Aerial Tram or Rainforest Drive?

[GLP]

We will be in Dominica as part of our first Celebrity Cruise on Jan 13, 2011 and are looking at Aerial Tram or Rainforest Drive as a shore excursion.

 

What is your opinion of either or both?

 

Thank you for your kind resonses.

[rubby100]

If you are going to the Aerial Tram it's like a two in one package since you have to drive through the rainforest to get there.It's in the village of Laudat. Also it depends on where you would like to drive to in the rainforest.You may want to enjoy a refreshing bath at a waterfall or a mineral hot bath at the hot spring.There are no instances on the Tram ride where you can stop and take a bath .The only stop is for an optional hike. However at the end of the Tour in the same area you can take about a five minutes walk to Ti Tou gorge there you can take a swim and enjoy the water.

[JustinPlusLauren]

We did the Aerial Tram while in Dominica and it was amazing! I've never done the Rainforest Drive so I can't compare, but we really enjoyed the Aerial Tram.

 

Make sure you dress appropriately - I wore shorts and found that I was cold - it is in the rainforest, after all, and it will rain and get a little bit on the chilly side!

[island pat]

Did the aerial tram and it was a great excursion:D

[Nukesailor]

We did the aerial tram last week and it was awesome! If you sit in the front seats on the tram, you get up close and personal with some of the foliage as the tram goes through the treetops. When constructing the tram, they removed just enough of the trees to allow the tram cars to pass. The cable towers were placed by helicopter so they did not have to build a road. In its previous life, the tram was a ski lift in Vancouver that they bought used and converted to the open tram cars. During the ride, you will hear the mountain whistler which has many different, strange calls. One call sounded exactly like the 5 notes from Close Encounters of the Third Kind (did Spielberg visit Dominica?). It was cool, in the 70's, and no rain.

 

Art

[cruisecriticmember]

Thanks for the positive reports on the aerial tram tour. I booked it thru the cruise line but had not previously read good things about it.

[beachgal]

For those who have done the aerial tram, how fast does it travel? I don't like heights and I get motion sickness so I'm concerned about being on it for 90 minutes, but I'm sure you see amazing sights and really want to do this. Thanks for your feedback!

[Feelin' Nauti']

Not sure what to do in Dominica.

Thinking about the aerial tram.

 

How long is the ride?

[Polomom]

Does it seem like a "safe" ride? DH has concerns about the construction of it... might not be up to US standards for safety.

[yogi]

We did the tram last week. It seemed very safe. Does not go very fast.

My husband does not do well with heights but had no problem with it. You are,

however at the tree top level. At the end you can get off and walk back a little ways. You have to walk cross a suspention bridge. He didn't particularly care for this but looked straight ahead and just went across quickly. He was glad that he did the walking part {almost didn't due to bridge}because it was very interesting and the guides are great!

We are in out 50's and really enjoyed the tour. Kids/teens may be board.

We normally book our own tours through outside vendors but we did book this through RCCL.

We were the first to arrive. Roads are very difficult to manouver through and we didn't want to take the chance of a broken down vehicle out in the woods someplace!

Hope this helps!

[GLP]

Not sure what to do in Dominica.

Thinking about the aerial tram.

 

How long is the ride?

We did the aerial tram last month. It is great, very peacefull. The actual tram ride/walk in approx. 90 minutes.

[GLP]

Does it seem like a "safe" ride? DH has concerns about the construction of it... might not be up to US standards for safety.

 

The tram ride is actually a ski lift that was purchased from a ski hill in Canada. We did it last month and felt very safe. It does not travel very fast so that you can see the sights. It was very enjoyable and peacefull.

[Puffinater]

Does anyone one know if you can get this excursion at the pier through an indendent? Really don't care to pay ship prices. Thanks.

[dalibi]

Do the tram, worth the price, took us to the Falls as well, Had subway for lunch.

[M&T]

Do you see birds up there? Marlyne

[packedandready]

Do you see birds up there? Marlyne

 

Yes, just don't ask what kind:p The tram is VERY quiet and the sounds of the birds make it a great ride. Loved Dominica and would do this again easily.

[Coolmama_1]

We are looking at this excursion for our cruise. Thanks for all the information!

[Decebal]

Would love to do this excursion with my 84 year old parents. They are mobile, but I don't want to take them up or down hiking trails. Is the tram easy for them to get on/off, does it stop to load/unload, even pavement, etc?

[cantw8togo]

Would love to do this excursion with my 84 year old parents. They are mobile, but I don't want to take them up or down hiking trails. Is the tram easy for them to get on/off, does it stop to load/unload, even pavement, etc?

 

I am curious to know this as well as I am considering this tour with my mother who has mobility issues. Does the suspension bridge sway a lot or is it pretty stable?

 

Thanks for any insights.

[marys350]

Would love to do this excursion with my 84 year old parents. They are mobile, but I don't want to take them up or down hiking trails. Is the tram easy for them to get on/off, does it stop to load/unload, even pavement, etc?

 

The Aerial Tram site is handicapped accessible for people who use wheelchairs or have mobility issues. Assistance is provided for people who need help getting on and off the tram cars. Part-way through the ride there is a platform, with an OPTIONAL opportunity to get off the tram, cross the suspension bridge, take a short walk on a trail, and reboard the tram. I visited the Aerial Tram in 2010 with a party of 10 people and one gentleman in our group has balance issues and uses a cane. Most in our group walked the suspension bridge, but he did not. We all enjoyed the experience.

[cantw8togo]

The Aerial Tram site is handicapped accessible for people who use wheelchairs or have mobility issues. Assistance is provided for people who need help getting on and off the tram cars. Part-way through the ride there is a platform, with an OPTIONAL opportunity to get off the tram, cross the suspension bridge, take a short walk on a trail, and reboard the tram. I visited the Aerial Tram in 2010 with a party of 10 people and one gentleman in our group has balance issues and uses a cane. Most in our group walked the suspension bridge, but he did not. We all enjoyed the experience.

 

Thanks for the info. It is something that we might consider.

[hokiecruisers]

Just wondering how much of the island do you get to see on the way to the aerial tram. We would like to see as much of the island as possible. If we took the tram excursion in the morning, should we take a tour of the island in the afternoon, or will we see enough of the island on our way?

 

Thanks!

[pg1]

Did you go thru the shore excursion from ship for Aerial Tram or deal w/them. Trying to decide, taxi is around $20 I think and my contact from Aerial Tram said that was $64. They would arrange taxi for us for we could find taxi off ship; think I would rather them?? Just trying to decide if want thru ship for the scenic ride part of it but it is higher $$???

[hokiecruisers]

Did you go thru the shore excursion from ship for Aerial Tram or deal w/them. Trying to decide, taxi is around $20 I think and my contact from Aerial Tram said that was $64. They would arrange taxi for us for we could find taxi off ship; think I would rather them?? Just trying to decide if want thru ship for the scenic ride part of it but it is higher $$???

 

We chose to do the excursion through the ship this time. We usually do only one a cruise, if that. Sometimes it is just easier and the difference in cost isn't that great. Good luck!:)