Ocean Crossings

Arriving to San Jose, the capital and largest city in Costa Rica, San Jose has a lot to offer its visitors that hail from around the world. It is a contrasted city with exhilarating expressions of history, traditions, art and architecture. The tour will begin with an initial orientation and drive through the beautiful Sabana Park. Next, you will take a walking tour through the historic National Theater. Completed in 1897, the theater is a masterpiece in art and architecture. Afterwards, you will visit one of the many unique museums of Costa Rica, The Pre-Columbian Gold Museum which has an extraordinary collection of gold objects that reflect the world view, social structure, and gold-working techniques of the Pre-Columbian peoples of Costa Rica. The exhibition showcases the use and function of the pieces, the technology of their fabrication, and their relationship to the natural world and the daily life of these societies. The collection consists of 1,600 pieces of Pre-Columbian gold work that date from 500 A.D. to 1500 A.D. After this extraordinary museum tour, you will continue heading to the National Museum, Atlantic Ferrocarril Station. Rail transport in Costa Rica is under the ownership of Instituto Costarricense de Ferrocarriles (INCOFER). The Estación al Atlántico (Atlantic Station) today serves as the San José hub for the commuter train to Heredia and Cartago provinces. You will be transferred to your Windstar Hotel.

Please note:  Travel will be along winding roads. There may be a stop to drop off Windstar guests at the airport before the final stop at the Windstar Hotel.

At the port you will be greeted by your naturalist guide and board the air conditioned bus for a relaxing 75-minute drive through the countryside. Along the way, your guide will provide you with fascinating information regarding Costa Rica’s culture and history, and you will have the opportunity to ask questions. This is an exclusive tour into the elusive Costa Rica Animal Rescue Center, located in the town of Turrucares, an old fashioned town. Never before has a cruise ship guest had an all access pass to the most amazing fauna conservation effort in the country and had the chance to interact first hand with all the wildlife imaginable; toucans, hawks, monkeys, sloths, tamanduas, ant eaters, and parrots are some of the few animals you may encounter in this magical location where the foundation is working endlessly to restore all of these animals to good health so they can later be released back into the wild. At the conclusion of your unforgettable morning, you’ll re-board your private coach and enjoy a delightful 30-minute ride through the countryside to Brasil de Mora, situated on the outskirts of San José. At Costa Rica's Craft Brewing Co. you will see first-hand how Costa Ricans have integrated their “pura vida” lifestyle into what has been considered one of the 100 best breweries in the world and see first-hand how the process to make quality beer is developed, and above all get to enjoy a beer tasting session with these fine brews.  Finish off your tour with a hearty lunch of food cooked and stewed in the beer itself. Finally you will be dropped off at the Juan Santamaria International Airport.

Please note: Wear comfortable clothes, closed-toe shoes, and bring a hat, sunscreen, insect repellent and credit card. This tour is for disembarking guests with flights 3 p.m. or later. This tour concludes at the airport.