Escaping the cold east coast winter to spend a week on the National Geographic Sea Lion in Costa Rica and Panama was magical beyond belief. We were on the Sea Lion, four of us, older active adults, college friends. We travel together semi-annually. This was our first experience on a small ship.
Category 3, the top category was adequate. Beds were comfortable, the cabin was smallish. We were not in the cabin all that much as the experience outside was fantastic and didn’t want to miss a second of activities. Lindblad has the top-notch naturalists and educators. That is why you pay the bigger bucks and it is worth every penny. Nothing stuffy as lectures or reading material, but very educated special people traveling with you and equally amazed at new experiences at every turn.
Nature – Trip was a bird lovers paradise along with land animals and sea life. Every day it seemed to be another planet of new animals and experiences. The monkeys,(many varieties) sloths, termites, ants, dolphins, whales, frigate birds, boobies, white sand beaches, warm water zodiacs, kayaks, snorkel, swim, rocks, shells, plants, reptiles, and so much more.
Food was great, healthy and varied. We never went wanting for more. I ate and didn’t gain any weight, how is that to show what an active cruise this was. No sitting around the buffet table for hours on a Lindblad cruise.
Going through the Panama Canal was a dream for my husband who is an ex-engineer and hung on every word of our naturalist who educated us at every step.
We were able to shop in San Jose on our way home, purchased great memories of the Costa Rican culture and history. We loved this trip and was sorry it ended so quickly.
—Mr. & Ms. Robin Highine
