom Posted September 23, 2016 #32 Share Posted September 23, 2016 I am going to St Lucia with my 15 year old daughter at the end of December on Royal Caribbean. I am torn between Spencer and Cosol. I like the drive in the van with Cosol and the reviews of the food sound better with him, though I could be wrong. I do like the boat with Spencer and getting more time on the beach 2 1/2 hours versus 1 hour with Cosol. I wish there was a tour that drove one way and took the boat the other. Not sure which one I'll take. Cosol seems to get better reviews on TripAdvisor but hear more about Spencer on these boards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reedprincess Posted September 23, 2016 #33 Share Posted September 23, 2016 I am going to St Lucia with my 15 year old daughter at the end of December on Royal Caribbean. I am torn between Spencer and Cosol. I like the drive in the van with Cosol and the reviews of the food sound better with him, though I could be wrong. I do like the boat with Spencer and getting more time on the beach 2 1/2 hours versus 1 hour with Cosol. I wish there was a tour that drove one way and took the boat the other. Not sure which one I'll take. Cosol seems to get better reviews on TripAdvisor but hear more about Spencer on these boards. Try Serenity TVL, Real St Lucia Tours, Franks Tours, Barefoot Holidays, etc for a combo land/sea tour. Both Spencer and Cosol are excellent tours, you wouldn't go wrong with either. Enjoy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kahliasmom Posted October 13, 2016 #34 Share Posted October 13, 2016 Try Serenity TVL, Real St Lucia Tours, Franks Tours, Barefoot Holidays, etc for a combo land/sea tour. Both Spencer and Cosol are excellent tours, you wouldn't go wrong with either. Enjoy. Thanks! I'll look into them all. Still undecided! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimster Posted October 13, 2016 #35 Share Posted October 13, 2016 I am going to be in St Lucia the first week of December on Royal Caribbean. I am leaning towards the Cosol tour. Is one side of the bus preferable over the other? Thanks, John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reedprincess Posted October 13, 2016 #36 Share Posted October 13, 2016 I am going to be in St Lucia the first week of December on Royal Caribbean. I am leaning towards the Cosol tour. Is one side of the bus preferable over the other?Thanks, John Not really as it takes the same route down as on the return, so regardless of which side you sit in, you'll have the other side's view on return. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SouthCaribbean2017 Posted November 30, 2016 #37 Share Posted November 30, 2016 Can anyone compare/contrast Jitan vs. Cosol? I've looked at the websites for both and they seem equally similar and appealing. Any major differences? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reedprincess Posted November 30, 2016 #38 Share Posted November 30, 2016 Can anyone compare/contrast Jitan vs. Cosol? I've looked at the websites for both and they seem equally similar and appealing. Any major differences? Main differences: beach time with Cosol, but not with Jitan. Full lunch meal with Jitan, while Cosol has traditional snacks and eats but not an actual full lunch (you definitely won't go hungry with Cosol). Those are essentially the main differences. The main stops, ie Morne Fortune, Marigot scenic stop, volcano, mud baths, waterfall are all the same - those are the highlights. No beach time with Jitan, no full lunch with Cosol.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Vineyard View Posted December 16, 2016 #39 Share Posted December 16, 2016 (edited) We really aren't the type to sit in a van driving all day on private or ship tours (my stomach doesn't like it!). We would rather see fewer sites with some time to explore. Some time to move our bodies rather than sit all day. any suggestions? We have not visited this island in the past. Edited December 16, 2016 by Vineyard View Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reedprincess Posted December 16, 2016 #40 Share Posted December 16, 2016 We really aren't the type to sit in a van driving all day on private or ship tours (my stomach doesn't like it!). We would rather see fewer sites with some time to explore. Some time to move our bodies rather than sit all day. any suggestions? We have not visited this island in the past. Most island tours have lots of stops along the way including time to tour the volcano, botanical gardens, swim at the waterfall, beach time, etc. The problem, per se, is that most of the main sites are 1.15-1.5 hours from the port - hard to avoid spending time in the van if you want to see the highlights of the island. You could consider Spencer Ambrose - they have a speedboat tour down to Soufriere with van rides to the sights around there then back to boat for beach time and return to the ship. Joy's Ocean Angel, Joe Knows, Simon Says all have similar tour..or there's catamaran tours that do similar - Carnival, Endless Summer, etc.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Vineyard View Posted December 16, 2016 #41 Share Posted December 16, 2016 (edited) Thank you reedprincess - your explanation really helps me to understand the logistics better....and your suggestions are great for me to follow up on. Given my past experiences with being in vans/bus tours on windy roads, I appreciate options a lot!! Edited December 16, 2016 by Vineyard View Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KaeStM Posted January 11, 2017 #42 Share Posted January 11, 2017 Main differences: beach time with Cosol, but not with Jitan. Full lunch meal with Jitan, while Cosol has traditional snacks and eats but not an actual full lunch (you definitely won't go hungry with Cosol). Those are essentially the main differences. The main stops, ie Morne Fortune, Marigot scenic stop, volcano, mud baths, waterfall are all the same - those are the highlights. No beach time with Jitan, no full lunch with Cosol.... I've been on Jitan Tours both visits to Saint Lucia, their team was awesome. The first time we only wanted to be beach-bums and eat local food. The van was clean, the driver was very professional and accommodating... My 2nd visit we did the mentioned tour and requested beach time which was added... Love the Spiced Chairman's bought 3 bottles and Vikings banana ketchup... can't wait to go back! