Christmas Magic: Amber Cove (Puerto Plata)
Good morning! My alarm went off at 7am. My excursion is scheduled for 45 minutes after arrival. I don’t know what time they consider that. The estimated guests off the ship time is 8:15. I got up, showered, shaved, brushed my teeth, got dressed, and headed up to the top deck to see what was going on.
Deck 11
At this point it’s 7:35 ship time, 8:35 local. We are parked but they haven’t tied us down yet.
Promenade
I stopped by the coffee shop and found no line.
I started heading to the back of the ship with my coffee. I saw a guy going down the elevator with a backpack. I asked if they were letting people off of the ship yet. He said not yet. I headed down to the MDR to grab an avocado toast before heading out.
Main Dining Room
I thought bringing my own coffee would allow me to avoid having to wait for coffee in the MDR. Even though I had my coffee I was still asked if I wanted coffee several times. Even after I pushed all of the coffee cups away.
After that I started heading downstairs. A crew member back near my room had told me we get off at the back of the boat.
I get on a down elevator with others heading off the ship. Zero button can’t be pressed. I tell them this can’t be it. Someone says press 1. I tell them we can’t get off deck one. They hit 1 anyway. Surprise, deck one doesn’t take you off the ship.
They say something about going up to deck 5. I just get off the elevator and start heading toward the midship elevator lobby and take the stairs down to 0 where I’m able get off of the ship.
I get off and I’m heading down this pier from the ship.
We’re coming up on the duty free shop.
This port is owned by Carnival and they don’t let outside vendors in. There’s a lot to see and do within the port area. I’ll cover that next time. For now we need to get to Iguana Mama.
This is the path coming from that covered area. You have to stay on the walking path or the security guards will blow their whistles at you profusely.
This next covered area takes you to the Amber Cove gate.
It’s quite a hike from the ship to Iguana Mama. Once I was outside the gate I took a left and ran into their shuttle bus.
I get there and I’m notified they are only doing 12 waterfalls and will only refund me $10 out of the $89 I paid for 27 waterfalls.
I’m not a fan of that. First off I only booked this company because they do all 27 waterfalls. It cost $90. I could’ve gotten 12 for way less with other companies. Or booked less waterfalls with carnival and gotten the $33 onboard credit price match.
I know if I do this tour I’m going to have to pay to do it again on a future cruise because I want to see all of the waterfalls. I ask if a full refund is possible. The guide says it is. I’m iffy on trusting this guy. I don’t want to lose the money because I know their policy is you have to cancel 24 hours ahead of time. He makes a phone call and says he verified I will get a full refund.
Thank you Iguana Mama. We’ll try it again when I return on Carnival Mardi Gras.
Now we’re on the side of the road outside of the port area with no excursion. My thought is to walk back to the ship and see if there’s a late excursion I can join.
A tour guide stops me and offers to give me a city tour for $40. I have about $70 on me and I don’t have a deep desire to make that long walk back to the ship so I go with him.
So I’m off with Miguel and a driver Nicholas Acosta. Here is Miguel.
Macorix House of Rum
Our first stop is Macorix rum tour/tasting.
The rum tour cost $4. They run every 15 minutes. The next one is in 10 minutes. I pay and head over to take some pictures around the area. Then over to where the tour is starting.
They have this full size replica of a Christopher Columbus ship there as well. I took this from pretty far away.
It’s tour time. I head over to the entrance where the tour goers are lined up. The guide comes out and starts talking. And I have no idea what she’s saying. I tell Miguel this isn’t going work. It turns out this tour is in Russian.
I’m informed the English tour is going to start in another 15 minutes. I go check out the gift shop.
Look who showed up for the English tour!
We have an English speaking tour guide.
This is the aging room. It’s very dark and flashes are not allowed. Once the door closes we’re basically in the pitch dark. I wish I knew someone here because this would be a great time to scare them.
Next we go into a room where they show us a video.
It’s tasting time!
We tasted 8 different rums. There was a regular rum, a spiced rum, some fruit flavored rums and Mama Juana which they call the baby maker.
They got behind the bar and started mixing rums to make fruit punch and pina colada. I could’ve drank as much rum as I wanted here. Nobody left wanting more rum.
Cigar Factory
Our next stop was a cigar factory in Puerto Plata.
Cigars stay in this aging room for 10-20 years.
Cigars are available for purchase in a cedar box at 10 for $60 or 25 for $160.
They lit me up a free cigar.
We continued a walking tour of Puerto Plata.
Old Masonic Lodge
Public Beach
This is where the fishermen bring their fish to be cleaned.
Miguel insisted on carrying my bag.
Candy Factory
Next we went to a place where they make candy.
At the candy place Miguel is showing me these coconuts but I’m a little disturbed by the fact that there’s a live chicken in that bag that’s hanging. I think this place is involved in chicken fighting.
Miguel picks some limes on the way out.
American Gym
American Gym. Very American.
Amber Museum
Next week stopped at the Amber Museum. The tour is free but the guide works for tips. I gave him a few bucks.
Jewelry Factory
Next we stopped at a place where they make jewelry.
Before and after.
The guys in the next room are working with silver and gold.
Chocolate Factory
Next we stopped at a chocolate factory. This is similar to the one I visited in Honduras last year.
Umbrella Street
Paseo de Dona Blanca
Look who I found!
Parq Independencia
This is like their town square.
City Hall
Miguel said it would be good to get pictures from the second floor of this building across the street so we went. Downstairs was like an ice cream shop/bakery.
St. Phillip the Apostle Cathedral
They have mass here every day at 5:30 and three times on Sunday.
The window panes were blown out in a storm. Each of these panes were donated by families.
Playa Long Beach
Next we stopped at a beach. Swimming was available here. There was also a restaurant and bar.
Statue of Neptune
Fort San Filipe
Our final stop was a Spanish fort from 1564, Fort San Felipe.
This donkey is for sale.
This was the hospital.
Ampitheater
This was the jail.
Amber Cove
Miguel dropped me back at the Amber Cove entrance. We had agreed on $40 at the beginning but I gave him $60 at the end of day. I asked him about group pricing in the event anyone is interested. He said around $10-15 per person and he could do groups as large as 20 with advance notice.
Now for the long walk back.
Guy’s Burgers
Back on board. I took a shower and changed clothes then headed to Guy’s Burgers for a ringer and fries.
It looks like they have Pinocchio on the big screen.
Alchemy Bar
I was forced to the end of the bar due to country music trivia in Ocean Plaza.
Luby made this. Pretty good grapefruit tasting drink.
Steakhouse
I’m in the steakhouse for dinner. I have the same table as last time.
Compliments of the chef: Cheese three ways.
Risotto
Lobster
I had a cheese plate for dessert because this isn’t really my dessert.
Main Dining Room
I went to the MDR and just ordered dessert. One of my favorites: Bitter n Blanc.
Alchemy Bar
Sinan made this. It’s a very good coconut rum drink.
I don’t think I’m liking this 6-day thing. This is 2 of 6 nights without comedy. This is the love and marriage show and hasboro the game show night. I caught the tail end of hasboro. The little kid won again. I think it’s rigged.
I actually watched the love and marriage show. Someone proposed again. I think it’s rigged.
I went to quest as usual. They took out one thing they usually have and added in two things I don’t ever want to see again.
Lido
I walked through lido on the way to quest. They had a dive-in movie on.
Cabin
Off to bed. Tomorrow is Grand Turk.
