Cayo Levantado port on Riviera Dec. 2, 2015 cruise

[Iamthesea]

What was the "zoo" on T&C? Were there other ships in port with you?

[cruisingxpert]

What was the "zoo" on T&C? Were there other ships in port with you?

 

 

I think they were the 3rd ship in Turks and Caicos and had to tender - the dock only takes 2 ships. That happened to us last March. I think your Feb 12th will be the only ship at the dock which should make for a very nice day if weather co-operates.

 

http://www.cruisetimetables.com/cruises-to-grand-turk-turks-and-caicos.html

 

There is also a Grand Turk webcam.

http://www.***********/cruise-port-webcams/caribbean/grand-turk-turks-caicos.php Guess you have to google it

Edited January 12, 2016 by cruisingxpert
xxx in website

[Leejnd4]

Harryw and I are both on Riviera now, and stopped at Cato Levantado two days ago. Harry and many other people told me the beach was fabulous...clear blue water, white sand, plenty of free chairs, lobsters cooked to order.

 

I can't vouch for that as I did an excursion, but I heard it from enough people that I believe it.

 

My excursion was an adventure and a half! A horseback ride to a waterfall. They say the horses will only walk...but if you are experienced on horses and tell your guide that, your horse will run the whole way! Up steep rocky hills and narrow muddy paths...wow! 30 minutes of adrenaline rush.

 

To get to the waterfall you have to get off your horse and walk down many steep, muddy, slippery steps...and come back up them later. Not everyone on our tour went down the steps, but I did and was treated to a spectacular 140 ft waterfall with a big natural pool beneath. I swam in it for at least 30 minutes, then up up up the stairs, and back on the horse for a wild gallop through the forest.

 

It was probably a little too much for some people, but I loved it.

Edited January 12, 2016 by Leejnd4

[Iamthesea]

I think they were the 3rd ship in Turks and Caicos and had to tender - the dock only takes 2 ships. That happened to us last March. I think your Feb 12th will be the only ship at the dock which should make for a very nice day if weather co-operates.

 

http://www.cruisetimetables.com/cruises-to-grand-turk-turks-and-caicos.html

 

There is also a Grand Turk webcam.

http://www.***********/cruise-port-webcams/caribbean/grand-turk-turks-caicos.php Guess you have to google it

 

Thanks! I knew we were the only ship to be docked at T&C, so wondered what happened. ;)

 

LeeAnne - Did you see any signs of horse abuse on your excursion. I was thinking about this excursion until I read horrible reviews (especially about the abuse, but also slippery dangerous conditions) on TripAdvisor.

[LesSails80435]

What was the "zoo" on T&C? Were there other ships in port with you?

 

 

There were only two ships in port, but the other was Carnival Conquest (4000 including crew), and it seemed many of them were on that beach. The terminal area is pretty nice, although away from town. That may be why that area and beach were crowded. We docked first, but unless you were among the first off, you had to wait 30 minutes because the officials cleared the shared dock while Conquest maneuvered in. Just a minor annoyance, but there were a LOT of people who got off that ship.

[beachmudhut]

Just some tips about T&C.

 

If you go to the large bar area by the swimming pool, make sure you ask the price of the drinks first. Preferably take some water with you from the ship. Drinks are very very expensive. We heard a lot of comments about that from people on the tender back to the ship.

 

We were there last March when three cruise ships were in port. We had to tender to shore.

Lots of "horse rides" along the beach and the resulting "poo" dropping in the shore. As the sea is very calm nothing gets washed away quickly and it looked rather disgusting to me. I definitely did not risk a swim!

 

Cayo Leventado is fabulous if you like a day on the beach. Beach chairs are sometimes past their best but you can pay a couple of dollars for a better one. One of our favouriite destinations and I wish O would go there more often!

[Iamthesea]

We are looking forward to Cayo. I think we will just stay on the beach. Sounds nice to me. ;)

 

There were only two ships in port, but the other was Carnival Conquest (4000 including crew), and it seemed many of them were on that beach. The terminal area is pretty nice, although away from town. That may be why that area and beach were crowded. We docked first, but unless you were among the first off, you had to wait 30 minutes because the officials cleared the shared dock while Conquest maneuvered in. Just a minor annoyance, but there were a LOT of people who got off that ship.

 

That's a shame. We have been to T&C before with HAL. We rented a golf cart and toured the island, but did not go to Margaritaville. When we returned to the ship and looked down on the beach(see photo I took), I vowed that if we ever came back, we would spend the day there.

