Need advice for 1st time cruise Costa Rica to Panama 3/2011

[CassNJ]

Hi- we are booked for mid march for the 6 night cruise Star Flyer from Costa Rica to Panama. I have tons of questions but I am only the 2nd ever customer to book a Star Clipper Cruise from our local cruise agent, so they are can't help much. Any answers would be appreciated.

 

1) I am bringing my two kids ages 12, and 9 (I know they will be the only kids on-board but they are used to diffrent vaccations, they have done remote safaris in Africa, and many national parks, so they are use to the self enteraining, viewing wildlife, quality family time style of vaccation). Since I know star clippers doesn't get many kids should I bring their snorkeling gear with us? I am afraid they may only have adult sizes. Any thoughts would be great.

 

2) When should we expect our tickets and information? I booked the land package and I am assuming they will want our flight info. I faxed the immigration info but havent heard if they recived it. At what point do I need to start calling.

 

3) Shore Excursions. There are 3 that look great, my husband is concerned re: cost. Checking out my Frommers guide to Costa Rica they look pretty reasonable (slight mark up). I would love to hear feedback from anyone who has done them? vs. exploring alone.

 

Thanks

[BATS]

Hi, just back from same cruise last month.

 

Don't know about kid's snorkeling equipment sizes, but it seems reasonable to worry about stocking for kids' sizes.

 

The Miami team is great, just give Star Clippers folks a call with questions. They will ship out your documents ~3 weeks prior to sailing. I didn't use their land package, but they contacted me via email ( I booked directly with them however) a couple of months out to check on my plans for transport into Puerta Caldera and back to airport.

 

Let me know which shore excursions you are looking at & I'll see if I can help on providing color. FYI, the ziplining was fabulous, but not sure about your kids at their ages.

 

It will be a great time.

Bev

[CassNJ]

Bev- thanks so much. I will call the Miami office.

 

Love to see if you did any of these tours or heard feedback on them. We are thinking about:

 

 

1. Drake Bay- Corcovado National Park
   
2. Golfito- Not sure. Thinking of Golfo Duce Rescue Center and casa orquideas or the Zip lining. (Kids love Ziplining we have done it before but my daughter was excited by the description of the rescue center) we may split up. Especially if we can arrange to Zipline at Monteverede cloud forest duringh the pre-cruise land tour.
   
3. Quepos- We wanted to do Manual Antonio National park- but it turns our we will be there on a Monday when its closed. So we where trying to decide between Rainforest Horseback adventure or or the Mangrove Wildlife Boat Cruise.
   

Thanks again for the info!

[budaman]

Just got back last night.....will post a review shortly, but between us & the other two couples we were with, did all three of the excursions you mentioned. All agreed the Rescue Center & Orchids was a nice time for a good cause....the tour operator decided to do it backwards & go to the orchids first, which eliminated the snack break because they wouldn't let us do it at the Rescue Center. The couple that did the 3 hour hike at Drake were disappointed with that tour. We all did the Horseback at Quepos & had a great time....did learn I am no cowboy though!

 

We didn't do the ziplines offered, in fact the one in Quepos was cancelled as there were not enough people to sign up. Did do one after the cruise that we arranged with Odyssey(used them for all our transfers) at this place & was a blast...the Superman Flight was awesome. They use the double cable system there which is in my opinion much safer. Not as beautiful a setting as some, but when your zipping, you don't really see much of that anyway.

 

http://www.canopyparqueaventura.com/

 

I'll get report up shortly with many pics.

 

Mike

[CassNJ]

Thanks so much! I can't wait to take a look at your link! We maybe able to Zipline in Monteverde Cloud forest which we are doing pre-crusie! Glad it was a good time.

 

Cassie:o

[ednotmilkman]

hi Cass,

 

I haven't tried a Star Clipper ship yet, but I was in country and did the zipline up at Monteverde Cloud Forest and it was fantastic ! The longest one is over 1 kilometer and you have to "double up" with a partner by the trail person locking legs around the front person so you have enough mass / wind resistance to make it to the other side. Also when you do this, the front person can have both hands free to operate camera/video. On this line you are not just in the forest, you are 50 ft or so above it !

[CassNJ]

Wow that sounds sooo cool. I can't wait. Did you Zipline in Selvatura? That is where the land pacakge takes us but then again we are free to do as we please...

[ednotmilkman]

Hi again Cass,

 

I looked it up in my brochures and we did do the zipline canopy tour in Selvatura Park. I was part of a group of young adult students from a Spanish language school in San Jose, so we took the public bus from the capital and stayed two nights at La Pension Hostel in Santa Elena while doing the Selvatura Park and hiking in Monte Verde Cloud Forest Reserve. We actually walked back to the hostel from the Reserve and stopped at the Monteverde Cheese Factory along the way. You will be glad if you bring a warm jacket when you walk to the top of the mountain as it will be very windy, cool and of course misty. Tough to get good landscape photographs but that's what you'd expect. Then another weekend we went to Volcan Arenal, which requires going a totally different route, but it's less than 10 miles north of Santa Elena; just on the north side of the Cordillera de Tilaran (mountain range). Hard to get a good picture of that also !

 

Send me a private message if you would like to ask more details or if I can send you my Lonely Planet books of Costa Rica, Central America and / or my maps and assorted brochures. I'd send it no charge as long as you send it back with a few bucks for postage. We spent one afternoon at Baldi Hot Springs when we went to Arenal. It has a clear (wishfully thinking) view of the volcano. Thats a super place for kids as they have 3 huge water slides as well as the many pools to just relax in for adults. They have a nice Costa Rican buffet dinner too after you finish playing in the water. Any Tico (costa rican)meal will have lots of rice with no salt or pepper, nor butter, in site !! It would be wise to bring some with you if you like lots on your food.

[CassNJ]

Wow it sounds like you had a great trip! We will only be in Monteverde for a day and half so we have to pass on Arenal this time. But- thanks for the offer on the guide books.

 

I have e-mailed the hotel and definitely will figure out how to get the zip lining. Also thanks for the tip on the warm clothes as we here not planning on bringing any so good to know...

 

Best

Cassie