Cosol Reservation

[BDSou812]

Could anyone tell me the web address for COSOL?

 

Here ya go. http://www.cosol-tours.com/

[storybook princess]

We just returned from the Norwegian Pearl Southern Caribbean cruise and the highlight of our trip was the tour in St. Lucia through Cosol. We have been on many tours and this one, along with the rainforest in Costa Rica, are definitely our favorites. Our tour guide, Elias, was informative and reliable. We were escorted with 4 other couples on his comfortable air conditioned bus for nearly 6 hours. We were picked up promptly at 8:30 just outside where we docked and the Cosol sign was easy to find. We loved hearing the history of the island while seeing a banana plantation where Elias got all of us bananas to sample. We stopped at the botanical falls, several gorgeous lookout points, saw a volcano (even smelled the sulfur!), visited a gorgeous beach between the Pitons and had time to snorkel. Also, stopped for a buffet of fruits and foods indigenous to St. Lucia, as well as plenty of drinks including unlimited Piton beer which we really enjoyed. Some of the fruits were so delicious and they were cracking coconuts to drink and eat if you asked them to. I didn't like the banana ketchup which is made on the island, but many people loved it. I loved the fruits and johnnycakes! Towards the end of the tour, Elias stopped at a bakery and got us all fresh, hot bread with cheese that was wonderful. Also, there was a second stop for drinks where the owner of Cosol ( Francis Neuris) also offered the men a rum drink made with loads of fresh spices. His personality is bubbly and so friendly and he definitely knows how to show people a good time. My husband said the rum was delicious. After the tour, we were dropped at the entrance to the cruise docks. But, we took a short walk across the street to the local grocery store where we picked up coffee and spices and vanilla for a fraction of what they charge at the island stores. I would highty recommend this tour and, at 50.00 per person, it is a real bargain compared to what you would see and do if booked through the ship. Anyone visiting St. Lucia would definitely enjoy this relaxing, fun filled day.

[vickie_bernie]

we did Cosol last week while sailing on the Emerald princess. Originally I was concerned because we found out a few days before that we would have to tender in. I quickly emailed Cosol and he said no problem he would wait.

 

There were about a 100 people taking this tour. But it wasn't crowded. Each bus could of probably handled 15 people or so, but he didn't crowd the buses, he put only 10 people on each bus making it roomy and more comfortable.

 

We had bompy (that is how he spells it) as our guide. He was so great and he made us all feel very comfortable. he made sure all our needs were met and even tolorated us when we got goofy because of the beers we had been drinking.

 

The tour was about 6 hours long, and cost $50 per person, paid in cash at the end of the trip.

 

We first stopped at a banana plantation stand were we were fed fresh rippened bananas straight from the plants. Wow did they taste good and so much better than what we get at home.

 

We then stopped at a place called the View and we got to sample so many of the local fruits, foods, drinks. I couldn't believe how much food there was... he also had water, beer, rum punch. We walked away full and glad for the experience. This is not something we have ever experienced on a tour.

 

The Tourielle waterfall was next and the botanical garden. Bompy advised us that we may want to change into our bathing suits here to make it easier and less of a lineup at the beach. The falls were nice.

 

We then went to the colapsed volcano and had short stop there. Oh the smells... but pretty cool.

 

He took us to the Hillton Jalousie hotel and sat on our towels, we were informed that a chair would cost $20. We had brought our snorkel gear and snorkeled here beside the rocks. It wasn't too bad and a nice break.

 

the roads are very windy so be prepared for that. If you suffer from motion sickness i advise that you sit up front.

 

A stop at a local bakery and fresh warm bread and cheese. The bread was weird shapped, looked like a large turkey drumstick.

 

We were dropped right off in from of the pier. We didn't have much time in the town because we had to catch a tender back to the ship.

 

I would recommend Cosol in a heartbeat and may do his tour again next year.

