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Anyone been to Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala recently?


csaeroach
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Anyone been to Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala recently who can provide information on how safe you felt at this port?

 

We are there in March and I am unsure if we will get off the ship, as I have read some reviews that are not so great, and needing armored soldiers for the excursions? Is this still the case, as I would not feel very comfortable with this, but really do not want to spend the day on the ship.

 

If I was going to book a tour, I would only book with Carnival and do the "Antigua, On Your Own" excursion and hiring a guide when we got to Antigua.

 

Anyone share any information who might of done this recently, and let us know what the situation is like there now, and if this is still the case for this port?

 

thanks so much!

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Was in Port Questzal in December.

It has one of the nicest ports areas for cruise ships. Lots of shops, vendor stalls, cafes, and wifi. Very clean and easy, just walk off the ship.

 

We took a DIY trip to Antiqua. You will be dropped off at a tourist information area. Nice bathrooms, again vendor stalls and here you hire a local guide for walking tour of Antiqua. The four of us paid $10.00USD a piece. Toured Santo Domingo hotel which is embedded in the ruins of a old monastary. Went to local coffee bar and bought great coffee beans, had a lunch at a lcoal cafe overlooking the main square, had time to shop and back to the torist site for our ride back to the ship. We told our quide these were the things we wanted to do. Miquel was a young man aobut 35, spoke very good English and really was so informative aobut his town and his country. We learned alot aobut the beautiful colonial town of Antiqua.

 

The one hour ride, takes you close to three volcanoes, through sugar cane plantations, and you get to see some of the smaller towns.

It was perfectly safe, others on our cruise even did private tours and they had a good time. I would stay with the ship tour just because if there is any traffic delay on the one and only highway, it could be a problem if your private tour is late.

Enjoy this port of call.

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Thanks for the details of the walking tour...we have also booked that tour. We're you able to use US dollars for your purchases and lunch or was local currency required?

 

Other than coffee were there any good local linens?

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Yes, you can use USD.

 

You will see lots of great linens. Guatemala is noted for its home made cotton.

Tell your guide you are interested in seeing a store that sells what you are are looking for.

Most vendors had beautiful tablecloths, placemats, shirts, bags, purses, evens shoes all made in stunning colors and many patterns.

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Azulan,

Did it appear the traffic back to Port from Antigua was so-ooo slow that only the Ship's motorcoach would assure not being left at the Pier? I've seen YouTube Video of near-gridlock. From snowy Minnesnowta. Locomotiveman Tom

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  • 1 month later...

Azulann: /we leave next week on Celebrity Infinity PAnama Canal cruise. I am very interested in Antigua as it is a UNESCO site but I am concerned about the walking. I have difficulty walking uphill and on uneven surfaces like cobblestones. How was the walking and are there places to sit and rest. Also, I saw pictures of school buses driving up the mountain..is it very steep drive? I have held off booking excursion till we board but I'd rather have your opinion than the tour director.

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We did the do it yourself trip with the cruise line and the walking is very easy in Antigua. There are plenty of places to rest. I would say it was easy walking and no hills in the downtown.

 

Thanks cruisedreamer....because of this thread I am going to book the do it yourself tour with Celebrity as well. This is what's so great about CC and TA....I probably would not book this trip if it weren't for the information you all provided me. Thanks a bunch:D

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  • 4 months later...
Was in Port Questzal in December.

It has one of the nicest ports areas for cruise ships. Lots of shops, vendor stalls, cafes, and wifi. Very clean and easy, just walk off the ship.

 

We took a DIY trip to Antiqua. You will be dropped off at a tourist information area. Nice bathrooms, again vendor stalls and here you hire a local guide for walking tour of Antiqua. The four of us paid $10.00USD a piece. Toured Santo Domingo hotel which is embedded in the ruins of a old monastary. Went to local coffee bar and bought great coffee beans, had a lunch at a lcoal cafe overlooking the main square, had time to shop and back to the torist site for our ride back to the ship. We told our quide these were the things we wanted to do. Miquel was a young man aobut 35, spoke very good English and really was so informative aobut his town and his country. We learned alot aobut the beautiful colonial town of Antiqua.

 

The one hour ride, takes you close to three volcanoes, through sugar cane plantations, and you get to see some of the smaller towns.

It was perfectly safe, others on our cruise even did private tours and they had a good time. I would stay with the ship tour just because if there is any traffic delay on the one and only highway, it could be a problem if your private tour is late.

Enjoy this port of call.

 

Apprieciate the info. Going over thanksgiving holidays...looking forward to it...Linda

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  • 2 weeks later...

Just wanted to add that I was on the Infinity Panama Canal cruise this past April and did the self guided Antigua tour through the ship.

 

It was a really wonderful day. We didn't hire a guide but saw quite a bit on our own. The highlight was the Cathedral de Santiago and ruins - very beautiful. We also had some local cuisine at a restaurant nearby off the main square. And we went by the market where they sell textiles, paintings etc.

 

We felt safe the entire time. There was a security guard of sorts with a shotgun at the information center where they dropped us off but that was as close as we got to any armed guards.

 

The only odd experience we had was the motor coach broke down on the road to Antigua. We had to sit for a bit and wait for another bus to come so we could transfer over. Then on the way back to ship the driver apparently got lost and we had to turn around and go back another way. This was no big deal to us and we had a good laugh about it.

 

A really excellent excursion choice.

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We took the 'Generic Bus' from the Pier of PuertoQuetzal to Antigua about 90minutes by good paved road. Our old 'Greyhound Bus' broke down on the steep road close to a Volcano, so we watched it smoke for a while, then continued on another replacement bus.

