LaRoma DR<Carnival Conquest

I was looking for what we could do at this port and the majority of people seem to say Dream. I find that at 60pp x family of 4 is 240 and returning another 240 is 480.00, for a day at the beach is totally not worth the trip even at 240.00 for a day at the beach is steep. Can a family of 4 do a safe trip that is less then this or even shop at the port. I just cant see paying that for a beach day. I live in florida 5 minutes from the beach and have a pool so paying this to me is just not a carribean treat. Any other recommendations would be great appreciated.

We were "stuck" in La Romana for 2 nights when our itinerary was changed. What we initially thought would be a disaster turned out to be a blessing in disguise as we really had a chance to explore the area.

First, it's not one of those cookie cutter, fake Caribbean destinations with a pretty welcome center, Margaritaville's and Senor Frog's. It's the real thing, so go expecting that. When you first get off the ship you're right in the downtown area. Not very pretty, but there are tons of little local shops tucked in the streets. We found some great bargains. We also visited the artist village of Altos de Chavon (very pretty, but the local artifacts and souvenirs sold there are considerably more expensive than at the stores downtown). We also went horseback riding at Casa de Campo. We also took a day trip to neighboring Isla Saona (which some cruise lines call Catalina Island). Other fellow cruisers took an excursion to the capital, Santo Domingo and visited the Ciudad Colonial and the Faro a Colon. They said it was wonderful.

Dominicans are some of the friendliest people that you'll ever meet, but they will mob you as soon as you get off the ship. But don't be discouraged or scared. They will quickly move on to the next cruisers debarking behind you.

Whatever you do, enjoy this wonderful destination. Do some research and enjoy what the Caribbean is truly about.

I was looking for what we could do at this port and the majority of people seem to say Dream. I find that at 60pp x family of 4 is 240 and returning another 240 is 480.00, for a day at the beach is totally not worth the trip even at 240.00 for a day at the beach is steep. Can a family of 4 do a safe trip that is less then this or even shop at the port. I just cant see paying that for a beach day. I live in florida 5 minutes from the beach and have a pool so paying this to me is just not a carribean treat. Any other recommendations would be great appreciated.

We booked the La Romana Sea Excursions for Cruise ships through Pro Excursions. It was one of the best excursions we've ever taken. Google "La Romana Sea Excursions for Cruise ships" and you'll get the full description.

Not our favorite port but we did go to artist village was a nice few hours.

In April we did the LaRomana Seavis Tours cruise ship excursion and loved it. Ingrid was our leader. This tour is geared for the Carnival Conquest hours and included lunch and was fun.

I was looking for what we could do at this port and the majority of people seem to say Dream. I find that at 60pp x family of 4 is 240 and returning another 240 is 480.00, for a day at the beach is totally not worth the trip even at 240.00 for a day at the beach is steep. Can a family of 4 do a safe trip that is less then this or even shop at the port. I just cant see paying that for a beach day. I live in florida 5 minutes from the beach and have a pool so paying this to me is just not a carribean treat. Any other recommendations would be great appreciated.

Stay on the ship.

On my recent cruise on the Conquest, we got off the ship in LaRomana and walked through the one store at the port. More than half of the store sold alcohol, the other half was stocked with crummy souvenirs. There was one vendor with a pushcart outside selling frozen drinks. Other than that, there was nothing there, zip, nada.

The shore excursions here were too high priced for my pocketbook and there is nothing to do at the port...nothing.

We quickly returned to the ship and worked on our tan. There was a great view from the Lido deck of the billowing black smoke pouring from the nearby smokestacks. We waved to the armed police walking along the seawall who were watching everything that was going on at the dock.

Downtown area? shops? everyone was afraid to venture outside the perimeter of the dock and we didn't see any shops or downtown area. Other than the souvenir store employees, the only people walking around in the dock area were cruisers.

I'll take cookie cutter, fake Caribbean destinations any day over what we found at LaRomana.

We did the Soana island tour with Seavis in March. Great excursion and not just a beach day.

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In April we did the LaRomana Seavis Tours cruise ship excursion and loved it. Ingrid was our leader. This tour is geared for the Carnival Conquest hours and included lunch and was fun.

We did the same tour and had a great time. I just wish we had a little more time at bayhiebe.

Never been but think we are going to take the Catalina excursion thru carnival.

There are other resorts than Dreams that do day passes. I wouldn't hang around the port area, but that would be my advice for Amber Cove in Puerto Plata, Belize City or Mahogany Bay in Roatan too.

