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Carnival sent this to me today, the newest destination for there cruises. Looks like they are pushing or selling PP , bars and pools , lounging and shopping ??, the malicon and Ocean World, I'd be willing to bet that no passengers make it east of Playa Dorada if even that far.
Carnal Cruise Lines tries to cater to a younger crowd - I say "tries to," at least by their marketing. (The parent corporation, Carnival Corporation & PLC, holds a constellation of cruise lines for all crowds and markets: Holland America, Princess, Seabourn, Cunard, P&O, Costa, Aida, and P&O Australia. "Up to you, sir.")
I can see the possibility - the possibility, mind you - of "Discover Scuba Diving" in Sosua Bay, or of "Introduction to Windsurfing/Kitesurfing" in Cabarete. I can also see the probability that one of those big party catamarans will move to Amber Cove, and I'd bet they'll bring a "Pirate Rum Cruise" to Amber Cove as well - why bring the tourists to the boat when you can bring the boat to the tourists? And why should the cruise-tourists to go Sosua when they can loll on the beach at Puerto Plata, or maybe even at Amber Cove?
With a minimal effort, Maimon Beach could be a really nice beach. Secluded with a few nice rum shacks and a restaurant or two would be a nice touch.Quote:
Originally Posted by Westy
I was there a few months ago looking at the bay where the dock is. There is no sand there. None. It will have to be trucked in and an artificial beach made in the bay. The curise company has bought a lot of the land around the bay so they can build and control some of the beach bars and they plan on making a nice sidewalk along the bay so tourists can walk around and get the illusion that they are in village. However, a couple blocks to the west is the Maimon town and their famous fish dinners, casseroles and salads... I hear that the ships have made arrangements with the neighboring Rui resort to take many of the guests who want to have a beach for an afternoon. Their location is just outside the bay extending to the east and the sand is said to be good there. How many people will travel a significant ways away from there is yet to be seen. Downtown Puerto Plata is still a bit run down although there has been work on some bars along the Malecon and the old fort area.Quote:
Originally Posted by MrHappy
Attachment 113856 A recent view of the cruise port, Amber Cove. Picture by Rex Beesley of "Fly for Fun"
A little more info here..... http://villataina.com/amber-cove-dominican-republic/
No mention of nightly excursions to beautiful downtown Sosua.
A while back, I put their "Artist's Conception" of the plans into a Google Earth view of Maimon ...
http://news.insearchofchicas.org/for...1&d=1390938829
With Carnival Holdings' cash in the project, they'd have no problem whatsoever dredging sand from out in the harbor (or beneath the cruise-ship berths) and making a nice beach on the Maimon Bay shoreline. They could fix up something like Princess Cruises' "Labadee" on the northwest coast of Haiti, a safe controlled Disneyfied Dominican Beach experience for the un-adventurous and the buffet bulk-loaders.
Don't know how the coral is in Maimon Bay, but it doesn't take much to entertain the snorkelers from the big party-catamarans or the "pirate-rum party boat cruise" vessels. And there are plenty of other things to amuse the more adventurous passengers. How about a trip to Damajagua Falls? Or the cable-car ride to the top of Mt. Isabel de Torres? Or a Fortaleza/Amber Museum/Malecon tour, with an 'almuerzo tipico' at a palm-thatched, open-air, seaside restaurant ... that someone 'on the inside' would be perfectly happy to build to suit?
The Carnival 'Victory' is supposed to be the first ship to dock at Amber Cove, on October 6, sailing from Miami. The linked story refers to 37 visits in the 2015-2016 season, with a total of about 100,000 day-trippers - that is to say, 37 days when a Carnal Cruise Lines vessel will be in port, from October 2015 to April 2016; once a week, with a few weeks of twice a week. Damn-near-all of the passengers will either take a "Carnival tour," with an operator who's contracted with the line, or they'll lounge on the boat and whatever facilities Carnival provides for beach-lounging in Amber Cove or the Rui Resort. I have a fair level of confidence, as a past cruise-ship cruiser, that very few passengers will make their own way to their own tours for their own entertainment ... I was one of the very few, as a scuba diver on cruise-ships that didn't cater to scuba diving. (Example - on the last cruise of Commodore Cruise Lines' "Enchanted Isle," I provided information on scuba-diving operators to the captain of the ship, as a "special addendum for the DMA Notice to Mariners" - partially joking, because my agency was still called Defense Mapping Agency at the time. I've got some 8mm-video footage, somewhere, of him chasing a back-pedaling spiny lobster on a reef off Antigua; I should have sent it to Red Lobster, for a humorous ad about "You don't have to do this to get a great lobster dinner."