Our cruise didn't offer enough time for a Full Volcano Hike on our own in the Highlands...so what we did in retrospect was the best way to go. Plus, it was a cheap bus ride from the ship. Locomotiveman Tom

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  • 1 month later...

Does anyone have knowledge of transportation from Puerto Quetzal to San Jose the nearby city from where the ships port is?

 

We are aware of side trips to Antiqua but would also like to know about San Jose, how to get there and back, what there is to see/do in San Jose as we explore the town.

 

Any thoughts will be appreciated.

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Was in Port Questzal in December.

It has one of the nicest ports areas for cruise ships. Lots of shops, vendor stalls, cafes, and wifi. Very clean and easy, just walk off the ship.

 

We took a DIY trip to Antiqua. You will be dropped off at a tourist information area. Nice bathrooms, again vendor stalls and here you hire a local guide for walking tour of Antiqua. The four of us paid $10.00USD a piece. Toured Santo Domingo hotel which is embedded in the ruins of a old monastary. Went to local coffee bar and bought great coffee beans, had a lunch at a lcoal cafe overlooking the main square, had time to shop and back to the torist site for our ride back to the ship. We told our quide these were the things we wanted to do. Miquel was a young man aobut 35, spoke very good English and really was so informative aobut his town and his country. We learned alot aobut the beautiful colonial town of Antiqua.

 

The one hour ride, takes you close to three volcanoes, through sugar cane plantations, and you get to see some of the smaller towns.

It was perfectly safe, others on our cruise even did private tours and they had a good time. I would stay with the ship tour just because if there is any traffic delay on the one and only highway, it could be a problem if your private tour is late.

Enjoy this port of call.

 

Azulann - - would you offer information regarding how you made contact for the private transfer and tour guide from Puerto Quetzal to Antiqua. Your experience appears to be exactly what we would like to do and a ride for 4 to Antiqua is preferred to the generic bus from the ship. I am hoping that we could connect with a driver in the port. Thanks in advance.

 

Dave K

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  • 1 year later...
Azulann: /we leave next week on Celebrity Infinity PAnama Canal cruise. I am very interested in Antigua as it is a UNESCO site but I am concerned about the walking. I have difficulty walking uphill and on uneven surfaces like cobblestones. How was the walking and are there places to sit and rest. Also, I saw pictures of school buses driving up the mountain..is it very steep drive? I have held off booking excursion till we board but I'd rather have your opinion than the tour director.

 

Hey there stranger.....

 

How was your overall experience with Celebrity Infinity, and the trip to Antigua via Puerto Quetzal. We are booked for next spring, and are trying to gather any and all information ahead of time.

 

BTW - we had to cancel our cruise in Paris due to some health issues and uncertainty of being ready to go.

 

Hope to hear from you - either here or via e-mail when you get a few minutes. Would be interested in your recent Canadian trip also.

 

Take care...

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I am very interested in Antigua as it is a UNESCO site but I am concerned about the walking. I have difficulty walking uphill and on uneven surfaces like cobblestones. How was the walking and are there places to sit and rest.

 

Antigua is flat. One gentleman brought hiking poles because of the cobble stones. The central plaza has benches to rest.

 

We were there on Good Friday with about half the population of Guatemala. On the way back to the port, traffic came to a standstill because of a rock concert next to the port. The last bus arrived hours after the ship was supposed to leave. The ship waited, after all it was a ship excursion bus.

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  • 3 months later...
Hey there stranger.....

 

How was your overall experience with Celebrity Infinity, and the trip to Antigua via Puerto Quetzal. We are booked for next spring, and are trying to gather any and all information ahead of time.

 

BTW - we had to cancel our cruise in Paris due to some health issues and uncertainty of being ready to go.

 

Hope to hear from you - either here or via e-mail when you get a few minutes. Would be interested in your recent Canadian trip also.

 

Take care...

 

Which Panama cruise are you doing next year? We are on the April 11-26 cruise. I would love to do a coffee plantation tour - have you researched any for this stop? I'm leery of going outside the Celebrity tours here. We had great experiences in Greece and Italy last year but I'm a bit more unsure of this part of the world.....

 

Tami & Tom from NC

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Which Panama cruise are you doing next year? We are on the April 11-26 cruise. I would love to do a coffee plantation tour - have you researched any for this stop? I'm leery of going outside the Celebrity tours here. We had great experiences in Greece and Italy last year but I'm a bit more unsure of this part of the world.....

 

Tami & Tom from NC

 

Hi there. We are on the March 27th, Miami to San Diego. Puerto Quetzal is the one port where most everyone here on CC is taking the ship's bus into town (Antigua), then either on their own or taking a tour of the Coffee Plantation.

 

Reading other postings around here and on the Web, there appears to be only one highway into and out of the town/port and 'war stories' tell of being late getting back to the ship. (Luckily they were on the ship's bus and they held the ship for them)

 

We (most of us here on CC) have booked private tours at all the stops before this one......but most appear to be doing things on their own for the two stops in Mexico. Hope this helps!

 

Regards,

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  • 4 months later...
Antigua is flat. One gentleman brought hiking poles because of the cobble stones. The central plaza has benches to rest.

 

We were there on Good Friday with about half the population of Guatemala. On the way back to the port, traffic came to a standstill because of a rock concert next to the port. The last bus arrived hours after the ship was supposed to leave. The ship waited, after all it was a ship excursion bus.

I would NOT suggest any other way to Antigua from the Port except with the 'Antiqua On Your Own' buses. Walking other than the 6blocks to the little town square can be very steep and strenuous. I hiked 1/mile up to a lookout point over the city...think volcanic mountains. Locomotiveman Tom

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