How do people get to Puerto Caldera from the US?

[JM0115]

Thinking of booking a cruise that starts in Puerto Caldera. I assume you fly to San Jose Costa Rica and then take a taxi from there? TIA!

[r&rd]

I always reserve a driver. it is at least an hour drive and often longer with traffic. The cost of a private driver was about $120 last year. The Windstar transfer will cost you more than that if there are two of you.

[JM0115]

2 minutes ago, r&rd said:

I always reserve a driver. it is at least an hour drive and often longer with traffic. The cost of a private driver was about $120 last year. The Windstar transfer will cost you more than that if there are two of you.

Is this from SJO?

[r&rd]

We actually stay at the Marriott by the San Jose airport and leave from there - but it is only 5-10 minus away. We have done this cruise 9 times - it's our favorite. The one time we tried flying in the day of the cruise the flight was delayed and with up to a two hour drive to the port we would have missed the ship had it not been delayed because of an earthquake in South America. 

[JM0115]

27 minutes ago, r&rd said:

We actually stay at the Marriott by the San Jose airport and leave from there - but it is only 5-10 minus away. We have done this cruise 9 times - it's our favorite. The one time we tried flying in the day of the cruise the flight was delayed and with up to a two hour drive to the port we would have missed the ship had it not been delayed because of an earthquake in South America. 

We always go early at least a day!

[Strenz]

I concur with R&RD, we fly into to San Jose, we love the Marriott near the airport, it is on a coffee plantation really pretty, we get a driver also. Depending where you live Liberia Airport might be easier to get to about same distance  perhaps a bit shorter. Great Cruise Happy Sailing

 

[Piaa]

On 2/22/2023 at 5:59 PM, Strenz said:

I concur with R&RD, we fly into to San Jose, we love the Marriott near the airport, it is on a coffee plantation really pretty, we get a driver also. Depending where you live Liberia Airport might be easier to get to about same distance  perhaps a bit shorter. Great Cruise Happy Sailing

 

 

Thank you for the hotel recommendation - it looks lovely ... how far away from the port is it please and what company do you book your driver through?

[r&rd]

The. Marriott has a shuttle from the airport. The last two times we have had the bell captain at the hotel arrange the transportation for us. We have used different companies in the past but there seems to be no difference in price or experience. The distance is about 1 hour with no traffic and up to 2 hours with traffic (especially on Saturdays and holidays when everyone is heading to the beach). Windstar usually uses this hotel and has their bus leave from there. We meet the Windstar rep the night before and get luggage tags (not that that is important but it saves a minute or two at the port) and then try to leave a few minutes before the Windstar buses leave. If you are sailing on the Wind Star you will need to have all of your luggage hand searched at the port since they do not have scanners and then have the dogs check out the luggage for drugs. This is why we try to get to the port before the buses since the luggage search thing takes so much time. The yachts have their own scanners so they do not hand check all luggage before boarding.

[Piaa]

8 hours ago, r&rd said:

The. Marriott has a shuttle from the airport. The last two times we have had the bell captain at the hotel arrange the transportation for us. We have used different companies in the past but there seems to be no difference in price or experience. The distance is about 1 hour with no traffic and up to 2 hours with traffic (especially on Saturdays and holidays when everyone is heading to the beach). Windstar usually uses this hotel and has their bus leave from there. We meet the Windstar rep the night before and get luggage tags (not that that is important but it saves a minute or two at the port) and then try to leave a few minutes before the Windstar buses leave. If you are sailing on the Wind Star you will need to have all of your luggage hand searched at the port since they do not have scanners and then have the dogs check out the luggage for drugs. This is why we try to get to the port before the buses since the luggage search thing takes so much time. The yachts have their own scanners so they do not hand check all luggage before boarding.

 

Thank you so much