you have a point there. maybe it is functioning just the way they want it to.
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Carnival Cruise Lines - Port in Maimon
you have a point there. maybe it is functioning just the way they want it to.
I doubt that....
But my friend the engineer/contractor says that the last 5-10% of any job in RD is soooo painful.
The details just never get done..... the last cleanup.
He says it matters not if it's a hotel room or a ditch...... the end just drags on & on
But my friend the engineer/contractor says that the last 5-10% of any job in RD is soooo painful.
The details just never get done..... the last cleanup.
He says it matters not if it's a hotel room or a ditch...... the end just drags on & on
the magic of a duck laying golden eggs will last long enough for DR to complete that stretch of the road, amphitheater and centro historico. these works were due anyways.
don?t tell me that the ampitheater has anything to do with Amber Cove...
I wonder if this wealth of improvement is going to expend to Santiago. I am always up for upping the level. It would be interesting if the roads become good enough to reach the dock in about 40-50 minutes with some sanity left, because it usually take about double that sometimes. Quick 40 minutes to Maimon for fried fish or bit more to reach Cabarate and have Gordito's will be good life for me in DR.
sorry to disappoint you but improvement POP-navarrete road, although repeatedly promised, still remains without details. same with alleged new version of POP-santiago road. all that is being done is fixing maimon-POP stretch, of which only 2 km of planned 8.4 km is in service right now.
I can't see a reason why the port in Maimon would have any impact on Santiago.
I had just checked their excursion offering and surprise. Santiago day trip is there. It would better if those who gets suckered in could at least enjoy the comfy ride instead of watching endless skinny cows and horses because painfully slow camiones and crazy passola interrupts the smooth ride.
Okay, I am going to try again to explain what cruisers want, and how the DR can respond. Bear in mind I have 10 cruises on my resume, most in the Caribbean, but some in the Med and Europe/France. On a ship with 3,000 passengers, there are very different needs and interests. Some will not get off the ship at all - they will use the facilities of their floating hotel. Some will get off and wander around the captive compound the company built, and get back on the ship after buying a local beer and a souvenir. Some will book the tours the cruise company offers, because they don't trust the "locals" and they are scared they won't get back to the ship on time. But many will want to get off the ship, and after a couple of cruises, they realize that the cruise company's tours cost more and mostly consist of sitting on a large bus all day shuffling on and off at the speed of the slowest person. Some will get off and hire a taxi to drive them around for a couple of hours.
So even if you subtract two-thirds of the pax (as a rough estimate, and which I think is very pessimistic), you are still left with 1,000 people who are looking for something to do when the ship is in port. Of those people, some don't care where they are, they only want to rip around on ATVs, zip-line, zoom around on a boat...stuff like that. And they won't find that rock em sock em stuff in any of the ship's excursion offerings, so there's one opportunity.
And some pax want to try to understand how this place is interesting, different, historic, cultural...like that. They want to be in a van or small bus, with someone who speaks understandable English, who is knowledgable, and who has carefully planned the day's activities. They have only a few hours in this place - they want to feel they spent their time well.
Gorgon scoffs at my price suggestions, but she is wrong. We usually spend about $75 per person (we're a couple) in Caribbean ports for a tour of around 4 or 5 hours, on a bus with no more than 16 people. That price doesn't include lunch. If we got a meal, we'd pay $100 each, and not be unhappy, in the Caribbean. If it was six hours, with lunch, we would not blink at paying $125 each. Recently, in the Faroe Islands, we booked a taxi for 3 people, English-speaking guide, for 4 hours, for $425 (no lunch). On any ship of 3,000 people I would guess (conservatively) there are 400 or more who are willing to spend this amount of money for this kind of experience. That's an opportunity. That's 25 small buses of people. If you add the rocket sockem crowd, you're up to 50 or 60 small buses per cruise. That's not chump change.
But it's not just banging them into a bus, driving around, taking their money and dumping them. Trip Advisor reviews will kill operators who do that. These people need to have a good experience, learn something about the country, eat some local food, maybe learn to dance the merengue - feel they are seeing the real Dominican. Is that so hard?
As for the dismissive comments about a tour of Puerto Plata, please - failure of imagination. It's got lovely Victorian architecture, a sweet walk along the Malecon, a fort, La Sirena (can you imagine how interested tourists would be at seeing this Dominican Costco?), that pretty little downtown square. Oh for Pete's sake, take them to a little league baseball game so they can see the wannabe stars. Really, this is not my job, making up a day tour of Puerto Plata. You have to see what is good and interesting in that place.
