14 Day Caribbean Cruise
Puerto Santo Tomas de Castilla, Guatemala
Nov. 16, 2010
11 am – 7 pm
Description & Accessibility
This was in a lot of ways a nice port, but it wasn’t like a lot of other ports, the ship docked in what was a industrial port, so there was not a massive shopping district at the port / pier itself.
They had a welcoming display as you got off the ship, you could get a picture with them if you wished.
There was one tourist building at the very end of the pier, I knew it was there because I saw it in my research but it may be missed if just looking down the pier from the ship. The people there where friendly, and this was a 3rd world country so having a cruise ship dock makes it a very good day for them and we where the only cruise ship there.
We took a one hour sightseeing tour of the area on the vehicle to the left. We never left the vehicle and no one was allowed off at any stops but you could get pictures from the tour vehicle. There was a driver and a guide that gave the narration during the tour. The tour guide herself was a teacher.
The temperature was 115 degrees F on the day we where there, and I heard it is that warm throughout the year. You should wear a hat particularly if you tend to burn easily.
There was a person with a bicycle and cab which would bring people from the ship to the tourist building, I believe I heard it was one dollar US per ride per person. This person likely made a lot of income that day for a person in a 3rd world country, and a bargain for people on the ship who found it just too hot to walk anywhere.
In the one and only tourist shop building, there where lots of stands selling a variety of products, and entertainment, an artist painting pictures who was actually quite good. There was also a tourist information desk and tours, if you wish to consider a tour directly there that you have not pre-booked, you should go there early as soon as you get off the ship. Now just like the experience in Cozumel, these people try to convince you to look at what they are selling, it is a big day for these people and they want to make a good income that day. Some who have not experience this may consider it to be over aggressive. I have experience with this type of selling, and I never felt offended by this, some however may, but you must understand it is just their way of business there. The good side is that at most of the stands you can bargain and never take the first price they give you.
In that one tourist building was also entertainment, each group had a box for tips, the one young child (to the left bottom) danced and brought in a lot of tips for that family. I would have asked the artist there painting landscape pictures if he done portraits if my budget was not as tight at the time because he was a good painter.
This was something that no other port had, they put on a show on the pier as the ship was about to leave and kept up the entertainment until the ship sailed away. It was like a thank you for coming there to visit after all it is a big day for these people when a cruise ship comes. Just be sure you are on the outside deck to see the show as the ship prepares to leave.
Accessibility:
The pier / port area is completely accessible including the tourist building which has a ramp entry. Accessibility can vary greatly once off the pier / port area. The one hour trolley tour we took did not have roll on capabilities, but it was close to the ship and someone at the dock that works on the ship will take care of your scooter or wheelchair while on the tour as long as you can manage to get on the tour vehicle, they did provide an portable extra step they put on the ground to make it easier to board.
By: Donald Kerr