Our daily activities on our 10-day Panama Canal cruise aboard Azamara Quest.
Day 11 - Puerta Caldera and Disembarkation
We say goodbye to Azamara Quest, visit a coffee plantation, and spend a night in San Jose before returning home.
This morning, Azamara Quest is docked in Puerta Caldera, Costa Rica. It is disembarkation day, so we must say goodbye (for now) to all of our Azamara Quest friends. Since we are staying an extra night in San Jose, Costa Rica, we chose to book the Espiritu Santo Coffee Tour and Airport Transfer ($139/pp). We figured that we can get a taxi from the airport which is only 10-15 minutes from our hotel.
Guests disembark Quest in Puerta Caldera
The tour we selected is primarily designed for guests with late flights (after 3:30pm), but also works for those with post-cruise plans. The tour does not require that we disembark until 8:45am, so we have plenty of time to enjoy the buffet breakfast at Windows Cafe. We were issued Green #11 disembarkation luggage tags and stickers. Be advised, however, that Azamara does not make announcements over the PA system regarding disembarkation. We show up at the gangway on Deck 4 and the process of getting off the ship could not have been easier. Our room key card was swiped one last time and we said goodbye to Phillip Herbert, the Hotel Director, who was bidding farewell to guests as they stepped off the gangway.
We boarded the motor coach for our tour after making sure our luggage was securely loaded underneath.
Soon, we are welcomed by Maria, our local guide for the day. As we drive toward the coffee plantation, up the narrow highways, and into the mountains, Maria provides us with lots of information about the local area and customs.
It takes about 90 minutes to get to the Espiritu Santo plantation and, after a brief bathroom break, we are introduced to Ed, our guide for the coffee tour.
Espiritu Santo Guide, Ed
Ed shows us how the coffee "cherries" grow on the plants and how they are hand-picked only after they have turned red.
Red coffee cherry
Squeezing the coffee cherry will release a small amount of sweet juice and two beans.
Coffee bean
These beans must be washed and dried before they can be roasted. We can see some beans are spread out on concrete in the sun for drying.
Beans drying in the sun
Once they are dry, the beans can be roasted. Some beans are roasted light, others medium and of course, some dark. Interestingly, the darker the roasting, the lower the caffeine levels. Therefore, light roast has more caffeine than a dark roast. Ed walked us through the various stages of the process and we got to watch beans being roasted and packaged.
Roasting machine
We were surprised that even for a small factory, some of the beans were being packaged by hand.
Ed brewed a pot of coffee, which he made by simply adding hot water to a pot with coffee grounds. He let the mixture sit for a few minutes, then filtered it through a sock-like filter directly into the cup. It was quite good.
After the demonstration, we were all invited into the shop where we could purchase coffee, candies or other coffee-related products.
Rickee tries some coffee flavored liquor at the shop
With purchases in hand, we re-boarded the bus for a short drive to Sarchi, a small town famous for the artistically decorated ox carts. Ox carts were the traditional form of transportation back "in the day." In the middle of Sarchi town, there is a huge, oversized ox cart that was hand painted by the local artisans, a photo-op for sure!
World's largest ox cart
We were not allowed to get off the bus in Sarchi, most likely because the bus had to get folks to the airport for their flights. An unexpected traffic jam, due to construction, delayed our arrival at the airport by about 10 minutes. Nevertheless, I don't suspect anyone missed a flight as a result. As soon as we got off the coach, we began searching for transportation to our hotel, Costa Rica Marriott San Jose. Another Azamara guest on the bus was staying at the same hotel, so we all three shared a taxi van. The total was $13 + tip, split 3 ways.
When we arrived at the Marriott, a bellman greeted us and welcomed us "home" (we seem to be hearing that phrase a lot lately). They retrieved out luggage from the taxi and directed us to the check-in counter. This hotel is an older property, but has a ton of character. The decor accurately reflects the Costa Rican culture and the surrounding grounds are immaculately manicured.
Costa Rica Marriott San Jose
Check in was very smooth and easy, however, our room was not quite ready. Check-in time is 4pm, but Kattie, the young lady checking us in, said our room should be ready by 3pm. That would give us just enough time for a late lunch at Hacienda Kitchen, one of the hotel’s restaurants. The beautiful cafe patio overlooks a driving range and mountains in the distance.
The view from Hacienda Kitchen patio
I ordered Chifrijo, a traditional dish consisting of a bowl of rice and beans topped with salsa, roasted pork, chicharron (fried pork skin) and avocado, all served with tortilla chips. Rickee ordered a ham sandwich on French bread with avacado, pickles and mayo. My appetizer was large enough to be a main course and was very good. I would definitely order this dish again.
