Deciding between 3 tubing companies!!!!!!

[PuraVida2011]

Just returned on 10/22/11 from cruise on Carnival Dream. Went cave tubing in Belize. We used VIV! I would recommend them. Here's some information that I don't believe I saw noted in any responses.

They are right outside the cruise terminal waiting for you with a VIV sign. It's important that you do your best to get right off the ship. Otherwise the other people on the tour have to wait for you.

When you get to the site, you can defiantly see that VIV has premium tubes with the head and butt rest. They inflate up fuller and are very comfortable. My 9 year old sat Indian style. These larger and more comfortable tubes are have to be carried during the 45 minute hike. You can't wrap your through it since the bottom is enclosed. The only option is to carry the tube behind you, and hold it up with the two handles and your head ....kind of hard to describe. The guide carried by son’s tube.

Our guide was awesome and gave us so much information on the history of the island to and from the caves, during the hike and in the caves. While in the caves we rarely heard the other guides speak. It was like they were just pushing their groups around and not telling them anything.

I brought my camcorder. I had it in a zip lock bag. You never know when you might get some dripping so I kept my hand in the bag but ready to pull out whenever I wanted to take some video.

[granlea]

Does the VIV tour include the stop to eat termites and see the tarantula? :eek: Asking on my kids behalf. I know they do with .bz

[KimmieTN]

We also used VIV last week and saw the termites and tarantula, but nobody ate the termites. I guess we could have if we wanted to. The guides were very informative and fun. You also cannot beat the price. We got off on tender 2, but the rest of our group was tender 3, and they were starting to wonder if we were coming or not. Be sure to get off on either the first or second tender.

[granlea]

Thanks for the info! I am hesitating between VIV and .bz for January. I need to make up my mind soon. :rolleyes:

[CACkles]

Thanks for the info! I am hesitating between VIV and .bz for January. I need to make up my mind soon. :rolleyes:

 

I don't think you'll go wrong with either one. Both have top notch guides and the tour will be nearly identical. I believe it comes down to what is more important to you: with BZ you get lunch, with VIV you get the nicer tubes that clip together and have headrests.

[Skippphe]

Was just cave tubing...use Xtreme, they are awesome. We saw the ones that with head rest, but their guides used the real tubes, like Xtreme! Xtreme provides an awesome lunch and much more personal experience. They were awesome!

[Halya50]

I have been to Belize twice in the last year and a half and have used both cave-tubing.com and cavetubing.bz. I would definetly agree with the comments about cavetubing.bz! I loved the small group and person attention. Lunch was great and price was great! Go with cavetubing.bz and you will not be disappointed! We did an extra cave with .bz too!

 

 

We also used the cavetubing.bz Vitalino the owner is an awesome person, the whole day was incredible. Please go with them you will not be disappointed, the lunch was fantastic. The Marie Sharpes hot sauce they serve is amazing, we bought several bottles.......

 

Go with them and guaranteed no regrets

[katiepe]

VIV says they make in an "unbelizeable experience". I am definitely going to say unbelizeable when I'm in Belize in November!

 

Will probably book with .bz since you don't have to link by feet.

 

:)

 

It is VIV that you dont link feet- they are bze-trips.com NOT .bz

[care-n_karen]

I havent read all the posts but of the ones I've read, I havent seen a review. I saw cave-tubing.com has both for $75

[mitsugirly]

I havent read all the posts but of the ones I've read, I havent seen a review. I saw cave-tubing.com has both for $75

 

I had posted my review, found below in a previous post. :)

 

I just posted my review with .bz and you are welcome to read my experience with them and see the pictures that I have.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=30667696&postcount=44

[smldx]

I had posted my review, found below in a previous post. :)

 

Thanks! Appreciate the info. We'll be in Belize next month! Your review really helps.

[mitsugirly]

Thanks! Appreciate the info. We'll be in Belize next month! Your review really helps.

 

You're welcome. Who ever you decide to go with, I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time. :)

[Life without whine]

I'm sure you'll have a wonderful time. :)

 

OK - now tell us where to shop - outside with all the vendors or in the inside shopping area of the port? In Jamaica our guide took us to outside vendors & told us when to consider buying because of the price & quality - dis .bz guys do the same for your group?

[mitsugirly]

OK - now tell us where to shop - outside with all the vendors or in the inside shopping area of the port? In Jamaica our guide took us to outside vendors & told us when to consider buying because of the price & quality - dis .bz guys do the same for your group?

 

 

Yes, they told us the same thing. The shopping is priced better outside the gates than inside. Although when we pulled up there were tons of vendors bombarding you with trying to get you to come their way and buy from them that it made me feel uncomfortable (especially since I had a 3 year old with me). So, we decided to head inside the port as quickly as possible and just bought our items there. (All we ever buy is a tee shirt for a souvenir of the places we've visited). If you are looking for something particular, then you will probably get a better deal outside the gates and they will tell you exactly where you should go for it.

[readytotravel44]

You missed out on two :

Cave tubing .bz : $35 (at times giving different prices)

Major Tom and Minor Tom : $50 with lunch

 

I just checked bz - now $45 pp includes lunch.

[care-n_karen]

He is GREAT and very personal. We did the zipline/tubing without lunch for $75. The zipline was very exciting and the tubing real nice. The tubing venture was only 1/2 the river excursion but was more than enough for our family...would definitely use him again. Book him in advance...dont have to give him a deposit..but if you book in advance he knows to be outside waiting for you. We just showed up and asked which of the guys waiting was Charlie and we were directed to him. He was there waiting for another family that had emailed him in advance and was glad to add our family of four to the excursion. He is very knowledgeable. Can find other reviews about him on tripadvisor.com

[katiepe]

We also used VIV last week and saw the termites and tarantula, but nobody ate the termites. I guess we could have if we wanted to. The guides were very informative and fun. You also cannot beat the price. We got off on tender 2, but the rest of our group was tender 3, and they were starting to wonder if we were coming or not. Be sure to get off on either the first or second tender.