 

vickie & bernie

[truthandkeidy]

Just want to say all your comments have been very much appreciated. We will tour with Cosol on Feb. 15th and are looking so forward to it! I'll post when we return and give you my review. Again...thanks for taking the time to share your experiences.

 

Trudy

[bcs819]

Could anyone tell me the web address for COSOL?

 

here's the email I received responses from:

 

cosol966@hotmail.com

[bcs819]

also offered the men a rum drink made with loads of fresh spices. His personality is bubbly and so friendly and he definitely knows how to show people a good time. My husband said the rum was delicious./QUOTE]

 

does anyone know what this rum drink is called? It reminds me of something we had in the D.R. called Mamajuana AKA "dominican ******"...was just wondering if that was why it was only offered to the men...

[vickie_bernie]

also offered the men a rum drink made with loads of fresh spices. His personality is bubbly and so friendly and he definitely knows how to show people a good time. My husband said the rum was delicious./QUOTE]

 

does anyone know what this rum drink is called? It reminds me of something we had in the D.R. called Mamajuana AKA "dominican ******"...was just wondering if that was why it was only offered to the men...

 

i am not sure if it is the same thing or not, seems every island has their version of the potent drink. This was a homemade concoction, smell bad, but hey they say everything that taste bad is good for you. :eek:

[ctr1258]

Can you please tell me if he charges for the drinks or is it included? Just want to make sure we bring enough money. I believe his email says the beverages are included in the price, but his website says the beverages are "offered".

 

Thank you.

[vickie_bernie]

Can you please tell me if he charges for the drinks or is it included? Just want to make sure we bring enough money. I believe his email says the beverages are included in the price, but his website says the beverages are "offered".

 

Thank you.

 

everything is included, the bananas, the drinks (beer, water, pop, rum punch), food, bread, cheese, plus all the entry fees

 

We paid him in cash at the end of the trip plus a tip, and of course you may need some money at some of the stops if you want to buy anything.

[ShedQueen77]

 

i am not sure if it is the same thing or not, seems every island has their version of the potent drink. This was a homemade concoction, smell bad, but hey they say everything that taste bad is good for you. :eek:

 

Cosol claimed it was the liquid "little blue pill" (I guess the V word isn't allowed!) ;) I actually tried it. It was a bit of a shock at first but the second shot wasn't so bad. I did have to wash it down with a Diet Coke chaser though. Here's a pic of my Dh and I with Cosol and the "magic bottle".

 

(clicking on the pic will make it larger!)

 

 

 

Now those who don't know him will know who to look for when getting off the ship! lol

 

Quick question for those going on the Cosol tour soon: Thanks to the inept packing of my DH, we lost our bottle of banana ketchup at SJU security (he packed it in our carry on). I truly loved this stuff and really would like to have a bottle of it.

 

If anyone is going soon, would you be willing to pick up a bottle along the way for me? Of course, I'll pay the $4 for it and the shipping. My email is midnightmaniac68 at yahoo dot com. I almost cried when they took it away from us. I'm such a dork.

 

For whoever wanted tour photos or whoever would like to see ;) : I'm sorry I didn't remember your name :o , but here's the link to our Cosol photos. The St. Lucia photos are on pages 16-22.

 

http://good-times.webshots.com/album/562048630BFOHXc?vhost=good-times&start=252

[vickie_bernie]

http://www.ketchupworld.com/barbanket1.html

 

try this site, they seem to be able to ship their sauce. Now you have me thinking about making something tonight so I can serve the banana ketchup with it.

[bcs819]

 

Cosol claimed it was the liquid "little blue pill" (I guess the V word isn't allowed!) ;) I actually tried it. It was a bit of a shock at first but the second shot wasn't so bad. I did have to wash it down with a Diet Coke chaser though. Here's a pic of my Dh and I with Cosol and the "magic bottle".

 

(clicking on the pic will make it larger!)

 

 

 

Now those who don't know him will know who to look for when getting off the ship! lol

 

Quick question for those going on the Cosol tour soon: Thanks to the inept packing of my DH, we lost our bottle of banana ketchup at SJU security (he packed it in our carry on). I truly loved this stuff and really would like to have a bottle of it.

