Can't decide between these tours

Hi all!

I've been researching the best tours for our stop in St Lucia. My mom has a bad knee and is unable to do any extended walking or hiking. This is our first time visiting St Lucia, and we'd love to get a good feel of the island and enjoy all of its beauty! So far, we've narrowed it down to 3 tours:

Spencer Ambrose- Land, Sea, & Beach Adventure $100/pp

Spencer Ambrose- West Coast Island Delight $75/pp

Cosol- Full Day St Lucia Tour $75/pp

Any insight, advice, etc. is greatly appreciated! :)

Thanks!

*bump*

Hi all!

 

I've been researching the best tours for our stop in St Lucia. My mom has a bad knee and is unable to do any extended walking or hiking. This is our first time visiting St Lucia, and we'd love to get a good feel of the island and enjoy all of its beauty! So far, we've narrowed it down to 3 tours:

 

Spencer Ambrose- Land, Sea, & Beach Adventure $100/pp

 

Spencer Ambrose- West Coast Island Delight $75/pp

 

Cosol- Full Day St Lucia Tour $75/pp

 

Any insight, advice, etc. is greatly appreciated! :)

Thanks!

I have not toured with Cosol but my family and I have toured with Spencer Ambrose. Based on our experience, I can highly recommend the services of Spencer Ambrose Tours.

Spencer’s West Coast Island Delight tour and Cosol’s St. Lucia tour are very similar.

Here are the 2 main differences between Cosol’s and Spencer’s land tour:

• Spencer offers a buffet lunch in a local restaurant whereas Cosol stops for food sampling mid-morning.

• Spencer provides a cooler stocked with drinks whereas Cosol has a “blue” drink van that follows you around.

Both Cosol and Spencer’s island tours pass by quaint fishing villages, stop for photo opportunities, visit a banana plantation, offer guided tours of Sulphur Springs--the Caribbean's only drive-in volcano (where you can experience the intense smell of sulphur and see bubbling pools of gasses or partake in a mud bath), Toraille Waterfall (you can actually take a dip under the waterfall here) and a beach stop at Jalousie Beach--a scenic white-sand beach nestled right between the Gros and Petit Pitons (a short boat ride is required to get here)! Both these tours are land based tours which means there is a lot of driving to get to the sites. The road from Castries (where the cruise ship terminal is located) to Soufriere and the Pitons is approx. a 90 minute drive along steep and winding roads. If you are prone to motion sickness this could be a concern.

Spencer’s Land, Sea & Beach Adventure has an advantage over the land based tours as it offers roundtrip transportation to Soufriere by speedboat. This greatly reduces your travel time allowing more time to spend at the sites and at the beach. Also since travel time by speedboat is quicker, you tend to get to the sites ahead of those operators making the trip down by van—this means you can beat the crowds, which is especially advantageous on busy cruise ship days!

We were on Spencer’s West Coast Island Delight tour back in 2009 and had an awesome time. This tour was the highlight of our cruise vacation. At that time, his Land, Sea & Beach Adventure was not offered. In 2011, we returned to St. Lucia on a land vacation and have taken his speedboat coastal tour which offered a fabulous perspective of the island by sea! From the two, I would recommend the Land, Sea & Beach Adventure over the land tour as it offers a thrilling speedboat ride as well as more time at the sites and at the beach (up to 90 minutes at Jalousie Beach versus 30-45 minutes on the land tour). You will also get to see sites not offered on the land tours such as the Bat Cave, the Natural Bridge (Pirates of the Caribbean filmed a scene here) and a cruise through Marigot Bay.

Both Cosol and Spencer Ambrose get rave reviews and come highly recommended on these boards. You can always check out their recent reviews on TripAdvisor if that would help you make a decision.

No matter which operator or excursion you choose, you are certain to have a great time!

If you are interested I have attached our YouTube video of our West Coast Island Delight Tour experience as well as some photos of our speedboat tour with Spencer Ambrose Tours below.

Our West Coast Island Delight Video:

[YOUTUBE]wcALnJIIM2k[/YOUTUBE]

Speedboat Tour:

Passing under the Natural Bridge

The Pitons from the sea

See the bats at the Bat Cave

Have fun with your planning!

