Costa Rica Cruises & Small Ship Expeditions

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Free travel planning from experts who live, work and play in Costa Rica. Trust in our experience.

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Impartial advice on cruises, ships, cabins, packing & more. You’ve got questions, we’ve got answers.

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Costa Rica Cruise or Land Tour – How to Choose?

There are several key differences when considering a cruise or land based trip. Our experts provide advice to help you choose between a cruise and land tour.

Travel Logistics

On a cruise you will unpack only once before spending a week exploring a wide variety of destinations and habitats. Land tours are often more rugged, packing and unpacking at each new location and lodge. Travel by road or by air takes up precious vacation time. In Costa Rica, all roads lead to San Jose, so land tours are often forced to return to the center of the country before moving on to the next region. Domestic flights in Costa Rica can sometimes replace long days of travel, but the same restrictions apply with most flights returning to San Jose before connecting with another destination.

Accommodations

Small ships and yachts offer a wide variety of cabin sizes and types. But most are smaller than a lodge based accomodation. Rooms have private baths and air conditioning. Ships offer plenty of common areas and deck space to engage with other guests or have a quiet moment alone to watch the sunset. When exploring from small ships you are often accessing regions away from roads and civilization so the only other travelers you encounter are those from your ship.

Accommodations can vary widely in style and amenities on land-based tours. Of course the status of your hotels and lodges will largely define the price of a tour. Accommodations range from simple retreats with no air conditioning and shared bathrooms to luxurious lodges and extravagant resorts with A/C, swimming pools and upscale amenities. AdventureSmith land tours in Costa Rica strive to utilize accommodations that are rooted in the environment and provide unique access to the region’s diversity. While exploring from lodges you will, of course, encounter other guests and activities tend to be more crowded than those conducted from small ship cruises.

Meals

Meals aboard small ships and on land-based tours are excellent. Food is such an important part of the travel experience but is often only given an afterthought during the booking process. Both ships and lodges strive to use the finest local ingredients, and chefs are proud to creatively represent the region’s diversity through their culinary creations. Meals are included aboard all small ships and most packaged tours, but may cost extra on independent tours.

Aboard small ships, you will dine in a casual family-style setting with other passengers. Choices are typically limited to a meat, fish or poultry and vegetarian option. Breakfast and lunch are often buffets, while dinners are plated. On land tours meals are served in hotel or local restaurants, offering a wider variety of choices. Restaurants also offer travelers a chance to interact with locals and perhaps a chance to practice your Spanish. Costa Rica is a destination that is not well known for its cuisine and while this is changing, especially at some of the top lodges, you may find that the cuisine aboard small ships offers a more international flair. 

Costa Rica Custom Cruisetours

Still having trouble deciding if you want to visit Costa Rica by land or sea? We suggest you try both. Combine your small ship cruise with a Costa Rica land tour for the ultimate Costa Rica vacation. The Tropical Volcano & Cloud Forest Adventure is specifically designed to complement small ship cruises that begin or end in Costa Rica.

Our full service agency can assist with arrange hotels, transfers, activities, tours and guided adventures. Describe your dream trip, we’ll make it happen. Free custom trip planning.

Best Time for a Costa Rica Cruise

The best time for a Costa Rica cruise is November through March. Perfect for a warm-weather getaway during the cold North American winter. Costa Rica’s sunny, white-sand beaches are inviting during these dry season months, and migrant bird populations are in full effect. Learn more about Costa Rica climate for travelers to plan your perfect cruise.