Sosúa Beach Renovations

[chico bill]

Hundreds of cruisers are doing just that each day paying USD$80 to board the Ocean King and tour Sosua Bay. They used to go diving as well, but not sure if that is still happening. Although not in Sosua, Outback Tours in Munoz, is full daily with cruisers going on buggie adventures. Most of the cruisers are anxious to get off the boat to visit the country and experience the culture. The tour guides will no doubt bring the tourists on a "plaza" tour to buy overpriced gifts, enjoy a cold coconut drink or eat an authentic Dominican meal to support the local economy. This has been the Turismo plan from the start. The plazas are certainly not being built for us locals to enjoy.

I agree they may like to see the bay and sit in the shade and enjoy a cool brew.
But not up the hill in some concrete kiosk adjacent the bus depot and noisy & charmless Charamicos.
Yeah there may be a few that aren't able to walk down stairs to the real beach and hobble from the parking lot to a hot kiosk just to get off the boat for an hour, but I will guarantee this stupid idea isn't going to be a hit among tourists.
And for certain there will be no local culture displayed there

 

[chico bill]

Thank your for that clarification. So I did have Pastoriza recalled correctly in an above post as to who donated land for the plazas. Paliza/Postoriza/Tavares, etc.. All have something in and around this.

But what will become of the non-parking lot cleared land to the south of route 5, causing a road to almost fail up the hill to Los Cerros remains a mystery just like how many condos will be builts n the north side of route 5 closer to the beach.

Los Cerros · 57000 Sosúa, Dominican Republic

57000 Sosúa, Dominican Republic

www.google.com

Well they responsible family that cleared the land need to come and stabilize the slope, restore the broken storm pipe, they undercut, which is now ready to collapse the Los Cerros road and creating the muddy mess after every rain on the main road in front of the Kiosks-From-Hell project

 

[jd426]

Imagine booking and packing for a Cruise, , enduring those amazingly long Check in Lines, finally getting on the Ship.. traveling for Days , finally getting off the ship at a Port of Call ( as people have mentioned , getting OFF is a breath of fresh air to them)...
and THEN getting Bussed 50 minutes to Sosua

only to sit in front of some Kiosk , with a CEMENT floor sipping some overpriced drink while looking at the Bay ,with the sand not even close to being under your feet.


I mean that is what the Cruise ships do to you. at the other Ports . they will BUS you to one of the THEME hotels , Like Atlantis in Bahamas .
Where you waste Hours just sitting Poolside ..

If that is your idea " of experiencing the Culture " .. i truly feel sorry for you.

 

[windeguy]

Well they responsible family that cleared the land need to come and stabilize the slope, restore the broken storm pipe, they undercut, which is now ready to collapse the Los Cerros road and creating the muddy mess after every rain on the main road in front of the Kiosks-From-Hell project

I you live in the DR, you know that it is never a Dominican's fault. I expect no such repairs to be made. Not ever.
Good luck with that kind of expectation that will remian forever unfulfilled.
There is another road people can use to get up the hill that is a bit further west. That will have to do.

 

[windeguy]

jd426, never having been on a cruise, I cannot relate personal experience. But all indications are that the cruise company controls
all aspects and profits from all manner of the experience on and off board.

So cultural experience is tightly controlled for all but the most adventurous. A trip to the eventually in 5 years finished plazas on Sosua beach makes perfect sense within the scope of crusing. They already go there with the place in disarray.

 

[Big]

Imagine booking and packing for a Cruise, , enduring those amazingly long Check in Lines, finally getting on the Ship.. traveling for Days , finally getting off the ship at a Port of Call ( as people have mentioned , getting OFF is a breath of fresh air to them)...
and THEN getting Bussed 50 minutes to Sosua

only to sit in front of some Kiosk , with a CEMENT floor sipping some overpriced drink while looking at the Bay ,with the sand not even close to being under your feet.


I mean that is what the Cruise ships do to you. at the other Ports . they will BUS you to one of the THEME hotels , Like Atlantis in Bahamas .
Where you waste Hours just sitting Poolside ..

If that is your idea " of experiencing the Culture " .. i truly feel sorry for you.

Like AI patrons, cruise ship customers are budget travelers that want to get their monies worth at the bar. Their idea of adventure is playing slot machines all day. Now maybe if their cute plastic wrist band includes a 20-minute massage in Sosua they just might venture over.

 

[windeguy]

Like AI patrons, cruise ship customers are budget travelers that want to get their monies worth at the bar. Their idea of adventure is playing slot machines all day. Now maybe if their cute plastic wrist band includes a 20-minute massage in Sosua they just might venture over.

It is already known that people are taking cruise ship tours to Sosua beach. No maybe and no conjecture is needed. It is happening already and frequently. People that live and frequent there are seeing this on a daily basis.

 

[CristoRey]

If that is your idea " of experiencing the Culture " .. i truly feel sorry for you.

No need to feel sorry for anyone.
Let them figure it out for themselves.

 

[Big]

It is already known that people are taking cruise ship tours to Sosua beach. No maybe and no conjecture is needed. It is happening already and frequently. People that live and frequent there are seeing this on a daily basis.

