Nathan C. Posted March 15, 2023 Report Share Posted March 15, 2023 I will be making my first trip to the Dominican Republic on Explorer OTS on March 10, 2024, and I am starting to research tours---I especially would like to take a quality tour of a cigar factory---and if I can experience other things as well, it would be an added plus. I see that there are multiple tours on the RCCL Planner including "Puerto Plata Traditions & Flavors" and "Authentic Countryside Experience" that include tours of places where cigars are made---are these legit factory locations/tours or are they more of a store that happens to have someone making cigars? I have found multiple sites online---including Trip Advisor---saying that the La Aurora Cigar Factory, in Santiago de los Caballeros, is awesome and a must-visit location---is this the same location as what would be on the "Puerto Plata Traditions & Flavors" tour---in the description of the tour it says: "Learn what it takes to make handmade cigars at La Aurora Cigar Museum." Has anyone taken the tour of the La Aurora Cigar Factory, in Santiago de los Caballeros? What are your recommendations on safely getting there? Do they make arrangements to pickup at the port? Thanks in advance!!! nano59 and WAYNO 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobroo Posted March 18, 2023 Report Share Posted March 18, 2023 Puerto Plata!!! Boy 'oh boy am I glad to see Royal adding this port to more and more sailings! (This port is worthy of a full run down by one of the Blogs roving reporters BTW) I was there last November and toured it on my own. I did not do any of the specific tours you've inquired about @Nathan C. however, maybe my experience will shed some light and get you and others stoked to be going to the DR. The cruise terminal is a new renovation completed just before the pandemic by Carnival. Likely the reason Royal has not stopped there often in the past, it does not mean they did a bad job! A gated community of shops much like the terminals at Cozumel. It is large; very modern looking; and has a nice blend of truly DR locally owed shops, bars and food, and the usual suspects of Diamonds International et. al. posing as locals and exploiting unassuming vacationers. For many people, their day spent just in the gated shopping community will be rewarding and a good experience. It is a very attractive and nice area. I chose to walk to the Central Historic District and I'm likely the only person on our ship to do so using only his feet. It might have taken me 20 minutes. The only agenda, itinerary, or even clear thought I had was Bar, Local Food, and Cigars. I had spent all of 10 minutes on Google Maps looking for the information I needed. I found that the Central Historic District was where all the action was and it was a short, reasonable distance away. Oh yeah, it was east of the cruise terminal. Onward Ho! This old downtown area has a couple key features that make it a worthwhile destination. So many ports and their related old towns have difficulty attracting and engaging tourists. Puerto Plata? No Problemo! They took what was probably an undesirable block long alley and pink-washed the entire thing. It is hard to ignore the Paseo de Dona Blanca, its' pinkness shimmers in the sunlight. Down that alley are spots specifically for tourists to take selfies and photos. A bronze sculpture of Señorita Blanca conspicuously on one end of a park bench. A large picture frame spaced out 2 feet from a wall with the word Instagram at the top of it. A secured ladder against a wall that leads to no where. In short, Puerto Plata took an undesirable alley and made it a destination that everyone goes to at bare minimum cost to the community. When I was there, one family from our ship had taken some formal outfits along that they changed into at the restroom of a local restaurant. I think their entire day was based on taking their own Glamour Shots photos in that alley. The Paseo de Dona Blanca is totally free and never closes. Another big attraction is Umbrella Street. You may have seen a similar one in San Juan and I have no idea who might have come up with the idea first, but how much could it have possibly cost the community for a pallet load of Chinese made multi colored umbrellas and several hundred feet of aircraft cable to suspend them? I guess we might add in a back up pallet of el cheapo umbrellas and a city worker to occasionally replace them as they become sun bleached or damaged. Again-- bare minimum cost to the community and maximum tourist engagement. The results are that every tourist walks down that street and takes photos. It too is a destination. I am also guessing the shops along that street are in some type of an economic empowerment zone. It was a nice, friendly area that everyone was at; including every van load of cruiseship passenger who paid $60 for a tour of Old Puerto Plata. It was along Umbrella Street I found what I was looking for; drinks made with sugary fruit and rum; fried plantains, and tobacco in its' native environment. At the end of the street I found the Espigon Cigar Factory/Shop/Store. I bet I passed at least a dozen other similar cigar businesses that day, maybe more. They all appeared very similar in operation. I'm guessing they were all similarly priced. What attracted me to this place was the store canine who had his sleeping spot and was unfazed by customers. Having to step over a dog to enter the store reminded me of my own kitchen or going down my hallway to the bedroom. There are a couple full time cigar rollers front and center to the operation. Feel free to watch, ask questions, or take a whack at it yourself if you are a paying customer. There were free cigar samples. Oh yeah, many of those $60 a head cruise ship passengers stopped in for the free show and the daring ones, a free sample. I bought a couple bundles of 50 rings for two cigar fiends I know back home and spent some time enjoying one myself and really getting to know the locals who worked there. We talked about their music and how it was a more electronic form of Salsa. Of course we talked about baseball. Tread lightly if you too don't think that Sammy Sosa belongs in the HoF, it's a touchy subject. But they completely get the argument of keeping integrity in the sport. In short, my hour at that store I found the real Dominican Republic. I found its' culture, the opinion and attitudes of its' people, and how a small DR business is run. And the store dog? Yeah, I had to skootch his legs so that I could leave. They really don't have taxis in this area. I was probably less-than-sober when it was getting time to head back to the pier and was completely relaxed and on island time. So I took the mode of transport that the locals take all the time: being the ol' lady of a dude on a moped. What could possibly go wrong??? Unknown streets in a foreign country? Unknown dude with as full faced tinted motorcycle helmet and no affiliation to Yellow Taxi or Uber or whatever? Worse yet, a friend see you on a moped??? It all worked out fine! He wanted what was probably an extremely high price of $7 US for the quick ride. I gave him a 20 and told him to keep the change. It capped off an extremely enjoyable day in Puerto Plata. Nathan C., WAAAYTOOO, KristiZ and 2 others 1 2 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnK6404 Posted March 18, 2023 Report Share Posted March 18, 2023 On 3/15/2023 at 2:02 AM, Nathan C. said: I see that there are multiple tours on the RCCL Planner including "Puerto Plata Traditions & Flavors" and "Authentic Countryside Experience" that include tours of places where cigars are made---are these legit factory locations/tours or are they more of a store that happens to have someone making cigars? We did the "Authentic Countryside Experience" excursion back in January. Here's the link to my live blog from that sailing if you have any interest in that excursion (jump to page 2). It was a little too authentic for us! LOL! Link: Wonder OTS - JAN 2023 It's a small building just off the store in the back of the property that manufactures cigars (not a large-scale "factory"). Some pics from that cigar "factory" tour... Nathan C., WAYNO and bobroo 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liftedhands Posted June 26, 2023 Report Share Posted June 26, 2023 Sorry I missed this thread on cigars. This is great information for sure. I actually started a thread to just called cigars on RCB. There is good info there to on where to go - buy and enjoy cigars. Brotherhood of the leaf! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nano59 Posted January 28 Report Share Posted January 28 I’m on the same sailing with you and wondering about this exact tour as well. What did you decide? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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