 

If anyone is going soon, would you be willing to pick up a bottle along the way for me? Of course, I'll pay the $4 for it and the shipping. My email is midnightmaniac68 at yahoo dot com. I almost cried when they took it away from us. I'm such a dork.

 

For whoever wanted tour photos or whoever would like to see ;) : I'm sorry I didn't remember your name :o , but here's the link to our Cosol photos. The St. Lucia photos are on pages 16-22.

 

http://good-times.webshots.com/album/562048630BFOHXc?vhost=good-times&start=252

 

we're going the first week of march (leaving 2/28) - check in with me if you still need and I will pick it up for you. I have an eBay store so you can pay me with a credit card and I can send it to you. I make homemade gourmet food, too, if you're interested...

 

http://cgi.ebay.com/Homemade-Tropical-Salsa_W0QQitemZ150173890927QQihZ005QQcategoryZ79631QQcmdZViewItem

[jetstream flyer]

Hi all,

 

Please could some one let me know if this tour is suitable for an 86 year old?

 

Many thanks:)

[dibraz]

Me and my partner did COSOL in December. We were the only two in the taxi yet we were still only charged $50 each. We had "Bombi" as the driver as "Cosol" wasn't well that day, and he was great - paying for all our admission fees, food and local snacks. He must have spent $50 on us! We had an interest in the native trees and Bombi gave us a tailor-made tour as we were the only two. Best day of the 14 day cruise. The tour is suitable for all ages and abilities.

 

We arrived on Ocean Village 2, a British ship. We met Bombi outside the gated compound.

 

David

[dibraz]

Me and my partner did COSOL in December. We were the only two in the taxi yet we were still only charged $50 each. We had "Bombi" as the driver as "Cosol" wasn't well that day, and he was great - paying for all our admission fees, food and local snacks. He must have spent $50 on us! We had an interest in the native trees and Bombi gave us a tailor-made tour as we were the only two. Best day of the 14 day cruise. The tour is suitable for all ages and abilities.

 

We arrived on Ocean Village 2, a British ship. We met Bombi outside the gated compound.

 

David

[LoveStM]

The COSOL tour was the hightlight of our trip! We went on his tour late January '08. Our driver was "Bumpy" (or some version of that name!). He was full of information and made several mini-stops to show us things such as cashew and cinnamon trees. We carried fresh cinnamon around in the tour van until someone finally discarded it :) Not only would I recommend this tour, I plan on doing it again next time we go to St Lucia. In addition to the many sites on the tour, you can't complain about all of the free drinks and food!!! Our bread stop on the way back was the BEST fresh bread "drumstick" and cheese I've ever had. My husband and I put the cheese inside of the warm bread so that it melted and made a fantastic sandwich. YUM. COSOL's rum punch recipe was very good...he adds nutmeg and cinnamon and it's a bit thicker than the punch we had on the other islands. His secret recipe drink was interesting. The women on our tour partook in the drinking of it as well. It didn't taste great, but it wasn't as bad as I expected it to be. If you take the COSOL tour, be sure to ask him when he's going to start selling t-shirts to go along with the tour. Trust me, after you go on the tour, you'll be willing to spend another $20 for a t-shirt advertising his company!

[shootingstar07]

Hi all,

 

Please could some one let me know if this tour is suitable for an 86 year old?

 

Many thanks:)

Jetstream,

My DH is soon to be 69. No where near 86. He has arthritis and didn't have any problems. He road in the front seat. However, there is very little walking. Can your 86 yr. old climb steps? There are several (about 15 down to the bathrooms on one stop. At the waterfall, there is a gentle grade to walk to the waterfall abd back. You won't have to get out at the volcano if you don't want to. They drive right up to it. At Jalousie, there is a bathroom break and they drive right down to ''the shore. Maybe you should think about renting a beach chair there. Otherwise, you have to put a towel on the sand to rest. I do have pictures of my 80 yr. old mother sitting in the sand on one cruise to the Caribbean. Great photo shot with the waves lapping over her legs. Somehow we got her down there as well as back up!!! She was so happy.

