glory Tours

I just wanted to report here on how impressed I am with Glory tours and I haven't even gone on the tour yet. Sarah has been very quick in responding to all my questions (usually responded within a few hours).

I booked and received confirmation right away and when I expressed a concern about payment she quickly responded and offered a solution.

She obviously cares about her business and i look forward to the tour we have booked. Which is the Bajan tour which includes visiting Harrison Caves as well as snorkeling with the turtles.

I will report back after the trip, really looking forward to my visit to Barbados

Vickie

Vickie,

How much are these tours?

You can visit their website for pricing information on each of their tours....

www.glorytours.org

Have great time in Barbados!!

definately have to check out their website. It has very good tours and varried prices. We've booked the Bajan hightlights tour of a visit to Harrison Caves and then snorkeling with sea turtles.

We toured with Sarah last week. Had a great day. Its a beautiful island and she knows just about everything about it.

We toured with Sarah last week. Had a great day. Its a beautiful island and she knows just about everything about it.

piratefan - if you are still around... which tour did you do? I contacted Sarah today (and awaiting her response). Did you go to the Harrison Cave? I am interested in that, snorkeling, sea turtles and possibly the monkees...

piratefan - if you are still around... which tour did you do? I contacted Sarah today (and awaiting her response). Did you go to the Harrison Cave? I am interested in that, snorkeling, sea turtles and possibly the monkees...

Hi there, I think you'll be interested in the "Best of Barbados" tour.... A full day of fun including all of the things you mentioned + more! :)

Hi there, I think you'll be interested in the "Best of Barbados" tour.... A full day of fun including all of the things you mentioned + more! :)

I just got home -- and that's exactly what the email from Sarah says!! Thanks!!

she responded to me right away and sooo many of my questions and concerns.I can't wait to meet her.

She's a lovely lady. We've used Glory Tours twice. Last year we had a tour with one of her drivers. This year she met us at the end of our Wind Surf cruise, and gave us a private tour for the two of us. When our timing was such that it was still too early to go to the airport, she gave us an extra hour, taking us to the northern tip of the island. Glory Tours is definitely a first class operation.

We had a so-so experience on the best of Barbados tour. Our guide, while a nice enough guy, seemed just kinda of half-interested in the tour. We left the island wondering what the big deal is about Barbados and not really that interested in visiting again. This was reinforced when our tour the next day with Cosol at St Lucia was many times better.

we are alos to Cossol in St. Lucia.

I am now concerned that the Harrison Caves will still be closed when we are there. I don't want to go to Orchid world.

Our guide gave one of those "it will never open" laughs when asked about the caves. Sounds like the caves opening has been promised to the tour operators for a long time and never happens. I would count on NOT seeing the caves.

In a do-over, I'd do some sort of sailing or snorkeling excursion instead of site seeing. Bathsheba was the only thing I think I would hate to miss out on seeing. Otherwise, you get to spend a half-hour at a pottery factory, a half-hour at a 17th century church, an hour waiting for bad lunch at a dive restaurant, a half-hour looking at orchids, and an hour at the wildlife preserve (this was pretty cool, the hundred or so turtles there just cracked me up).

If you are really into site seeing and really layed back, this tour may be for you. If you are a little more active, it probably isn't for you.

spend a half-hour at a pottery factory, a half-hour at a 17th century church, an hour waiting for bad lunch at a dive restaurant, a half-hour looking at orchids, and an hour at the wildlife preserve (this was pretty cool, the hundred or so turtles there just cracked me up).

 

If you are really into site seeing and really layed back, this tour may be for you. If you are a little more active, it probably isn't for you.

I agree that the pottery factory was a waste. On the other hand, we enjoyed the local restaurant so much on our 2006 tour that we asked to go to the same place earlier this month, even though Sarah offered to take us to a fancy Sunday buffet at a hotel. We enjoyed the flying fish and broiled fish, slaw, sweet potato pie, and Barbados hot sauce, all washed down with ginger beer, very much. It made us feel like pampered natives.

