Convenient restaurant in Samana to meet cruise ship friends

Michan · #1 03-21-2009, 11:45 AM

Could anyone recommend a convenient restaurant in Samana to establish as a meeting point for friends arriving on a cruise ship? We need to set up a location before they leave on their cruise so that we can drive over from Santiago to visit for a little while. It would be great if there was something close enough that they would not need a taxi to reach. They will arrive on a Sunday, on the NCL cruise line and should arrive at the port area of Samana via tenders. We would like a place where we can spend a couple of hours eating lunch and letting the kids play together while the old timers catch up on old times, drink a few beers and tell a few lies.

Thanks in advance for any recommendations.

Chirimoya · #2 03-21-2009, 08:28 PM

There are several restaurants right across the road from the malecón where the boats are likely to dock. One is called La Mata Rosada and there is another one on the corner right by Kim Beddall's office but can't remember what it's called.

rickboz · #3 03-22-2009, 05:28 PM

I also can not remember the name next to Kim's but the food and prices were great !

Michan · #4 03-22-2009, 05:57 PM

Thank you both for your ideas. Now I am intrigued as to what the name of that restaurant beside of Kim Beddall's office! I have been asking around and three names have popped up, El Sabor Samanés, Xamaná, and La Mata Rosada (that Chirimoya had mentioned before). Any of these names ring a bell??

Thanks again folks.

Chirimoya · #5 03-22-2009, 07:13 PM

It might be El Bambú, but I'm not 100%. IMO: varied menu, good prices, OK food.

whirleybird · #6 03-22-2009, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michan

Could anyone recommend a convenient restaurant in Samana to establish as a meeting point for friends arriving on a cruise ship? We need to set up a location before they leave on their cruise so that we can drive over from Santiago to visit for a little while. It would be great if there was something close enough that they would not need a taxi to reach. They will arrive on a Sunday, on the NCL cruise line and should arrive at the port area of Samana via tenders. We would like a place where we can spend a couple of hours eating lunch and letting the kids play together while the old timers catch up on old times, drink a few beers and tell a few lies.

Thanks in advance for any recommendations.

Are you sure that your friends will be able to meet up with you on shore from their cruise ship? We went to meet a couple of close friends some time ago and, having left home at 6 am to get there in good time, we were disappointed as they were unable to just get a tender to join us and we weren't able to get to them as the 'island' was restricted to cruise ship passengers only on that day. We took photos of the ship just to prove we had been there for a rendevous but we didn't get to meet up.

Michan · #7 03-23-2009, 10:28 AM

I appreciate you pointing that out. Actually, I had searched DR1 prior to posting and had ran across someone who had experienced what you have described (maybe was your post?, I don't recall the poster now). I had contacted the cruisers about this and they in turn had contacted the cruise line to be sure that they would actually visit Samana proper and not some nearby area. They were assured that they would take tenders into Samana itself, not any other area, sea conditions permitting. But, thanks to your post reminding me, I think that I will also contact the cruise line just to be sure. I would hate to drag the whole group down there for a disappointment.

Thanks again for everyone's suggestions.

whirleybird · #8 03-23-2009, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michan

I appreciate you pointing that out. Actually, I had searched DR1 prior to posting and had ran across someone who had experienced what you have described (maybe was your post?, I don't recall the poster now). I had contacted the cruisers about this and they in turn had contacted the cruise line to be sure that they would actually visit Samana proper and not some nearby area. They were assured that they would take tenders into Samana itself, not any other area, sea conditions permitting. But, thanks to your post reminding me, I think that I will also contact the cruise line just to be sure. I would hate to drag the whole group down there for a disappointment.

Thanks again for everyone's suggestions.

We forgot to exchange mobile phone numbers but would suggest that you confirm when they actually drop anchor in Samana bay. Our friends were also assured they would be able to get ashore but were then restricted to organised trips only.

toursamanawithterry · #9 03-25-2009, 07:29 PM

Rinconcito View is a little further away but they offer free internet and have free Wi-Fi as well. Also they have free phone calls to the US and Canada for all customers. The food is good and the beer is cold.

Michan · #10 04-13-2009, 01:06 PM

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions. We ended up meeting our cruising friends as their tender arrived (directly in front of the restaurant Xamana) and drove down to the restaurant "Bambu". It is a standard open-air dominican restaurant with standard fare. The food was average-to-good and the prices were fine. We paid about $ 4500rd for lunch and a few beers for about 10 people. They set up a couple of long tables together for us and we had a nice time catching up with some old friends. It worked out very well for our purposes.

One important note is that the cruise ship passengers were not subject to any type of customs inspection on this trip. Our friends had anticipated this and brought a lot of nifty presents for us and the kids including an xbox 360, two laptop computers, a 32 inch LCD tv, and lots of other incidentals. They carried the large items in duffle-type backpacks but we saw that other cruise passengers even have had suitcases with them. They all disembarked without any aduana checks whatsoever.

Thanks again for everyone's suggestions.