Cosol Tour in St. Lucia

[honey-bunny]

thank you LynnTG for your reply where does he pick you up and where does he bring you back?

Does anyone know how long the island tour with cosol is? I know that hall will doc at Castries and leave Castries at 3 pm it means we must be on board 2 30 pm then they stop at Soufriere but I am not sure if they are picking up hall passenger from Soufriere dock does anyone that did a tour with cosol had traveled with hall can you give any suggestion hope to hear any suggestions

Thank you in advance

[Ms. B]

thank you LynnTG for your reply where does he pick you up and where does he bring you back?

 

Does anyone know how long the island tour with cosol is? I know that hall will doc at Castries and leave Castries at 3 pm it means we must be on board 2 30 pm then they stop at Soufriere but I am not sure if they are picking up hall passenger from Soufriere dock does anyone that did a tour with cosol had traveled with hall can you give any suggestion hope to hear any suggestions

Thank you in advance

 

We met at 8:30 am and we got back to the ship at around 4:30pm the price was $65 per person. I believe that there is a discounted price for children.

 

Make sure that Cosol knows in advance that you will have to be back on board by 2:30 as that will cut into your tour time. You may want to enquire about what you will see and do in advance so that there are no surprises.

I'm sure that Cosol will customize a tour to your liking. Just be aware that there will be no way to do all of the things that he normally does on an 8 hour tour as you will only have 6 hours to work with. I would also ask about a price reduction since your tour will not not be an all day tour.

 

Another option would be to have Cosol do the all day tour and then meet the ship at Soufriere. I'm sure that Cosol will work with you. Just let him know what you want!;);)

[kyriecat]

thank you LynnTG for your reply where does he pick you up and where does he bring you back?

Does anyone know how long the island tour with cosol is? I know that hall will doc at Castries and leave Castries at 3 pm it means we must be on board 2 30 pm then they stop at Soufriere but I am not sure if they are picking up hall passenger from Soufriere dock does anyone that did a tour with cosol had traveled with hall can you give any suggestion hope to hear any suggestions

Thank you in advance

I was on HAL's Maasdam for the April 10 - 24 cruise with a stop in St. Lucia. Like you, we had to be back onboard by 3 PM. Cosol's driver (we had his brother, Yellowbird :D) picked us up in the shopping area just inside the cruise dock. It was easy to find and he had a sign that said COSOL. Just ask anybody along the pier and they can direct you to the right place. There were only Maasdam people in our van (10 of us) so the tour kept our need to be back at the dock in mind. We had a fantastic day! Everyone in the group made comments about how wonderful the tour was. We stopped at a few overlooks for pictures, made a snack stop, saw the botanical gardens and waterfall, stopped at the volcano (we didn't take the walk around), and went to the beach. We only had an hour on the beach but it was still really nice. On the way back to the ship, we stopped at an overlook for pictures of Marigot Bay and another stop overlooking the harbor. We were back at the dock by 2:10. It would have been nice to have more time, but we saw plenty. Yellowbird made sure that we had plenty to eat (the hot bread fresh from the oven is amazing!) and drink (rum punch, beer, cokes, water).

 

Since our group was all from HAL, I called HAL about getting dropped off in Soufriere and taking the tender to the ship instead of going back to Castries. I was told that the tenders were ONLY for passengers on HAL excursions. We got back onboard in Castries so I don't know if anyone not on a HAL excursion was allowed to board in Soufriere. I didn't want to risk it.

 

If you have a roll call for your cruise, see if several other people will join the tour. Since we had a full van, Cosol was willing to modify the tour to accomodate our schedule. Personally, I thought Cosol's tour and Antour's river tubing in Dominica were the best excursions that we did.

[Jeal]

We were with Kyriecat on Cosol's tour and we second everything that she wrote. We had a great tour!

[Nanner]

Okay, I'm the third from the April 10 Maasdam tour group with Cosol's brother, Yellowbird (aka Hillary, if I heard him correctly). It was a great tour, and we probably did see everything the longer tour did, only we didn't stay as long. I bet we had just as much food, though. I keep telling people we ate (and drank) our way across St. Lucia.

 

When we left the bus, YB asked us all if we would like a drink as we left, so many of us had one last beer or rum punch for the short walk back to the ship.

 

I know that I saw on HAL's site or the cruise documents that ONLY the HAL excursions can take the tender back to the ship from Soufriere. Even with our shortened day, it was a fantastic tour and worth every penny.

 

Bill and I are seriously considering a land-based visit to the island and Jalousie Beach in the not-too-distant future after seeing how gorgeous the place was.

[sealegs9]

Our family of 3 -DH, DS (14) and I were on Cosol's tour April 13, 2009. We were on the Emerald Princess and had a full day tour, as we were there 'till 5:30PM.

Many CCers from our roll call were on the tour that day. I think Cosol had 6-8 vans out that day.

