Puerto Corinto, Nicaragua & Puerto Quetzal, Guatamala

[Desert Cruisers]

We are sailing on the 9/20/07 Princess Panama Canal cruise including Guatamala and Nicaragua. We are looking for info about what to do in these two countries. Any information would be much appreciated. We are looking for alternatives to taking cruise tours.

 

Thanks:)

[LHT28]

Puerto Quetzal we just got one of the taxi tours to Antigua.... just go through the tourist building at the dock and there will be drivers asking if you want to do the tours

 

There were 3 of us ...took about 5 hrs and the cost was $150. total

the more people ..less your share will be.

[murphysmum]

Hi!

 

When you traveled to Antigua, did the five hours include road time AND wandering the city or was that five hours to get to Antigua?

 

We were there on a land tour two years ago and the city is magical. We'll be docking in Guatemala in Feb. of 2008 and I've love to go back. I think that we have 7-8 hours in port. Lago Atitlan was close and I thought it was great too.

 

Our cruiseline hasn't posted tours yet, so I don't know what our options are. Will probably go with a private guide.

 

Guatemala was one of the most interesting countries I've ever visited and I've done a fair amount of traveling.

 

Enjoy yourselves!

 

murphysmum;)

[LHT28]

Hi!

 

When you traveled to Antigua, did the five hours include road time AND wandering the city or was that five hours to get to Antigua?

murphysmum;)

It was about 1 hr to Antigua ...we did the walking tour of the town ..the driver left us at the Hotel/restaurant that was an old convent where we enjoyed a light lunch and walk through the grounds.

 

He would have spent more time site seeing but we were tired.

[catl331]

Did you have to get Yellow Fever shot for this country? we are told we need it even if we do not get off. It may be because we stop in Cartegena Colombia first. Colombia is listed as a yellow fever country.

[elaineagogo]

We are trying to decide about Antiqua do we need a tour guide and did you feel safe walking around? we got a quote from go with Gus tour he wanted $110 per person and takes you to a Jade Factory and a coffee plantation which we are not interested in before he goes into the city of Antiqua I have emailed him back to see if we can design our trip any comments about him or about just getting a guy outside the pier? Thanks

[LHT28]

We are trying to decide about Antiqua do we need a tour guide and did you feel safe walking around? we got a quote from go with Gus tour he wanted $110 per person and takes you to a Jade Factory and a coffee plantation which we are not interested in before he goes into the city of Antiqua I have emailed him back to see if we can design our trip any comments about him or about just getting a guy outside the pier? Thanks

 

We did go to the Jade factory store it was very small but interesting.

We felt safe walking about with our driver/guide ...he took us to like a flea market but most of the stuff you could buy at the dock. we didn't do the coffee plantation as we had bought coffee at the dock

They also have a tour from inside the tourist building that hits the highlights for $45.PP I think it was 5-6 hrs

There is also an Internet store there if you need a fix .:)

[elaineagogo]

thanks for your help I think that the tour for $110 per person is high and they probably take everyone to the same places I have been told that the city of Antiqua is wonderful can you spend the whole time there? I am going to go with your suggestion of getting a guide when we get off the ship unless I get an answer back from Gus that we can do less for less.

[LHT28]

There are other tours at the dock

DH took a photo of the rates

http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2961031270101934561wXnoOE

[Desert Cruisers]

LHT28 - Where did your $45 per person tour leave from? Was the port Puerto Quetzal?

[LHT28]

LHT28 - Where did your $45 per person tour leave from? Was the port Puerto Quetzal?

Yes

there is a tourist building where you go through from the dock & at the desk there they have a couple of tours. Then when you go out of the building there are other tour guides that will try to sell you tours.

[Bucky3]

Just beginning research on these three ports - Puerto Quetzal in Guatemala, Puerto Corinto in Nicaragua, and Puntarenas in Costa Rica. If you have taken satisfying independent tours in any of these ports, please help by listing names and contact numbers. Thank you so much.

 

We have come across the names Charlie Soto, Gus, and Brown, but not sure if any of them serve the ports listed. Any help greatly appreciated.

[makeup face]

Just beginning research on these three ports - Puerto Quetzal in Guatemala, Puerto Corinto in Nicaragua, and Puntarenas in Costa Rica. If you have taken satisfying independent tours in any of these ports, please help by listing names and contact numbers. Thank you so much.

 

We have come across the names Charlie Soto, Gus, and Brown, but not sure if any of them serve the ports listed. Any help greatly appreciated.

 

You'll find Charlie Soto in Puntarenas. I have him booked for January 1,2008. I looking forward to flying through the trees:eek: :D

[Diane&4girls]

Thanks for saving me $106 per person on our Puerto Quetzal Tour. I just called and booked with Jeremy.