Thank you SO much for so much information!! You have been a great help! [emoji4]

Thank you SO much for so much information!! You have been a great help! [emoji4]

Your welcome!

I was glad I was able to help!:)

:(

Hi all!

 

I've been researching the best tours for our stop in St Lucia. My mom has a bad knee and is unable to do any extended walking or hiking. This is our first time visiting St Lucia, and we'd love to get a good feel of the island and enjoy all of its beauty! So far, we've narrowed it down to 3 tours:

 

Spencer Ambrose- Land, Sea, & Beach Adventure $100/pp

 

Spencer Ambrose- West Coast Island Delight $75/pp

 

Cosol- Full Day St Lucia Tour $75/pp

 

Any insight, advice, etc. is greatly appreciated! :)

Thanks!

Those are the 3 same tours that we were looking at! I was going to do the Land, Sea & Beach with Spencer Ambrose, but now am leaning more towards the full-day tour with Cosol. You have a few more tour stops and several more photo opportunities on the land tour..and you still get to go to the beach; just less time spent there. His tour is rated #1 on Trip Advisor and those that have taken it rave about it.

I wish one of these had the land tour all the way up...and then the boat all the way back down. That would be perfect! That way you would only have to do the long land ride once. (I did hear that the tour with Royal Caribbean has it the opposite way around, with the boat up and the van down, but I also heard that it wasn't the same. :( )

Good luck with your decision. Enjoy your cruise!

Hi Tripster!

How funny... They are all good tours! We ended up booking the Spencer Ambrose Land, Sea, & Beach tour! Here's what made my decision easier: a) entrance to the mud bath/volcano is included, b) it's mostly by boat (my mom and I both get motion/car sickness and the roads sound scary!), and c) because it's by boat, I'm less concerned with getting back to the ship on time due to traffic, etc. [emoji4] I'm so excited to see St. Lucia!! Jalouise Beach looks amazing!

Awesome pics and video dz63. Thank you.

We truly enjoyed Cosol Tours when we went in 2013 on the Valor.

My wife wants to do the same tour again this October on the Liberty.

Your video wants me to go there now.

St Lucia is one of my favorite ports.

Thanks again.

Tony

dz63...

I love your video from you West Coast Island Tour with Spencer Ambrose! Being a land tour, I see that you got to make stops in several places prior to arriving in Soufriere. It seems like you miss out on these stops and photo ops when you do the Land, Sea & Beach Tour. (ex. the Capital and Fishing Villages) Did you enjoy those stops and were you glad that you had the opportunity to see them...or do you feel they were not worth seeing? I know that you do get to "see" a couple of the same places by sea, but not sure if that would be the same. Did you make land stops in Anse La Raye or Canaries on the Land, Sea & Beach Tour? Was Marigot Bay just seen from above on the land tour and from the water on the combined tour?

What did you like best about the West Coast Island Tour...and what did you like best about the Land, Sea & Beach Tour? Did you spend more time at the Sulfur Springs and the Waterfall on one of the tours than you did on the other? (I do know that you get more time at the beach on the Land, Sea & Beach Tour.)

This information will help me to make my final decision. I need to book soon!

Thanks!

dz63...

 

I love your video from you West Coast Island Tour with Spencer Ambrose! Being a land tour, I see that you got to make stops in several places prior to arriving in Soufriere. It seems like you miss out on these stops and photo ops when you do the Land, Sea & Beach Tour. (ex. the Capital and Fishing Villages) Did you enjoy those stops and were you glad that you had the opportunity to see them...or do you feel they were not worth seeing? I know that you do get to "see" a couple of the same places by sea, but not sure if that would be the same. Did you make land stops in Anse La Raye or Canaries on the Land, Sea & Beach Tour? Was Marigot Bay just seen from above on the land tour and from the water on the combined tour?

 

What did you like best about the West Coast Island Tour...and what did you like best about the Land, Sea & Beach Tour? Did you spend more time at the Sulfur Springs and the Waterfall on one of the tours than you did on the other? (I do know that you get more time at the beach on the Land, Sea & Beach Tour.)

 

This information will help me to make my final decision. I need to book soon!

 

Thanks!

Sorry tripster for the delay in response--I just came across your post now!

