What Was The Most "Interesting" Excursion You've Been On?

[megmno]

I've started researching excursions for next summer's cruise, and I'm looking for interesting excursions. We're going to Cozumel, Belize and Roatan, but I love reading about excursions everywhere, especially ones that are adventurous. Anyone have any recommendations or good stories to share?

 

Extra points for oddball or strange experiences.

[decatsmeow]

I've started researching excursions for next summer's cruise, and I'm looking for interesting excursions. We're going to Cozumel, Belize and Roatan, but I love reading about excursions everywhere, especially ones that are adventurous. Anyone have any recommendations or good stories to share?

 

Extra points for oddball or strange experiences.

 

We went to Tulum during a tropical depression. You haven't lived until you drive through the jungle on a leaking Mexian bus through water deeper than the steps into said bus. I kept thinking of that scene in the movie, "Romancing the Stone". The wind was so intense that the cheap plastic baggie rain ponchos sold by the locals were blown out parallel to the ground, and ineffective. We were soaked. At least it wasn't too cold.

The ramp from the ship to the tender was rising and falling a good 10 feet in the rough seas. Crew lined both sides of the ramp to ensure passengers did not loose footing and fall into the sea. The toilet (such as it was) did not flush on the return trip. Thank goodness I was one of the lucky first women off the bus (that did not have a working potty at all) after a long trip back through the rainy jungle and onto the tender. You can use your imagination for those other 50 women.

 

It was such an "adventure" that Carnival actually refunded the cost of the excursion. Mark that on your calendars folks!

 

Actually, it was a very memorable excursion. We still talk and laugh about it. Not sure I would try it again in such weather. We learn, and we still cruise and take excursions!

[SteelCruisin]

A few years back we rented a Humvee on Cozumel and toured it on our own...went to San Gervasio ruins, Coconuts for lunch toured the east side of the island which is MAGNIFICENT and got to see a part of Coz that is off the beaten trail, I know this isn't a ship excursion , but it isn't the same canned memory that the cruise line sells to everyone....on a side note, it was pretty cool driving the Humvee as I didn't see any other ones on the island and it was a head turner.

[golfadj]

Going to St Lucia last year and somehow getting separated from DW going to Pinnacle (or somelike like that) so I went back by boat and she went back by bus.

[peacebeach]

A few years back we rented a Humvee on Cozumel and toured it on our own...went to San Gervasio ruins, Coconuts for lunch toured the east side of the island which is MAGNIFICENT and got to see a part of Coz that is off the beaten trail, I know this isn't a ship excursion , but it isn't the same canned memory that the cruise line sells to everyone....on a side note, it was pretty cool driving the Humvee as I didn't see any other ones on the island and it was a head turner.

 

Awesome idea!:)

[billie5]

Snorkeling off the coast of one of the Galapagos Islands, don't remember which one, when a half dozen sea lions came out to play with us. They frolicked among us, would spin around just a foot or two away from each of us, bomb toward us and then veer away at the last minute. They spent at least 30 minutes having a great old time with these weird two legged masked creatures called humans.

 

Bill

[westview1]

The most interesting experience we had was on a Princess cruise.

 

We took a zip line through the jungle in Puerto Rico that was over booked and started late. We ended up zip lining over the jungle in the dark. The whole point of the excursion was to view the jungle from above, which is hard to do when it is dark. An added thrill for us was that the woman who put on our safety gear was new, it was her 2nd day on the job. We made sure the other guide double checked her work. The next day Princess sent everyone on the excursion a letter of apology and gave us a full refund for the excursion.

 

I still remember standing on the platform and the guide saying 'ok, now aim for that flashlight'.

[welldone60]

In Belize we did the "Captain your own boat" tour thru Coral Breeze. We have done this twice and loved it both times.

 

Here is a link to photos. http://s594.photobucket.com/albums/tt25/welldone60/Belize/

[Twinswithtwins]

We've done those ports 4 times so far. LOVED visiting the monkeys with Victor Bodden and also the iguana sanctuary in Roatan. Cave tubing/zipping was very fun in Belize- Enjoyed Chankanaab in Cozumel for snorkeling(though have never learned the proper way to snorkel- just put my face under). SO many fish- when we ran out of food they would actually give us a 'nibble'. Didn't hurt- but startling. Will definately wear a shirt into the water next time! Less skin showing.

[golfadj]

Going to St Lucia last year and somehow getting separated from DW going to Pinnacle (or somelike like that) so I went back by boat and she went back by bus.

 

It was the pitons.

 

In Belize would recommend cave tubing private tour.

[chasinraynbowz]

My hubby did the Helmet Drive in Coz. He still talks about that excursion.

[Snorkel2Much]

A visit to an Embera village in Panama via leaky dugout canoes. The "seats" were half-rotted planks laid across the width of the canoe that appear to have been salvaged from fruit crates. Not all of the "seats" survived the trip when stress tested by North American body masses.

 

The village was very interesting and the rain forest alongside the river was spectacular. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. :)

[Ches94]

Lamanai River/Ruins tour in Belize. Got to see so much with this excursion, not to mention how incredibly awesome it was to climb to the top of the pyramid and see for miles around you!:D

[Missileer]

Last August my wife and I did a short helicopter tour in Skagway, Alaska. It was something she had wanted to do for a long time and it was superior in every regard and I recommend it if you get a chance!

