Rotan

[nanajean]

Would Like to know if Shopping is walking distance in Rotan, or do we need to take a cab to get around???

[firefly333]

Carnnival has its own port and they probably get a kickback on everything sold in the port area. I thought everything was quite high priced in the port area.

 

I missed the old port where you could walk outside the port and get some deals.

[Fourseventeen]

Its ROATAN just to clear that up lol. The old port had lots of shopping...though it was a little "ghetto" outside of the port. I would much prefer to go to west end by cab or private tour and shop there. check the port of call forums and you will find tons of info about shopping in roatan

[SnowWhiteNYC]

There is a shopping area, nice looking but pretty typical. Also a beach. I would highly rec. taking a cab to the private resorts on West Bay. We did Banarama (lounge chairs $5, and a driver who waited for us - $20 pp rt) but others also did Mayan princess and said similar about it.

[nanajean]

thanks you for the information..Also wanting to go too the Cameo Factory while in Rotan.

[catzcrazy]

thanks you for the information..Also wanting to go too the Cameo Factory while in Rotan.

 

I will be there for the 1st time in December and the main thing I want to do is go to the Cameo Factory. I am really excited about it.

[grrl2grrl]

I had a stop in Roatan on my cruise a year & a half ago. We had a leisurely morning on the ship and got off later than everyone else so all the swarm of people were already gone. We walked straight out of the port shopping area and immediately to the left was a large flea market style building and vendors. Many booths had t-shirts, purses and all of the normal fair you would find at a flea market. I'm a supervisor & wanted to take a souvenir back to my team of 15. I was intent on finding a deal on just about anything that looked hand made that I could get 20 items for $20.00. I liked the little pots that really couldn't hold more than a single flower or pencil. I asked many of the vendors if they could do the deal I wanted about 4 told me no, and the 5th said yes. She got my $20. (The pots were marked about $4 - $5 a piece.)

 

So long story short - yes there is local shopping within walking distance just right outside of the the Cruise line portion of the dock.

[catzcrazy]

I had a stop in Roatan on my cruise a year & a half ago. We had a leisurely morning on the ship and got off later than everyone else so all the swarm of people were already gone. We walked straight out of the port shopping area and immediately to the left was a large flea market style building and vendors. Many booths had t-shirts, purses and all of the normal fair you would find at a flea market. I'm a supervisor & wanted to take a souvenir back to my team of 15. I was intent on finding a deal on just about anything that looked hand made that I could get 20 items for $20.00. I liked the little pots that really couldn't hold more than a single flower or pencil. I asked many of the vendors if they could do the deal I wanted about 4 told me no, and the 5th said yes. She got my $20. (The pots were marked about $4 - $5 a piece.)

 

So long story short - yes there is local shopping within walking distance just right outside of the the Cruise line portion of the dock.

 

My understanding is that is the dock where all but Carnival line cruise ships use. The Carnival lines use the new dock at Mohagney (sp?) bay and there is the usual type of tourist shopping there, but to get to the local stuff you will need to take some form of transport.

[grrl2grrl]

My understanding is that is the dock where all but Carnival line cruise ships use. The Carnival lines use the new dock at Mohagney (sp?) bay and there is the usual type of tourist shopping there, but to get to the local stuff you will need to take some form of transport.

 

Hmm, well it was 16 months ago when I went. Hopefully someone that has more recently gone will chime in!

Have a wonderful cruise! Our photos on Roaton were the most beautiful. They look like post cards :)

[lovevacadays]

I had a stop in Roatan on my cruise a year & a half ago. We had a leisurely morning on the ship and got off later than everyone else so all the swarm of people were already gone. We walked straight out of the port shopping area and immediately to the left was a large flea market style building and vendors. Many booths had t-shirts, purses and all of the normal fair you would find at a flea market. I'm a supervisor & wanted to take a souvenir back to my team of 15. I was intent on finding a deal on just about anything that looked hand made that I could get 20 items for $20.00. I liked the little pots that really couldn't hold more than a single flower or pencil. I asked many of the vendors if they could do the deal I wanted about 4 told me no, and the 5th said yes. She got my $20. (The pots were marked about $4 - $5 a piece.)

 

So long story short - yes there is local shopping within walking distance just right outside of the the Cruise line portion of the dock.

 

Please keep in mind a year and a half ago the new dock that Carnival uses wasn't open and all ships docked in Coxen Hole. Now Carnival and Carnival owned ships dock in Mahogany Bay and the the above info is about Coxen Hole area. Mahogany Bay has shopping but it isnt really flea market shopping but all new buildings, etc.

