RCCL's Samana Excursions?

[emilyrachael]

Has anyone done either the Hike, Bike, and Kayak Adventure or the Cave and Mangrove Exploration? I tried checking on the Samana board, but there weren't many posts on it, so I was hoping I could find more information on this board.

 

Thanks!

[jcl410]

I just returned from Samana on the Grandeur. We took the cave and mangrove tour (plus the beach option).

 

The tour boat picked us up right at the ship. It was a twin hulled outboard speed boat that held about 50 people. The trip to the national Park takes about 45 minutes all the way across the bay (about 15 miles). Ter day we were there, it was choppy, and the folks on the sides of the boats DID get wet from spray. (a few minutes later we all got wet from a sudden downpour - the mate did hand out rain jackets.)

 

The caves are very interesting; show both pre and post Columbian Indian carvings and paintings. The trip through the mangrove swap is also impressive.

 

The trip back was a little bumpier; this time we were heading back into the wind and wave direction; making for a jarring, and very fun (in my and my DD opinioun.)

 

The tour boat dropped us off at Cayo lavantado; layer that day a similiar boat returned us to the ship.

 

Aloha,

 

John