And yes, cruisers want to have their tours all booked before they get on the ship, and they want to do it online. If Dominicans can offer them alternatives, believe me, some passengers will be looking at anything that will get them away from an over-priced cruise company excursion.
I love the country, and hope this port will give it a boost.
Lindy
So even if you subtract two-thirds of the pax (as a rough estimate, and which I think is very pessimistic), you are still left with 1,000 people who are looking for something to do when the ship is in port. Of those people, some don't care where they are, they only want to rip around on ATVs, zip-line, zoom around on a boat...stuff like that. And they won't find that rock em sock em stuff in any of the ship's excursion offerings, so there's one opportunity.
And some pax want to try to understand how this place is interesting, different, historic, cultural...like that. They want to be in a van or small bus, with someone who speaks understandable English, who is knowledgable, and who has carefully planned the day's activities. They have only a few hours in this place - they want to feel they spent their time well.
Gorgon scoffs at my price suggestions, but she is wrong. We usually spend about $75 per person (we're a couple) in Caribbean ports for a tour of around 4 or 5 hours, on a bus with no more than 16 people. That price doesn't include lunch. If we got a meal, we'd pay $100 each, and not be unhappy, in the Caribbean. If it was six hours, with lunch, we would not blink at paying $125 each. Recently, in the Faroe Islands, we booked a taxi for 3 people, English-speaking guide, for 4 hours, for $425 (no lunch). On any ship of 3,000 people I would guess (conservatively) there are 400 or more who are willing to spend this amount of money for this kind of experience. That's an opportunity. That's 25 small buses of people. If you add the rocket sockem crowd, you're up to 50 or 60 small buses per cruise. That's not chump change.
But it's not just banging them into a bus, driving around, taking their money and dumping them. Trip Advisor reviews will kill operators who do that. These people need to have a good experience, learn something about the country, eat some local food, maybe learn to dance the merengue - feel they are seeing the real Dominican. Is that so hard?
As for the dismissive comments about a tour of Puerto Plata, please - failure of imagination. It's got lovely Victorian architecture, a sweet walk along the Malecon, a fort, La Sirena (can you imagine how interested tourists would be at seeing this Dominican Costco?), that pretty little downtown square. Oh for Pete's sake, take them to a little league baseball game so they can see the wannabe stars. Really, this is not my job, making up a day tour of Puerto Plata. You have to see what is good and interesting in that place.
And yes, cruisers want to have their tours all booked before they get on the ship, and they want to do it online. If Dominicans can offer them alternatives, believe me, some passengers will be looking at anything that will get them away from an over-priced cruise company excursion.
I love the country, and hope this port will give it a boost.
Lindy
I tried to quote this, but failed, so here it is:
"I had just checked their excursion offering and surprise. Santiago day trip is there. It would better if those who gets suckered in could at least enjoy the comfy ride instead of watching endless skinny cows and horses because painfully slow camiones and crazy passola interrupts the smooth ride."
Again, failure of imagination. You see skinny cows and horses. Tourists can see an amazing geological formation - this huge valley, between ranges of mountains. They can see how diverse the agriculture of the DR is, because of the fertile soil in this valley. The views are stupendous from above, and the variety of agriculture in the valley is very interesting. I've been to Santiago a couple of times, from PP. I can well see how this is an interesting trip for tourists.
"I had just checked their excursion offering and surprise. Santiago day trip is there. It would better if those who gets suckered in could at least enjoy the comfy ride instead of watching endless skinny cows and horses because painfully slow camiones and crazy passola interrupts the smooth ride."
Again, failure of imagination. You see skinny cows and horses. Tourists can see an amazing geological formation - this huge valley, between ranges of mountains. They can see how diverse the agriculture of the DR is, because of the fertile soil in this valley. The views are stupendous from above, and the variety of agriculture in the valley is very interesting. I've been to Santiago a couple of times, from PP. I can well see how this is an interesting trip for tourists.
dv8 says: "second, carnival already offers POP city tour from 30 to 56 dollars per head (depending on what attractions are visited). "
Yes, and first-time cruisers on the ship will fall for this. When we were novice cruisers we signed up for such a 2.5 -hour excursion from the cruise ship, in St Maarten. We were loaded onto a huge bus, with a guide who gave a monologue as we drove along. Unfortunately, it was very difficult to see anything she told us to look at because someone's head was blocking every window. The bus stopped about three times to let us off to see a "view" and take pictures. It took longer for everyone to get on and off the bus than it did to look at the view and take a picture. While we were waiting each time, we had the opportunity to use a filthy toilet if we were willing to pay, and buy some crappy souvenirs. The guide dumped us off in the French town of Marigot for 45 minutes to explore on our own - with no guidance. Then, an hour-long bus ride back along the same route we had taken.
