GALAXY NEW YEARS REVEIW - PART II (final)

[SNOWEY]

:) GALAXY NEW YEARS CRUISE-II

 

Cozamel - Went to Paradise Beach by cab & had a massage. We sat under an umbrella (free) and enjoyed the day. If you can, try to get Isabel. It was the best massage I ever had. She combined massage with pressure points. She charged $1 per minute. Worth every penney. She used both of her hands & body English.

 

Costa Maya - Just shopped at the port. Similar to most of the ports. You can get vanilla there, however, when you get to Cost Rica, just go to one of the town stores & it is almost 3x cheaper! There is a nice exotic leather store there that you may be interested in. Mostly mens stuff. It rained most of the time we were there. There are hammocks overlooking the ocean & I enjoyed just cooling out there (it is partially covered). We also had some beers there.

 

Panama Canal - We got by the canal around 5:30 am. No need to rush because you go through 3 locks, end up in Gatlun Lake, turn around and go back. This whole process lasts til about 3:00 PM. Then, you stop in Colon to shop. This port stop was interesting and I did buy some souvenirs here.

 

Costa Rica - I would say this was the highlight of the cruise, with the Food being a close second. We booked Oscar for the whole day. If you have time, go to the shops right outside of the port. As soon as you get inside, look to the left and there are 2 very good wood shops . One had wooden handbags, necklaces and also belts! Sounds odd, but they were very nice, & reasonable. I bought a nice necklace & had planned to go back for more but didn’t have the time.

 

We left w/Oscar around 9:00-9:30 AM. We did not return til 6:00! We had a spectacular day. We did the Ziplining, stopped at a black sand beach & took pictures, Tortuguero Canals, Animal Rescue Center, bought coffee/vanilla (much cheaper here), & took us to a scenic overlook. The price was very good.

 

Grand Cayman - Still allot of downed trees. So very sad. Did Cpt. Byron’s Catamaran which stopped 2x to snorkel & then the Stingrays. What fun! Did not shop because it seemed like all the same stuff available at all of the other ports.

 

Any specific questions will be answered to the best of my knowledge.

 

I want to thank everyone of you for all the shared knowledge on these boards. It made my trip 100% wonderful! All the great tips helped us save lots of money & spend it on the jewelry store :>

 

Claudia

[SNOWEY]

I know you're out there...Any Questions?

[Fridaynightlights]

Claudia,

Could you expand on "Oscar"? How did you find him? How much did he charge? What kind of vehicle does he drive around?

Sounds like the man we've been looking for in Costa Rica.

Thanks

[Texed]

Snowey,

 

Which lake do you live near. Lavon? Ray Roberts? Garza/Little Elm?

[CajunLiner]

If you want Oscar, visit the November 13 Panama Canal Galaxy thread. A lot of the crew from this board used him and had a blast. There is contact information posted there.

 

Have fun.

 

Costa Rica was our favorite stop and we didn't even use Oscar (he was booked!). It is just a wonderful place full of opportunities!

 

Donna

[Fridaynightlights]

Thank You

[SNOWEY]

Texed: Neither, but close! Lake Ray Hubbard.

[SNOWEY]

Rhadlock: Yes, we got him off of these boards. You can check out my PC photos, he is in the one in front of the hammock. Just make sure you meet him on Costa Rican time & make sure you know what Costa Rica time is (not ship time). We were in a air conditioned van with 4 couples plus Oscar. We emailed him & told him what we wanted to do. The zip lines are owned by Almonds & Coral. I believed he charged us $65 for the zip lines, but that also included the transportaion charge. He just provides the transportation to where you want to go. Same with the Canal. Maybe the Canals was $50. The Animal Reserve was free but we tipped them when we left. So was the coffee shopping and surprise trip. So, I think it was around $115 per person for the whole day plus tips. Just make sure he knows what you want to do and he will give you a price.

 

I had a hard time getting in touch w/him, but another cc member had no trouble. I suspect it has something to do w/my internet service or spam filter? Go to the Costa Rica Board and you will find his email address.

 

Hope this helps. You will love it.

[SNOWEY]

Justin: Yes, the British couple that came with us to zip line wants to stay at Almonds & Coral. IT is an all inclusive Nature Type reserve. The accommodations are screened, buildings on stilts! Looks fun.

[SNOWEY]

I thought I'd give this a "bump" since it is getting quite a few "looks".

[sparks]

We will be going on this trip in March. Booked Oscar also & we are looking forward to it. Can anyone tell me how many formal nights on the 11 night trip? Thanks

[chessbriar]

3 Formal

2 Informal

6 Casual

[Melissa at Mohair Meadows]

Great Review Snowey,

 

We leave on 4-14 and have booked Oscar also. I am constantly amazed at how much info I get from these boards.

 

:p