We had Cosol as our driver. He is a great tour guide, small business owner, funny guy, and overall great guy. The tour was one of the two best ever (Gordon in Antigua was great, too).

We all met at 8:20AM and Cosol had everything organized- had a clipboard with who goes on what van. We quickly loaded and were off by 9AM for a full day of fun.

 

We had numerous stops ate scenic overlooks, many photo ops in this beautiful country. Cosol toldus so much about the history and the current culture, government, people, crime, etc.

 

We stopped at a banana "grove" and Cosol explained the growth process and the banana business- from harvesting to exporting. St. Lucia bananas go to England. We also ate some- great!

 

We stopped for "breakfast" with the other vans. What a spread- no one went hungry. A local lady cooks all the dishes. There are ample supplies of beverages- water soda, beer , rum punch to quench your thirst. We had a short tour of the drive in volcano, a visit to the waterfall and botanical garden and then off to the water taxis and Jalousie beach.

We spent about 1 1/2 hours there snorkeling, relaxing and taking in the beautiful scenery. Then back on the water taxis. We got caught in a downpur while on the way back. It was fun- hey we were in our bathing suits, anyway.

Back on the van and on the way to lunch- fresh baked bread and cheese. It was Easter Monday, a holiday in St. Lucia. Because Cosol is so well liked, the baker baked bread just for Cosol on that day!

 

It was fun listening to Cosol's stories and anecdotes on the way back to the port.

Next time we are in St. Lucia, we will be sure to repeat this tour.

 

Any questions, just ask.

[triggerhoppe]

Silver Moon in Barbados may have been the most luxurious excursion of the cruise, but this was definitely the best value. Our tour began at about 8:30 am, and we had Baptiste as our guide. We went to the banana plantation, where we sampled the fruit and got to learn about how they grow the plants. Then we drove through some fishing villages which were interesting to see, and Baptiste gave us a culture and history lesson on the island, which was very informative. Next we pulled up to a house (actually our guide’s house) for breakfast. We met with the other vans, including Cosol’s. They unveiled two large tables that were full of local dishes. Fried fish, chicken with spicy banana ketchup, guava fudge, Johnny cakes, coconut cakes, local fruits, I can’t even name all the dishes, there were literally and without exaggeration at least 20 different items on the table. Cosol kept telling everyone that sipping drinks is not allowed on these tours, and you need to finish your beer or rum punch so he can give you another one. He was very friendly and hospitable, and told us about all the different foods on the table. The group of about 20-30 people couldn’t even finish all the food on the table, and all you kept hearing people say was “did you try this? It’s delicious!”

 

Then we headed to Soufriere where we went to the drive in volcano. This was pretty cool; it was a giant open crater (although it didn’t really look like a crater) with steam rising out of the ground. The sulfur smelled horrible though, but as our guide explained that smell meant that carbon dioxide wasn’t displacing our air, and that we would not suffocate. So I’ve never been so glad to smell rotten eggs! We then went down to the pitons, where we boarded a boat that took us to a private beach that had snorkeling and full amenities (I think it was part of another resort). It was one of the most breathtaking views I have ever seen in my life, lounging on the beach with the huge pitons on either side, on a little bay with all sorts of exotic trees and plants around you. You have to see it to believe it. After an hour on the beach we headed back to where we came from on the boat. It was here that Cosol pulled out his infamous “local spiced rum” which is purportedly 180 proof, and has many special ingredients that have a little, ahem, supposed side benefit. Then we started heading back towards the ship, but not before stopping for tuna sandwiches that were made for the group, and more drinks. Cosol was so encouraging on taking more beers or punch, combined with that rum, oh man, the whole bus was laughing and singing on the way back. We got back to the ship around 4:30 pm, making our tour 8 fun filled hours (there was traffic though). All in all, the tour cost $65, and I would have happily paid double that amount.

[DTCC]

My husband and did the Cosol tour this past Wedneday (May 13th) and loved it. We both had a great time. In fact of the 4 tours we took, this was our favourite. My only recommendation is that you use the bathroom facilities before you leave the beach. We would both highly recommend this tour.

 

We can not wait to return to St. Lucia!

[cruiser 0911]

My husband and I took a Cosol tour last December. We have been on over 12 cruises-and this was by far the best tour we ever took. The island of St. Lucia is gorgeous and we got to see so much of it. I would recommend this tour to everyone!!

[NCTribeFan]

Just back from a couple of extra days in San Juan.

 

We had Valentino as our driver. Cosol had 4 vans that day. Valentino was very pleasant and a lot of fun, but not so knowledgeable about his island.

 

His wife had had a baby during the night, so maybe he was a little tired and distracted.

 

Turns out he lived in Charlotte, NC, for many years and had been a police officer there.

