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

[kidintow]

Train to Denali (Alaska)

Swimming with the dolphins at Dolphinarius in Cozumel

Swimming with wild string rays in Grand Cayman (loved the turtle farm but not the boring tour to get there too)

Snorkeling off Belize (only place I ever saw fan coral)

Sail boat racing in St Martaan

Whale Watching in Juneau

[CruizenSusan]

Cave tubing in Belize.

[txstarla]

Not really an excursion, but I would do the chefs table before anything else!

[Ehpride]

I watched my 80 year old Grandma kiss a stingray. That was pretty cool!

[BubMunkeyBles]

My favorite excursion to this day was cave tubing in Belize. We did it on a fluke (missed our Cozumel excursion due to Carnival being unorganized so they gave us back the money) but it was the most amazing thing ever. I was skeptical, but the bats and the caves were awesome.

[Almost Packed]

my most favorite memorable excursion was a tour we did in cozumel. it was not a ship sponsored tour. many from our roll call booked it together as a group and since i organized it, i even got to go for free. We did the Cozumel bar hop tour and we added on the tequila tour. at the end of the tequila tour, they have a swimming pool to cool off in. well, one member of our group decided to go swimming. He did....in all his glory! he wore his birthday suit:p

 

we still laugh about it now....

[grozas]

Years ago on a cruise about the SS Norway (that will give you a hint of how long ago it was), we were in St Thomas and had hired a driver to take us to the Capt Chair and on to Megan's Bay. Of course they all seem to drive huge Econoline 12 passenger vans up all those tiny winding roads. Here we are going up the mountain at break neck pace, not staying in our lane too well, vans right on our a&^% and vans honking coming down for us get in our lane.

 

All of a sudden, our driver slams on the breaks HARD and we skid to a halt. We all end up on the floor boards and how the van behind us did not hit us, I dont know. The driver throws the van in park, swings open the door, jumps out and runs back down the highway! We are sitting there in the middle of the road, drivers door still open and no driver.

 

A few seconds later, here the driver comes running back -

 

 

 

Clutching the dollar he saw lying in the MIDDLE of the road!!!

[DaDivaMom]

one of my very favorites was Canyoning in Dominica for about 4 hours in TiTu gorge then hiking for an hour out of the rain forest. It was AMAZING. Only 4 of us with three guides. They were top notch and can be booked through Cocoa Cottages on the island.

 

The places you are going my favorites would be:

 

Roatan: hiring Anthony from Viktor Bodden and have him take you to Half Moon Bay to kayak or swim out to the reef to snorkel.

 

Belize: if the river is high enough cave tubing, we prefer Major Tom.

 

Cozumel: take the ferry to main land and follow David's advice to explore the cenotes. We did an eco tour where snorkeled and dove the underground caves and well as attended a Mayan blessing and lunch. Pretty cool.

 

Cayman Islands: rent a car and head to Rum Point.

[kcdancerkc]

Have to start with Jamaica - never by boat - but it's become our home away from home - because we found a local driver / friend from tripadvisor - Kenny Salmon

Beautiful - Lovers Leap - at Jamaica's south coast, exposing a 1,700ft vertical drop down to the waves crashing on Cutlass Bay below. The lookout provides a fantastic vantage point to look for miles out to the Caribbean Sea

google image it - amazing

Glistening waters - bioluminessence bay -one of three in the world (other in PR and one in Grand Cayman) - go out at night and see micro-organisms that glow in the water and shoot around--- nothing like it! The wake of the boat was UFO green!

Driving around to "food stands" have health permits -like a drive thru eating snapper and corn - friend ate the fish heads!!! ewwww

Took us to meet his kids and was beyond hospitable - LOVES his job.

More run of the mill in JA - But Priceless

Dolphin Cove in Ocho Rios----Hummingbird sanctuary in the mountains Negril @ 7 mile beach---THE best place on the island so far---

Ricks Café Cliff Divers and Sunset Extravaganza

YS waterfalls one of our favs - soooo coool litterally

Pelican Bar - near south coast - google image it! Bar on stilts out in the water - probably top 5 in uniqueness for us anywhere traveling

Most remote accomodations - Sandals Whitehouse - WOW

 

HAL CRUISE TENDER BOAT - LARGE SWELLS - HARROWING! THE PLANK WAS BOUNCING UP AND DOWN 10 FEET - I WAS PANICKED - SO WERE MANY OTHERS I started down the plank - I thought every crew was saying GO, GO - but they were saying NO, NO - coulda smashed my head!--- WE WERE NEXT TO LAST TENDER-- THE LAST ONE ALMOST DIDN'T MAKE IT - COULD NOT GET UP AGAINST THE SHIP! Was strange watching them barely accomplish what we did right before them!