Yes, they are overwhelming the chicas and the chica chasers, they are filling up the restaurants so the NYPD, and transit union chaps that are Sosua regulars can't get a table. .... get real bro

 

[Northern Coast Diver]

Norwegian Cruise Lines offers a Cruise and snorkel at Sosua Beach for $129 USD. The Ocean King motor catamaran which does this tour holds about 80 passengers.

 

[cavok]

I was amazed, but the AI's in Punta Cana have no problems filling up busses for tours to Altos de Chavón(about a one hour trip) and to Zona Colonial (about a two and half hour trip), so I see no reason why cruise ship passengers wouldn't go, in fact, they're claimed to be going already. This assumes the ship is in port long enough for the trip. And AI tourists are said to be just as reluctant to spend any extra money as cruise ship tourists are.

 

[ramesses]

I agree they may like to see the bay and sit in the shade and enjoy a cool brew.
But not up the hill in some concrete kiosk adjacent the bus depot and noisy & charmless Charamicos.
Yeah there may be a few that aren't able to walk down stairs to the real beach and hobble from the parking lot to a hot kiosk just to get off the boat for an hour, but I will guarantee this stupid idea isn't going to be a hit among tourists.
And for certain there will be no local culture displayed there

I love Charamicos.

 

[keepcoming]

jd426, never having been on a cruise, I cannot relate personal experience. But all indications are that the cruise company controls
all aspects and profits from all manner of the experience on and off board.

So cultural experience is tightly controlled for all but the most adventurous. A trip to the eventually in 5 years finished plazas on Sosua beach makes perfect sense within the scope of crusing. They already go there with the place in disarray.

Not exactly. If you book an excursion through the cruise company then yes, they profit. However many either book with an outside vendor or go it alone. It depends on the port and what the area has to offer.

 

[CristoRey]

I love Charamicos.

Lived there all of 13 and a few months into 14. A lot of good people live up there.

 

[jd426]

I was amazed, but the AI's in Punta Cana have no problems filling up busses for tours to Altos de Chavón(about a one hour trip) and to Zona Colonial (about a two and half hour trip), so I see no reason why cruise ship passengers wouldn't go, in fact, they're claimed to be going already. This assumes the ship is in port long enough for the trip. And AI tourists are said to be just as reluctant to spend any extra money as cruise ship tourists are.

Apples and Oranges ..
A I people , after like a WEEK cooped up, feel like they are in PRISON and want to break out ... They will go on a Bird watching Excursion just to get the F OUT and breathe different Free Air . Plus they have no Time Line restrictions once they leave the Front gate , its like Shawshank Redeption for them
And upon their Return, even if they miss the all you can eat Seafood night . its still not a Vacation Game Ender .
Cruisers OTOH.. totally different mind set .. which is why many consider it too " risky" to venture out for a couple Hours , unless its in a Group, because the Ship WILL wait for a Group, especially if they sold you on that Shore package.

 

[Seamonkey]

I don't doubt what you saw and who you spoke to, but those tourists are very likely a very small minority.
I do not believe cruise tourists are so different from resort tourists and it is well known resort tourists basically do not leave the resort and are very unaware of the country they are in. I would consider cruise tourists the same kind of tourists.
Still, if even just 20 of them come to use the boats in Sosua Bay, that is good news for the operators there. God knows they can use some good news...

I agree with you. Most people that go to Punta Cana never say they went to the DR and most don't leave the resort. However, don't forget that unlike the resorts, cruise ships are not all-inclusive.

 

[cavok]

Apples and Oranges ..
A I people , after like a WEEK cooped up, feel like they are in PRISON and want to break out ... They will go on a Bird watching Excursion just to get the F OUT and breathe different Free Air . Plus they have no Time Line restrictions once they leave the Front gate , its like Shawshank Redeption for them
And upon their Return, even if they miss the all you can eat Seafood night . its still not a Vacation Game Ender .
Cruisers OTOH.. totally different mind set .. which is why many consider it too " risky" to venture out for a couple Hours , unless its in a Group, because the Ship WILL wait for a Group, especially if they sold you on that Shore package.

If I were on a cruise ship, I'd feel cooped up fast! AI tourists do have time restrictions. They have to leave at the scheduled tour bus time. I'd be willing to bet the cruise ships will be selling a tour to Sosua - Collado will find a way to make sure they do.

 

[keepcoming]

I do not know the beaches of Sosua (NC) well enough to say it would be a cruise ship draw. But many of those who take cruises to the Caribbean look for that beach experience off the ship. Then there are those who look to soak up as much of the local culture as time permits. And time is key. As JD426 posted if the cruise lines sold you the tour package, then if the tour is late, the ship will wait. But if you do an independent/on your own tour and you are running late, the ship will leave you.

 

[cavok]

Sosua still has a fantastic beach and the view is beautiful and who know what activities might be available there(?). The plazas don't excite me but you can be sure they will look fantastic in the brochures they put out.

 

[chico bill]

I love Charamicos.

You make one