 

How would you manage to get off on the first or second tender. We are with Carnival and have read that their own excursions get off first.

Getting a little worried about that to tell you the truth. We are booked with VIV tours.

[CACkles]

How would you manage to get off on the first or second tender. We are with Carnival and have read that their own excursions get off first.

Getting a little worried about that to tell you the truth. We are booked with VIV tours.

 

Don't worry. We were on Carnival Valor and didn't have any problem. The tender boats are large and some of the ship's excursions leave directly from the ship rather than having to tender. They will tell you what time the tenders start and where to meet. Part of our group that met 20 minutes before the start time were on the first tender along with the ship excursion folks. The rest of us that got there about 5 minutes after the start time were on the 2nd tender. They pass out numbers and they took numbers 2 & 3 on the 2nd tender.

 

VIV had at least two groups when we went. You check in with them and they tell you where to wait. They left with the ones who were ready and were still waiting for some others that still weren't off by the 3rd tender. I didn't get the impression that they were going to leave any time soon.

 

So just don't be late getting to the tender waiting area and you will be fine.

[katiepe]

Another question please..

The tour start time is 900am. Is that local time or ship time? If local time at 5.5 hours I am really starting to worry about getting back in time. We are in port until 500pm. It seems Belize is 2 hours behind ship time if the ship keeps Miami time as I am told Carnival does mostly.

[CACkles]

Another question please..

The tour start time is 900am. Is that local time or ship time? If local time at 5.5 hours I am really starting to worry about getting back in time. We are in port until 500pm. It seems Belize is 2 hours behind ship time if the ship keeps Miami time as I am told Carnival does mostly.

 

You will be fine. I don't remember the details, but I think VIV gave us the time in ship's time. I do KNOW that they took off right away when they had a full group, which was about the time the third tender was getting off. Rest assured that they will get you back in time, and not just barely. They have NEVER had anyone miss the ship, I don't believe any of the other cave tubing companies have either. They know when the ship arrives and when it leaves, and they also know ship's time. If they told you 9:00, then that has to be ship's time because if it were local that would be 11:00 ship's time, and I know it's not that.

 

Stop worrying - you will have a great time!

[Rainberry]

We spent last Thursday cave tubing with cavetubing.bz and it was amazing!

 

I don't understand why everyone is so hung up on linking feet - I didn't even notice it at all!

 

Some of the great perks of .bz is that it is a smaller group, we essentially got a private tour with Vitalino Jr. as it ended up just being my husband and I that signed up for cave tubing only. Two other couples we were with went to the Zoo afterwards as well. The lunch provided is really nice. And, lastly, these guys live and breathe these caves. Vitalino was one of the first people to start these tours and they really know their stuff. He really took his time with us and made us feel really comfortable. I saw so many large group of people with other tours walk by and the guides looked like they were rushing.

 

Lastly cavetubing.bz seemed to be the only ones that go through all 3 caves. A lot of the other bigger groups just did 1 or 2 caves.

 

Also, it was great to support a local family-owned company. I could really tell that Vitalino takes great pride in his company.

 

If you want a nice personalized experience I highly recommend cavetubing.bz!

[BRIFRO]

Number 2 is our 4 time choice. we trust them and were safe & securely impressed each time. Great Safety and knowhow. always best regards, BRIFRO

The three companies that we are trying to decide between are:

1) cavetubingrus.com $45/pp

2) cave-tubing.com $50/pp

3) belizecruiseexcursions.com $50/pp

 

I have reviewed them all and they all seem to have excellent reviews on tripadvisor. If anyone can give me some more infor to help with this decision, that would be fantastic. :confused:

[danbo597]

Will review .bz once we return Jan 9th :cool:

[udamom]

We spent last Thursday cave tubing with cavetubing.bz and it was amazing!

 

I don't understand why everyone is so hung up on linking feet - I didn't even notice it at all!

 

Some of the great perks of .bz is that it is a smaller group, we essentially got a private tour with Vitalino Jr. as it ended up just being my husband and I that signed up for cave tubing only. Two other couples we were with went to the Zoo afterwards as well. The lunch provided is really nice. And, lastly, these guys live and breathe these caves. Vitalino was one of the first people to start these tours and they really know their stuff. He really took his time with us and made us feel really comfortable. I saw so many large group of people with other tours walk by and the guides looked like they were rushing.

 

Lastly cavetubing.bz seemed to be the only ones that go through all 3 caves. A lot of the other bigger groups just did 1 or 2 caves.

 

Also, it was great to support a local family-owned company. I could really tell that Vitalino takes great pride in his company.

 

If you want a nice personalized experience I highly recommend cavetubing.bz!

 

 

 

I agree with Rainberry, cavetubing.bz gave our family of 5 a private tour with 2 guides. We had Vitilano Jr also (I emailed and requested him after reading good things on here) and Reuben. We were almost the only group in the highest up cave and that was actually the best part of the tubing IMO. when it get's crowded in the other 2 caves it starts feeling more like disneyland....loses that commune with nature kinda thing!

.bz is not a huge tourist trap type operation with big buses. They are a smaller word of mouth family business. I liked that.

[katiepe]

We spent last Thursday cave tubing with cavetubing.bz and it was amazing

"Lastly cavetubing.bz seemed to be the only ones that go through all 3 caves. A lot of the other bigger groups just did 1 or 2 caves."

 

This is for Cackles or anyone else that has used VIV Tours..

how many caves does VIV go through?