Teens on a Cosol or Serenity tour?

[teresapink]

We are having a very hard time finding something to do while in St Lucia.

We have a 17 year old son and 16 yr old daughter.

We read many "RAVE" reviews of the Cosol tour (Serenity also) but when I look at the activities for the 6 hour tour I think it looks a little boring. What would the two teens think?

 

I am probably wrong, given all the accolades from this forum. Could anyone tell me if they have experience taking teens on this tour ...

 

Thanks

Teresa

[Mountain Sky]

What ship and when are you sailing, I have a 17 year old son and a 15 year old daughter. We are on Serenade on Feb 7th? Doing cosol in St. Lucia. Spent my honeymoon 25 years ago on this island and it is so beautiful "heaven on earth" Your teens would have to be dead to not appreciate what they see and can do on that island. I have found travelling that some days you do for them and the others you do for you and your husband.

 

If you think it is boring then maybe it is not right for your family. There are some amazing snorkling beaches and rainforest hikes on the peiton side of the island. Cosol also offers customized day trips where you can pick and choose the activties and how long you stay at each venue. Contact them describing what you like to do as a family and see what they come up with. Nothing is ever set in stone on any of these islands.

[teresapink]

I feel bad saying it sounds boring but the explanation of the tour doesn't really say you are doing much but driving and stopping to take pictures. Have I missed something?

 

We are going in April on Serenade. Have you been before? Maybe I need a shorter tour?

 

T

[Mountain Sky]

Please, don't feel bad, some people love shopping and will travel to the ends of the earth to do it, I find it boring and a waste of my time, I would rather be doing something else than being inside a store or mall looking at the same white bouse with different buttons or cuffs at ten different stores, when all I need is a white blouse. If it fits and looks good I buy it and get on to something more fun. I don't feel bad for those who like shopping, it is just not me.

 

I personally am excited about this tour. St. Lucia is such a diverse island with so many things to see and do. For only one day this tour covers all I want to see. Yes, I agree, it seems to be the "if today is Tuesday, this must be Belgium" type of day.

 

My kids on the other hand are dragging me in a convertible jeep to the rainforest in San Juan to hike, We are chartering a 42 foot sailboat in St. Thomas to swim and snorkel, kayaking in some mangroves.(I am not protesting to much, but I won't tell thm that)

 

If my husband and I want to see a few sights in St Lucia and reminise about our honeymoon 25 years ago, I don't feel bad if they get bored. I however don't think that they will. the majesty and beauty of the island is hard to miss. My kids are outgoing and make the trip what they want it to be by conversing with the guides, challenging the status quo, and making a "joke" about the whole thing, this is "Mom's" (roll eyes here) kind of thing!!!

 

We travel all over the world, all the time (backpacked thru Europe on trains for two months when they were 10, 8 and 6 and have never allowed a game boy on vacation, (talk to the locals and your family! kids!) DVD in the car on a road trip under 4 hours.(look out the window or talk to each other), or a day without a planned activity to be a show stopper. My kids hate tour guides, they would rather slug it thru on thier own and have an "adventure" Costa rica two years ago for one month was our best trip, so much adventure!!!

 

Your teens are in the Caribbean, on a beautiful island, with thier family, I am sure they will appreciate that fact (they could be at home in school, easier to get bored there)

 

However, if this does not sound like your family will enjoy it as a whole, trust your instinsts and find somethig that will engage all. What is good for one is not good for all.

There is so much to do on the island and as I said before, cosol offers customized tours, tell them what you like to do and I am sure they will come up with a great day for you.

[cck0000]

No, no boredom from my teens. We chose a relaxing sightseeing day. Nothing too adventurous, but no boredom.

We took a private tour with Serenity, and John planned our day according to our interests.

My teens are 13 and 14.

St Lucia is beautiful, the volcano is awesome to see, hotsprings/mud baths is very cool, and they loved the banana plantation and pitons too.