You're paying for transport to the resort, use of facilities and lunch so it's not just going to the beach. And most LaRomana beaches are more Caribbean and lined with palm trees than Florida beaches, so it's a different vibe. Throw in some bachata or meringue music and you'll be able to appreciate the Dominican culture.

 

I'll take cookie cutter, fake Caribbean destinations any day over what we found at LaRomana.

I will disagree with you on that one. Once you get away from the port area La Romana is a beautiful place with some of the nicest people I have found in the Caribbean. All I am saying if you don't venture out on this one you will be missing out big time.

Seavis Tours has been getting good reviews here on CC. A friend & I are booked with them in September.

The other poster is right, it is a way to see the true country. We were discouraged by the crew to venture on our own and the dock is fenced off from the rest of the world. We snuck through a cut in the fence and headed in when a lone wandering "Tour Guide" approached us to take us in for whatever $ we deemed him worthy of at the end of the tour. Both of us being cops we thought what the heck we've got it under control so sure..... It was a bit hairy but he kept the rushing crowds of legless beggars away from us. In town the state police post was a highlight for us getting pics etc. but my daughter felt their peering eyes to be conveying a "we are going to off your parents and take you away" kind of signal! The guide started to take us on a complex route into the inner sanctum and we were leary that he could "guide" us to his friends ready to ambush us. Down one street we recognized the overwhelming odor of death we are so familiar with and called it done. Of course they don't have the luxuries of funeral homes and morticians as such so it wasn't overly alarming. All in all it became our most vivid memory of any cruise port and we are glad we got to see "the true D.R." I don't know I would suggest it to anyone else who didn't have a strong survival instinct though.

The other poster is right, it is a way to see the true country. We were discouraged by the crew to venture on our own and the dock is fenced off from the rest of the world. We snuck through a cut in the fence and headed in when a lone wandering "Tour Guide" approached us to take us in for whatever $ we deemed him worthy of at the end of the tour. Both of us being cops we thought what the heck we've got it under control so sure..... It was a bit hairy but he kept the rushing crowds of legless beggars away from us. In town the state police post was a highlight for us getting pics etc. but my daughter felt their peering eyes to be conveying a "we are going to off your parents and take you away" kind of signal! The guide started to take us on a complex route into the inner sanctum and we were leary that he could "guide" us to his friends ready to ambush us. Down one street we recognized the overwhelming odor of death we are so familiar with and called it done. Of course they don't have the luxuries of funeral homes and morticians as such so it wasn't overly alarming. All in all it became our most vivid memory of any cruise port and we are glad we got to see "the true D.R." I don't know I would suggest it to anyone else who didn't have a strong survival instinct though.

Your account has nothing to do with the OP's question because:

1) He/She was asking about going to Dreams resort

2) The OP was looking for alternative, less pricy resort day passes or beach visits

3) Your account wandering off led a nameless, unlicensed "guide" can happen in any port or American city

4) I suspect your account is satire; if not, it's probably fiction. The overwhelmimg odor of bad fiction, indeed!

Your account has nothing to do with the OP's question because:

 

1) He/She was asking about going to Dreams resort

2) The OP was looking for alternative, less pricy resort day passes or beach visits

3) Your account wandering off led a nameless, unlicensed "guide" can happen in any port or American city

4) I suspect your account is satire; if not, it's probably fiction. The overwhelmimg odor of bad fiction, indeed!

Well first of all Mr. seasoned cruise critic member of 3250 posts.... thanks for the kind welcoming words of calling me a liar. The second post suggested they try exploring the port, the sixth post suggested staying on the ship. In no way senior cruise critic member, post policeman, did I detour the topic. It is quite apparent that you are a frequent drinker of the media/govt. anti cop kool-aid and that, that is what fuels your attack on my honor. If you do not like my flair for telling a story in this amazing techno world, you can certainly skip right by my posts. Perhaps better yet if you are so certain I am a liar or politicially incorrect in some ethnic slant you should report me to the moderators, as the 3250 post member you are.....

Thank you all for your replies.

I would never venture off on my own in the Caribbean or in any major city for that matter, as i have children and it can be somewhat scary. We did that one time in Freeport Bahamas and Downtown Las Vegas and never ever again. I also had a friend that went to Colombia and was left in his underwear roaming the streets.

I try and get ideas from past cruisers so that i can make a safe decision and I can get an overall idea of the conditions in the place i am traveling, with that being said an overwhelming amount of people show much caution when traveling to DR so it makes me feel that unless I have a recommended tour I will not be going off on my own.

