All About Port Limon Tour?

[SMSACE6]

Has anyone done this tour through Carnival? It is looking like the one I might be interested in, but just wondering if anyone can add some personal experience re this tour. I know many cruisers dont book through Carnival, but I am willing to pay the extra bucks not to worry about the ship not waiting if there is a delay getting back to the ship. Any info is appreciated, thanks.:)

[im4golf]

Has anyone done this tour through Carnival? It is looking like the one I might be interested in, but just wondering if anyone can add some personal experience re this tour. I know many cruisers dont book through Carnival, but I am willing to pay the extra bucks not to worry about the ship not waiting if there is a delay getting back to the ship. Any info is appreciated, thanks.:)

I was wondering about this tour myself. It looks great! I feel the same way--would rather not take a chance on missing ship so want to book with Carnival. Somebody out there must have been on this tour. Please let us know what its like. Thanks for your replies.

[SMSACE6]

I asked the same question over on the Carnival cruise message board, and got only one very short response. They said the tour was long but good. I already know the tour is 4 hours long, and that is fine with me, but I had some specific questions, and so far no more answers.

 

Hopefully we will get some more info from others who took this tour.:)

[SMSACE6]

So, I am going to respond to my own post, just in case some one else is considering this tour through Carnival. I did this tour through Carnival on my most recent cruise on the Freedom this past week. I think it was good enough value for those, who like me are too nervous to book tours through private companies.

 

As it promises, the tour lasted very close to 4hrs. You start out with a short drive through the town to Limon, then you head out to the outskirts of town, and through the countryside to a place where you board a river boat for a trip on the Tortuguero ( sp ? ) canal. You will see Mangrove on one side and rain forest on the other side. You will see various of breeds of herons and other birds, and maybe other wildlife, though these are the only ones we saw. Then you will get off the riverboat, and walk on an elevated walkway through a "rainforest", ( I was a little disappointed here as I expected more of a "rainforest" experience, but no big deal.) After about 5 mins of walking on this walkway, you arrive at a tented place and when you enter there are butterflies flying around, and turtles in their habitat, as well as sloths. The tour givers tell you about the sloths and the howler monkeys and other monkeys and why they are there. It is a refuge and rescue center.

 

So I found this part of the excursion the most interesting. The animals were there because their mothers were killed and they were being raised by surrogate parents ( humans ). Once out of the tented area, we were offered some fresh pineapple and papaya and some juice. There were also a young woman and man dancing for about 10 mins or so.

 

From there we went to a del Monte banana plantation, and spent about 15 mins there. Then from there back to the ship. Cost was 69.00, and while probably cheaper through private companies in LImon, I have not yet gained the confidence to book tours outside of the cruise line.

 

I enjoyed my tour, and am glad I did it. For those who are looking for excitement and action, this is not the tour for you. It is quiet and not very active. but it worked for me.:)

[ggranysandy]

THANK YOU! We are heading there in December, and we thought we might find a lot of bugs and too much walking. How much walking on hills is there? Is it strenuous or are there breaks in the walking? I'd appreciate your input before we book.

[SMSACE6]

THANK YOU! We are heading there in December, and we thought we might find a lot of bugs and too much walking. How much walking on hills is there? Is it strenuous or are there breaks in the walking? I'd appreciate your input before we book.

 

While I went on this tour equipped with bug spray, I didnt need it. They do tell you on the bus, that if you need to spray...do it before or after you get on the bus. Just dont spray yourselves on the bus. I think that is a no brainer anyway, but some folks I guess need to be told.

 

I honestly didnt encounter anymore bugs, flies, mosquitos etc, than I do at home ( southeastern Ontario Canada). The most walking that is involved on this tour is after you get off the river boat at the Tortuguera canal. You will then have to walk about 10 mins maximum till you get to a tented area that houses butterflies, turtles, sloths and a few monkeys. The monkeys are just babies and cling to the workers/surrogate caregivers there. The same thing with the sloths. There is nothing strenuous here, and no hills. After the 10 to 15 mins spent within the tented area where you are told about the sloths and monkeys there, you exit into an area where they give you fruit juice, papaya and pineapple. Not a lot, but you are told you can go back for seconds if you like.

 

Then a young man and woman dance for you, and invite you all up to dance with them. I didnt think it was particularly local, but it was a fun break. After their dance, they did the "electric slide" with the tour bus guests who wished to participate. There is a small gift shop, and then off to the del Monte banana plantation. The stop there is about 15 mins, and very little walking involved. Informative though.

 

I chose this tour because it is one of the few very inactive tours. It was for me actually a little too "inactive". I enjoyed it very much though, but the 4 hours went by very fast.:)

[Almost Packed]

thanks for the info as i am now researching excursions.

[SandyW]

Thanks for the information! We prefer to book through Carnival, too.