Travel Agent - July 7, 2008 - (Page 59)

received a headset to listen to the guide’s commentary, waved off the vendors and entered on foot into the Old City. We were immediately wowed by the stunning Colonial architecture. Residential balconies, constructed of intricate wooden scrollwork, dripped with blooming floral displays. This is a photographic gem of a city, so tell clients to leave plenty of space on their digital camera card. We sauntered into the courtyard of a former Colonial home and toured the 16th-century Cathedral of Cartagena, the Gold Museum and the Naval Museum. Our group appreciated the cool tree-covered Plaza de Bolivar, a natural respite from the heat. It boasts an impressive statue of Bolivar. Amusingly, eight or so luxury guests on our tour begged to substitute a brief visit to the 1770-era Palace of the Spanish Inquisition in place of their included entry to the Gold Museum—it seems they wanted to look more at instruments of torture than at gold and pottery. My take was that this was a “collectible” experience. People couldn’t wait to get back onboard and say they toured this place of past horrors. At the Naval Museum, our group enjoyed refreshments and watched a Colombian folkloric dance presentation. En route back to the ship, the motorcoach made a five-minute photo stop at the Castillo de San Felipe de Barajas, a majestic fortress, before meandering through a residential area with historic mansions. Other cruisers on our voyage booked a different city tour, “Cartagena City Sights.” Priced at $42 per person, it featured entry to the fortress, as well as the 17th-century La Popa Monastery, along with a stop at the Colombian Emeralds Center. Travelers must be fit, active and able to climb steep grades to visit the fortress. The arduous journey, however, is rewarded with bird’s-eye views of both old and modern Cartagena. Advise clients to consult the shore desk staff with any questions because city tours focusing on a fortress visit may not include the Old City walking tour and vice versa. Several guests on our cruise didn’t delve into the specifics and, thus, missed the sites they most wanted to see. Shoppers might consider booking a private car and English-speaking driver/guide. Emeralds are the big draw, and most shore trips don’t have much shopping time; our tour had none. But tell clients making private arrangements or traveling by taxi to allot plenty of time to return to the ship; Cartagena’s traffic can be challenging. where Bolivar lived. Visitors tour the house and stroll through its picturesque interior courtyard. Onsite is a broad avenue lined with international flags. It leads to an impressive white Simon Bolivar memorial built by Colombia in memory of “The Liberator.” This peaceful place of honor is reminiscent of other memorials to great leaders in capital cities around the world. Finally, our tour continued on to a beach area for an outdoor folkloric dance exhibition and refreshments. A final photo stop was made in the surrounding mountains for spectacular views to the city and sea below. Safety If clients go ashore in Colombia, they should take several bottles of water (it’s hot yearround), put on sunscreen and leave valuables and jewelry in the ship safe. From a safety and security perspective, taking an organized shore excursion set up by the cruise line is generally good advice for your clients going ashore at Colombian ports. For the latest conditions ashore, check the U.S. State Department site at www. travel.state.gov. We felt safe on our journey to both ports; tourism police were highly visible in Cartagena. The dynamic duo of Cartagena and Santa Marta are increasingly featured on deep Caribbean or Panama Canal cruise itineraries. Advise your clients to savor each destination for its own distinct personality, though, rather than expecting the same things at both ports. For more information, visit the Colombia tourism site at www.turismocolombia.com. I Historic Santa Marta Santa Marta’s traffic isn’t so intense. Silversea offered one Santa Marta city tour, priced at $47 per person. Larger ships may field additional options. At press time, Royal Caribbean International was still fine-tuning details for its shore trips on Enchantment of the Seas’ voyages to both Cartagena and Santa Marta between December 2008 and April 2009. Our Santa Marta tour involved a brief motorcoach ride to the main historic square and entry to the Cathedral of Santa Marta where Bolivar’s body was buried through 1842. This tour also included a visit to the Madame Agustine House, a jewel of Colonial architecture with an interior courtyard, beautifully tiled stairs and balconies. But the highlight of any Santa Marta tour is Quinta de San Pedro Alejandrino, the ranch on the outskirts of the city, where Bolivar spent his final days. Now a national historic site, this reserve boasts banyan trees, iguanas, bubbling ponds and the modest—but lovely—home CONNECTING YOU For more information on cruise destinations, visit www. travelagentcentral.com/cruises July 7, 2008 TravelAgent | 59 http://www.travel.state.gov http://www.travel.state.gov http://www.turismocolombia.com http://www.travelagentcentral.com/cruises http://www.travelagentcentral.com/cruises

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Travel Agent - July 7, 2008 Online Now Contents Contributors From the Editor Europe: History and a Scenic Landscape Define Normandy Pacific/Asia: Kuala Lumpur Offers Luxury Shopping and Hotels Hawaii: Honolulu’s Nightlife is as Dazzling as its Sunshine Canada: VIA Rail Offers a New Way to Enjoy the Great North Las Vegas: Hotels and Casinos Away From the Strip Florida: Hilton Daytona Beach Offers Budget-Friendly Packages Central & South America: Panama is Poised to Become a Hot Destination Mexico: The ME Cancún Targets an Upscale Clientele Caribbean: Maxim Opens a New Resort in Puerto Plata The Latest News and Notes from Dominica Cruises: A CLIA Study Offers Good News About Cruising Cartagena and Santa Marta Offer Two Different Sides of Columbia Cover Story: Wendy Goodenow Industry In Crisis: A New Report Offers a Gloomy Forecast for the Airline Industry Hotels: Prince Edward Island Celebrates Anne of Green Gables EZGuider: Vacation.com Launches a New Platform Agenda: Fam Trips, Deals & Incentives, Calendar Opinion Consortia Can Be An Agent’s Best Friend MLT Expands Roles and Offerings Malaysia Continues Agent Push In the Spotlight Agent Access Classified Marketplace Editorial Index Advertising Index Trendwatch

Travel Agent - July 7, 2008

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