 

Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!

[Sandy R]

We stopped at Puerto Quetzal last month and it was one of the highlights of our Panama Canal cruise. We felt extremely safe... the city is rather small so we walked rather than had the van drive us from place to place. We booked with Turansa: info@turansa.com - contact: Mr. Ariel Morales. There were 8 of us and the cost was $40 per person. We were very, very pleased with our tour! We had a very comfortable air conditioned van, driver, English-speaking guide, with lunch extra. Pick-up was at 9 am and return was 4:30 pm. When we arrived on the Island Princess, we discovered local time was 1 hour later than ship time, so someone at the dock called the tour company for us and they arrived about 20 minutes after the designated 9 am pick-up. It took at 1 hour 20 minutes to get from the dock to Antigua, a nice drive passed rural areas of field and little town. We visited the local mercado, the main square, Las Capuchinas, the arch of Santa Catalina, 5A Avenida, the Cathedral, the jade factory, the couretyard of Posada Don Rodrigo Hotel and explored Casa Santo Domingo Hotel (we all agreed we could return and stay at Casa Santo for a week). We had lunch at Fonda de La Calle Real, very nice semi-outdoor restaurant with delicious food... cost with drinks was about $10US per person.

 

We also used Charlie in Putarenas, Costa Rica. We loved the tour, especially the crocodiles!

 

We missed Nicaragua because of some snafu between the ship and the harbor officials... disappointing but Princess gave each passenger $50 ship board credit for the missed port. We had prepayed our private tour there and the company was nice enough to return our money.

 

No shots were required for our cruise but I did have a tetanus shot because I hadn't had one for at least 10 years.

 

Sandy

[mimigirl54]

I just want to bump this up a little. So is there anyone out there who has visited the aforementioned ports who could enlighten us? Any recent info would be greatly appreciated. :o

[casavaha]

We were in Corinto over this past Christmas on the Rotterdam. I organized a tour

for 8 persons that lasted all day to Leon.

 

Americans are not popular in Nicaragua. That said, they are not afraid to tell you why.

 

The US backed Samoza and they hated him. Interesting area. Not alot to see.

 

Interesting crafts across from the Cathedral. The few restaurants we went too were

 

terrible. I am going to check thru my papers and come up with some email addresses.

 

The Volcanoes were beautiful.

 

Greg

[TravlGrl]

I just want to bump this up a little. So is there anyone out there who has visited the aforementioned ports who could enlighten us? Any recent info would be greatly appreciated. :o

 

Yes, I have some recent info. We just stepped off Island Princess yesterday after a 10-day sailing of the Panama Canal (full review to come). For now, DO NOT USE Turansa Tours.

 

Nutshell -- The country of Guatemala was in the midst of a transportation strike. Buses were blocking all major roads and intersections. Because of civil unrest, our captain chose to skip Puerto Quetzel. Nevertheless, Turansa Tours still charged our group (of 12) for the missed tour ($50 each). Even if the ship DID stop in port, Turansa wouldn't have been able to fulfill our tour because of the blockage of roads. Our group leader has been able to negotiate a 50% refund, but this is not acceptable as Turansa couldn't have driven us to Antigua and the other sights even if the ship did stop in port. Very unfortunate situation. We're also contacting our travel insurance to see what can be done, but we do not recommend Turansa Tours in Guatemala as a result of their unwillingness to make good on this.

 

We used Careli Tours in Nicaragua and recommend them. They're the same company used by Princess. We went on the "Experience Colorful Granada" tour, but it only cost us $43.50/person since we booked direct with Careli.

 

In Costa Rica, we booked the Calypso Cruise over to Tortuga Island for a relaxing, albeit hot and humid day in a beautiful land.

[casavaha]

Here is some more info on Leon, Nicaragua. There were some very interesting

restaurants in Leon, unfortunately I did not know of them before.

COCINARTE RESTAURANT is a vegetarian restaurant, very clean. I bought some

wine here. Did not eat here.

 

MEDITERRANEO DEL PARQUE REBEN DARIO. Looks to be very good.

 

Our guide was Carlos D Gutierrez at fundacion@hokanoadventures.com

 

I do not like tours larger than 8 or 9 persons. Our tour was $36.00US per person.

all day. You need to tell the guide what you want to see. Why spend time at

the Volcanoes if you have no interest.

 

We have been to Cartegana and Santa Marta, COL. many times and have never had

a yellow fever shot.

 

Greg

[mimigirl54]

Thanks, all, who have replied. I'm feeling a bit more nervous about Central America, but all our excursions are with the ship so refunds in case of civil unrest (or at least a shipboard credit) will probably be a very good possibility.

