Catalina Island

[Birdnutty]

Like so many others, I was frustrated before our trip, trying to learn more about this port.  There was no information!  So when the NCL Gem stopped there, I knew I had to write a report and fill the void.

 

Catalina Island, off the shores of the Dominican Republic is a beautiful small apparently uninhabited island, with a walled off portion for tourists.  I heard that most of the island was being preserved as a natural park, and judging by the walls erected around our area, it does seem that way.  This is a tender port, (less than 10 minutes)and reminded me greatly of Great Stirrup Cay, an undeveloped Coco Cay, etc. It was clearly set up for large cruise ships, as there were huge tents over what would be buffet areas if they'd been set up,  a bazillion lawn chairs and umbrellas that they set up for a tip. NCL provided us with box lunches that we could pick up in the buffet on the ship at breakfast time, so they did not set up a big elaborate affair on shore.  They told us there would be no food available on the island, so we were prepared.  Altho I did see someone walking with a styro container, so there might have been food available somewhere for purchase..  We had brought our own water and juice, so never investigated the availability of other drinks.

Tender boats were  met with native dancers,  and they kept the music going all afternoon. Present but not obnoxious. The swimming area sand was soft and beautiful.  Saw a few people with small blow-up floats that they had brought.  Wish I had thought of that!  In the small thatched hut there was a DJ playing latin music, and when the band that greeted us getting off the tender was done, they went there, and danced with some passengers. 

 Smallish snorkeling area off to the side, that was decent once you got out far enough, we saw the typical suspects as well as Bally hoo, a flounder , big blue parrot, a skate, more of the typical. Not the best and nowhere near as good as some other spots.  But the water was crystal clear in the swimming area, a bit cloudier in the snorkel area. There is apparently a coral barrier wall just off to the right, innaccessible to us,  as there had been snorkel boats there all day.  DIdn't see any lizards. The water is so clear and blue. And chilly. Chilliest of tropical waters that I can remember.  But this was January, so I guess we can't expect miracles.  It was 100% better than where I come from.  It was still quite swimmable.

 

Once back on the ship and looking at the island from a distance, there appear to be at least 2 other spots similar to the one we are at with chairs etc for other ships to utilise. Ours was the largest area. They were all isolated from each other, so you couldn't see one from the other.  Nor could you walk there.  The jungle came up to the water, and they had some men preventing people from going beyond the limits of our area.  That’s on this side of the island only. Can’t see the other side. 

 

[Sunseeker11]

Thanks for sharing.  We just had Cabo Rojo changed to Catalina Island on Jan 30.

 

Do you have to pay for loungers/umbrellas?

[Michelle13999]

I am wondering the same. ☺️

[ColdCruise]

Thanks for the info @Birdnutty as you say, not a lot of info about this island other than as a destination to go to from the mainland (lots of excursions from Punta Cana resort areas to Catalina) in order to snorkel from a boat.

 

as @Sunseeker11 referenced NCL is canceling its port stops planned for the new port at Cabo Rojo for at least January through end of February (I think there were 8 x 14 day cruises with that port).
 

Ostensibly the reason is to be more energy conscious and improve our experience by switching from one isolated & undeveloped area to another that’s a short boat trip from the embarkation port. Boat as in holds a few people and runs off an outboard type motor. In reality it looks like construction at Cabo Rojo isn’t complete enough for ships to dock in less than a month. Source photos & news.

 

when you were on Catalina Island @Birdnutty did you notice anywhere where small boats could pick up passengers to take back to the mainland or if there was a ferry service?
 

There are some interesting things to do on the mainland. NCL excursions are mostly visits to the ersatz Mediterranean village in combo with other activities. Or snorkeling from a boat - our previous family experience with that type of excursion did not go well, so avoiding that but wouldn’t mind combining a couple hours snorkeling with a small group.

 

since your post is almost a year old, I hope you get notice of our recent posts and can help with more info! 

happy cruising

[Cliff and Cove]

@ColdCruise Thanks for sharing this change for Cabo Rojo. I live in the South of the Dominican Republic and have been trying to keep up to date with the project. They seem like they are terribly behind. HOWEVER, Norwegian Pearl is heading to Cabo Rojo as we speak. 😳 The Dominican President will be there in the morning to inaugurate the port around the same time the ship is set to arrive. We'll see how that goes.  I can't find any other cruise to Cabo Rojo until January 2025, so as you said, they must have rerouted all of those cruises. 

 

Here's an article about the Cabo Rojo/Pedernales Project

 

I am working on writing an article that reviews the land excursions that Norwegian DID have listed (now they are gone), and also provide local options for anyone wanting to go that route. So, if you have Cabo Rojo on your radar for future cruises, you can subscribe to my blog to get notified of that post. I hope they get it together soon and other cruises will get to come and enjoy the south of the DR! 

[ColdCruise]

Thank you for this info @Cliff and Cove - it will be very helpful when the cruise lines and the public-private org creating the port get their acts together!