 

Does your 86 yr. old have a sense of humor? I ask this since the Cosol tour has various stops to imbibe on anything from coca cola to spiced rum. Finally, any issues with getting in and out of a van? Perhaps the front seat is the best answer. Maybe hearing is an issue and this would be the best location for him/her. (maybe you can ride just behind him/her to help getting in and out.) I think this is a beautiful island and a great tour. Windy roads. They do build in a several potty breaks. If more are needed, just ask ahead of time. Good luck. I hope you have a great cruise and tour with Cosol. They are so agreeable. Just give them a heads up on any special needs.

 

Wishing you many happy memories.

 

Kathleen

[Grammar Goddess]

I just want to add my recommendation to the others on this site. Cosol's tour is incredible! Did anyone else who took this tour take photographs of the bounteous buffet meal served at the waterfall? The one we took isn't very clear, and we'd love to have a good one.

Thanks. :)

 

GG

[bcs819]

FYI - I was on Cosol's website last night and the price is now listed as $55 per person.

[cinnam0n]

Hmm. that is interesting. We paid $45 when we were there last March and the price increased to $50 shortly after that. With fuel prices rising as they are, you can understand why.

[Live Life]

The COSOL tour was the hightlight of our trip! We went on his tour late January '08. Our driver was "Bumpy" (or some version of that name!). He was full of information and made several mini-stops to show us things such as cashew and cinnamon trees. We carried fresh cinnamon around in the tour van until someone finally discarded it :) Not only would I recommend this tour, I plan on doing it again next time we go to St Lucia. In addition to the many sites on the tour, you can't complain about all of the free drinks and food!!! Our bread stop on the way back was the BEST fresh bread "drumstick" and cheese I've ever had. My husband and I put the cheese inside of the warm bread so that it melted and made a fantastic sandwich. YUM. COSOL's rum punch recipe was very good...he adds nutmeg and cinnamon and it's a bit thicker than the punch we had on the other islands. His secret recipe drink was interesting. The women on our tour partook in the drinking of it as well. It didn't taste great, but it wasn't as bad as I expected it to be. If you take the COSOL tour, be sure to ask him when he's going to start selling t-shirts to go along with the tour. Trust me, after you go on the tour, you'll be willing to spend another $20 for a t-shirt advertising his company!

 

After reading your Serenade of the Seas review today and reading your post in this thread I realized we were in the the same van with you. My Father and brother sat in the middle bench seat and I sat in the jump seat to the left. Where were you sitting?

Cosol's tour was great. I'd recommend it to anyone. We would have each bought a t-shirt if they were available.:D

[bcs819]

Hmm. that is interesting. We paid $45 when we were there last March and the price increased to $50 shortly after that. With fuel prices rising as they are, you can understand why.

 

I'm not complaining, but since we don't shop in port, we only take enough money to pay for what we're doing. For the two of us, I would have only taken $110 - $100 for the tour and $10 for a tip. Just advising others who aren't checking his website. We're booked, but didn't receive an email or anything.

[cinnam0n]

I believe Cosol will honor the price that was in effect at the time you booked. I would ask him, in order to make sure.

[Snorkel Dawg]

I have printed out the confirmation Cosol sent me on which he states the cost of $50.00 PP. I would think taking that along would be a good idea.

 

I can understand completely about raising his prices though...I work in retail and see the prices of everything going up almost weekly...be it produce, meat, dairy, or grocries

[canadian cruisehounds]

We just came back from a cruise on Serenade and booked with COSOL for St. Lucia. He keeps a list with your email address on it and when you get off the ship, he is standing there with a sign, so you can't miss him. It was an awesome tour. Highly recommended. These guys are a lot of fun and cover a lot of ground. They also feed you local delicacies as well as beer and rum punch. Have fun! Wish I was still there.