In regards to your questions, on Spencer's West Coast Island Delight tour, we did not make any stops in Castries. We did stop at the Morne Fortune Overlook where you can see your ship below. This stop is not included in Spencer's Land & Sea tour.

In the fishing villages of Anse La Raye and Canaries, we only stopped at an overlook for photo's. We did not go directly into the village or make a stop in the village itself. In the Land & Sea Tour you will still see these same villages but your perspective is from the sea instead.

On the West Coast Tour, we did not stop to view Marigot Bay from an overlook. On the coastal tour, we got to cruise directly into the bay.

On the West Coast Tour, we got approx. 15-20 minutes at Sulphur Springs and at the Waterfall and 45 minutes at Jalousie Beach. We have not been on Spencer's Land, Sea & Beach Adventure since he changed the itinerary--but on this tour you will get more time to spend at the Volcano as well as at the waterfall with up to 90 minutes at the beach.

Please note that there is a considerable amount of driving on Spencer's West Coast Tour as well as on Cosol's Island tour. Although you will see alot of the rugged and scenic countryside, you are travelling on steep and winding roads for approx. 1- 1 1/2 hours each way. Going down to Soufriere this drive is broken up by photo stops, but going back it is a long drive. If you are prone to motion sickness this could be a concern--both my son and I did start to feel a touch of motion sickness on the return trip.

So to summarize, in comparison between the West Coast tour and the Land, Sea & Beach Adventure this is what you will miss:

-the drive through Castries

-the Morne Fortune Overlook (this is also where the Governor's House is located)

-the long drive on winding roads to Soufriere and back

-the snake man (another photo opp where you can take your picture with a boa)

-stop at the Roseau Banana Plantation--which is a large banana plantation (on the Land & Sea tour you will stop at a small banana plantation in Soufriere instead).

On the Land & Sea Tour you will gain:

-faster transportation to Soufriere and back again as travel is by speedboat

-you will get to travel through Marigot Bay

-you will see the Natural Bridge and get up close to the Bat Cave

-more time to spend at the sites and at the beach

-you will still be able to see the fishing villages of Anse La Raye and Canaries but from the sea instead of by land

Both of these tours are good tours and you will see and learn alot--the main difference is the mode of transportation, amount of time spent at the sites and the price difference ($75 vs $100).

Hope this helps!

dz63...

Thanks for your very informative reply. We decided to go with Spencer's Land, Sea & Beach Adventure and are really looking forward to it! :)

(Is there anything at the larger banana plantation that we will miss out on by going to the smaller one on this tour? ...more scenic, better presentation? Also, what type of scenery was there on your drive through Castries? Thanks.)

dz63...

 

Thanks for your very informative reply. We decided to go with Spencer's Land, Sea & Beach Adventure and are really looking forward to it! :)

 

(Is there anything at the larger banana plantation that we will miss out on by going to the smaller one on this tour? ...more scenic, better presentation? Also, what type of scenery was there on your drive through Castries? Thanks.)

Spencer's Land, Sea & Beach Adventure is a great choice! You are to sure to enjoy that excursion!

In regards to the banana plantations, I have not been to the banana plantation in Soufriere, but I would guess the presentation would be the same. At the Roseau Banana Plantation we got out of the van and saw the banana plants along the side of the road. Here Spencer explained the cultivation and harvesting procedure of bananas. We also got to sample some of this yummy, fresh fruit! The banana plantations here are basically a grove of banana plants, so I don't think you would miss out in visiting a larger one over a smaller one.

In regards to the type of scenery we saw driving through Castries, in all honesty I do not recall seeing that much of Castries. I do remember driving on a road where we could see the back and other side of our cruise ship as we made our way out of the city.

I have written a detailed pictorial review of our West Coast Island Delight excursion which you may find helpful. You may read that, beginning at post #104 here: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1038334&page=6

Spencer's Land, Sea & Beach Adventure is a great choice! You are to sure to enjoy that excursion!

 

In regards to the banana plantations, I have not been to the banana plantation in Soufriere, but I would guess the presentation would be the same. At the Roseau Banana Plantation we got out of the van and saw the banana plants along the side of the road. Here Spencer explained the cultivation and harvesting procedure of bananas. We also got to sample some of this yummy, fresh fruit! The banana plantations here are basically a grove of banana plants, so I don't think you would miss out in visiting a larger one over a smaller one.