We also enjoyed a couple of Costa Rican beers (Imperial) as we looked out over the incredible scenery. As promised, our room (326) was ready by 3pm and we wasted no time getting settled into the Deluxe Room which overlooked what can best be described as a garden area near the pool. When the bellman brought our luggage, I asked about getting a bucket of ice for some champagne we had brought with us. He said he would take care of it and within a few minutes, room service arrived with a champagne bucket and two glasses!
We will post a more detailed review of the hotel and room separately, but suffice to say, we enjoyed our stay and would not hesitate to stay here again. We took our champagne down to a table in the garden area and toasted to another wonderful travel experience.
Chris Dikmen and Rickee Richardson are travel journalists from Dallas, Texas
Tomorrow, we will fly back to Dallas. This will be our first time to fly international on Southwest Airlines. Our next adventure will be a 7-night Tahiti cruise on Paul Gauguin Cruises.
Day 11 - Puntarenas, Costa Rica
Rickee touches a crocodile, we have lunch at a 5-star resort, we see monkeys go crazy and have an amazing dinner at Prime C.
This morning, Quest is docked in Puntarenas, Costa Rica. The last time we were here (2014), we only walked from the ship to the beach at the end of the pier, did some souvenir shopping, and headed back to the ship.
Azamara Quest docked in Puntarenas
Today, we have decided to do something a little more adventurous. We pre-booked a "7-in-1" tour with Arenas Travel through their website a few weeks earlier. We disembarked Quest at 8:00 am and our local guide for the day, Geovanna, was waiting for us at the bottom of the gangway with a sign bearing my name.
Geovanna, local guide with Arenas Travel
After introducing herself, and welcoming us to Puntarenas, Geovanna led us down the long pier to where a new Toyota van was waiting for us. We were introduced to Alex, our driver for the day, and off we went. Our first stop was Esparza, purported to be the oldest town in Costa Rica, where we toured a unique Catholic church. Next, we drove to the Tarcoles River where we boarded a small open tour boat to hunt for crocodiles. We saw tons of interesting birds, iguana, lizards and yes, crocodiles. Not only did we see a croc, but Rickee actually got to touch one! And, this was no baby croc, this was "Tornado", one of the two largest crocs in the area at around 15 feet long!
Tornado hanging out next to our boat
The crocodile river tour took a little over an hour, after which Alex and Geovanna drove us to an incredible hotel on top of a mountain for lunch. Villa Caletas has to be one of the most magical places we have ever visited.
The view from the restaurant at Villa Caletas
The property is perched overlooking the ocean and the mountains. It was breathtaking. We were seated at a table for two and served a beautiful meal. We were offered our choice of chicken or fish, and we both chose chicken. It was a meal and a place we will not soon forget. And, should we have the opportunity to return to Costa Rica, a stay at Villa Caletas will be on our itinerary.
After lunch, we drove to a local market where we had the opportunity to shop for souvenirs. It was one of the largest and nicest souvenir shops we have ever visited. Afterwards, we drove a few minutes to a fruit stand where we enjoyed a sample of locally grown fruits. When we mentioned how much we loved the mango, the proprietor brought us a plate of sliced mango to take with us!
Our next stop: monkeys! Just a few more miles down the highway, we pull off on an unmarked gravel road (you would have to know where this place is) to what could best be described as a clearing in the forest with a small structure/building. As soon as we come to a stop, Geovanna and Alex start blowing loud whistles. We have no idea what is going on. We don't see a monkey anywhere, other than a stuffed toy monkey hanging from a tree in the yard. Geovanna keeps yelling in Spanish what translates to "Monkey come, Monkeys come" and blowing the whistle. Suddenly, there is a rustling in the surrounding trees and dozens of Capuchin monkeys are running all over the place, hanging from branches, chasing each other, and eventually, one climbs onto Rickee!
Mr. Monkey tries to steal Rickee's sunglasses
The little monkeys are very curious and friendly and a blast to watch. This was the highlight of the tour for us. We will be posting a full review of Arenas Travel's 7-in-1 tour on CruiseReport.com soon, so keep an eye out for it. We will also have a short video of our day's activities. For more information, visit their website at ArenasTravelCR.com.
After a brief tour of the downtown Puntarenas area, Geovanna and Alex returned us to Azamara Quest right at 4pm, as promised. We had plenty of time to get ready for our 6pm reservation at Prime C steakhouse. Prime C is one of the two specialty restaurants on board Azamara Quest ($30pp). While the decor at Prime C may be a little dated (can you say 1980s steakhouse?), the menu is modern and offers a lot of variety. I ordered the chicken lollipop starter, and it has been improved over what we had a few years ago on Journey.