 

I could not imagine that island with another ship docked there. Right now, CC is just us showing as being there. If another ship arrives, we will stay onboard and enjoy the scenery. Atthough, I did want to go see the pink flamingo's again. :D

 

[Leejnd4]

 

LeeAnne - Did you see any signs of horse abuse on your excursion. I was thinking about this excursion until I read horrible reviews (especially about the abuse, but also slippery dangerous conditions) on TripAdvisor.

 

I read that stuff on TA too. The horses did not look abused to me. I have a friend who runs an adventure park in Costa Rica which offers a horseback ride up a mountain followed by a zip-line tour down the mountain, and she too sometimes gets accused of horse abuse and poor care of her horses. She showed me her stables and how they care for the horses. They are not pets - they are work horses, and are cared for appropriately.

 

Many horses in Central America and the Caribbean are naturally narrow at the flank, and if you look at them straight from the rear, they look bony. But if you look at them from the side they are clearly well-fed.

 

These horses are bred for work. My horse knew the way well, and seemed calm, healthy and well-fed. Are they loved and pampered like some horses we see in the US? No...they are work horses. And this is the work they do. If they weren't doing this, they'd be plowing fields or some other work in that impoverished nation (DR).

 

Regarding the slippery dangerous conditions - this is not an excursion for older people or anyone who is not fit enough to handle it. It's billed that way in the write-ups. I was shocked at some of the people who signed up for this - what were they thinking? But they had a nice walk through a lovely forest on a slow horse, then got to sit and wait while those who are fit enough for an adventure like this did the rest of the tour. This is not a tour for anyone who is mobility-challenged. It's only dangerous if you are not healthy or fit enough to do it.

Edited January 14, 2016 by Leejnd4

[Iamthesea]

We are healthy and fit...except for the shoulder thing, but the review I read on TA was from a young woman. She had trouble with the ledges, but more importantly, she said the horses had trouble and her horse crawled on it's knees at one point. :( That's when she got off the horse and walked it the rest of the way.

 

I can understand that the horses may not look well, but are in actuality are taken care of. My dog is an example. Eats like a horse and never gains weight. Had a spa appointment yesterday, and she looks like a drowned rat today. Not to mention stinks to high heavens!) :D

 

Anyway, think we have decided to have a beach day. Glad you returned back safely!

Edited January 14, 2016 by Iamthesea

[Leejnd4]

We are healthy and fit...except for the shoulder thing, but the review I read on TA was from a young woman. She had trouble with the ledges, but more importantly, she said the horses had trouble and her horse crawled on it's knees at one point. :( That's when she got off the horse and walked it the rest of the way.

 

All I can say is that she must not have much experience with horseback ride tours. And not once did my horse have to "crawl on his knees".

 

The horse path was muddy, extremely rocky (big rocks!), with deep gullies, steep climbs, and would be almost impossible for most people to walk (although each horse has its own guide, and those agile boys do fine on it). But it is no more challenging than many of the paths I've taken on horseback rides. In fact it was relatively mild. I've done FAR more narrow, steep and rock-strewn paths on horses in various parts of the world. Horses are perfectly capable of navigating these paths - and that's one of the fun things about doing these types of horseback rides: the horses can walk and even run on surfaces that we humans could never manage! That's why we ride horses on them. ;)

 

If she got off her horse and walked that path, she was foolish. The horse could walk it far more safely and surely than she could. She was just putting herself in danger.

 

The steps down to the waterfall were, again, no more challenging than many things like this I've seen around the world. Last year I was in Bali, and went to a similar, and equally beautiful, waterfall. The number of steep muddy steps to get down to the pool was triple what was at this one. But we managed it. These are natural settings, not man-made attractions. The steps down are not staircases like on a rollercoaster. They are made of rocks, boulders, tree limbs, and natural ledges.

 

DR is a foreign country. It's not the US. And this was not Disneyland. The problem is that too many Americans expect other countries to be like America. You would never see a place like this in the US - they'd never get insurance! But if you are well-traveled and open-minded, and willing to take responsibility for yourself, recognize your own physical limits, and not do things you are not capable of doing, then this adventure should be of no surprise. Complaining about the fact that it wasn't Disneyland just means that these places will get fewer visitors and go out of business, which is not good for those of us who enjoy adventure, physical challenges, and natural beauty.

Edited January 14, 2016 by Leejnd4

[Iamthesea]

I'll leave that to you! :D

 

Enjoyed your cruise review, but not the eels. :eek: Looking forward to hearing more about the ship. ;)