Why is everyone so negative about Samana DR?

[Palm_trees]

I have been saddened and amused by all the negative postings about my favorite port in the Caribbean Samana DR. I was there on a recent cruise and loved it. It was so real, so honest, so gritty, and descriptive of the real world outside our little bubble of paradise we have in America.

 

As soon as we got off the tender I could tell we had arrived in the third world. It was all so eye opening. In most cases the cruise passengers see only a selective view of the ports of call in most Caribbean Islands. In the Dominican Republic they can not hide the real third world, it is all around you everywhere you look. As our boat came to shore, we could see a number of locals ready to pounce on us once we got to the open area. It appeared that the cruise ship passengers are their life blood. Many of the people acted a bit desparate and were so aggressive that we kept moving at a very fast clip. Many would not take no for an answer. I could see the desparation in their eyes as they tried to sell us something.

 

We chose the Safari Tour option from NCL. It was great! Instead of staying at sea to look at some whales, or go to a special island to sit on a beach, we wanted to see the real DR and see how people lived. We saw some beautiful mountains, rain forests, palm trees, a waterfall where kids would jump off the cliffs for money, a number of shanty towns, a look into the life of the average local person who lived off the land and got some excellent commentary on life on the island by our tour guide. It was an eye opening experience.

 

I highly recommend visiting the real Dominican Republic when you arrive in Samana.

 

Your thoughts about gritty Samana?

[JWestShuh]

I haven't been yet but am very excited to go. I however will be staying on the sea to watch some whales and I am pumped!!! I think that it doesn't have touristy things to do there, so that is why so many are unhappy about it. That doesn't bother me, so I am very much looking forward to stopping there.

[Plant]

Palm trees, thanks so much for your positive post! We'll be in Samana in March. I have a few questions, if you don't mind?

 

I thought the NCL Safari Tour looked like something we'd enjoy for the same reasons you did, but it says if you have back problems it's not recommended. Would you agree with that or are they just covering their, ummm, backsides :) ?

 

Is there any place to shop where the people are not too aggressive? (We've been to Jamaica several times and had no problem with that level of "aggressiveness" ;) .)

 

How much did you give the kids who jumped off the cliffs at the waterfall?

 

We're looking forward to a port without all the "Whatever" International stores :eek: !

 

Thanks,

[margincall]

I notice it says dont take it if you have leg problems

 

How much walking is done on the tour and can it be done at a slow pace?

[Palm_trees]

I thought the NCL Safari Tour looked like something we'd enjoy for the same reasons you did, but it says if you have back problems it's not recommended. Would you agree with that or are they just covering their, ummm, backsides :) ?

 

The roads are rough many unpaved and this can be irrating. But everyone survived

Is there any place to shop where the people are not too aggressive? (We've been to Jamaica several times and had no problem with that level of "aggressiveness" ;) .)

 

I found people aggressive in all the shopping areas and did not see anything to buy that you could not find anywhere else

How much did you give the kids who jumped off the cliffs at the waterfall?

 

Bring Along some single dollar bills

How much walking is done on the tour and can it be done at a slow pace?

The amount and intensity of walking was not extreme, there were many senior citizens on the trip.

 

[schubean]

Thanks for this most positive post. We will be there on Feb.5 and are very much looking forward to this port. Sure there will be kids and adults who are agressive, that is how they survive.

 

Do you think NCL added this port to maybe help us appreciate the "things" we have at home???? and not be so full of ourselves? If so, bravo NCL.

[idjaffe]

NCL added this port because you almost have to use their excursions...hence more $$$ for them.

 

Been all over the caribean, including Samana 2x. First time went to the port and tried to "see the area". Was ashore for a little over an hour and had seen enough.

 

Second time, went straight to Cayo Levitano - it was bright green water, buggy, and a loser.

 

I like gritty as well - (Went to Punta Cana last summer and had a blast)...this is just bad.

[Plant]

I thought the NCL Safari Tour looked like something we'd enjoy for the same reasons you did, but it says if you have back problems it's not recommended. Would you agree with that or are they just covering their, ummm, backsides :) ?

 

The roads are rough many unpaved and this can be irrating. But everyone survived

 

Is there any place to shop where the people are not too aggressive? (We've been to Jamaica several times and had no problem with that level of "aggressiveness" ;) .)

 

I found people aggressive in all the shopping areas and did not see anything to buy that you could not find anywhere else

 

How much did you give the kids who jumped off the cliffs at the waterfall?

 

Bring Along some single dollar bills

 

How much walking is done on the tour and can it be done at a slow pace?

 

The amount and intensity of walking was not extreme, there were many senior citizens on the trip.

 

 

Thanks, Palm trees! I think we'll book this tour and hope for the best. Maybe it will actually "fix" some of our back problems :D !