 

In regards to the type of scenery we saw driving through Castries, in all honesty I do not recall seeing that much of Castries. I do remember driving on a road where we could see the back and other side of our cruise ship as we made our way out of the city.

 

I have written a detailed pictorial review of our West Coast Island Delight excursion which you may find helpful. You may read that, beginning at post #104 here: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1038334&page=6

Thanks so much for answering all my questions and sharing your detailed pictorial review. Love your photos! It was quite helpful, as we will also be visiting the island of Barbados and Antigua...as well as St. Lucia. Out of these three, which was your favorite?!

Thanks so much for answering all my questions and sharing your detailed pictorial review. Love your photos! It was quite helpful, as we will also be visiting the island of Barbados and Antigua...as well as St. Lucia. Out of these three, which was your favorite?!

Glad to help!

In regards to which island was my favorite--that is tough as they all have their own uniqueness--but if I really had to pick one, I would say St. Lucia. St. Lucia is much more lush than Barbados and Antigua. Between the Pitons, waterfalls, rolling hills and mountains, St. Lucia has a scenic and rich natural beauty which I feel is unparalleled to Barbados or Antigua. However Barbados is more developed and both Barbados and Antigua have nicer beaches.

Hi Tripster!

How funny... They are all good tours! We ended up booking the Spencer Ambrose Land, Sea, & Beach tour! Here's what made my decision easier: a) entrance to the mud bath/volcano is included, b) it's mostly by boat (my mom and I both get motion/car sickness and the roads sound scary!), and c) because it's by boat, I'm less concerned with getting back to the ship on time due to traffic, etc. [emoji4] I'm so excited to see St. Lucia!! Jalouise Beach looks amazing!

This is probably going to make the desicion for me. Like you, I get car sick and the ride sounded scary to me as well. How long do they drive on this tour and were the roads as bad as they sound?

We thought Jalousie beach was one of the worse beaches in the Caribbean.

This is probably going to make the desicion for me. Like you, I get car sick and the ride sounded scary to me as well. How long do they drive on this tour and were the roads as bad as they sound?

Ditto - Bump

Thank you in advance for any help

Ditto - Bump

 

Thank you in advance for any help

If you are coming down to Soufriere by van from Castries or returning to Castries from Soufriere by land, then you will be driving on curvy and winding roads for a good 60-90 minutes. If you are prone to motion sickness, this drive could get to you. Going down the drive is broken up by stops which really helps with the long drive on the winding roads--but the return drive is long. My sons and I do not normally get car sick, but my younger two sons and I did feel a touch of motion sickness on the return journey. If you are on Spencer's Land, Sea & Beach Adventure, then the drive down to Soufriere and return is by speedboat which avoids the ride on the curvy and winding west coast road. Sites and attractions such as Sulphur Springs and Toraille Waterfall are located right in Soufriere. Therefore the drive in Soufriere to get to the attractions would be short--you would likely not be driving around in the van for more than 20 minutes at a time.

But the view from the beach of the Pitons is AMAZING!

I have done the COSOL tour twice. Both times were excellent! Both drivers were very knowledgeable. We stopped for scenic photo shots 3-5 times, saw a banana plantation, volcano, mud bath (entrance fee included), waterfall, boat ride, snorkeling at Jalouise Beach and were fed well both times. The Blue Booze Bus was always available at all stops, although restrooms were few and far between.

We go back to St Lucia in May and will be booking Spencer’s Land, Sea & Beach Adventure for two reasons:

First - we've done COSOL twice and want a change, but not because COSOL was bad in any way. They were perfect both times, just want a change in scenery.

Second - The ride back to the terminal seems to take forever. I don't think a different tour company will change this, but travelling back by boat will break up the monotonous drive. It is a steep/winding road, but the drivers are very skilled and are extremely safe drivers. Neither my wife or I got motion sickness.

I would recommend COSOL to anyone since we have gone twice and had a blast both times. In fact one of the couples going with us on this next cruise is doing COSOL while we are doing Spencers.

We thought Jalousie beach was one of the worse beaches in the Caribbean.

Agree 100%!