"Treetops & Water"

[Bruin Steve]

Okay...we signed up for this one for our stop in Limon while on the Carnival Liberty:

 

Here's Carnival's description:

>>Get a bird’s eye view of the Caribbean Rain Forest and cruise the pristine Tortuguero Canals on this combination excursion.

On this excursion you will:

Take a two-hour drive to a private reserve dedicated to conservation.

Enjoy a 70-minute ride in comfortable gondolas designed for 6 passengers and a guide.

Glide through the rain forest floor up to the treetops to observe majestic trees, giant ferns, hanging gardens and occasional wildlife.

Watch as your guide points out plants and life forms usually hidden from the human eye in this lush green paradise.

Visit the gift shop back on the ground to learn more about this amazing environment.

Reboard your bus for the two hour drive to the town of Matina.

Enjoy a box lunch and refreshments en route.

Take a relaxing cruise on the Tortuguero Canals. View the beautiful scenery of exotic plants and wildlife including monkeys, birds, crocodiles, sloths, toucans, and other fauna.

Conclude your excursion with live Afro-Caribbean Calypso music and complimentary soft drinks, beers, and tropical fruit.

Return to your awaiting ship after a full day of memorable adventures with nature.

Note: Maximum weight is 250 lbs. <<

 

Carnival is charging $175 per person and says the excursion is 6.75 hours...

 

So, I go over to the Royal Caribbean site...since I know all of the cruise lines tend to contract with the same local providers to see what theirs says...

 

 

>>Treetop & Water Experience 10 hours, $149 per adult

Take your air-conditioned transportation for an approximately two-hour drive to the tram site, located at an eco-tourism and research facility near Braulio Carrillo National Park. Once you arrive at the Rain Forest Aerial Tram Park, you will be greeted and welcomed by the friendly staff and be shown a short video presentation. You’ll glide pleasantly through the treetops on the 80-minute tram ride. This is a phenomenal opportunity to see a primary forest and its natural splendor first hand. The open-air gondolas with canvas awnings seat six passengers and a naturalist guide. You will also have time to visit the gift shop and choose amongst beautiful souvenirs to take back home with you. After your tram ride, you re-board your buses en route to a magnificent location for lunch. This restaurant is surrounded by 24 acres of gardens, tropical trees and nature trails.

After lunch, you will continue on a 2-hour drive back to Matina, which is the entrance to the water canals of Tortuguero, the “Costa Rican Amazon.” This network of lakes and canals are rich with vegetation, fauna and flora. It is considered to be a tropical sanctuary for an incredible array of wildlife and biological diversity with eleven habitats.

Notes: Maximum weight restriction is 360 pounds.<<

 

Certainly sounds like the same excursion, doesn't it?

So...why does RCI charge $26 less?

Does it really take over 3 hours longer on RCI?

Will they really take passengers that weigh 110 pounds MORE on the RCI version?

 

Now, I'm really curious...let's check Princess...

They've got a different title, but here's the description:

 

>>Board your air-conditioned transportation for the approximately two-hour drive to the tram site, located at an eco-tourism and research facility near Braulio Carrillo National Park. Your one hour and 15-minute tram ride travels through the rain forest canopy, home to two-thirds of Costa Rica’s rain forest species. Then enjoy a traditional Costa Rican lunch at a local restaurant before continuing to your launch site in the Tortuguero Canals. Enjoy a snack of fruits and a complimentary beverage prior to boarding a covered mawamba boat for a leisurely cruise as your guide explains the wetlands ecosystem. Keep an eye out for wildlife including howler monkeys, sloths, toucans, and crocodiles as well as exotic flora. At the end of your cruise board your waiting transportation for the short transfer to the ship.<<

They say 10 hours, $219 per person!

 

It almost doesn't really matter...If we're doing this as a ship's excursion, it's going to be Carnival's version and it's going to be $175...

 

...and since the ship is only in port from 7:00 am to 4:00 pm, it certainly can't last 10 hours...

 

Anyway, has anyone done this tour? Recommend it? It seems to be a nice combination of jungle canopy and swamp boat...

[Angel in FL]

:eek: Oh my gosh, Bruin Steve. It does sound like the same tour. We are booked on the Coral Princess for the same cruise the end of October. During our stop in Limon I want to do this tour, but had not noticed any weight restrictions. My hubby is a big guy, 6'4" and over 350lbs. Would be nice if some folks would respond. I certainly need to know about the weight cause I don't want to spend $219pp and then get there only to be told can't do the tour. What a way to ruin a cruise.