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elan Posted January 21, 2017 #43 Share Posted January 21, 2017 We were in St. Lucia in late December, 2016. We walked out of the main taxi area toward downtown and found taxi vans that were about half the price of those nearer the port. My husband and I chose one, and enjoyed a several hour tour of the island on our own with a very good driver. Gregory Jean listened to what we liked to do and see, and was responsive to our requests. We enjoyed the privacy and comfort of the air conditioned van, and would recommend Gregory to anyone looking for a similar experience. His number is 758-721-5848. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thrilled2012 Posted February 26, 2017 #44 Share Posted February 26, 2017 We were in St. Lucia in late December, 2016. We walked out of the main taxi area toward downtown and found taxi vans that were about half the price of those nearer the port. My husband and I chose one, and enjoyed a several hour tour of the island on our own with a very good driver. Gregory Jean listened to what we liked to do and see, and was responsive to our requests. We enjoyed the privacy and comfort of the air conditioned van, and would recommend Gregory to anyone looking for a similar experience. His number is 758-721-5848. If we were to do something like this but wanted to go to places like the banana plantation and sulphur springs/mudbaths, would we be able to? That is, do you have to be a part of a tour to get into these places? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pghsteelerfan Posted February 26, 2017 #45 Share Posted February 26, 2017 I also recommend Spencer Ambrose tours. We've toured with them twice now. We did the "Jalousie/Sugar Beach Break" the first time and did the "Land, Sea, Beach Adventure" the second time since we wanted to see more of St. Lucia. Next time we get back, we'd love to do the beach break with them again. We had a great experience both times and they were very reliable and had set times for everything, so there were no worries getting back to the ship on time and with plenty of time to spare if you'd be interested in browsing the cruise center shopping area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LDIdeals Posted February 26, 2017 #46 Share Posted February 26, 2017 We just returned from Serenade of the Seas 11 day cruise and loved our private guide (found right at the cruise port) and would highly recommend him. We already had ideas of where we wanted to go and he negotiated a very fair rate for 4 of us for the day. First we stopped at the Diamond Falls Botanical Gardens and Mineral Baths... the gardens were amazingly beautiful and nice waterfall; enjoyed our time spent in the warmth of the mineral baths. Then we went on the Sulfer Springs Mud Baths.... what a hoot! Our driver recommended we only buy the ticket for the baths and not the volcano and rightly so... you can stand in the road and see and take pics of the volcano without having to take a few more steps into the volcano area. But the highlight for sure was the fun and giggles at the mud baths. And then we wanted to go to the beach between the Pitons and so we went to Sugar Beach where you can snorkel right off the beach if you'd like. There was a restaurant on the property with very good food with awesome views! Our driver picked us back up and then took us back to the ship. Very personable guy and I highly recommend his service.... Baptiste Taxi Service (his first name is Cantius) cell 1 (758) 719-8370 and email is baptiste_770@hotmail.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
menis Posted March 3, 2017 #47 Share Posted March 3, 2017 Hello, sounds like you had a wonderful time, can I ask how many people were you? and how much was the tour? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thrilled2012 Posted March 3, 2017 #48 Share Posted March 3, 2017 We just returned from Serenade of the Seas 11 day cruise and loved our private guide (found right at the cruise port) and would highly recommend him. We already had ideas of where we wanted to go and he negotiated a very fair rate for 4 of us for the day. First we stopped at the Diamond Falls Botanical Gardens and Mineral Baths... the gardens were amazingly beautiful and nice waterfall; enjoyed our time spent in the warmth of the mineral baths. Then we went on the Sulfer Springs Mud Baths.... what a hoot! Our driver recommended we only buy the ticket for the baths and not the volcano and rightly so... you can stand in the road and see and take pics of the volcano without having to take a few more steps into the volcano area. But the highlight for sure was the fun and giggles at the mud baths. And then we wanted to go to the beach between the Pitons and so we went to Sugar Beach where you can snorkel right off the beach if you'd like. There was a restaurant on the property with very good food with awesome views! Our driver picked us back up and then took us back to the ship. Very personable guy and I highly recommend his service.... Baptiste Taxi Service (his first name is Cantius) cell 1 (758) 719-8370 and email is baptiste_770@hotmail.com Thank you! I have emailed him for a price quote for our day there. Sounds great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miss_rach Posted June 29, 2017 #49 Share Posted June 29, 2017 Lots of great info in this thread! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Vineyard View Posted June 29, 2017 #50 Share Posted June 29, 2017 LDIdeals....thank you for your post and details. Could I ask you please what type of vehicle you were in on this tour, as well as how much driving time was involved and how much of that time was on twisting roads? thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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