Why go on vacation and take a chance on having a bad experience, if I cant find something reasonable i will enjoy the ship. Thanks again

We were "stuck" in La Romana for 2 nights when our itinerary was changed. What we initially thought would be a disaster turned out to be a blessing in disguise as we really had a chance to explore the area.

 

First, it's not one of those cookie cutter, fake Caribbean destinations with a pretty welcome center, Margaritaville's and Senor Frog's. It's the real thing, so go expecting that. When you first get off the ship you're right in the downtown area. Not very pretty, but there are tons of little local shops tucked in the streets. We found some great bargains. We also visited the artist village of Altos de Chavon (very pretty, but the local artifacts and souvenirs sold there are considerably more expensive than at the stores downtown). We also went horseback riding at Casa de Campo. We also took a day trip to neighboring Isla Saona (which some cruise lines call Catalina Island). Other fellow cruisers took an excursion to the capital, Santo Domingo and visited the Ciudad Colonial and the Faro a Colon. They said it was wonderful.

 

Dominicans are some of the friendliest people that you'll ever meet, but they will mob you as soon as you get off the ship. But don't be discouraged or scared. They will quickly move on to the next cruisers debarking behind you.

 

Whatever you do, enjoy this wonderful destination. Do some research and enjoy what the Caribbean is truly about.

LaRomana was our favorite port...ever!!! We did a private tour to a small island. It was gorgeous.....calm......relaxing.....the best ever. Go to the ports of call and check out private boat excursions. Have fun!!!

rtap23...thanks I'll take your word for it.

There is no way I'm venturing out alone in LaRomana, Belize, or any port where I feel unsafe.

At least the cookie cutter ports have shopping and restaurants right at the dock (Cozumel, St. Thomas, St. Maarten, Mahogany Bay, San Juan, Curacao, etc.), you don't have to venture outside the perimeter. You can still get off the ship and walk around a little without feeling threatened. You can't do this in LaRomana.

There are a lot of suggestions for tours (Carnival and private) for the OP but the OP mentioned the high cost of a beach excursion and was looking for suggestions for excursions that are not so costly or things to do at the port.

evandbob....your statement that most beaches in LaRomana are more Caribbean and lined with palm trees than Florida beaches couldn't be further from the truth.

Have you visited all the beaches in Florida? There are beautiful beaches in Florida that would put most Caribbean beaches to shame.

 

Have you visited all the beaches in Florida? There are beautiful beaches in Florida that would put most Caribbean beaches to shame.

Having been born and raised in a Caribbean island, and having traveled to most of the island in the Antilles, and having lived twice in Florida, I wholeheartedly disagree. There's not a single beach in Florida that could remotely come close to the beaches of the islands in the Caribbean. Not one, and I've visited Florida beaches from Pensacola down to Key West.

We simply went thru security, stayed left, got on a van with other cruisers. Believe it was $20 round trip. Ended up on a beautiful beach, wonderful water to swim in. Security? Yes, armed. Food available. Here is where the rubber meets the road for travel running water? No. Welcoming people for gifts, massages, drinks & comfort Yes. But I know 85% of you left me at running water. Is it really travel if you just seek to replicate your home environment?

As I said earlier take a look at Seavis Tours on trip advisor as well as its own site. We were on the Conquest in April and this was a great excursion in the Dominican Republic. It was our first time there and we have cruised 14 times with Carnival. It was safe and the sand dune/star fish area was beautiful and fun snorkeling. I am very careful about booking excursions off the ship and can assure you this was a good choice. The lunch is included and they time the trip around the Conquest time of arrival and departure. I actually found out about this company on cruise critic this winter and am glad we booked it. Good luck!

At $71 per person for a day at the beach, I thought it was worth it. You literally walk 50 feet from the door of the ship and you are boarding a tender boat. The boat takes you across the water about 35 minutes to a beautiful beach, rum punch (free when you arrive), vendors, and food for purchase. I saw these huge lobsters being cooked and served to some of the people on our tender. My wife found a big canvas painting for $80 after haggling down from $125. Curacao and Aruba had painting not as large for over $100. Great trip.

Having been born and raised in a Caribbean island, and having traveled to most of the island in the Antilles, and having lived twice in Florida, I wholeheartedly disagree. There's not a single beach in Florida that could remotely come close to the beaches of the islands in the Caribbean. Not one, and I've visited Florida beaches from Pensacola down to Key West.

Pensacola to Panama City have beautiful white sandy beaches that most certainly compare to all of the Caribbean beaches I have visited. Aruba's Eagle beach included.