Is Coconut Cove Worth It? 45 Minutes Into the Dominican Jungle to Find Out | Carnival Mardi Gras

Amber Cove, Dominican Republic — and we went all in. We booked the Coconut Cove All Inclusive Beach Oasis excursion through Carnival and they load you into a Chukka Ocean Outpost truck and take you 45 minutes through the Dominican countryside to a remote cliffside beach resort. The ride alone is worth it. In this video we take you through the full day — the truck ride through rural Dominican Republic including sugar cane fields, mango trees, and a glimpse into how locals actually live out here, arrival at Coconut Cove, the all inclusive food and drink setup, our honest take on everything from the Dominican lunch spread to the open bar, and whether this excursion is actually worth the price tag for cruise passengers. We also give you the practical details — what the drink menu looks like, what food is included, what costs extra, mobility considerations for the bumpy ride, and the cultural details that made this our favorite port stop of the entire Mardi Gras sailing. Back on the ship we had what turned out to be the best main dining room dinner of the entire cruise — Frito Misto, linguine vongole, grilled fish, and the Al Pistachio which was the captain's inaugural favorite dish. Best service of the week too with five servers attending our table. Plus we attempted the Deal or No Deal game at Center Stage, tried to get into the comedy club, and ended up at the PG-13 show in the Limelight Lounge. Helpful Tips Covered in This Video: — This is a Carnival sponsored excursion — meet at Zone 3 inside the port — The truck ride is about 45 minutes each way — plan accordingly and be mindful if mobility is a concern — Drinks come in small cups by design since they are unlimited — the menu is limited but sufficient — The coffee stand at Coconut Cove costs extra — not included in the all inclusive — Don't flush toilet paper — common in Dominican Republic and Mexico, plan accordingly — For the comedy club on Mardi Gras arrive at least 30-45 minutes early or you will not get in — Deal or No Deal at Center Stage — you can scan to play on your phone using the ship WiFi, no WiFi package required — Best MDR dish of the week — linguine vongole and the Al Pistachio captain's favorite Timestamps: 00:00 — Intro & Coconut Cove Overview 00:23 — Blue Iguana Breakfast Burritos 00:42 — Off the Ship & Meeting at Zone 3 01:12 — Port of Amber Cove First Look 01:35 — First Impressions of Amber Cove 02:10 — The Chukka Truck Ride Through the DR 03:26 — Arrival at Coconut Cove 03:51 — Drinks & What's Included 04:36 — Dominican Lunch Spread 05:18 — Food Review & Honest Take 06:09 — Coffee Stand & Cultural Moments 07:25 — Beach & Water Time 08:47 — Heading Back & Overall Verdict 09:34 — Full Coconut Cove Recap on the Ship 10:39 — The Truck Ride Breakdown 11:06 — Drinks & Bar Breakdown 12:19 — Best MDR Dinner of the Week 13:24 — Frito Misto, Linguine Vongole & Captain's Favorite Dish 14:16 — Best Desserts of the Week 14:45 — Deal or No Deal at Center Stage 16:04 — Comedy Club Attempt & Limelight Lounge 16:55 — Amber Cove Final Verdict & Nassau Preview This is video 3 in our full Carnival Mardi Gras series out of Port Canaveral. New episodes dropping weekly — subscribe and turn on notifications so you don't miss Nassau and Celebration Key. Nassau | Celebration Key — coming up next on Lit Life HQ.