Social Impact Excursions - Need Advice

We are sailing to Amber Cove later this month. We are considering doing one of the Holland America sponsored Impact Excursions.

One is CACAO& WOMENS CHOCOLATE COOPERATIVE and the other RECYCLEDPAPER & CRAFTS ENTREPRENEURSHIP. Both are "hands on" working with small local owned companies to help with daily production interacting with the local workers.

We have read reviews and watched videos of both of these excursions.

These are both Cruise sponsored excursions and cost about $70 each.

We want to make sure that our time is well spent and we are truly giving back to the community.

Does anyone have any first hand with either of these excursions and specifically. We don't want to be just another tourist doing something to feel better about ourselves.

Thanks for your input!

Liz G

We are sailing to Amber Cove later this month. We are considering doing one of the Holland America sponsored Impact Excursions.

 

 

 

One is CACAO& WOMENS CHOCOLATE COOPERATIVE and the other RECYCLEDPAPER & CRAFTS ENTREPRENEURSHIP. Both are "hands on" working with small local owned companies to help with daily production interacting with the local workers.

 

 

 

We have read reviews and watched videos of both of these excursions.

 

 

 

These are both Cruise sponsored excursions and cost about $70 each.

 

 

 

We want to make sure that our time is well spent and we are truly giving back to the community.

 

 

 

Does anyone have any first hand with either of these excursions and specifically. We don't want to be just another tourist doing something to feel better about ourselves.

 

 

 

Thanks for your input!

 

Liz G

We did the recycled paper when we were there in May with Fathom. Loved it! I don't think you would be disappointed in either, such a wonderful opportunity to make a difference.

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We went to Amber Cove in March I had set up a tour with Isaira Tours to do a little sight seeing and then go to a school and drop off a couple of backpacks full of supplies (that was all we could get off the ship even though we had been on a previous cruise and was told if we cleared it with customs at the beginning of the cruise we could take a bigger suitcase we were denied by the port so had to m leave a lot of supplies on the ship )

It was wonderful seeing the kids so happy and Unbeknownst to us they had just had flooding and some of the kid's didn't even have a pencil or notebook! We had brought several spiral notebooks and the teacher was going to try to separate them so the kids that needed paper could have some!

Our driver said if we ever come back he could take us grocery shopping and we could deliver it to some people that needed it.

So I hope to go back someday as I like to see what my time and money can really do!