 

The "water taxi" was really just a tiny boat with a large outboard motor. I was a little nervous on that ride, but it was totally worth it to get to Jalousie beach. The Pitons were amazingly beautiful.

 

It was one of six great island tours. Think Dominica was my favorite, though, with St Lucia a close 2nd.

 

Got my days and drivers mixed up: we had "Baptist" in St Lucia. His fellow drivers called him Jean-Baptiste, though. I guess he was just giving us his Americanized name.

[kooscloset]

Just returned from the Cosol tour last week. We had a blast. We also had Baptiste as our driver and it was really interesting to hear his stories about being a police officer. The mobile bar was really good.

 

For those that will be heading on this tour soon, don't forgot to bring Cosol apple's :)

[NCTribeFan]

I regret not having purchased a bottle of banana ketchup from Cosol!

[swom]

Does anyone know how much hot sauce you mix with the banana ketchup to get that great flavor?

We're having a caribbean party this weekend and I don't know the ratio mix.

Help!

NCTribeFan, weren't you on our ship? April 26th? I have an extra bottle if you'd like to have it. Just let me know.

I bought 5 bottles and Cosol gave me the hot sauce for free. LOL

[NCTribeFan]

No, we sailed 5/17.

 

Thanks for the offer, but I'll see if I can find some locally. I've bought sauces on islands in the past and then they sit in my pantry, unopened! I don't cook a whole lot. :o

[account4fun]

Sailed 5/24 on RC and booked Cosol tours on our St. Lucia stop. We had Cosol as our guide and he is amazing. If you want him as your driver let him know when you book and he will try to arrange it.

 

This was our favorite excursion of the whole trip and St. Lucia is beautiful. I am a picky eater but I loved all the food Cosol had arranged for us. It was all so yummy and really made the excursion better because you really got to sample authentic island food. I don't think other excursions proivide this. Try the banana ketchup!

 

Banana plantation was neat and the bananas were so much better then what we get here. It was also neat to hear about the whole process.

 

Drive in volcanoe was neat but the smell was really bad. Junoir the guide was interesting though.

 

The waterfall / botanical gardens were also neat but it was PACKED. It was hard to get near the waterfall, let alone try to step in which I wanted to do. Not a big deal though.

 

Jalousie Beach is worth seeing. The water taxi to the beat is a nice ride and worth it because of the great pictures. The beach itself has great snorkeling (bring bread for the fish) and has great views of the Pitons.

 

Overall awesome excursion and Cosol and Co go out of their way to accomodate you. My husband wanted a coconut and Cosol got him one. Then he wanted to mix rum punch and drink it out of the coconut and Cosol made that happen. We couldn't have asked for a better day!

[puablo]

Overall awesome excursion and Cosol and Co go out of their way to accomodate you. My husband wanted a coconut and Cosol got him one. Then he wanted to mix rum punch and drink it out of the coconut and Cosol made that happen. We couldn't have asked for a better day!

 

That is amazing... but I am not the slightest bit surprised Cosol did that. Best tour operator I've ever had.

[RoanokeHoo]

We took the advice of people on this board and booked a tour with Cosol on our cruise 2 weeks ago. This was without a doubt the best day of our cruise. Baptiste was our driver and he was wonderful. There were 10 people in our van -- and although we did not know each other in the morning, we were friends by the time the day was done. We all wished we could miss the ship and stay a little longer on the island. The scenery was beautiful, the food and drinks delicious, Baptiste was knowledgeable and fun, and the Pitons breathtaking. This is the best tour we have ever taken on a Caribbean cruise and if we ever return to St. Lucia, we will do it again.:)

[DrmnOfMaui]

We are doing Cosol on July 22 (my daughter's 10th birthday!) and I'm curious if we need to bring our own snorkel equipment? My kids have snorkels, but DH and I don't, so maybe I need to go pick those up!

 

Did you have any time for local shopping with this excursion?

 

We are so looking forward to this one!!:D

[2Fltravelers]

We are doing Cosol on July 22 (my daughter's 10th birthday!) and I'm curious if we need to bring our own snorkel equipment? My kids have snorkels, but DH and I don't, so maybe I need to go pick those up!

 

Did you have any time for local shopping with this excursion?

 

We are so looking forward to this one!!:D

 

We took this tour in January and my husband brought his own snorkel equipment as did the others who went snorkeling. I don't believe there was any place to rent equipment at Jalousie Beach and the time there was an hour or less. I would recommend that you bring your own so as not to be disappointed and to save the limited time you have to actually snorkel. As for shopping, there are some local stands at a couple of the stops. Otherwise, there is a shopping area at the port terminal. You won' t have time to shop there in the morning as the tour leaves before most shops open but you should have some time when you return from the tour. Have fun!

[wibeachbum]

We are doing Cosol on July 22 (my daughter's 10th birthday!) and I'm curious if we need to bring our own snorkel equipment? My kids have snorkels, but DH and I don't, so maybe I need to go pick those up!