Chicken lollipops with three dipping sauces
There are two different types of lollipops, each with a different batter. The three dipping sauces were all delicious, but the Thai sweet chili is my personal favorite. Rickee had the cheese and onion soup, reminiscent of a French Onion soup. For my main, I had the NY Strip and Rickee had the 5oz. Filet. Both steaks were cooked perfectly to order. My creamed spinach side was also perfectly seasoned and delicious. We declined offers for a souffle and opted for the signature cinnamon-sugar donuts. The little donut holes are served warm and fresh with caramel, chocolate and vanilla dipping sauces. These are to DIE FOR.
Cinnamon sugar donuts with dipping sauces
We thoroughly enjoyed our meal at Prime C and look forward to dining there again on our next Azamara cruise.
Tomorrow, we disembark Azamara Quest in Caldera, Costa Rica
Day 10 - Quepos, Costa Rica
We visit a national park, have lunch in a botanical garden, see crocodiles and toucans, and enjoy an Indonesian Rijsttafel.
This morning, Azamara Quest is anchored off the coast of Costa Rica near the little town of Quepos. We have booked the Carara National Park and Pura Vida Gardens tour ($199/pp) through Azamara's Land Discoveries desk.
As instructed on the tickets, we met in the Cabaret Lounge at 7:15am where we were assigned numbered stickers to place on our shirts. We were in Group 1 and soon we were heading down to Deck 3 to board the tender for the ride to shore.
Early morning (for us) departure to Quepos. Photo taken from tender.
The tender ride was smooth and only took about 10 minutes. After disembarking the tender, we met our local guide for the day, Ailene, who was holding a lollipop sign indicating our group number.
Ailene greets Group 1
Ailene directed us to the vehicle that would be taking us to the national park. The bus also had a sign in the windshield indicating our tour name and group number. This makes it virtually impossible for someone to end up with the wrong guide, or on the wrong bus.
Tour bus identifies tour and group number
The vehicle to which we were assigned was like a large minivan that could hold 15 guests plus a driver and guide. It was modern, comfortable and air-conditioned. The windows were clean, making it easy to see the scenery along the way. The drive to the Carara National Park took about 90 minutes. As soon as we arrived, everyone made a beeline for the public restrooms, of course.
Carara National Park
Ailene gathered our group of 15 at the beginning of a trail path to explain what we would see during our short hike through the park.
Ailene explains a little about the park and what we can expect to see
Ailene reminds us that flash photography is not allowed and that we are not to touch any of the plants or flowers. The hike took place on a well laid- out gravel trail. The park appears to be well maintained. Our guide stops periodically throughout the hike to explain the flora and fauna surrounding us. The only thing that takes away from the "jungle-like" experience is the noisy traffic from the nearby highway.
Rickee asks our guide a question along the hike
Our guide was very responsive to questions and willing to assist the guests in any way necessary. We spent the better part of an hour on our hike through the park. The tour could have been better with the use of Audio Vox portable sound systems. We would occasionally lag behind the group to take a closer look at something and could not hear what the guide was talking about from where we were. After the hike, we all re-boarded the bus for a short drive to a bridge spanning the Tarcoles River. Roberto, our driver, let us out on one side of the bridge so that we could walk along the bridge. Now why, you may ask, would we want to walk along a bridge on a busy highway? The answer: crocodiles!
Crocodiles in the Tarcoles River
On one bank of the river, there was a group of around 30 crocodiles, just hanging out. And, some of them were huge! The large one in the photo above was probably 13 feet long. We watched them, and photographed them, for about 15 minutes before getting back on the bus for a drive to the Pura Vida Botanical Gardens. The drive up the mountain road to the gardens was pretty rough gravel, so be prepared for a rough ride. Once we arrived, the place is a tropical paradise!
The view from Pura Vida Gardens
The first order of business was lunch. The owner of the gardens, who happens to be from Texas, has prepared a beautiful buffet lunch for our group (and several other tour groups). We are the first to arrive, so we get to attack the buffet first. There was rice and beans (a Costa Rican staple), chicken, fried fish, veggies and salads. We were offered a glass or wine or local beer, or soft drinks were also available. It was delicious and the view from the patio was spectacular.
After lunch, our guide led us down a path to view more flora and fauna. The plants, flowers and wildlife here were much more interesting than those we saw in the national park. The place was really beautiful and well manicured.
We even saw toucans in the trees. They are very hard to photograph because of all of the tree branches in the way. You really need a good, long lens and a tripod to get a shot of these birds. Auto-focus just doesn't cut it. But, I was able to catch a usable shot with Rickee's pocket camera.
We spent about 90 minutes walking through the botanical gardens, admiring the beautiful grounds, learning about the various plant and bird life. I think everyone agreed that this was the highlight of the tour. It was hot and humid, and after 90 minutes everyone was ready to take refuge back in the air conditioned bus for the 90-minute drive back to Quepos. The sun was just beginning to set when we boarded the tender back to Quest, casting a nice glow on the ship in the distance.
