HAL Fort Lauderdale April 7 to Vancouver

[MoneyGuy]

We’re on this 23-day cruise (anyone else?) and are looking at three excursions in Cartagena: 

 

*Cartagena by Land and Sea

Scenes of Cartagena with Less Shopping

Scenes of Cartagena with Less Walking

 

Right now we favour the first one but I’m interested in comments of members who have been on any of these three. We’re in our 60s and can easily handle the first one, which is more strenuous. 

 

We haven’t looked at later excursions so I’m interested in comments on any of those options. 

[highscar]

Which ship?  I’m on the same cruise but April 24 Nordham. 

[canadianbear]

Have you found your roll call?  I think there’s an active one but I don’t know how to attach the link.  They discuss excursions, meet & mingle, etc.  

[CruiserBruce]

1 hour ago, highscar said:

Which ship?  I’m on the same cruise but April 24 Nordham. 

Noordam?

[Urban trekker]

Koningsdam - it is scheduled to arrive in Vancouver on April 7, 2022.

 

[0106]

Four of us were in Cartagena 2 weeks ago on the Zuiderdam.  Did not take a ship tour.  Walked through the “zoo”, past the vendors selling tours, out to the taxi.  $20 to the walled city (ships tour was $60pp).  Driver spoke passable English.  Offered to give us a tour and return us to the ship for $40.  It was fabulous, he parked next to the sites and walked with us keeping the vendors away.  He knew the police and was able to park in no parking zones and get them to open the barricades on closed street. We were grateful to be in an air conditioned taxi since it was 90+ degrees.  For  25% of the ship’s price, we had an excellent 3 hours in the walled city.  
 

Those who took the ships tour returned extremely hot, tired and frustrated by the vendors.  A bus really can’t move about in the walled city because the streets are so narrow.

[FredT]

Hmmm....  When we were last at Cartagena (2019) we hopped a cab to the old city.  Aside from the usual pushy vendors at the entrance, we were pleasantly surprised at the LACK of any street vendors throughout the city.   We also found that with the limited time in Cartagena a day wandering the old city was PLENTY, and the fact that we could duck into any bar or restaurant of our choice when we got overheated was a big plus. 

[kazu]

We did a private tour in Cartagena with Marelvey -   https://tourincartagena.com/   She was excellent & our group very much enjoyed our day there - just wish we could have been there longer 😉 

[highscar]

We spent two weeks in Cartagena several years ago and loved it.  The jail cells in the wall were made into shops. Very interesting city. Coffee beans were 90c lb.   We took home 32 lbs.    

[highscar]

To follow up.  Last time in Cartagena the coffee beans were $14.00 lb.  At the cruise area.   

[MoneyGuy]

On 3/5/2022 at 1:31 PM, highscar said:

Which ship?  I’m on the same cruise but April 24 Nordham. 

Niew Amsterdam