HawkOnTheSeas

Hi mfinn,

We did the excursion to Cayo Levantado while in Samana. While the place is very pretty, the beach is great, and the people are friendly, we spent $50 each for what amounted to a 10 minute boat ride...way too much.

The ship tenders in Samana and uses it own tenders to transport passengers to shore, so it took FOREVER to get off the ship. Add the fact that after paying too much for the shore excursion the people who were going ashore "free" were given priority and it was not cool. I don't know if it always works out like this, but in our case it wasn't pretty.

If we had it to do again, we would hop a cab to a local beach and save $40 per person. We spoke to another couple who'd done that and they enjoyed themselves. It looked (from the ship) like if there are a number of nice beaches not too far from where the tender docks, so I can't imaging a cab ride would cost too much. As in most Caribbean ports, agree on the price before you get into the cab, and make arrangements with the driver to pick you up in plenty of time to get back for the last tender.

Enjoy!

Just wanted to add...it was lightly used...maybe people didn't know about it...:confused:

We're just off the Norwegian Pearl and it does have a "Lifestyle Sun Deck". My wife used it topless (after checking with Guest Relations to make sure), but we didn't see any "bottomless". That's not to say it doesn't happen or isn't permitted, we just didn't see it and didn't want to "break the ice" just in case (she never asked about full nude, just topless).

Our one gripe, there should be a sign at the stairs leading up to it which at least says "Adults Only"...there isn't. While we were there, a young boy (10 or 11) wondered up there with his mother closely behind him. Once she saw the bare tops, she quickly ushered him out, obviously uneasy about the situation. :eek: This could have been avoided by a simple sign at the stairway.