Azamara Quest
From end-to-end, the tour took about eight hours. We felt like the national park was a bit of a miss, but the lunch and visit to the botanical gardens was a hit. No complaints at all with our tour guide, so Land Discoveries gets an overall A- on this tour!
As soon as we are back to our stateroom, we waste no time in getting ready for our 7pm Indonesian Rijsttafel dinner. This special meal is only available one evening and is at an extra cost of $25 per person. Rijsttafle (or "rice table") has become a traditional Indonesian meal and is commonly found at restaurants in Amsterdam, where there is a large Indonesian population.
The table is set for 20 guests in The Patio on Deck 9. A menu explains the 20+ items that will be served at this feast. First, we are served a spicy salad followed by vegetable spring rolls. Then the platters and bowls of food started coming fast and furious. The table was soon filled with a variety of rice, noodles, chicken, lamb, beef, vegetables, pork... you name it!
There was enough food for 40 people! It truly was a feast. We all left feeling stuffed. This is a dining experience that you should definitely try. Space is very limited, and they only do it once per cruise, so book early!
Tomorrow, we will be in Puntarenas, Costa Rica.
Day 9 - Golfito, Costa Rica
We ride horses in the rain forest, get rained on, then have dinner with the Hotel Director.
This morning, Azamara Quest is still docked in Golfito, Costa Rica. While most guests book tours through the Land Discoveries desk on board, we have gone rogue and booked our own excursion directly with a local tour company: Golfito Monkey Tours.
Disembarking Azamara Quest in Golfito
After a quick lunch in The Patio, we disembarked Quest around 1:45pm, in time to meet up with our guide at 2pm as instructed. Our guide for the day, Hariel, was waiting for us just outside the gates to the port, as was the owner of Golfito Monkey Tours, Adriana, and another GMT guide.
Our guide, Hariel, waiting for us at the pier
We all piled into a minivan, with Adriana driving, and headed off to the nearby rain forest. The drive to the horseback tour location took about 30 minutes. When we arrived, we were given helmets and soon mounted up for the ride.
Rickee gets familiar with her horse
Another local guide, probably the gentlemen who owns the horses, was the lead guide on the tour. He did not speak English, so having Hariel along to translate really helped. Along the way, he would point out flora and fauna as we passed them.
After about 30 minutes of riding, we soon learned why this is referred to as a "rain forest". It began raining, then it began pouring rain. This is something we had not prepared for. Rickee and I were soaked by the end of the ride! So, it is a good idea to pack a portable, disposable poncho just to be safe. Lesson learned. Adriana also pointed out later that most people do the tour in the morning when rain is less likely. The ride ended with a short hike to a beautiful waterfall. Our initial plan was to swim under the waterfall, but we were already so soaked from the rain, we decided to forego the experience. As my primary camera was not waterproof, we had to use the GoPro to take photos at the waterfall, and the quality is not that good.
We will be posting a complete review of Golfito Monkey Tours Horseback Riding tour on CruiseReport.com soon, so watch for more photos, video (from my GoPro) and detailed information. Adriana drove us back down the mountain to the pier and got us "home" at 5:30pm, as promised. Along the way, Adriana mentioned that their company also does dolphin tours, whale-watching (in season), mangrove tours, and much more. Check out their website for more details.
We had only about an hour to get ready for our dinner this evening in Discoveries Restaurant. We have accepted an invitation from Phillip, the ship's Hotel Director, to dine at his table. Our invitation requests that we meet in Mosaic Cafe at 6:45pm. When we got back to our stateroom, we were hanging wet clothes any place we could find so they could dry. Some went out on the balcony. We hoped none would blow away when the ship set sail!
Table setting for Hotel Director's table
We somehow made it to Mosaic by 6:45, where we met Phillip and six other guests for before-dinner drinks. We had met Phillip on our last cruise with Azamara in 2014. I am pretty sure we were the only Americans at the table. Most were from Great Britain and Australia. At 7pm, we all headed to the large, round table in the center of the dining room for dinner. A special multi-course menu has been prepared just for our table. I had the scallops with Thai Risotto (I know, it sounds weird) which was quite spicy, but delicious. The Cream of Mushroom soup was as good as I have ever had, and the main course, Surf & Turf (tenderloin and lobster) was quite good.
Surf and Turf
The meal ended with an unusual dessert resembling a lemon panna cotta with a brulée floating in an orange butter sauce. It was very good! But, the best part of the meal was making new friends and swapping stories. We all regaled each other with tales of past travels and Azamara adventures. A great time was had by all. Thank you to our host, Phillip, for including us.
Tomorrow is an early day. Quest will be in Quepos, Costa Rica, and we have a tour scheduled for 7:15 in the morning. Yikes! The blog may be delayed a bit.