Yes, first-time cruisers will sign up for this garbage. But any experienced cruiser will not be signing up for the "bargain" ship city tour. It's no tour, and no bargain.
Yes, and first-time cruisers on the ship will fall for this. When we were novice cruisers we signed up for such a 2.5 -hour excursion from the cruise ship, in St Maarten. We were loaded onto a huge bus, with a guide who gave a monologue as we drove along. Unfortunately, it was very difficult to see anything she told us to look at because someone's head was blocking every window. The bus stopped about three times to let us off to see a "view" and take pictures. It took longer for everyone to get on and off the bus than it did to look at the view and take a picture. While we were waiting each time, we had the opportunity to use a filthy toilet if we were willing to pay, and buy some crappy souvenirs. The guide dumped us off in the French town of Marigot for 45 minutes to explore on our own - with no guidance. Then, an hour-long bus ride back along the same route we had taken.
Yes, first-time cruisers will sign up for this garbage. But any experienced cruiser will not be signing up for the "bargain" ship city tour. It's no tour, and no bargain.
Okay, I am going to try again to explain what cruisers want, and how the DR can respond. Bear in mind I have 10 cruises on my resume, most in the Caribbean, but some in the Med and Europe/France. On a ship with 3,000 passengers, there are very different needs and interests. Some will not get off the ship at all - they will use the facilities of their floating hotel. Some will get off and wander around the captive compound the company built, and get back on the ship after buying a local beer and a souvenir. Some will book the tours the cruise company offers, because they don't trust the "locals" and they are scared they won't get back to the ship on time. But many will want to get off the ship, and after a couple of cruises, they realize that the cruise company's tours cost more and mostly consist of sitting on a large bus all day shuffling on and off at the speed of the slowest person. Some will get off and hire a taxi to drive them around for a couple of hours.
So even if you subtract two-thirds of the pax (as a rough estimate, and which I think is very pessimistic), you are still left with 1,000 people who are looking for something to do when the ship is in port. Of those people, some don't care where they are, they only want to rip around on ATVs, zip-line, zoom around on a boat...stuff like that. And they won't find that rock em sock em stuff in any of the ship's excursion offerings, so there's one opportunity.
And some pax want to try to understand how this place is interesting, different, historic, cultural...like that. They want to be in a van or small bus, with someone who speaks understandable English, who is knowledgable, and who has carefully planned the day's activities. They have only a few hours in this place - they want to feel they spent their time well.
Gorgon scoffs at my price suggestions, but she is wrong. We usually spend about $75 per person (we're a couple) in Caribbean ports for a tour of around 4 or 5 hours, on a bus with no more than 16 people. That price doesn't include lunch. If we got a meal, we'd pay $100 each, and not be unhappy, in the Caribbean. If it was six hours, with lunch, we would not blink at paying $125 each. Recently, in the Faroe Islands, we booked a taxi for 3 people, English-speaking guide, for 4 hours, for $425 (no lunch). On any ship of 3,000 people I would guess (conservatively) there are 400 or more who are willing to spend this amount of money for this kind of experience. That's an opportunity. That's 25 small buses of people. If you add the rocket sockem crowd, you're up to 50 or 60 small buses per cruise. That's not chump change.
But it's not just banging them into a bus, driving around, taking their money and dumping them. Trip Advisor reviews will kill operators who do that. These people need to have a good experience, learn something about the country, eat some local food, maybe learn to dance the merengue - feel they are seeing the real Dominican. Is that so hard?
As for the dismissive comments about a tour of Puerto Plata, please - failure of imagination. It's got lovely Victorian architecture, a sweet walk along the Malecon, a fort, La Sirena (can you imagine how interested tourists would be at seeing this Dominican Costco?), that pretty little downtown square. Oh for Pete's sake, take them to a little league baseball game so they can see the wannabe stars. Really, this is not my job, making up a day tour of Puerto Plata. You have to see what is good and interesting in that place.
And yes, cruisers want to have their tours all booked before they get on the ship, and they want to do it online. If Dominicans can offer them alternatives, believe me, some passengers will be looking at anything that will get them away from an over-priced cruise company excursion.
I love the country, and hope this port will give it a boost.
Lindy
first of all, the Gorgon is not a she.
now that we have gotten that out of the way, thanks for your stirring analysis of cruising in the caribbean, and the expenditure patterns. at this point, i shall discard the stacks of research and working papers i have collected over the years, whose numerical findings do not jive with yours.
first of all, the Gorgon is not a she.
now that we have gotten that out of the way, thanks for your stirring analysis of cruising in the caribbean, and the expenditure patterns. at this point, i shall discard the stacks of research and working papers i have collected over the years, whose numerical findings do not jive with yours.