[Merlinite]

We just got off the Island with a stop in Nicaragua. We did the Granada tour, which I would NOT recommend. After a long bus ride with a not very informative or entertaining guide, we were allowed 1/2 hour to walk around the zocalo, being constantly besieged by folks all trying to sell the same things. Also, people just begging for cash. The tourist police did an admirable job, but seemed overwhelmed. Another 1/2 hour touring the "Convent" then back on the bus for the long ride back to the ship. Dissappointing to say the least, as you have to look at trash the entire trip. The people don't seem to have much respect for their homeland.

 

Gautamala, on the other hand, was very clean and the people much less aggressive and way friendlier. I read somewhere that Princess is going to eliminate Gautamala as a port. I say Nicaragua would be a better choice...

[artsy-girl]

Thanks, all, who have replied. I'm feeling a bit more nervous about Central America, but all our excursions are with the ship so refunds in case of civil unrest (or at least a shipboard credit) will probably be a very good possibility.

 

Don't worry. I got off of the Island Princess on Tuesday, and NEVER felt unsafe anywhere we went. I did however, feel very hot and sweaty.:)

We saw a lot of beautiful places, and a lot of poverty, but I don't think anyone in any of our small CC excursion groups ever felt any kind of threat or undue attention in these port areas. We had a GREAT time!

 

But, I will have to add my voice to Travel Girls,....don't book with, or pay up front with Turansa Tours in Guatemala.

[mimigirl54]

Don't worry. I got off of the Island Princess on Tuesday, and NEVER felt unsafe anywhere we went. I did however, feel very hot and sweaty.:)

We saw a lot of beautiful places, and a lot of poverty, but I don't think anyone in any of our small CC excursion groups ever felt any kind of threat or undue attention in these port areas. We had a GREAT time!

 

But, I will have to add my voice to Travel Girls,....don't book with, or pay up front with Turansa Tours in Guatemala.

 

Thanks! That makes me feel a little better. No worries...we're not booked with Turansa Tours. We're just taking a HAL shuttle to Antigua where we'll walk around on our own for a few hours. I've done a lot of research on the town and it looks like a nifty place to spend some time. :)

[mcmarya]

On our Panama Canal cruise in November, many of our shipmates just arranged tours when they arrived at ports and and everyone we talked to had positive experiences.

 

In Guatemala, we booked the HAL tour to Antigua which was OK and was $39 at the time. The tour was so popular they kept adding capacity so even though it was listed as sold out, we got a spot. The main drawback is the difficulty of navigating the narrow streets in a tour bus. That reduced our time in Antigua somewhat. Of course, the good news is that you don't have to worry about getting left behind if there is a problem. It is a long way to Antigua so that made us a little nervous about doing our usual independent tour. Our tour was transportation only which was perfect for us. We felt very safe walking around town by ourselves with the maps and information provided on the bus and at the Jade factory. Apparently there is an informative talk at the Jade Factory, but we didn't stick around for it. If we cruise to Puerto Quetzal again, we will return to Antigua.

 

In Costa Rica, we docked at Puerto Caldera which is in the middle of nowhere and ended up just doing a tour to Puntarenas because we didn't feel like doing a long tour. Other passengers arranged to go to the Tarcoles river for a boat ride to see crocodiles. They also saw a lot of other wildlife and paid $40 for a tour lasting most of the day. Van drivers were rounding up passengers so even a couple could join an inexpensive tour and everyone with spoke with had a great time.

[mimigirl54]

On our Panama Canal cruise in November, many of our shipmates just arranged tours when they arrived at ports and and everyone we talked to had positive experiences.

 

In Guatemala, we booked the HAL tour to Antigua which was OK and was $39 at the time. The tour was so popular they kept adding capacity so even though it was listed as sold out, we got a spot. The main drawback is the difficulty of navigating the narrow streets in a tour bus. That reduced our time in Antigua somewhat. Of course, the good news is that you don't have to worry about getting left behind if there is a problem. It is a long way to Antigua so that made us a little nervous about doing our usual independent tour. Our tour was transportation only which was perfect for us. We felt very safe walking around town by ourselves with the maps and information provided on the bus and at the Jade factory. Apparently there is an informative talk at the Jade Factory, but we didn't stick around for it. If we cruise to Puerto Quetzal again, we will return to Antigua.

 

In Costa Rica, we docked at Puerto Caldera which is in the middle of nowhere and ended up just doing a tour to Puntarenas because we didn't feel like doing a long tour. Other passengers arranged to go to the Tarcoles river for a boat ride to see crocodiles. They also saw a lot of other wildlife and paid $40 for a tour lasting most of the day. Van drivers were rounding up passengers so even a couple could join an inexpensive tour and everyone with spoke with had a great time.

 

This information was helpful. Thanks!:D