[jollycruise]

I have to agree with the OP. We went to Samana on the 8th and had a great time. We did the NCL offered ATV excursion and had a blast. I will be posting my review on that excursion soon since we just got back late last night.

[rccoble]

I will be cruising to Samana in April, and have never been there before. We did, however, vacation in Punta Cana, DR, last summer and did a similar safari tour to the one mentioned by OP. We had our two children (ages 7 and 5) with us, and really enjoyed the tour. It was really enlightening for all of us to see how little the Dominican people (and children) had. What was really great was how knowledgeable our tour guide was about Dominican history and culture, and how proud he was to be a Dominican. We brought along a variety of school supplies and little dollar store toys to give to the children that came up to the vehicle at every stop. They were very appreciative!

[sharonax3]

we just came back from an Ncl jeep excursion in Samana, and it was by far the best excursion we had. The tour guide was extremely informative. I don't think the people were as aggressive as they were in Jamaica. It is definitely third world and really opened my eyes. The children were so appreciative of the little money they received. My teenage son gave them his shoes and his tee shirt.

If you go, try and bring some little things for some of the children.

I do think it is best if you take an excursion thru the ship, as this is the one way you really can see some of the country. Our tour was supposed to last 3 1/2 hours, but we were there for 5 hours. It was so beautiful and unspoiled.

I have done enough tours just sitting on a beach, but this was a very educational trip for me and also a little sad, as I have never seen people living in these types of conditions. You will come back home and realize we are truly a spoiled country...

[kruzingtogether]

Sharonax -- did you happen to notice (or hear other people on the ship talk about) whether the water around the beach is still "green"? If it is, we are thinking of switching to one of the land-based tours like Jeeps (though we are both bad at driving stick!) or ATVs. Also, did you ever find out why your original shore excursion (mangroves, caves, beach) was cancelled -- we are scheduled on it for next week and haven't heard anything about it being cancelled, but when I click on it on my cruise itinerary online, the description of the tour is blank...

[butch6]

We too loved our time in Samana - actually it was Christmas Day!! We took an ATV excursion through http://www.casadorado and it was awesome - we explored the island with a guide on ATV's for about 2 hours and then went to Playa Rincon for lunch and beach time. You will not be disappointed if you book through this private company - they want you to have a great time and are so easy to work with - we would love to go back again!!

[2boyzmom]

We felt the same way when we went to Roatan Honduras. I loved it- yet my sister has her nose in the air looking for glitzy shops. Beggers- of course! We're rich Americans for goodness sake. What do people expect? I would go back in a heartbeat and can't wait to go to Samana next month!

[tcrny]

We too loved our time in Samana - actually it was Christmas Day!! We took an ATV excursion through www.casadorado and it was awesome - we explored the island with a guide on ATV's for about 2 hours and then went to Playa Rincon for lunch and beach time. You will not be disappointed if you book through this private company - they want you to have a great time and are so easy to work with - we would love to go back again!!

I went on this website to check it out but looks like you have to have at least parties of 10 for their excursions. We are a family of 4 and don't know if that won't work. How do you get to them or where do they meet you? We look forward to seeing the countries and what they are like - 3rd world or not. We would like to take the opportunity to see Samana for what it is - we are in port from 9-6 in April on NCL Spirit. Thanks for your info and help.

[Jsipes]

I have been saddened and amused by all the negative postings about my favorite port in the Caribbean Samana DR. I was there on a recent cruise and loved it. It was so real, so honest, so gritty, and descriptive of the real world outside our little bubble of paradise we have in America.

 

As soon as we got off the tender I could tell we had arrived in the third world. It was all so eye opening. In most cases the cruise passengers see only a selective view of the ports of call in most Caribbean Islands. In the Dominican Republic they can not hide the real third world, it is all around you everywhere you look. As our boat came to shore, we could see a number of locals ready to pounce on us once we got to the open area. It appeared that the cruise ship passengers are their life blood. Many of the people acted a bit desparate and were so aggressive that we kept moving at a very fast clip. Many would not take no for an answer. I could see the desparation in their eyes as they tried to sell us something.

 

We chose the Safari Tour option from NCL. It was great! Instead of staying at sea to look at some whales, or go to a special island to sit on a beach, we wanted to see the real DR and see how people lived. We saw some beautiful mountains, rain forests, palm trees, a waterfall where kids would jump off the cliffs for money, a number of shanty towns, a look into the life of the average local person who lived off the land and got some excellent commentary on life on the island by our tour guide. It was an eye opening experience.

 

I highly recommend visiting the real Dominican Republic when you arrive in Samana.

 

Your thoughts about gritty Samana?

