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Exploring Costa Rica on the Quest - any thoughts?


Ken the cruiser
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We're looking at hopefully booking the 3 legs of the Costa Rica cruise, if they do it again in 2019, on the Quest that starts in Miami and winds up in San Diego for a total of 35 days. Has anyone taken any/all of these legs and what were some of the highIights you remember?

 

We're thinking as we love animals the middle leg which does extensive cruising on the west side of Costa Rica will be the highlight of the cruise with the outer legs added on to experience the Panama Canal and the Mexican Riviera again.

 

Any of your thoughts will be greatly appreciated.

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Hi Ken-

Our photo review of the Panama Canal Costa Rica leg of that type of cruise is reviewed in our signature below.

 

We've been to CR twice, once as a land trip and then this cruise. However, it was our choice to add a 5 night stay on the OSA peninsula at LaPaloma lodge in Drake Bay to our recent Azamara cruise.

 

For seeing wildlife, this was the best choice, we saw amazing wildlife in a much more intensive way with smaller groups on both our land trips than during the shore excursions from the ship (although our private excursions that were small 6 & 8 people)

 

Also, we found that the coastal cruises cannot offer a practical way to see the cloud forest and Poas or Arenal volcanoes area (check recent reports to see if these are currently active) These ecosystems and many of the animals there are different than those in the coastal areas, so it's a matter of which parts of CR you want to see. By staying after a cruise (or before one) in the country, you could see more areas and wildlife.

 

That said, we met friends on board who did just what you are proposing and had an amazing trip! We've heard from them many times since and seen their photos, and while they didn't have the intensive wildlife experience we had, they had a great B2B on Azamara! Hope you have a great trip!

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Hi Ken-

Our photo review of the Panama Canal Costa Rica leg of that type of cruise is reviewed in our signature below.

 

We've been to CR twice, once as a land trip and then this cruise. However, it was our choice to add a 5 night stay on the OSA peninsula at LaPaloma lodge in Drake Bay to our recent Azamara cruise.

 

For seeing wildlife, this was the best choice, we saw amazing wildlife in a much more intensive way with smaller groups on both our land trips than during the shore excursions from the ship (although our private excursions that were small 6 & 8 people)

 

Also, we found that the coastal cruises cannot offer a practical way to see the cloud forest and Poas or Arenal volcanoes area (check recent reports to see if these are currently active) These ecosystems and many of the animals there are different than those in the coastal areas, so it's a matter of which parts of CR you want to see. By staying after a cruise (or before one) in the country, you could see more areas and wildlife.

 

That said, we met friends on board who did just what you are proposing and had an amazing trip! We've heard from them many times since and seen their photos, and while they didn't have the intensive wildlife experience we had, they had a great B2B on Azamara! Hope you have a great trip!

 

Thanks!! It may take us awhile to go through your links, but I wanted to first say thank you for sharing. Costa Rica definitely looks like a great place to visit!

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We have visited Costa Rica twice but never by cruise ship. Friends who have done so were disappointed. I'd say enjoy your cruise but plan to see CR on a land tour of your own. It's so easy. Everyone speaks English. The locals are friendly and eager to please. A great place to visit!

 

 

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Darn! I edited my last post and added quite a bit of info. I don't see it here :-(. Ah, well. I briefly checked out your itinerary. Why not do their 2018 trip? Why wait;-). Looks like a fantastic itinerary. I'd do it myself, but we will have just returned from a similar, 22 nighter with another line. Whatever you do, I'd suggest hiring a private guide. A guide will personalize your trip to your own needs and wants. And I'd recommend Wilson of Coati Tours. He's one of the best. He's been my guide on past land trips - both with walking 'challenged' family members. I plan to contact him about our upcoming trip. See if he can pick us (and 2 other couples) up at each port, and take us to the best of the best around that area. If overnighting in Caldera, you might consider an overnight at Arenal (Hotel Nayara). And if he's not available, he can recommend other wonderful guides/drivers.

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Darn! I edited my last post and added quite a bit of info. I don't see it here :-(. Ah, well. I briefly checked out your itinerary. Why not do their 2018 trip? Why wait;-). Looks like a fantastic itinerary. I'd do it myself, but we will have just returned from a similar, 22 nighter with another line. Whatever you do, I'd suggest hiring a private guide. A guide will personalize your trip to your own needs and wants. And I'd recommend Wilson of Coati Tours. He's one of the best. He's been my guide on past land trips - both with walking 'challenged' family members. I plan to contact him about our upcoming trip. See if he can pick us (and 2 other couples) up at each port, and take us to the best of the best around that area. If overnighting in Caldera, you might consider an overnight at Arenal (Hotel Nayara). And if he's not available, he can recommend other wonderful guides/drivers.

 

Thanks! We book our cruises as far into the future as possible and right now we're booked on an Antarctica cruise on HAL in Jan 2018; otherwise we probably would. Thanks for the recommendation of the private guide, but as much OBC as Azamara gives out, especially if you book B2B cruises early as well as what we get from our TA, it would be hard to spend it all if we didn't book the Azamara excursions too. But, to be honest the thought of missing the boat because of a flat tire or some other issue always ways heavy on our minds when we book a private excursion while we're on a cruise. But from what Azamara has listed on the website, their excursion offerings look pretty good from what we can tell.

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... and right now we're booked on an Antarctica cruise on HAL in Jan 2018.

 

 

Take a look at the itineraries on Seabourn Quest for luxury and landings! Antarctica on HAL is just a sail by. There's a great "live from" thread from "chairsin" on the Seabourn forum right now.

 

 

 

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Take a look at the itineraries on Seabourn Quest for luxury and landings! Antarctica on HAL is just a sail by. There's a great "live from" thread from "chairsin" on the Seabourn forum right now.

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We saw that one. Unfortunately, as we are going with some friends the cost difference between the two cruises, although I'm sure it's worth every penny especially if you can go ashore, is just a little too steep. But thanks for pointing that one out. Silversea also has a pretty cool cruise there as well.

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