Unless Carnival's agents in Amber Cove set up a trip to Playa Sosua, very few cruise passengers will visit Playa Sosua. They'll go where the tours take them, and why haul them all the way to the Su when there are miles of nice beaches along the Malecon of Puerto Plata?
Oh - by the way, Daddyooo - there are three chances (fat, slim and none) that the Carnal boat will stay at Amber Cove later than 1700 local time. They'll want everyone back aboard before dinnertime, and I'd be willing to bet the price of a short-time dalliance at Blackbeard's that they'll proclaim their 'sail-away' time at 1600 local.
I find it very interesting that they would build Bungalows for rent right on the property
http://www.gannett-cdn.com/-mm-/ab4a...-5x7-32130.jpg
I have been to many cruise ports and have never seen anything like that
Makes you wonder what the intended use for them will be.
Or how they might end up being used :corky::corky:
I wonder how much effort they will put into keeping chicas off the property.
Amber Cove looks nice and most passengers will never leave the Amber Cove compound.
So most will never really see what the DR is really like.
If anyone is interested here is the port schedule
http://www.ambercove.com/Port-Schedule.aspx
The Adiona cruise which someone talked about in a previous thread does not start until April
If somebody could get a hold of the 40 on-shore trips they are going to offer would be interesting.Quote:
Originally Posted by j_d66
Trip #39 - Visit Blackbeards and go back to ship smiling :lol:
Amber Cove latest photos....
Attachment 122365
Attachment 122366
Found the shore excursions...30 of them...there is tour to sosua beach but no blackbeards :wink:
http://www.carnival.com/shore-excurs...nican-republic
Quote:
Originally Posted by jose1234
Yep. The sand is further south starting just before the outlet of the Maimon river.
http://news.insearchofchicas.org/for...1&d=1390938829
My old house and farm here ^^ My land is bordered by the road you see going back to that area.
Some notes on the excursions:Quote:
Originally Posted by Hunter
1. "Paradise Island" is Cayo Arena. Cayo Arena is absolutely stunning. Everyone should try to go there once before it disappears within 5-10 years due to global warming
2. It sucks that Lifestyles whored itself out for day passes for cruisers. I might cancel my membership if every time I want to go I have to deal with a shipload of gringos
3. I hope they rehabilitated the Fortaleza. Last time I was there it was a complete wreck
4. I'm interested in the reaction of the Punta Rucia landowners to all their new visitors. There's lots of very rich people that bought very nice oceanfront homes on Punta Rucia very specifically because not that many people go to it. If there are suddenly busloads of tourists going to the beach, there's going to be some upset, powerful Dominicans.
5. What the fuck is Coconut Cove? What's the actual name of that resort?
6. There's an excursion to Sosua. That should be interesting!
I flew back on 9/2 and sat with two travel writers who had been flown in with a large group from carnival. They were very impressed sounds like Carnival and the North Coast are really pushing with all they have on this. They spoke of guided tours etc sounds like there will be very protected excursions. These people were very insulated from the goings on around them. They were very impressed. I can't remember the number of dollars they mentioned carnival is gambling on this but it was very very large. Talking to them made me a bit more optimistic for the people of the North Coast but as before, I don't see it impacting Sosua much. Can't remember all the details I was wiped from my trip, but they are definitely pushing publicity for the October opening.
Looks like it is just an exclusive beach. Do you know where Lighthouse mountain is? Go on a recon mission Cam :lol:Quote:
Originally Posted by uncle ruckus
Visit the private Coconut Cove Beach property for an authentic beach experience. Experience the un-spoiled natural beauty of one of Puerto Plata’s hidden beaches. Enjoy the view of the beautiful blue ocean and white capped waves while lounging on the beach or take a dip in the warm Caribbean Sea, an indescribable feeling of total relaxation. Explore the rest of the property; take a short trek to the lighthouse mountain for a breathtaking pano-ramic view of the land, sea and the island’s coast line. Amenities include: beach cabana's, beach bar, waiter service, beach chairs, volleyball court, bathrooms, lockers, bar and covered seating area. Adjacent to the bluff, there will be hanging chairs and hammocks for guests to relax.