 

I remember the emancipated old lady carrying bananas on her head...and if you really want to see the deplorable 4th world conditions, pay a visit to the post office.....you won't believe it !!! :) Jer the bear

[butch6]

We had just our family of six - and that was no problem for Casa Dorado - email them - it's usually Roberto's wife (English speaking American) who answers and corresponds via email. Tell her the family of 6 who rented the ATV's on Christmas Day referred you-she'll do whatever she can to accommodate you I am certain! Let me know. Good luck!!

[sharonax3]

Sharonax -- did you happen to notice (or hear other people on the ship talk about) whether the water around the beach is still "green"? If it is, we are thinking of switching to one of the land-based tours like Jeeps (though we are both bad at driving stick!) or ATVs. Also, did you ever find out why your original shore excursion (mangroves, caves, beach) was cancelled -- we are scheduled on it for next week and haven't heard anything about it being cancelled, but when I click on it on my cruise itinerary online, the description of the tour is blank...

 

I didn't notice the water being as green as some people had said, but it wasn't that beautiful blue that the other islands had. No, I never did find out about the mangroves tour being cancelled, but I am glad it was. The jeep tour was the absolute best, and I am so glad we did that one. We were supposed to be just 2 people to a jeep, but turns out we had four, so we let the other couple drive and was glad I did. You really should do the jeep tour, as it lets you see so much of the real country.

Oh, and we did do the kayaking and snorkeling on St Thomas thru the ship's excursion and it was a great time also. My first time doing either and I had a blast.

[swtpnk]

We just got back from our NCL cruise. we did not do an excursion. you NEED to do an excursion... you cant do what we did and walk through the town at the dock, because there is nothing to see....dont make the same mistake we did....definately BOOK A TOUR!!!

[maofthree]

i have tried a few diff emails ... what is the exact email . for casa dorado.:confused:

[butch6]

i have tried a few diff emails ... what is the exact email . for casa dorado.:confused:

 

Yes, it's a bit confusing as there is a company with similiar address in Cabo San Lucas. The web address for Casa Dorado in Samana DR is:

http://www.casadoradordr.com

 

The email address is:

info@casadorador.com

telephone #: 1-829-221-2493

 

Let me know if you have any trouble contacting them - good luck!

[LA_FadeAway]

We loved Samana too! You definitely want to book an excursion either private or through the ship rather than wandering around the port or following everyone else to Cayo Levantado. It is a beautiful area and not to be missed!

[pamera]

We visited Samna in 2007, as it was a last minute itinerary change on The Pearl. We didn't have a lot of time to research excursions and just went out on our own. (We had a party of 6.) We walked the market area - and yes - there were a lot of children begging for money or for us to buy items - but it really wasn't any worse than some other places. We're looking a cruise next year and Samna is on the itinerary again - but this time we may book an excursion and visit other parts if the island.

Question? In '07 - the pier was a simple wooden pier - no hand railings - or guides. Is it still the same or have there been any improvements? I ask because we'll be traveling with a disable person in a wheelchair and a person that has mobility issues and often needs to hold on to something for support. It was very difficult for them when we were there last year.

[kruzingtogether]

We just got back and will have a more extensive review posted soon, but we absolutely loved Samana. We went on the Mangroves by Kayak and Beach Escape through NCL. The mangroves were amazing -- if you don't do the kayaking option, though, you will miss the most beautiful parts of the mangroves (people who went on the speed boat saw alot less than us). After kayaking, our guide also took us through a cave and showed us cave drawings. Then, we were dropped off at Cayo Levantado, which was BEAUTIFUL. By the time we got there, the beach was not crowded at all. The sand was soft and white, and the water was a beautiful turquoise. We swam in the ocean and layed out in the sun before heading back to the ship. We didn't find the vendors to be overly aggressive at all -- no different than any other port, really.

[tcrny]

We just got back and will have a more extensive review posted soon, but we absolutely loved Samana. We went on the Mangroves by Kayak and Beach Escape through NCL. The mangroves were amazing -- if you don't do the kayaking option, though, you will miss the most beautiful parts of the mangroves (people who went on the speed boat saw alot less than us). After kayaking, our guide also took us through a cave and showed us cave drawings. Then, we were dropped off at Cayo Levantado, which was BEAUTIFUL. By the time we got there, the beach was not crowded at all. The sand was soft and white, and the water was a beautiful turquoise. We swam in the ocean and layed out in the sun before heading back to the ship. We didn't find the vendors to be overly aggressive at all -- no different than any other port, really.

Thanks for the report ... it is really encouraging to hear a positive report of Samana. I like the idea of this excursion that you get to see some of the island, then also to enjoy a beautiful beach. Can you tell me how long approximately this excursion is and how much time you were able to spend at Cayo Levantado? We will be going in April and we are in Samana from 9-6. Thanks and look forward to your reviews.