 

Did you have any time for local shopping with this excursion?

 

We are so looking forward to this one!!:D

 

We toured with Herod, but there was a little boy on the beach renting snorkel equip for $10. Cosol also used this boy. The hotel also rented snorkel equip on the beach.

[normdamarine]

We took this tour in January and my husband brought his own snorkel equipment as did the others who went snorkeling. I don't believe there was any place to rent equipment at Jalousie Beach and the time there was an hour or less. I would recommend that you bring your own so as not to be disappointed and to save the limited time you have to actually snorkel. As for shopping, there are some local stands at a couple of the stops. Otherwise, there is a shopping area at the port terminal. You won' t have time to shop there in the morning as the tour leaves before most shops open but you should have some time when you return from the tour. Have fun!

 

There is a place to rent snorkling equipment on Jalousie beach but I would recommend bringing your own if you have it. My wife and I brought ours everywhere we went in my back pack and it wasnt much of a hassle...

[NYCLatina]

bumpy was our tour guide and was very knowledgeable about the island. he was constantly stopping to let us take pictures and show us what was growing from the trees. the food was amazing! there were about 50 people on that day and there was enough for everyone. cosol and the other drivers were extremely friendly and funny. overall, st. lucia was my favorite and i will definitely go back to visit.

[landlocked2]

I second Account4fun's description of Cosol and his tour company. Best tour we had on the whole trip. Cosol as a guide was amazing and he obviously loves what he does. Book this tour - you won't be disappointed!

[DrmnOfMaui]

We did the Cosol tour on July 22nd and had a wonderful day! It is very easy to find Cosol as you exit the ship. He was waiting just as we exited with a sign saying "Cosol" - we all waited until everyone had assembled and then headed for the vans.

 

Our tour guide was Jn Claude and he was wonderful. He really took care of us and gave us a very enjoyable day. I've heard that some of the drivers drive fairly quickly thru the very curvy roads, but Jn Claude drove so nicely that the 3 people in the van who were prone to motion sickness never felt sick at all. (If you are prone to motion sickness I would recommend taking ginger or something just in case... the roads are VERY curvy!) We very much appreciated Jn Claude's mellow and laid back demeanor.

 

Here is Jn Claude and my daughter!

 

Jn Claude told us about the banana plantation when we visited and showed us how bananas grow. Here are some "baby" bananas!

 

On a side note, when you are at the banana plantation don't take anything (other than the banana offered by your tour guide!) from anyone who is milling around! In one of my not so bright moments I accepted a small sample of coconut from a small boy who asked "Miss... would you like a taste?" I had seen him talking to some of the tour operators and thought this was part of the tour (even my kids laughed at me for this one!) and as I took a small taste he held his hand out and said "That is $1!" And I had even told my kids, don't take anything that anyone offers. :o

 

After the bananas, we stopped for the breakfast. The breakfast was really great... lots of different local foods to try. Jn Claude knew that I loved mangoes and made sure that I found them on the table. I have to say that I think it was the best mango I've ever had in my life (I went back for 2nds

!)! Nothing here at home will ever live up to it. All of the foods on the tables were labeled so they were easy to identify. The coconut cake was another favorite. There are restroom facilities at this location - cost is $1.

 

Here is one of the 4 tables that were set up for us:

 

The water taxi to Jalouise beach was really fun! It goes fairly fast and takes you along some gorgeous coastline and you end up here:

 

I truly think this is one of the most beautiful places that I've ever been in the world. My husband and kids snorkeled (we did bring our own gear, but it is available for rent - sorry, I didn't check the price) and said that the snorkeling was really good. They saw the "usual" tropical fish in addition to a jellyfish and a squid! There are chairs and palapas available for rent on the beach for $20. We didn't spend the $ as we were only there for 1 1/2 hours, we didn't really need it. The time goes by quickly.

 

On your way back you stop at a waterfall and botanical garden. Both nice, but very crowded the time we were there.

 

Jn Claude stopped many times along the way so we could take photos. It is really a whirlwind tour of the island, not a huge amount of time in any one place, but for an overview it is fantastic! It gives you a chance to see so much of the island in a short amount of time. Our highlight was the beach, I could have spent all day there. If we return to St. Lucia this is hopefully where we will spend our day!

 

The bread is just as good as everyone says! The timing is perfect as you are starting to get a bit hungry and you are a bit tired after the long day. The bread was just out of the oven hot and is truly delicious along with the cheese.

 

Here was the last stop just before returning to the ship:

 

All in all, a very good tour. Lots of driving, but you do get to cover so much of the island. A very informative and fun day!

 

Jn Claude, thanks again for making our day so wonderful!!! I'm so glad Cosol put us in you van!

[spkinva]

Which tours take you to Jalousie Beach? All of them? How long were you there?