I think there is value in his analysis.it is all about niches.
Gorgon is not Bruce Jenner ready yet : )
I think there is value in his analysis.it is all about niches.
Gorgon is not Bruce Jenner ready yet : )
i have no disagreement with his take on a lot of things. obviously, he has a wealth of experience to share, and we can learn many things from him. i just disagree with the realities on the ground, in terms of what people actually spend. just a few days ago, the owner of an establishment on the malecon reported to us that he had eight people stop into his place, and the entire take was 3 sodas, i small beer, 2 bags of potato chips, and 2 bottles of water. the poster?s remark about spending 25 dollars for a meal for two makes no sense to me. that is 1125.00 pesos. i do not see a cruise visitor blowing nearly 600 pesos on a meal, when he has beef wellington waiting for him on the boat, bought and paid for.
Gorgon scoffs at my price suggestions, but she is wrong.
dv8 says: "second, carnival already offers POP city tour from 30 to 56 dollars per head (depending on what attractions are visited). "(...)
Yes, first-time cruisers will sign up for this garbage. But any experienced cruiser will not be signing up for the "bargain" ship city tour. It's no tour, and no bargain.
i see that you still did not bother to look at the excursions by carnival and missed the "best price guarantee" part. most folks look to spend as little as possible, not as much as they can. i know some frequent cruisers and that's their philosophy in general.
I tried to quote this, but failed, so here it is:
"I had just checked their excursion offering and surprise. Santiago day trip is there. It would better if those who gets suckered in could at least enjoy the comfy ride instead of watching endless skinny cows and horses because painfully slow camiones and crazy passola interrupts the smooth ride."
Again, failure of imagination. You see skinny cows and horses. Tourists can see an amazing geological formation - this huge valley, between ranges of mountains. They can see how diverse the agriculture of the DR is, because of the fertile soil in this valley. The views are stupendous from above, and the variety of agriculture in the valley is very interesting. I've been to Santiago a couple of times, from PP. I can well see how this is an interesting trip for tourists.
I would say most of the type that would go out or venture out would fit between 20-60. How many of them do you think they will be excited to see that? Those that are adventurous is going to be anxious to see what city of Santiago have to offer, quickly in comfort of the air conditioned buses. Not that many will be amaze by the valleys, run down houses, skinny cows and horses. Bigger dots on the map always attract more interests. They will laugh their asses off on some of the passola and truck/car full of people but other than that, entertainment value is very low on current route.
Most will want few things when they come over, excluding some of more adventurous activities.
1. Beach/Resort: I think this is the best DR have to offer.
2. Cigars: Despite all the healthy lifestyles that everybody's on, some still will want Dominicans and Cubans.
3. Authentic food/Seafoods: Suckers. They will face major disappointments.
4. City/Shopping/Night Life: Depends on what they are looking for.
i see that you still did not bother to look at the excursions by carnival and missed the "best price guarantee" part. most folks look to spend as little as possible, not as much as they can. i know some frequent cruisers and that's their philosophy in general.
Yes, but alfiefan does have a valid point. I am sure there will be cruisers who would be willing to pay twice the Carnival going rate for a more personalized city tour. I can clearly picture the difference of a tour on a Metro bus with 54 passengers compared to a city tour in an air conditioned comfy van with only 8 passengers and a cooler of ice cold Presidentes just for the waiting.
The van could tour back streets the big Metro bus could not maneuver. The end of the day I believe paying double the going rate would be priceless............... just my two pesos as usual
there will always be folks who are ripe for a ripoff.
It is NOT a ripoff comparing a city tour with 54 people on a bus too huge to drive through the smaller streets of a city to see a little bit of real local life. I see the huge Metro tour bus in Santo Domingo quite often loaded with tourists. The bus stops at el Conuco restaurant which is three blocks from me. I see them just standing waiting for some slow eaters to finish their meal so they can move on. I watch as they sit on the bus for ten minutes waiting for the bus to park.
All this wasted time a small van would be on to the next stop, shucks the small van could do the tour with time to spare. Take the tourists to his home to meet 97 year old abuela.
I would pay double for a real tour than to sit on a crowded bus in an aisle seat and can't see a thing out the window.
To me it ain't a ripoff......
Some are happy eating cheap rice and beans, others prefer to spend a bit more and eat a 5 course meal........... just sayin'