Jaguar Paws Cave Tubing

[bubbachief]

With the recent change in tour management at Jaguar Paws there seem to be some issues. Has anyone used them since the change and what has been your experience?

[Fourseventeen]

I think about 90% if not more of the tour operators go through Jaguar paw resort. We used X-stream cave tubing booked through Island Marketing and we ended up going through Jaguar Paws resort to get into the river system. Our guide had to pay JP for our group to enter. I know JP raised their rates yet none of the other operators have that I have seen. Island Marketing charged 50.00 PP a year ago for their cave tubing and lunch excursion...today it is still the same price.

[bubbachief]

I think about 90% if not more of the tour operators go through Jaguar paw resort. We used X-stream cave tubing booked through Island Marketing and we ended up going through Jaguar Paws resort to get into the river system. Our guide had to pay JP for our group to enter. I know JP raised their rates yet none of the other operators have that I have seen. Island Marketing charged 50.00 PP a year ago for their cave tubing and lunch excursion...today it is still the same price.

 

Were you happy with Island Marketing and their tour? We have booked with JP, but may cancel unless I get some feeling of confidence from their new company.

[Fourseventeen]

I was thrilled with the service from Island Marketing. I have booked 5 seperate tours with I.M. now and have been happy with everyone. I have 2 more tours booked with them Oct 2010 as well (for a total of 7 tours with them). The tour I did with them for Cave Tubing was amazing and so far was the best excursion I have done. When I go on vacation money isnt an issue...i dont pick an excursion based on price but in this case it was only 50.00 per person with lunch so I wasnt going to argue. Great price, great tour, wonderful little lunch and our tour guide was great! (his name is J.P.) I would highly highly recommend X-stream cave tubing with Island Marketing. Im doing that tour again in Oct. :D

[bubbachief]

Thanks for the input. We are booked with Island Marketing for a tour in Roatan and I think I will cancel with JP and go with them in Belize also.

[Fourseventeen]

I think you will be happy booking with Island Marketing.

[gatorphin]

My wife & I are going on a cave tubing/ziplining tour with Jaguar Paw in 2 weeks. I emailed them about their price increase since I booked under the old ownership anf they emailed me back within a day saying they would honor the old price. Also, just found out yesterday thru this board, nothing form Carnival, that our day in Belize changed from Thursday to Friday. I emailed them again and they got back to me the next day and said no problem. So far, so good. I'll report back after we go on the excursion. :)

[cuppy]

Do you have a link for Island Marketing? For some reason I can't pull them up :( I think my computer is just being temper-mental today.

 

We will be in Belize in November and I know that I want to do cave tubing just not sure who to go with.

[bubbachief]

Do you have a link for Island Marketing? For some reason I can't pull them up :( I think my computer is just being temper-mental today.

 

We will be in Belize in November and I know that I want to do cave tubing just not sure who to go with.

 

Googe Island Marketing. Then click on the Belize site.

[Fourseventeen]

I dont think we are allowed to post up travel sites on this forum but as the poster above stated...google Island Marketing Ltd.

[jbpinkie]

How small are the caves? I did an underground snorkel in Playa del Carmen and loved it. My mom is claustraphobic and wondering if she could do this as it sounds like a favorite for Belieze...

[Fourseventeen]

My wife is claustrophobic as well and she did fine. I would guess at the lowest point maybe 8-10 feet above your head and at the narrowist point maybe 20 feet wide or so from what I recall.

[gatorphin]

Any recent news on Jaguar Paw? Going on cave tubing/ziplining next week. Any reports? Thanks.

[STARFISH*4]

I would highly highly recommend X-stream cave tubing with Island Marketing.

 

do they use the big yellow tubes?...i was reading a post on here to stay clear of operators who use the skinny black ones ....the OP of that thread said they spent more time being STUCK then floating:(

[gatorphin]

Ok, I'm back from Belize and my Jaguar Paw experience. And it was....GREAT! We were there this last Friday on the Legend. After tendering over we asked and were pointed in the right direction to the Radisson. Only a block away. We met up with our guide Doreen. She was with us the whole day and she was great at giving us some history of Belize. We waited at the Radisson for the bus maybe 1/2 hour. Got on a big yellow school bus - with A/C - and drove about 1 1/4 hours to Jaguar Paw. Man, Belize may be the poorest country I've ever been to. But I never felt unsafe. We had a total of 13 peolpe on our tour. After we got there 10 of us went zip lining. We had Kent & Hamilton as guides. They we great! It was alot of fun. Lasted about an hour. Then got suited up for cave tubing. We had the large yellow tubes. Cavetubing.com had the small black tire tubes - they were bumping their butts all day long. We walked about a half hour and they got to the mouth of the cave. Spectacular! Also, the cavetubing guides were not very professional. They were acting like kids. Our guys were very informative and fun. I never hit my butt on a rock the whole time. After the cave tubing we changed and I paid my balance and we loaded up in the bus. Doreen had a lunch of chicken, rice & beans and coleslaw with fresh OJ for each of us. It was fantastic! We arrived back at the port at 3:25pm - we had a 4pm last tender. I'm glad we went with Jaguar Paw and I wouldn't have been happy with cavetubing.com. Also, I think Carnival's cave tour is operated by cavetubing.com - FYI. As for Major Tom - I think he was the one that helped us find Jaguar Paw people when we got off the tender. He was holding a Minor Tom sign? He was very nice, but we never saw his tour that day. Go with Jaguar Paw.