On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 the best, I give Glory Tours a ringing 5. If you prefer to do active stuff like snorkeling or swimming with turtles, Sarah can arrange what you want. She's not just into sightseeing: she has arrangements with the active activity providers, will drive you there, then will (within reason) take you to wherever you want to go after the snorkeling or swimming.

My advice to anyone is to do what you want to do, and not be pressured into doing something that "isn't you". Different people like to do different things.

We had a so-so experience on the best of Barbados tour. Our guide, while a nice enough guy, seemed just kinda of half-interested in the tour. We left the island wondering what the big deal is about Barbados and not really that interested in visiting again. This was reinforced when our tour the next day with Cosol at St Lucia was many times better.

Hi! I'm very interested in going on one of these tours, but I know how important it is that the tour guide be fully invested. A lackluster guide can completely change the flavor of the tour.

Do you know what the name of the tourguide was?

We had a so-so experience on the best of Barbados tour. Our guide, while a nice enough guy, seemed just kinda of half-interested in the tour. We left the island wondering what the big deal is about Barbados and not really that interested in visiting again. This was reinforced when our tour the next day with Cosol at St Lucia was many times better.

Richard: who was your tour guide? I'm a little concerned because Sarah is already booked so we will have to have either Stephen or Darren. Should I still book with Glory Tours or should I go with another company? Can anyone make a suggestion for me?

Richard: who was your tour guide? I'm a little concerned because Sarah is already booked so we will have to have either Stephen or Darren. Should I still book with Glory Tours or should I go with another company? Can anyone make a suggestion for me?

We had Darren on our recent cruise and had a wonderful time, he was very accomodating and a great pleasure to be around...pics from the excursion below...

http://www.dropshots.com/dvnms_72#date/2007-12-31/05:48:54

Forgot to add...

The tour we did was the Celebrate Barbados tour which includes

• Mount Gay Visitor Center
  
• Andromeda Botanical Gardens
  
• Bathsheba
  
• East Coast (lunch stop)
  
• Glass Bottom Cruise

You will also get a glimpse the Morgan Lewis windmill on this tour

Yesterday we were in Barbados and we had planned a tour with Glory Tours for 9 am -- half day tour Bajan Highlights -- to Harrison Caves then snorkeling with the turtles. We only wanted a half day because we wanted to tour the main city too on our own and have a nice meal in town.

About two weeks ago while on the first leg of this trip (we booked back to backs) we received an email from sarah saying the tour is now at 11 well we emailed her back and said we couldn't do 11 and to cancel and refund. She responded right away and said sorry the tour is in fact 9.

We showed up at 9 along with two other couples that also had 9 o'clock boarding passes. Guess what, no tour -- the guy organizing things said the tour was 11, we showed him our passes and he called and arranged for our driver. We waited over an hour. Of course it was always 10 more min, 15 more min. We were just about to give up and he called Sarah, again she stated she thought the tour was 11 -- this concerned me. We said we would wait a little longer, and our driver then showed up.

We tried to put on a good face and positive attitude. Our driver Kris was great and he got us to the caves which were a must see. Brand new tour and it is very good. We loved it and have only great things to say about the cavs. He then drove us around and to some beautiful sites. Then he said we were early for the snorkeling with the turtles. Of course we were as it was set up for an 11 tour. We got there and we left about a half hour later -- we had been gone for about 10 minutes on the water when the driver of the boat got a call and he turned the boat around and went back tot he shore to pick up five more people! Which was frustrating because one couple on the boat only had an hour before they had to catch a cab back to their ship which was leaving earlier than ours. So because he turned around it cut into our snorkeling time. The captain kept saying "no worries" but that was all we could understand from him :eek:

The snorkeling with the turtles was pretty cool, didn't see that many turtles but we did see three. Husband only saw one from a distance, it was rather busy and a little cloudy.

When he dropped us off our driver Kris was there and he took us back to the ship.