There are more exciting things to do in St Lucia though, like ziplining, so

you choose what's right for your family.:)

[sailingaway12]

I feel bad saying it sounds boring but the explanation of the tour doesn't really say you are doing much but driving and stopping to take pictures. Have I missed something?

 

We are going in April on Serenade. Have you been before? Maybe I need a shorter tour?

 

T

Terasa, Both Cosol and Serenity are highly recommended on this forum. We used serenity and they personalized our tour to suite. It was just us...we did a zipline and fun at the beach tour and it was more than just incredible. The teens will love that. At t he beach we had a chance to hike up to one of the military forts at pigeaon island and that little beach was just so amazing NO CRUISE CROWDS. serenity took care of all our fees and at the beach we had our cooler with drinks just for us. We got the service. I think you should call them up it will be worth doing. All the best with your planning.

[PattiMerritt]

We just returned from St. Lucia on 1/25/09. We booked a tour with Serenity (****************) for 1/23/09. What a wonderful surprise! Their guides are called "ambassadors" and what a great job they do.

 

Sherma was at the dock waiting for us when we got off the ship and took great care of us for the next 8 hours! We booked the "island tour" but ended up with a tour completely personalized for us - if we saw something that wasn't on the tour but were interested, John immediately stopped the vehicle and took us back to see/do what we had asked.

 

Send them an email and tell them that Patti suggested you contact them. Then give them your details and ask for their suggestions. I don't think you'll be disappointed. I can honestly say, we started out as clients but ended the tour as friends.

[KAWS]

I agree that Serenity will work hard to give you what you want. They have been outstanding for us while we've been planning our day in St. Lucia.

 

When you call them, (and they have a toll free number too), you can also tell them that KAWS (Kim S) recommended them too. They like to get feedback from others and told me yesterday that they are now advertising on Cruise Critic so it's good for them to see their hard earned dollars at work.

 

If you don't want to call, they have a spot on their form where you can add in your special requests. If you tell them you have teens and what would they suggest, I'm sure they will have some ideas.

 

And just in case you didn't know, they are now doing tours in Antigua and well below what you would pay if you booked directly. (Thinking of the Devils Bridge/Grand Pineapple Resort excursion.)

[DisneyDestroyer]

I feel bad saying it sounds boring but the explanation of the tour doesn't really say you are doing much but driving and stopping to take pictures. Have I missed something?

 

I can't respond to Cosol, but in terms of Serenity you're definitely missing something.

 

You don't just stop at the volcano to take pictures, you get to walk around with a guided tour.

 

You don't just stop at the baths to take pictures, you get to dive into the mineral bath and rub volcanic mud on your skin.

 

You don't just stop at the the waterfall, you're swimming around, then walking through the botanical garden.

 

You don't just eat the Creole bread (very very delicious, by the way), they teach you the language and you order it yourself.

 

There is definitely some van time too - that's when you drink the homemade punch and rum punch, and eat the homemade snacks. Homemade, as in made by John's wife that morning.

[Beachbum1944]

Yes. Check out my St Lucia pictures below in my signature.

[huntwc]

Hi Mountain Sky...we will be on the Serenade the same week and also have booked Cosol, we have a 14 yr old and an 11 yr old...see you there!

 

Linda

[Mountain Sky]

Glad to hear. we leave for San Juan one week today, I can't wait.

[pmcue]

I had a similar concern and called Cosol. I told them 6 hours in a van may not be ideal for the kids. We are going to do a 3 hour tour and then 3 hours at the beach, he will then take us back to the port.

[teresapink]

I had a similar concern and called Cosol. I told them 6 hours in a van may not be ideal for the kids. We are going to do a 3 hour tour and then 3 hours at the beach, he will then take us back to the port.

 

 

Was he specific about what you would see on your 3 hour tour? (sounds like Gilligans island LOL)

 

Teresa

[pmcue]

Yes, he said same areas as the regular tour, but less time at each. Sounds like he is flexible and reliable, so we booked.