[wolfganghowell]

How did you book with Jaguar Paw? Direct or through the cruise line. Mr Wolf is 6'5 so he really wants those large yellow tubes. I'm leaning towards Island Marketing but your info is very helpful and would love to know more. Thanks.

[gatorphin]

Booked direct thru Jaguar Paw.

[FlaMommy75]

Hi there! We are going to Belize in November and would love to go cave tubing with an outside company rather than the cruise ship but I am soo nervous about missing the boat. We will be on the Carnival Legend and it will be in port 8-5pm. Will we cut it close?

[bubbachief]

Hi there! We are going to Belize in November and would love to go cave tubing with an outside company rather than the cruise ship but I am soo nervous about missing the boat. We will be on the Carnival Legend and it will be in port 8-5pm. Will we cut it close?

 

We used Island Marketing for cave tubing and had same port time as you have. We were back at the port by 3:30. The vendors are very aware of time issues and make sure you are back in time. We were very happy with IM, check out their web site.

[gatorphin]

I also was on the Legend 2 weeks ago. Got back to the port at 3:25pm. Had 1/2 hour to shop.

[drivingmsginger]

Warning: Do not use Major Tom in Belize. We just got back on the Legend on 5/30. We booked with him for zip line & cave tubing. The cave tubing was cancelled. This is where we should have walked away. Instead they told us we had time to do the Altun Ha excursion and the zip line. What they don't tell you is that they are on opposite sides of the country. Some of our group was only going to Altun Ha. Because of Major Tom's greed, he took us to both sites. We were on the bus for approximately 1 1/2 hours each way to the mayan site and then 1 hour each way to the zip line. Long story short....we made it back to the last tender at 4:02. It was supposed to leave at 4:00. They even stopped roadside for lunches, because they didn't want to refund any money at 2:45 PM. No one ate the lunch, because we were all scared about missing the boat. We told them to go on, but Major Tom had insisted they get our lunch, so he wouldn't have to refund any money. Please do not take the chance of using this company. The zip line portion at Jaguar Paw was wonderful. Our guides of Ronnie & Israel were great.

[STARFISH*4]

Warning: Do not use Major Tom in Belize. ...we made it back to the last tender at 4:02. It was supposed to leave at 4:00. .

 

way toooooo CLOSE:eek:seems lately like with the CAVE TUBIN especially there are the GOOD and BAD--its to CONFUSING:confused:i have been trying to decide pretty much on this since FEB....about ready to go with the SHIP and not have the STRESS:( with time and everything!

[Wendy The Wanderer]

Can someone tell me how strenuous the hike is to the caves and back? Our cruise ship is offering this excursion, to Jaguar Paw, and says it's a 45 minute hike, carrying your own tube. Would this be too much for a moderately-fit 60-something?

 

Any confirmation that claustrophia is not a big issue? I am mildly claustrophic.

[CATJAMMIES]

Thanks for the great review of Jaguar Paw! Is there also pooltime too (or am I thinking of something else?) - for those of us who don't want to do the Zipline portion?

 

& you said you have to SUIT UP? in wet suits? is that the standard?

 

Lastly, you said there is time to get back to the Legend - afterward, correct?

 

 

THANKS!

[kinseysmom]

just returned from 9/4/2010 carnival dream cruise. i cannot say enough positive things about jaguar paws resort. i am so glad we took the "50% deposit" chance (other posts were very negative about this). first of all, as soon as we arrived in belize, they were herding all the cruisers to various excursions in droves. our instructions were to walk outside the gates and two blocks to the radisson resort. you could see the large sign for it at the port. this was our first time in belize with a 10 yr old and we were a little nervous. as we exited the port gates a number of people were approaching us for taxis, etc. but all we said was "radisson resort - jaguar paws" and they simply pointed us in the two block direction to get there and left us alone. as soon as we arrived to the parking lot of the radisson there was a driver there waiting for us. we travelled in a nice a/c van along with one other couple from ga. we had a nice drive to the countryside to the resort. it is definitely closer to the drop off point than other tours. we had a very short walk to the entrance of the caves. no exersion at all. a guide was with us the whole time, from the moment of arrival until departure. after the tubing, we had a wonderful meal at the restaurant (with a/c) located right there. by the way, we were virtually alone at the caves, arriving prior to the massive amount of buses from other tours. it was very peaceful. our guide even let us float freely and not leg locked. WHAT A GREAT DAY!

 

ALSO, WE USED THE LARGE YELLOW TUBES, SMALL LIFE VESTS (NOT LARGE ORANGE ONES THAT HANG AROUND YOUR NECK), AND HELMETS WITH LIGHTS ON THEM SO YOU CAN SEE THE BATS UP IN THE CEILINGS)

 

one more imporantant fact - there were no more expensive than other tours if you have younger children. we only paid $25 for our 10 yr old with jaguar paws and the other tours wanted to charge adult price for her.