Bioluminescene Tour on Princess

[KAWS]

We're in San Juan until 11 pm but I'm a bit nervous about booking with an outside tour company for this one just because I'm afraid we won't get back in time (tour on Princess says 5 hours and I understand it's a bit of a drive to get there).

 

I've not booked an excursion through the cruise line before and always hear that you get more bang for your buck so to speak and less people in the tours, etc.

 

So my question is two fold I guess. First has anyone done this tour with Princess and can tell me their experience? And second, if you've done an independent tour that was good and you KNOW that it gets back in plenty of time for sail away for our times, can you give me some suggestion as to where I should be looking?

 

Thanks.

 

Kim

[canovanas]

Well heres the deal you need to factor the difference between what the ship sells it at and what an independant tour operator is going to charge. This difference is the key if you are looking to save money as opposed to peace of mind in reference to getting back on the ship on time. There are very reliable tour operators that will get you back on time with no problem but the cost may not be that much so you have more assurance thru the shore excursion. For an example Costa sells the tour at @$73 pp (you will not be left behind if you are late) compared to the average tour operator price of @$65 pp (the ship is not held responsible if you are late). The difference of $12 may not be that much to a person that is going to worry about whether or not you get back to the ship on time. There are tour operators (i.e also make sure that the company is endorsed by the Tourism Company of Puerto Rico, not just because the tour operator says so) that are responsible and organized and can give you a great tour. But again if the cost factor is not that great then you are better off going thru your ship's shore excursion.

 

Hope this helps.

[prtcafe.com]

i dont do tours with cruises...only sightseing...problem is lots of people in a bus...difficult to hear and to manage...The company I use when I have visitors is ecoactiontours...small company and can put my people on time. I have many friends and i receive many people from many countries....specailly in tours

[KAWS]

Well heres the deal you need to factor the difference between what the ship sells it at and what an independant tour operator is going to charge.

 

This isn't about cost to me though. This is about what the excursion entails. According to the details for Princess it looks like you get to kayak only. I want to be able to swim as well. If I KNEW for a fact that you can do this with the Princess excursion I would just book it through them and be done with it. I just want the experience that I'm looking for and I don't want to miss my ship leaving. It really is not about the cost of the excursion.

 

Kim

[cruiselover11]

We took this tour a year ago, but we satyed in San Juan for a few days before the cruise.We normally dont arrange any excursions w/cruiseship, but this summer when we will be in San Juan on Carnival Liberty in the evening, we will book this excursion thru the ship simply b/c you never know what will happened on the way or back.This place is a little over an hour away from port, it is kind of hard to find it( we had a rental).This way you will have a peace of mind that you will get back and the ship will wait for you.

As fas as swimming, I dont think you could do that and let me briefly tell you why.Once you get to a location you will be on a kajak( physical work), you will kajak thru mangroves( for a while 20 min) and then you will arrive at this huge bay, where the magic begins.....It is very dark there!!!!!So, I dont know if you would want to jump in the water.....

BEFORE YOU BOOK THIS TOUR YOU MUST CHECK THAT IT IS NOT A FULL MOON NIGHT!

check this linkhttp://www.whattodoinpr.com/biobay.html

[kristacpa]

This isn't about cost to me though. This is about what the excursion entails. According to the details for Princess it looks like you get to kayak only. I want to be able to swim as well. If I KNEW for a fact that you can do this with the Princess excursion I would just book it through them and be done with it. I just want the experience that I'm looking for and I don't want to miss my ship leaving. It really is not about the cost of the excursion.

 

Kim

 

You have the option of sliding out of your kayak and swimming for a bit in the water. The night we were there it wasn't getting dark soon enough while we were in the lake, it only really perked up while we made our way back through the mangroves. That's when the real fun began...a lot of low hanging branches that you never saw coming...