 

We did find a couple good local tour providers and had booked an excursion with one of the entities. Unfortunately I had to cancel because… well, we aren’t going there. I felt sorry for the guy but no choice. I would be very ticked off in NCL changed back to Cabo Rojo now that they’ve got the Pearl in and out.

its so so so very ironic that the article in your link states

          ”the remoteness of the destination adds to its allure. The efforts to reach this pristine location are justified upon arrival, as visitors are greeted by untouched, immaculate beauty, revealing the authenticity of the Dominican Republic and its people along the way.”

 

 BUT  the planned development of 10+ resorts and all the other development will negate if not destroy the “untouched, immaculate beauty”!
 

love progress

 

We have decided to treat the Catalina Island stop like a private island day. Makes no sense to try to get from the small island back to the mainland (ie bigger island) for the 100+/- NCL wants  pp to go to see stuff at a resort. If we stayed overnight in La Romana , it’d be a different story.

Edited January 5 by ColdCruise

[Birdnutty]

On 12/14/2023 at 8:33 PM, Sunseeker11 said:

Thanks for sharing.  We just had Cabo Rojo changed to Catalina Island on Jan 30.

 

Do you have to pay for loungers/umbrellas?

The chairs themselves were free, umbrellas were delivered for a tip.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Birdnutty]

On 12/16/2023 at 1:08 AM, ColdCruise said:

Thanks for the info @Birdnutty as you say, not a lot of info about this island other than as a destination to go to from the mainland (lots of excursions from Punta Cana resort areas to Catalina) in order to snorkel from a boat.

when you were on Catalina Island @Birdnutty did you notice anywhere where small boats could pick up passengers to take back to the mainland or if there was a ferry service?
 

happy cruising

There were small boats anchored out, away from shore (and away from our swimming areas) that looked like snorkel boats.  I did not see any coming near our beach.  The passengers from our ship were delivered by ship's tender.  It appears that the beach and immediate waterfront was ours alone.  Did not see anything that looked like mainland.

[long Island]

We were also on this trip…round-trip Panama Canal on the Gem from New York City .Catalina Island was wonderful.

[ready2cruzagain]

On 2/14/2023 at 10:10 PM, Birdnutty said:

Like so many others, I was frustrated before our trip, trying to learn more about this port.  There was no information!  So when the NCL Gem stopped there, I knew I had to write a report and fill the void.

 

Catalina Island, off the shores of the Dominican Republic is a beautiful small apparently uninhabited island, with a walled off portion for tourists.  I heard that most of the island was being preserved as a natural park, and judging by the walls erected around our area, it does seem that way.  This is a tender port, (less than 10 minutes)and reminded me greatly of Great Stirrup Cay, an undeveloped Coco Cay, etc. It was clearly set up for large cruise ships, as there were huge tents over what would be buffet areas if they'd been set up,  a bazillion lawn chairs and umbrellas that they set up for a tip. NCL provided us with box lunches that we could pick up in the buffet on the ship at breakfast time, so they did not set up a big elaborate affair on shore.  They told us there would be no food available on the island, so we were prepared.  Altho I did see someone walking with a styro container, so there might have been food available somewhere for purchase..  We had brought our own water and juice, so never investigated the availability of other drinks.

Tender boats were  met with native dancers,  and they kept the music going all afternoon. Present but not obnoxious. The swimming area sand was soft and beautiful.  Saw a few people with small blow-up floats that they had brought.  Wish I had thought of that!  In the small thatched hut there was a DJ playing latin music, and when the band that greeted us getting off the tender was done, they went there, and danced with some passengers. 

 Smallish snorkeling area off to the side, that was decent once you got out far enough, we saw the typical suspects as well as Bally hoo, a flounder , big blue parrot, a skate, more of the typical. Not the best and nowhere near as good as some other spots.  But the water was crystal clear in the swimming area, a bit cloudier in the snorkel area. There is apparently a coral barrier wall just off to the right, innaccessible to us,  as there had been snorkel boats there all day.  DIdn't see any lizards. The water is so clear and blue. And chilly. Chilliest of tropical waters that I can remember.  But this was January, so I guess we can't expect miracles.  It was 100% better than where I come from.  It was still quite swimmable.

 

Once back on the ship and looking at the island from a distance, there appear to be at least 2 other spots similar to the one we are at with chairs etc for other ships to utilise. Ours was the largest area. They were all isolated from each other, so you couldn't see one from the other.  Nor could you walk there.  The jungle came up to the water, and they had some men preventing people from going beyond the limits of our area.  That’s on this side of the island only. Can’t see the other side. 

 

 

@Birdnutty  Thank you so much for the review! Hard to believe it has been a year and still no one else has done a review and I can find nothing out about this port. Very little on YouTube or anywhere else.

 

We are going to be at this port twice in December and trying to find out everything we can.  

 

I see you said there is no food on the island which is the same as I seen from someone else on another social site. That person also stated you could pick up a box lunch. Is there information about this in the Dailies? How did you know to go to the buffet to get a box lunch???

 

I see there is a stand with a local selling some drinks. I also seen that you took a few of your own with you. I am assuming it would be okay to take a couple of waters off of the ship since resources are limited. The picture of the guy providing the drinks was pretty dirty from what I seen on another site.

 

Any other information you can provide would be greatly appreciated and thank you in advance.