[tandemcruzr]

check the port of call forums and you will find tons of info about shopping in roatan

 

Help me understand what I am missing. This the second post like this that I've read today.

 

Isn't this the port of call board? :confused:

[texancruzer]

Help me understand what I am missing. This the second post like this that I've read today.

 

Isn't this the port of call board? :confused:

 

Perhaps this poster was trying to say "Search" not "Check"

 

There is a wonderful feature that allows you to search any forum or the whole Board for that matter for information. You have to put in key words like

 

"Shopping Roatan" Then up pops all the threads or posts with the words shopping AND Roatan in them......

 

Many newbies do not know about search and instead start a new thread and then it all starts over again.

 

Hope this helps those looking for info.

[tandemcruzr]

Perhaps this poster was trying to say "Search" not "Check"

 

There is a wonderful feature that allows you to search any forum or the whole Board for that matter for information. You have to put in key words like

 

"Shopping Roatan" Then up pops all the threads or posts with the words shopping AND Roatan in them......

 

Many newbies do not know about search and instead start a new thread and then it all starts over again.

 

Hope this helps those looking for info.

 

I agree with your reply that newbies may benefit from using the 'search' feature on these boards. What I don't understand is "Have you tried the Port of Call Board" when they are already on the Port of Call Board. :confused:

[texancruzer]

I agree with your reply that newbies may benefit from using the 'search' feature on these boards. What I don't understand is "Have you tried the Port of Call Board" when they are already on the Port of Call Board. :confused:

 

OK, let me try this again :D

 

If you re-read the post, he/she said " check the port of call forums and you will find a ton of info about shopping in Roatan"

 

He should have said "search the port of call forums and you will find a ton of info about shopping in Roatan"

 

sometimes people don't say (or type) exactly what they are trying to convey. But I think most of us figured it out - newbies on the other hand might not.

[lovevacadays]

I will be there for the 1st time in December and the main thing I want to do is go to the Cameo Factory. I am really excited about it.

 

That's cool you are excited about it. It won't take you long to get through it, though. Pretty small. I would be sure and plan some other things while there. It's a beautiful island and not overly developed at this time.

 

Enjoy your day there.

[Roatan1]

That's cool you are excited about it. It won't take you long to get through it, though. Pretty small. I would be sure and plan some other things while there. It's a beautiful island and not overly developed at this time.

 

Enjoy your day there.

 

Yes, it's not a day long excursion. Yo could easilly stop there and spend some time on the way to the beach or elswhere. If wanting to do anything on the western end of the island you will pass the cameo place on the way there.

[catzcrazy]

That's cool you are excited about it. It won't take you long to get through it, though. Pretty small. I would be sure and plan some other things while there. It's a beautiful island and not overly developed at this time.

 

Enjoy your day there.

We have a Victor Bodden tour scheduled and we get to pick out the places to go and things to see - the only must see is the Cameo Factory and I am all over the boards to see what else there is that we might want to do. Will swim and snorkel at the other 3 stops so mostly want to see the island, get a feel for the culture and do some shopping.

[watchdiva]

Head up to the East End of the Island and visit the Garifuna Museum to learn more about their culture and history. Stop at Marble Hill Farms for a jam-tasting or lunch at the Crow's Nest Restaurant (open Wed-Sat from 11:30-7). Roatan has what may be the best snorkeling in the entire Caribbean with many reef areas accessible from the beach and I would strongly encourage you to snorkel if possible (even if just for an hour or so). Your driver can take you to West Bay Beach where you can do a shore-entry snorkel and be floating over the reef when you're less than 30 yards from shore! Stop at the Roatan Natural Soapworks to see how their all-natural soap is made. Consider a zipline canopy tour - there are several excellent zipline companies on the Island. Take a Mangrove boat tour (again, up on the East End of the Island) and visit the communities of Oakridge, Jonesville, etc.

 

There's so much to do on Roatan - your biggest problem will be narrowing down your options:)...enjoy your visit to our Island home!

[lovevacadays]

If you don't want to snorkel here just ask your driver to do an island sightseeing tour, a bit of shopping in West End, and lunch in one of the West End restaurants. I traveled with a friend last November who isnt a beach person and we went all around the island stopping at many lookout points, points of interest, to our guide's home for a quick stop, driving down a secluded beach, and to the West End for lunch. It was fabulous.