Eastern Caribbean Cruise: San Juan and Amber Cove

San Juan, Puerto Rico

Our next stop was to San Juan. We decided to do an Old and New San Juan tour. We booked this tour with an outside company, Shore Excursions. I am still on the fence about this company. They are the same ones we booked our beach break through. (I am in the process of trying to get my money back on that one!)

They picked us up in a nice air-conditioned bus. The really nice thing is there were only two other couples with us. That is the plus of not going through the cruise lines. They took us to a couple of cool places on both sides of San Juan. While I enjoyed this, again, this is not something I would ever do again. I am learning this about myself. While I love to learn about the different places and I love to see all the things, I am truly a relax and chill person at heart. I think if it was a few days in San Juan, I would have no problem spending the time. I would get to know the area. But with such limited time, all I really want to do is see the beautiful beaches and chill! Also Doug and I have actually been there before, but it was 10 years ago. At the end of the tour we had the choice of being taken back to the port. Also be dropped off at the downtown for shopping. Of course we picked the latter.

This bronze wall was amazing, I couldn’t believe all the detail! I wish i knew more about it, but i had a hard time understanding our guide.

Beautiful old Cemetery, they no longer bury anyone here, because it is FULL!

We learned that the government is the one who decides what color these buildings are, you have no choice in the matter!!

As you can see it really is beautiful there!

Amber Cove, Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic

Our Final stop was to Amber Cove, which is a Carnival owned port on Dominican Republic. Greg and Lucie had booked an excursion where they were going to see 7 waterfalls. Doug and I decided we would sit that one out. With my bad knees and tailbone, that just seemed like a wise choice. I already got hurt multiple time on this trip! I cut my leg on some coral in the ocean at Honeymoon beach. A rock fell off a table right on my big toe while shopping at the vendor tables. When getting out of the van, my wet and sandy flip flop rolled my ankle. I just about did the splits trying to stop myself from doing a face plant! I was extremely sore after that one! LOL not to mention my knees after so many flights of stairs on the ship! Man I sound 100 years old!

Doug and I slept in a little that morning. Then we got a call from Lucie. She said their excursion left without them! They changed the meeting time an hour earlier and sent them an email. We don’t have internet service on the ship, so they didn’t know! ( another reason why booking excursions outside of the cruise company is a little sketchy) So we hurried up and met them at the shops. We decided to take a taxi out to the Pink street and umbrella street. Those were the only two things I really wanted to see here anyways. All four of us were able to get a taxi into town for $100.Our Driver would escort us to these places and a beach. After seeing how things were there, I was grateful to have the extra security.

This umbrella street was so cute! I am happy we decided to check it out. Although I think I need a photographer to tell me how to pose at all of these fun places I am always so awkward! LOL

On our way back we stopped at a beach that had a few vendors and had lunch, then headed back to Amber Cove. We could of done without that stop. We were sooo hot and sweaty. We jumped right into the pool at Amber Cove to cool off. After cooling off, we headed back on board the ship.

The last day was another sea day. We ate all the things we had been meaning to eat and chilled before having to face the reality that our trip was almost over! We had such a great time!

Kenny J playing one of my favorite songs 🙂