Taino Bay, Dominican Republic Cruise Port Tour

Key Takeaways

• Taino Bay is not Amber Cove. Amber Cove is Carnival’s port in the Dominican Republic, not too far from here, but this is a completely different port.
• Little jitneys run back and forth from the ships, and the hut at the main plaza is where all the tours and shore excursions meet.
• You’ll walk through the duty free before you reach the shopping area, which has a spa and wellness area and lots of little huts with shops, drinks and food.
• Cantina Latina is the first bar and restaurant you’ll see if you want Mexican food and drinks.
• There are parrots you can interact with, a Monkey Island interactive experience, and a mechanical steampunk gorilla that plays the drums.
• Bars are everywhere, including a margarita bar with hanging pod seats and a mojito bar near the pools.
• The water park is free for cruise passengers, with pools, a lazy river you can tube around, and the Blue Parrot restaurant right across from it.
• There are first come, first served day beds on sandy ground, plus hammocks and restrooms nearby.

Good to Know

If you’re looking for somewhere to relax without booking anything, the free pools and lazy river are the big draw here. People do leave their stuff on the day beds while they’re in the water, so grab one early if you want a spot.

Norwegian Sky and Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas were both in port when I visited, and it still wasn’t too busy that morning, even though it was a hot day.

I think Taino Bay is a really nice port, much better than Amber Cove, so if you ever get the chance to stop here, be sure to get off and explore it.