A great experience with Xander, Jordan, and Giovanni. We well worth the excursion. Will definitely do it again
All was very good except for the long wait on the bus before leaving. Great service. Beach was great, could order drinks and food from your beach chairs or walk up to either of the two restaurants on the beach.
Fair-and-Practical
21 Dec 2023
The exact name of the excursion I went on via NCL was "Puerto Plata Highlights and Beach Escape". Would I go again on it? Not really. I went late November 2023. Not sure if it was due to the time of the year, but the water was murky. It didn't look anything like the pictures. We were taken by bus to a resort which included 'Playa Dorada'. The ride was comfortable and the guide was amusing when describing the local town. At arrival, we were welcomed with a tropical drink and then taken to an area away from the central/main part of the beach. The beach lounge chairs were already set up facing the water, and situated right in front and across a large-size shack, which included bathrooms and where to change, if needed. We got to select our chairs, but soon after, a parade of local vendors started to walk across and in between our chairs, as we were trying to get settled. I fully understand their need to sell and make a living, but it should have been controlled a bit more, so that we could appreciate the ambiance of the area. Without exaggerating, we were approached about every 10 minutes by one of the vendors trying to sell anything from, hats, scarves, cigars, a massage, a pedicure, a necklace, etc., etc. After a full almost half hour, we were finally left to breath. Mind you, they were all very respectful and courteous as they got near, but it was just too overwhelming at one point with so many at the same time. I am the first one to ask for music, and what better than to hear some of the local tunes to set the mood, but please, not so loud. We couldn't hear ourselves talk. Then, it was bingo time whether you were playing or not; you had no choice but to hear every single number being called out throughout two games straight. Soon after that, lunch time was announced. It was nothing like the description detailed. It mentioned that we were going to be served one of their local dishes composed of bbq chicken. Yes, they had chicken, but it was just a simple breast fillet on the grill with two or three choices for sides. Not quite how it was described. Later on, we had some merengue dancing glasses, which probably was the highlight of the whole day, since it was fun to watch. As it was time to leave, we all got back on the bus and they dropped us at the end of this island-like shopping area next to the port, which included a large tiki hut and a pool. It was obvious that it was a strategic way and a well-thought marketing tool to get you to walk practically the entire length of the area in order to get back to the ship. Bottom line, not exactly what I had imagined.