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From the cruise port Caldera to Orotina City is 26 km / 16 mi (east of the port). Cruise ships to Puntarenas usually dock at port Puerto Caldera - Costa Rica's largest seaport, also ranked the country's most important cargo port. The port's harbor is protected by breakwaters and has docking terminals.
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Colon, this historically important city is a gateway to the Panama Canal and full of Latin charm and New World history. The dryer months of December through April are the best times to cruise to Costa Rica. The best time to cruise to Costa Rica and Panama is during the dryer months of December through April.
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Another popular tour destination is the Arenal Volcano - located approx 90 km (56 ml) northwest of San Jose. Tours to Monteverde are also often offered from the Puntarenas cruise port. While you’re in the cruise port, purchase a drink or snack to get access to the WiFi, or stay unplugged if you can. As you exit the pier where ships on your Puntarenas cruise will dock, you’ll see a black sand beach surrounding you and a craft market set up most days along the beachfront. You’ll probably see signature red taxis ready to scoop you up for a day’s adventure in Puntarenas.
Coffee Culture
USD is generally acceptable to hotels, flights, and higher-end restaurants, however. Credit cards are typically accepted by merchants, but it’s recommended to carry enough colones with you to cover a coffee, purchase a meal, or tip a tour guide. Tipping at restaurants is usually included—10% is the norm—but if not, a tip of 10% or greater is encouraged. If, for any reason, you’re hungering for pizza and pasta instead of traditional foods in Costa Rica, head over to Matobes. By-the slice pizzas, caprese salad, handmade ravioli, and calzones rule the menu here. Follow our social media and blog for the latest cruise and travel news, including our best vacation deals.
Find Cruises to Costa Rica's Puntarenas Port
Costa Rica's beaches are known for their unspoiled beauty, and the ones in the province of Limon are especially popular for their Caribbean vibe. Relax in the white sand and warm waters at Playa Bonita, Playa Blanca or Puerto Viejo. Pick up souvenirs at the stalls set up by the water, sip on a fresh coconut, stroll by the shore as you take in the palm-fringed coast. With its luscious greenery, steep cliffs, tropical beaches and nature reserves, Puerto Caldera is an amazing cruise destination for the adventurous traveler and beach lover. This hidden gem is located just south of Quepos in the town of Dominical.
Puerto Caldera (Puntarenas), Costa Rica
Head two and a half hours South, whether on a tour or via car, to Manuel Antonio National Park, for an unbeatable experience of Costa Rica’s unaltered, pure beauty. There are three beaches at the park as well as dense tropical rainforest to explore via hiking trails of various difficulty levels. You’ll probably spot iguanas, squirrel monkeys, and sloths during your day at the park.
Costa Rica: Departure Ports
You’ll know you’re there when you stumble upon a lemon yellow house with a Coca-Cola sign out front. Take a seat in one of the wooden benches and chow down on their fresh, authentic Costa Rican eats like fried plantains or chifrijo, crispy pork with rice and beans. The tiki bar features live music and serves sushi and Japanese food on the weekends, making it a fun fusion place unlike anywhere in Puntarenas. They offer several varieties of ceviche, seafood stews, and handmade pastas with fresh shrimp or clams. The Port of Nicayo offers a lot in the way of fresh seafood, and simple Costa Rican dishes are done extra well in Puntarenas.
If driving is not an issue, head to the village of Sarchi and pick your favorite oxcart as a souvenir. Cruise to Costa Rica to stop by a beachside vendor and pick up a batik, a colorful dyed cloth traditional to the area. Wooden rocking chairs and painted ceramics are also available and locally made. To shop where the locals do, visit the Ferias del Agricultor (Farmers Fair) open on Friday evening and all-day Saturday.
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Sail to a place often regarded as paradise on a luxury cruise to Costa Rica. Ticos, as Costa Ricans are known, celebrate their good fortune by greeting one another with “pura vida” (pure life), the essence of this happy, laid back, and spectacularly beautiful country. There are many national parks, safari tours, and opportunities for river rafting in Puntarenas and Puerto Limon. Port Puntarenas cruise ship schedule shows timetable calendars of all arrival and departure dates by month. The port's schedule lists all ships (in links) with cruises going to or leaving from Puntarenas, Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica. To see the full itineraries (ports of call dates and arrival / departure times) and their lowest rates – just follow the corresponding ship-link.
Access the falls by hiking through the rainforest or take a guided horseback ride. Once you arrive, cool off with a rewarding swim in its stunning natural pool. Then head to the biological exhibit for a glimpse of the wildlife researchers as they study the creatures and vegetation that inhabit this land. Sail to the destination of your dreams from the departure port that works best for you.
Bordering a gentle stretch of sand kissed by Pacific breezes, the former rough-and-tumble port town of Puntarenas, Costa Rica is now a laid-back seaside retreat. With a Puntarenas cruise, you can stroll the mile-long seafront Paseo de los Turistas boardwalk past restaurants, cafés and colorful souvenir stands. On your Carnival cruise to Puntarenas, relax on the powdery beach and watch the sun melt into the Gulf of Nicoya. Hop on a boat for a guided tour of Isla San Lucas, a former prison site that wasn’t much of an attraction until recently. The area was converted into a wildlife refuge to bring greenery and light to its previously dark past. The prison closed in 1991 and was declared a National Wildlife Refuge in 2011.
Explore La Fortuna village at the base of the volcano, where the looming volcano over this peaceful town will amaze you. There are a number of hot springs in the area because of the volcanic activity such as the Heliconias Nature Lodge or the Casa Luna Hotel and Spa. Furthermore, Cruise Critic makes no guarantees for availability of prices advertised on our site. Listed prices may have blackout dates, qualifications or restrictions.
From here you can soar above rainforests, feel the mist from tumbling waterfalls, and swim in clear Caribbean seas. These make Limón, Costa Rica a top spot in the region for embarking on eco-adventures. When you cruise to Limón, don’t forget to check out the city itself, the source for millions of bananas that get shipped northward every year. Whether in the Caribbean waters or amongst nature on land, you’ll feel refreshed and invigorated by your cruise to Costa Rica.
It was the country's main seaport for years but now is mainly used by cruise ships. Puntarenas City has approx 34 km2 (13 mi2) land area and population around 35,000. They proliferate the city and are instantly recognizable by their red color.
You can pick up a handmade gifts, local art from a Costa Rican vendor, or a souvenir of Puntarenas to bring home with you. Full beans will keep their freshness longer than pre-ground, so you can bring them back home and they’ll taste just as good as when you are in Costa Rica. Explore the rainforests and beaches of Costa Rica on a cruise lasting between 11 and 16 nights. You could sail round-trip from Tampa, calling at Puerto Limón on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast.