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Cosol Tours


lovetocruise79
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we recently took Cosol based on recommendations we received and were very disappointed. The beach they took us too was very confined, with dirty chairs. The few chairs they had were all full. The beach was very rocky. Also they transported us in boats which were had for the 60 plus age group to get into and out of. We were taken to a fishing village and left there by our guide for 15-20 minutes and basically stood there while people came up for handouts. Our guide was nowhere to be found. The tour was supposed to be 5 hours but went 7.5 hours and was too long, I would give it 2 starts out of five

 

 

Thank you for your report. Its been a few years since we took his tour. It use to be very good, but so did the one I use to take from St. Maarten and that one went down hill. This sounds nothing like what you read from others and certainly does not sounds like you were taken to the resort. While the resort was nothing fancy and personally we would have rather skipped that part, we understood that was part of his package for others. A fishing village with people standing there for handouts is awful. 7.5 hours is a bit scary to get back to the ship in time as well with those windy roads and traffic once you get to town. Did you even see Cosol? Did you get other stops? So sorry this happened to you but I know how you feel.

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we recently took Cosol based on recommendations we received and were very disappointed. The beach they took us too was very confined, with dirty chairs. The few chairs they had were all full. The beach was very rocky. Also they transported us in boats which were had for the 60 plus age group to get into and out of. We were taken to a fishing village and left there by our guide for 15-20 minutes and basically stood there while people came up for handouts. Our guide was nowhere to be found. The tour was supposed to be 5 hours but went 7.5 hours and was too long, I would give it 2 starts out of five

 

Unfortunately it does sound as if you did not do any research into this tour in advance. If you look only a couple of posts above yours, people are warned that they may have difficulty getting into and out of the water taxi. We had read that there weren't many available beach chairs and were prepared to just sit on our towels. Did you not notice that you were on one of the most photographed and beautiful beaches in the Caribbean? This was our favourite tour ever and we have done a good many over the years! It is such a shame you did not enjoy it.

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Unfortunately it does sound as if you did not do any research into this tour in advance. If you look only a couple of posts above yours, people are warned that they may have difficulty getting into and out of the water taxi. We had read that there weren't many available beach chairs and were prepared to just sit on our towels. Did you not notice that you were on one of the most photographed and beautiful beaches in the Caribbean? This was our favourite tour ever and we have done a good many over the years! It is such a shame you did not enjoy it.

 

When did you go? It was ours as well but what they are describing is a fishing village with beggars, not the resort.

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When did you go? It was ours as well but what they are describing is a fishing village with beggars, not the resort.

 

I wondered whether they meant the fishing village from where you get the water taxi? The 15 minutes could have been waiting for the water taxis to arrive perhaps.

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I wondered whether they meant the fishing village from where you get the water taxi? The 15 minutes could have been waiting for the water taxis to arrive perhaps.

 

I was thinking the same thing since that was a fishing village. I wonder if they even went to the resort?

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  • 3 months later...

Sorry if the answers to this are in prior posts, but I didn't see the answers to these questions in skimming through...

1. There have been times when getting off the ship when it took a long time to get off because there are throngs of other people trying to get off. Our ship arrives in St Lucia at 8am. (Perhaps this is a question for the Carnival forum?) But I'm concerned about getting off the ship quickly enough to be at the van at 8:20am. Anyone have a problem with this? Perhaps we'll have to go down at 7:30am to get in line?

2. Some people are complaining that the tour went over 8 hours. Our ship leaves at 5pm. So an 8 hour tour wouldn't work. (They quote 5-6 hours in the description in their email.) How/why would some people have had tours that went so long over the quoted time? Considering the high ratings of this tour, I would have a hard time believing that this is the norm otherwise many would miss their ship. And any tour company that caused that would not get 5 of 5 stars x 1227 times on Tripadvisor! Am I right??

3. How long after the tour starts is breakfast? I'll want to eat something light before we get off the ship if breakfast isn't until 9 or 10. (Especially if we're actually heading down to get in line at 7:30am...

Thanks for your feedback!

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I should have a light room service breakfast before you go. The breakfast stop is not immediately after you depart and is more a taster of nibbles than a substantial meal.

 

They usually have several van loads of people per ship, so can send them off as they fill up with people coming off the ship. As long as you go to disembark as soon as the announcement is made that the gangways are open, you should be fine.

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  • 4 weeks later...
My wife has bad knees and a hip replacement. Would getting on and off the water taxi be a problem for her?

 

You should email them directly with that question. When we went there was an option not to go on the water taxi since the total time including the taxi ride was a hour. We did go and my sister does have bad knees and it was not easy for her. I don't remember a setup like they have from the ships to go on the tenders for folks that have a hard time.

 

If they allow still you can stay at the fishing village by the water where there was shelter. Just an idea since that part was not the highlight of our tour.

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  • 2 years later...
For Cosol tours Do you pay beforehand? If so, What happens if the ship is late or does not dock for some reason. Do you get charged still?

 

Tours like this one will get your cruise info and plan accordingly. You’ll be joined with probably a few of your fellow passengers. This is a reputable company who will work with you! So if you’re late, they’ll wait. If the cruise cancels the port, you won’t pay. When we went three years ago, we paid at the conclusion of the tour. No worries!

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CruisinAgain

 

I have limited mobility and we had booked a tour with Cosol's. When I saw the water taxi I thought there was no way I'd get in and out.

 

The guide reassured me and told me not to worry. So with the help of two strong, handsome men they helped me in and out very easily, so don't worry. They said they did it every day. It was one of the best excursions we did.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

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We just got back from a cruise on NCL to ST Lucia and used Cosol Tours. My husband has limited mobility and I asked for a private tour. This was one of the BEST tours we have been on. They are VERY well organized and handled our unique issues very well. Our tour guide Adrian was AWESOME! We would HIGHLY recommend him. I really wish all tours went this smoothly! We loved all the things we got to see and do on the island. I originally told them that I didn't think we could handle a full 5-6 hours, but we ended up being on the tour for almost 6 hours and I wouldn't have wanted it to be any shorter. It was a beautiful island.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I haven't read all the answers to your question, but when I saw the name "Cosol," I had to stop and see what the question was.

 

The reason I say this, I want to go back so back to St. Lucia, I can "taste it," if that is possible.:) years ago I went to it for the first time,and fell in love with the whole area.:) We had taken a tour I believe then, and I found out so much about it, and wanted to go back again, which I did several years ago. Now, I want to go NOW, or again.:)The last time we used Cosol for our tour guide, and I would highly recommend them to anyone! My friend and I were put into a mini-bus along with about 8 or 10 others, and we had an excellent driver and tour guide. I know everyone that was with us, was having a wonderful time as well. We do have a nice meal to eat about half way through, plus where they take you like the banana plantation, etc. there are always samples there as well. They said it would be about 5 hours, and it turned out to be almost 6, but with "everything" we say/did, I woundn't have wanted to shorten the time for anything. On our way back to the ship, he stopped at a house (looked like it anyway), and brought back everyone a nice loaf of French or some type of "warm" bread. It was so good to eat on the way back. I don't know what the cost is now, but I would be more than willing to pay MORE than what we paid, as it was such a wonderful/excellent trip! Now........if only I could get someone to take me there all the way from Missouri, which is the expensive part. :)

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