Costa Rica and weather at Christmas

We are considering one or two weeks on the Costa Rica cruise to straddle Christmas and the New Year.

About ten years ago we were there doing a land based tour and the weather was pretty grim.

I remember sitting indoors having Christmas Day lunch (turkey and chocolate sauce is the CR speciality) and watching the drizzle.

New Years Eve dinner was near the volcano watching the lava - but under cover in a restaurant.

Our first two days were in a mangrove swamp and the weather was almost too rainy to make excursions.

Were we simply unluck or is this simply a risky/bad time of year for Costa Rica?

Tony

Before anyone suggests I have posted something similar on the Ports of Call section. Slight snag is that there is no specific section for Costa Rica itself as it is supposed to be covered by the Caribbean although half of it faces the Pacific.

I'll monitor both threads but I am particularly keen to hear from PG cruisers who have done the trips on recent Christmas's.

Tony

I haven't been to Costa Rica around Christmas.

The current Tere Moana captain did call it the 'new Tahiti' to me when he urged me to plan a cruise there.

If you do go there please do post your experiences. Thanks.

Thanks Emdee

For a Brit it is a heck of a lot nearer than Tahiti anyway!

I have never been to Tahiti but my memories of ten years ago make me somewhat doubt the similarity - but I am probably wrong.

Tony

We found both Costa Rica ( did not take Tere Moana )and Tahiti (Ten day PG and four day pre cruise )to be two completely different experiences for us and the only comparison was the local people both extremely pleasant. We enjoyed the water activities, beaches much more in Tahiti and the inner island, nature, monkey's etc . in Costa Rica. Sorry Tony was not there over the Christmas season .

We would ditto DGK comments. French Polynesia and Costa Rica are most different in my opinion. To be honest, we were underwhelmed with CR last year. The cruise on SeaDream was very nice but CR was just not to our liking. I went into some detail about it in a review on the SeaDream board. Weather wise, it was very hot and humid. No rain to speak of and this was a couple of weeks before Christmas.

I think when Capt. Rajko called it the new Tahiti he was referring to its unspoilt nature.

I have been to CR and for me there in NO alternative to a PG cruise. So, Tony, I would bite the bullet and go to Tahiti. Have a long layover at LA if you can or a week in Hawaii before. I am just back from a long and tiring trip to the Far East so I know what you mean in terms of long journeys. I envy Motuislander who is one flight away!

We did Costa Rica in the beginning of this December and can't wait to go back. The weather was warm enough for shorts and swimming without being too warm. We didn't have rain but it doesn't mean that you won't

Depends on where you go. We were there in early January last year. Along the coast, it was sunny and warm. Up in the Arenal region, it was cooler and misty (but we also had sunny days). Enjoyed everything, anyway!

Thanks folk.

I am listening.

Tony

Sounds like you have to look at the regional climates in the country, if you can find that information. I looked at that cruise, sounds fabulous, and it's a lot closer than Tahiti. I'd love to see CR, but will probably do it by land.