[ferfoodle]

Going on my first Western Caribbean in January - so can't share yet for the destinations you mentioned.

 

But the most interesting tour I took was the tour of a rummery on St. Croix. Not only was it neat to see how my favorite beverage is made, the endless free samples at the end was bonus. Can't tell you much more of that tour after the samples, but did make it back to the ship feeling quite fine indeed.

 

The most not-so-interesting but unforgetable in my mind was the deep sea fishing excursion we went on at St. Maartin. We had maybe 20 on the boat and all but the crew, one man, DH and myself were making the chum line at the back of the boat. It was unbelievable - one started and chain reaction. Gross really, but boy did the fish come in.

[reno3]

Cave tubing in Belize :D

[Lydia B.]

Best one for my complextion: steam bath on the face from the volcano in Hawaii.

Most Fun= Sea Trek in Cozumel, just the idea of walking on the bottom of the ocean like Captain Nemo, could't wipe the smile off our faces.

Most fun with animals= swimming with the seals in Domican Republic

Most cool= tubing down the Myan rivers and ending up at a geological Myan dig.

Walking back to starting point and being able to pick a orange and eat it on the spot.

Best food= Some sort of Mexican chicken and the best and coldest beer even had...I think we were all very hungry, but boy was it good.

Very very best excursion= anyone where you are on a cruise and not at work!

Lydia of Ohio

[jeanarch]

Never to be forgotten: The Hana Road in Maiui (SP) When you could go the whole length Unbelievable & Spectacular Lunch on the black sand beach This was an excursion... we did not drive it

[Malinger]

The road to Hana is stunning without doubt. We have done twice on our own in a rental car. There is a roadside stand that has the best Banana bread EVER.

 

The helicopter/glacier landing with Princess was fantastic.

 

We just booked our first cruise to the Caribbean...June 3rd 2012 on the Legend. So we have the same itinerary as the OP. We are getting PADI certified before we go and plan to open water dive in Belize and Roatan. We are also taking the Tulum trip in Cozumel and the Stingray City/ Coral Garden trip in Caymen. It is also our first cruise with Carnival.

[bassmaster150]

Sting Ray City in Grand Cayman tops our list...

[mapsmith]

Of all the cruises we have been on, the one excursion that still resonates is Xunantunich Ruins in 2008, in Belize. Standing on top of a Pyramid at noon on Inauguration Day. Just kinda priceless memories.

 

On the way back the tour stopped at a "resort/Lunch place" that served a typical chicken lunch. The Chickens were so fresh and not fatty like here in the States. (Probably were walking around that morning) Seasonings on the table included all of the varieties of Marie Sharp's Habanero Sauces. Marie Sharp's is one of the biggest employers in Belize. Habaneros may be "hotter" than jalapenos, but the sauces were not. (They even have a Sweet Habanero sauce that ANYONE can tolerate.)

[crusinpsychRN]

In Cozumel I did the jeep ride around the island. The guy driving our jeep, the last in line, pulled out right in front of a semi which slammed on the brakes and stopped one foot from where I was sitting.

 

In Tulum the bus ahead of us got in an accident (the way they drive I wasn't surprised). All the people from that bus got on our bus, SRO.

 

In Belize 2 horses jumped in front of our Land Rover. The driver was able to coax them back over the fence where they'd be safe.

 

In Belize almost missed tender. Did cave tubing and zip lining with xtreme cavetubing. Never got lunch. At 5:30 we got to the pier and were ushered to the front b/c someone thought we were the mother of the girl injured by a monkey.

[tnincy]

The road to Hana is stunning without doubt. We have done twice on our own in a rental car. There is a roadside stand that has the best Banana bread EVER.

 

 

agree. did earlier this year on land vacation. and the banana bread you speak of is YUMMY! hana is a difinite must in maui.

 

to answer op, we hired a local in jamaica to take us site seeing all over the island. we went through fern gully, to the top of some peaks, toured bob marley's place. we also met the locals family, drank some over proof at a bodega. saw his home town, met his kids and went to a couple of places off the beaten path.

[luvmyjewels]

We just got back from an exotic western cruise and loved snorkeling and sailing in Grand Cayman (thorugh stingraysailing) and cave tubing in Belize (cavetubing.bz). Both were great excursions!

 

In Roatan, we took a private tour through Boddens and my kids favorite activity of the cruise was the ziplining. Their zipline was perfect for novices and the guides are great! However, that experience was a little overshadowed when my dd was bit by one of their monkeys.

 

On the eastern side, our favorite excursion (so far) was the snorkel with sharks excursion at Stuart Cove.

[Dave0311]

In Belize I'd recommend trying the cave tubing. That one's always fun. (Just get ready for a bus ride that's longer than the tour itself!)

 

As far as other ports, my favorite excursion was probably a biking tour of the Mayan ruins in Costa Maya. This excursion actually had a few options: biking, ATVs, and walking I think. We really enjoyed the biking. We'd ride right up to the various ruins, and our guide would tell us the history and we'd get to explore them. The best part about this specific tour was that it was only my sister and I on the biking tour! So it was like a private tour just for us! :D I doubt that's the norm though.

 

Then there are the rainforest hikes we've taken in Dominica and other Southern/Western Caribbean ports, which are always a good time!