Deciding between 3 tubing companies!!!!!!

[vtwiggy]

I also vote for cavetubing.bz.. did that last week (as did some of the others!) and it was great, even though it rained all day. We had a smaller group, traveled in a van. You have a 45-ish minute walk through the jungle to get to the place where you enter the river (you do with all companies). I imagine the walk is shorter with other companies, because many times our guides stopped us to show us different plants or feed us these little coconut-type things (I forget the name, darnit) and the other groups just kept walking by.

[CACkles]

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

how many caves does VIV go through?

 

The guide said it was two caves. However, I have read here that the same two caves are counted by some as three caves. In the middle of the second cave there is an area that is open to the outside on one side, so maybe that starts the 3rd cave according to some. If you send an e-mail to VIV (or someone else) they could probably clarify.

 

I do know that on the day we went there wasn't anybody that started upstream from us, but we did see some groups entering downstream from us. According to our guide, we did all the caves that it was safe to do. There are several more caves in the system, but because of their shape water levels can rise very quickly and become dangerous.

[splinkaone]

For those who used cavetubing.bz how were the tubes as far as neck support? That is the main thing we are considering with viv tours. I have seen some pictures of people cavetubing in the black tubes and they looked like they were lying flat on their backs looking up at the ceiling. We prefer to be in a little more upright position and have one person who may need the neck support. I do like to support the small family business and would love to do .bz but need to consider these things. Thanks :)

[CACkles]

For what it's worth, VIV is a small local company too. I'm pretty sure they are smaller than .bz. The tubes were the main reason we chose VIV. I didn't use the black tubes that .bz has, so I can't comment on the support, but I will say that the VIV tubes were pretty comfortable. We couldn't have been happier with our decision.

[katiepe]

More than the tubes themselves we chose VIV because of the clips not feet joining the tubes together. Just can not see me with some strangers feet in my armpits:eek:

[olam]

We just returned from a 7 day W.Caribbean cruise on the Carnival Liberty. We booked the cave tubing experience with cave-tubing.com and they were an excellent choice spending an enjoyable and fun day with them - they are a very cool group to hang with always joking and having fun. For $75, we did their ATV jungle course, the cave tubing (2 caves) and chicken tamale lunch. The ATV was the best of all of the activities we did on the cruise and they are the only operator that offers this since it is their own course. They even took pictures and film of us with our camera on the course. Their cave tour was the same as bz and longer than the other companies and they broke us up in groups of 4-6 whereas the bz folks had 12 or more on the ones we saw. We also did not need helmets and were guided by 1-2 guides at all times. I highly recommend this outfit.

[jeffcocruisers]

I booked our family of 4 (our kids are 20 & 22) with .bz. We were there just last week, Dec 20. There were 10 in our van and when we got to the place, we were given the option of wearing helmets or not. I chose not to. The only ones with black tubes were the guides and as far as having neck support, it didn't bother me one bit. I was looking all around the cave not only at the ceiling. We had a great time!! We were split between the 2 guides, Jorge & Axel (5&5). We had Jorge. He stopped and showed us different plants, etc and what medicinal purposes some plants had. We didn't feel rushed in any way and really enjoyed our tour! He went our pace & we kinda left the other half behind cause we walk quite a bit faster than others. We had to wait once we got to the river cause there was a line from other companies also trying to get into the river. It wasn't a long wait. We had a great time! As far as linking feet into armpits, what's the big deal?? It's not like they're in your face or anything!! My son's size 13/14 feet were under mine & I didn't have any problem with them being all in my face. After the float down the river, we got out and Jorge showed my hubby & son a cliff they could jump off of. They did a couple of flips & then we went on. Had a wonderful lunch at the family restaurant! They are great people!! HIGHLY recommend this company!!!:D

[JesMil]

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:

 

Hi, just used David and Henry from Cave Tubing R Us. They were excellent, and tubes were nice (no need to have someone's pit under your feet) and kept us all safe and sound. Significant price difference between David's operation and the ship. I would rather payment go directly to this local company instead of RC taking a cut. David and Henry were wonderful ambasadors for Belize!

[funeralman17]

Just got back from Belize and our family of 4 ages 16 - 55 booked with cavetubing.bz. Couldn't have had a better time. Very knowledgeable guides and very safety consious. Lunch was included with unlimited rum punch on the bus back. We had a very happy bus going back to the ship. I highly recommend cavetubing.bz.

[mnj]

Just got back. Our family group of 9 (8yrs - 40+) had AWESOME time with cavetubing.com. After researching companies online, I had decided on VIV tours because of tubes with headrests and clips (no feet in armpits) but our teenagers had their hearts set on adding ATV adventure to tour which VIV does not offer. Cave-tubing.com proved to be a great choice. Ride to river was in Greyhound style bus. Miles was our group's guide from beginning to end - highly recommend - he's welcoming, friendly, funny and helpful. I felt this company really appreciated their clients and let us know it. Although tubes didn't have headrests, you can easily shift from lying to sitting position and vice versa - I often have sore neck but didn't have problems here. Our tubes clipped together so no feet in armpits - bonus! Lunch is a delicious homemade chicken tamale at a clean and attractive spot owned by company. The guides made sure we got back to ship in plenty of time. FYI - the national park in which are the caves is extraordinarily beautiful and quite different from the views of the city and countryside you will see on the way there.

[danbo597]

We really enjoyed our tour with .bz the guides were great, we are a family of 5 with kids 14, 9 & 7. $185.00 for all of us with lunch included. Best price I could find!

[Upshaw]

Just got back. Our family group of 9 (8yrs - 40+) had AWESOME time with cavetubing.com. After researching companies online, I had decided on VIV tours because of tubes with headrests and clips (no feet in armpits) but our teenagers had their hearts set on adding ATV adventure to tour which VIV does not offer. Cave-tubing.com proved to be a great choice. Ride to river was in Greyhound style bus. Miles was our group's guide from beginning to end - highly recommend - he's welcoming, friendly, funny and helpful. I felt this company really appreciated their clients and let us know it. Although tubes didn't have headrests, you can easily shift from lying to sitting position and vice versa - I often have sore neck but didn't have problems here. Our tubes clipped together so no feet in armpits - bonus! Lunch is a delicious homemade chicken tamale at a clean and attractive spot owned by company. The guides made sure we got back to ship in plenty of time. FYI - the national park in which are the caves is extraordinarily beautiful and quite different from the views of the city and countryside you will see on the way there.

 

I thought VIV had headrests on their tubes? Where did you leave your belongings (clothes, id cards etc...) ?

[CACkles]

I thought VIV had headrests on their tubes? Where did you leave your belongings (clothes, id cards etc...) ?

 

VIV does have headrests. MNJ used cavetubing.com. You will leave your belongings in the locked van or bus.