Now Kris was great, very knowledgeable, but we got back to the ship around 4 pm. So much for a half day tour! We were a little disappointed we really wanted to spend some time ashore and a nice meal, but there was no time for that now.

Would I do a tour again with Glory, unfortunately not, and as many of you who know me, I don't complain often (the Canadian in me) but they really fell down here.

We are visiting 12 ports this trip and all are independent and so far Glory Tours has been the only one that did not meet expectations. I was even more disappointed that Sarah didn't check in with us to see if were all okay, and I have not received an email either.

Because we HAD to pay in advace we didn't have a choice but wait around. Won't do that again.

Vickie

Hi Vickie Hi everyone :)

Bellow is an email I have just emailed to Vickie. I thought I should post it. As you can read in it. We have been having trouble with the boat operator and we have been researching alternatives but in Barbados it is difficult to find a good operator in this area. The Owner has promised to go on all trips now and I do believe things will improve but I will monitor it.

Glory Tours has a good reputation we are always there for our customers. This was a very unfortunate event for which I have apologized and dealt with as quick as I could.

again my apologies Vickie

Hi Vickie

I am so sorry about the time confusion in the morning. My system still had 11am and I had looked at your ship schedule and because it said am arrival I was certain that it must be the later pick up.

I saw your post and am terribly upset because. I did speak to one of the 6 on the tour I was checking on you throughout the day I spoke to Chris at least 4 times during the tour.

I also thought he picked you up around 10:05am Re the Boat the reason I was not there myself was that I was doing some work trying to find a new boat operator as we have been having trouble with them. As is stated on our website we do not own the Glass Bottom boat and whilst we try our very best to make sure they give you the best service we to are at their mercy.

I have today been promised by the owner that he will now go on all Glory Tours trips to ensure that they go smoothly. I also told him this can never happen again

I am so sorry. I take responsibility for the timing issue but please Vickie I did check on you I did several times.

I don't know what else to say I am sincerely sorry.

Best Regards

Sarah

Vickie

Sorry to hear about your bad experience with Glory Tours.

After reading all the great reviews we just booked a tour with GLory

Tours for 3/1/08. Hopefully this won't happen again.

You said at your other ports you're also doing independent tours.

In three weeks we're doing the southern caribbean and wanted to know if

you have used any of these tours and if so what was your experience with them

St. Lucia ( Cosol tour) and St. kitts (thenford Grey)?

Thank you!

Please also know I am not trying to shirk any responsibility. Please also know I am presently working very hard to improve in every area of our service.

I think anyone you has met me can tell you I sincerely care about my customers.

I visited the Folkestone and Holetown area on 2 occasions when cruising. I am sympathetic with the boat owners. They make a living mostly from showup visitors who I suspect pay them more than the tour operators.To wait around for guests touring seems fustrating.I have heard some of the guys complaining.Most of them are hustlers.Taxis also bring visitors like us who bypass the organised tours direct to the boats.We have had good times with guys in Holetown and Folkestone.

Please also know I am not trying to shirk any responsibility. Please also know I am presently working very hard to improve in every area of our service.

 

I think anyone you has met me can tell you I sincerely care about my customers.

Hey Sarah,

Long time, no chit chat.....:( Hope everything is still going well with you.... Looks like another trip to the gym tonight.....;) .....

Take care,

Joey

I did get the email from sarah after she read my post. I was unaware that she had called our taxi driver and he never passed on that she had called nor had she spoken to any of us to see how we were doing.

Again, it was a good tour, but that fact that it started an hour late and last three hours longer than was suppose to can not be ignored.

The boat tour definately needs to be improved, and I understand the need for the independents to make money.

aajacques -- both Thendford Grey and Cosol were the absolute best we have ever been on, Mr. Grey's tour is long too, don't expect to do much of anything else. Cosol in St. Lucia is outstanding and he really cares -- he was with all of us the entire time, ensuring our needs were met.

I will be posting an entire review after we get back, we are still on the Emerald doing b2b 20 days at sea, we are on night 17

No tour today in Antigua, we are all toured out.