Duty Free-La Romana

[kelkel2]

I asked over on the Port of call section over a week ago, but received no responses. So I am hoping to get some responses here.

We are stopping on our next cruise in La Romana. Is there are Duty Free shop when you get off the ship, we hadn't planned on doing anything in this port. We planned on doing a relaxing day of absolutely nothing. But my brother in law recently asked me to bring back a box of cigars that he buys that are made in the DR. I'm thinking if they have a duty free shop I should be able to find them, but I don't really want to go into town just for a box of cigars. Anyone have any idea?

[love my grandkids]

I kind of think there was one but honestly not positive

[Beth]

Not much shopping right off the ship. We took a bus down to a flea market type place. The vendors were VERY aggressive.

[kelkel2]

I can deal with pushy people, I just want one item. Not looking for a shopping day. I'm really hoping I can get what I'm looking for and get back on the ship :)

[vamartha]

There isn't much of a shopping area in LaRomana. I can't remember anything there other than a very small bar area. Everything else was just a plethora of taxi's to take you elsewhere. This is a pic of the port area. I think that large building in front is just a covered waiting area and the smaller building behind it is the mostly outside small bar. It is a port where you will need to plan ahead, and taxi fees are absolutely ridiculous expensive. I knew it going in and budgeted for it, but the high taxi fees take some by surprise.

 

OTOH, I had one of the best days I have ever had in a port in LaRomana! It was a pure Dream! (2nd and 3rd pics, large pun intended! :D )

 

 

 

[alreadypacked]

Decent sized duty free store right by the ship. I bought some liquor. Not sure if they had cigars or cigarettes. This was in 2012. Haven't been there since, but we got off the ship, walked to the duty free store and got back on the ship.

[alreadypacked]

I took this picture once we were back on the ship. I have circled the duty free store in red to give you an idea of the distance. Again, we were there in 2012--things may have changed since.

[Angela61280]

Yes, it's just the typical cigs, alcohol, perfume, little knickknack store. Nothing fancy. I did grab alcohol in a coconut, and after you drink the alcohol you can eat the coconut.. Brought it back for workmates that covered me while I was away.. Big hit.

[kelkel2]

Thank you everyone! Hoping they have the cigars he is looking for, otherwise I'm sure it's not hard to find cigars in another port? I'm just not interested in going into town for those for someone else. Especially since I did read taxi prices are high. This is the one place we really don't want to do anything. We wanted a day to just chill out.

[Angela61280]

You can take the bus to Altos de Chavon where there is, if I remember correctly, a cigar shop ;). Altos is a replica of a 16th century Mediterranean village. In a super safe area.

 

It was actually a pretty cool little city. There were a ton of cruise excursion tours there. We were dropped off in the same place, doing the same thing, at the same time... For like $60 less than the tours, only difference is they were on a pretty motor coach and we were on a normal taxi like bus. The buses in and out rsn pretty regularly, when we pulled up a bus was leaving, when we got off our bus, people got on and left right away. When we left, we didn't have to wait, we got right on the bus and left within minutes. Check out http://www.casadecampo.com.do/altos-de-chavon

 

I'm pretty sure that the bus fare was, $7 to Altos De Chavon and $5 into town, or close to that..

 

Not an expensive bus ride either, and the line is waaayyy short compared to the cheaper bus ticket into town. I spoke to a lot of people that took the bus into town instead of Altos, and they told me they didn't like going into the city, and were disappointed. And someone on our sailing told me that one group was robbed -not sure if it's true or not- but irregardless, if you go, be careful.

Edited August 5, 2015 by Angela61280

[sailor_jimc]

Yes they have a duty free shop right off the ship.. Yes they sell cigars.. but I wouldn't buy them there.. They are MORE expensive than the same cigars bought in the US. People assume they will be less expensive because they are made there but they don't discount them at all. This is even true going to the cigar factory there. The "gift shop" doesn't sell them any cheaper.

 

If he wants some from the DR, best to go into town and find a "mom and pop" cigar factory (there are many of them downtown) and haggle over the price until you get a good deal. You shouldn't have to pay more than $2 a cigar for a well made cigar. It won't be name brand but it will be unique. Your problem will be knowing a well rolled cigar when you see one. Ask him to show you one of his name brand cigars and show you what makes up a quality hand made cigar.

[love my grandkids]

New facility in DR that Carnival is building sounds interesting.

 

Otherwise been to La Romana one interesting day at Altos de Chevron and one day got off the ship walked around for a few minutes and stayed on the ship. No desire to go back here. Better to have a sea day and more time in Aruba and Curacao.

[kelkel2]

New facility in DR that Carnival is building sounds interesting.

 

Otherwise been to La Romana one interesting day at Altos de Chevron and one day got off the ship walked around for a few minutes and stayed on the ship. No desire to go back here. Better to have a sea day and more time in Aruba and Curacao.

 

I actually agree with you. I really hadn't planned anything here and still really don't. I really had intended this to be a stay on the ship day for us, that's why I was hoping there was a duty free shop that I could quickly go to for the cigar gift for my brother in law. I would really like to get his cigars, but I really don't want to may a day tour to do it.