 

DISCLAIMER: WE SNORKEL EVERYWHERE IF WE CAN!

Cabo – El Arco – sea lions sunning on rocks on the booze cruise!

and Parasail ( I parasailed OVER a cruise ship - most peaceful experience - snorkel okay for May--Stayed at the tip of cabo - very bottom - small resort next to the mega ones

Cozumel – parasail - This time hubby was a little ill-- while we were in a shop earlier getting a good deal on tanzanite ring for me - shopkeeper kept giving him tequilla -- Plus the wind kicked that paraisails butt!

Roatan - Victor Boden's tour - found on here/tripadvisor - guide was good - went to a local's resturant on a little peninsula - ate great food with a dog and a cat around and about! Water on BOTH sides - sooooo pretty. We always ask where the locals eat. NO bites from monkeys! I think there are perhaps too many people going there now -- maybe need to retire these - and get newer ones.

Belize – almost got to fulfill my dream of snorkel there - but in order to keep from hitting the coral while jumping off boat - popped my sternum -- thought it was a heart attack! Needed help back on boat - they brought creatures up to me :) This pain was around for about a month!

St. Thomas - Didn't make it to Magens bay, but swam with turtles and rode a tram up high for gorgeous views! (Plus great price on Tanzanite wedding ring!)

Grand Turk a very good snorkel - because of my man, trying to film and take stills while diving deep - Later I got him a goggles/mask that takes picts and videos and keeps your hands free -- on amazon - $100

Lastly - PR - Got a guide on here/tripadvisor - HECTOR - we wound up seeing him a year later on the Natgeo channel. Climed to top of rainforrest - soooo unique - especially for me - because I find sitting on water's edge in the sand - my ZEN. It was picturesque and unforgettable. Then off to the beach - and down to a San Juan tour.

My husband takes great picts - but I can't get to them right now - anything you can find on google images of course!

58 days till we hit 3 new islands - more to come!

OH - Not a cruise - but rented a convertible and drove down coastal highway to Key West - Drag Queen Shows, exxxxcelent food and great snorkel - with the US Coast Guard watching over you!

GOAL FOR DREAM PLACE - BORA BORA!

 

 

[pcrum]

Interesting? Well, I guess you could classify our Ochos Rios Bamboo Beach Tour as that. I'd just say, avoid this excursion at all costs. For a detailed explanation and tons of photos, see my November, 2010 Liberty review! We were very happy to get back on the ship after thad excursion!

 

Not to knock Ochos Rios at all...we loved the Mystic Mountain bobsled excursion !

 

For Cozumel, we love Paradise Beach and Nachi Cocum!!

[2tall]

I've got to agree about Cinque Terre. It was absolutely amazing. Unfortunately we didn't get to take the boat ride as the seas were rough when we visited (we had to take the train between some of the villages) but we did get to walk the Via Dell'Amore.

 

As for the Caribbean, it's probably a toss up between a helicopter ride over Montserrat (after the volcano blew...the second time in recent memory), swimming with the stingrays in Antigua, and swimming up Titou Gorge in Dominica.

 

My answers assume that by interesting you mean *good* interesting...not *WTH* interesting. We have had a couple of those, too. :D

[Mumsykat]

I vote for swimming up the Ti Tu gorge in Dominica. Stunning swimming into a crack in the side of a mountain. Sunlight leaking in the cave roof followed by a 40 foot waterfall at the end. Dominica was awesome. The least developed of the Caribbean islands. Really hoping to return there one day.

 

 

I was about to mention that myself. I don't think the ships go to Dominica anymore, do they? We went on a Carnival tour, in an open military transport type vehicle, got halfway to our destination and were stopped because the road was closed by a landslide. Heavy equipment was already there, had the road cleared and we were back on our way in 5 minutes - just imagine how long that would have taken in the states! We got soaked when it started to pour, but we were going swimming anyhow, right? And the gorge was beautiful! I didn't make it all the way thru because they had had heavy rain over the last few days and the current was too strong, but I did get close enough to see the waterfall.

 

On the way back down they served rum punch and the truck bounced so much the punch splashed all over me - I was tempted to just suck on my shirt! DH and I never laughed so hard, we still talk about that excursion. Not an excursion for sissies.

[mousey]

We've been to all of those ports and I would say that snorkeling in them is always a great adventure. Zip lines are fun also.

 

I hope you have an awesome cruise!:D

[Brudette]

I was about to mention that myself. I don't think the ships go to Dominica anymore, do they?

 

I don't think Carnival does, but Princess has quite a few itineraries that include Dominica.

[mattp420]

Coba was by far one of the most fascinating things I've ever seen. Long trip from Cozumel but well worth it. Tallest pyramid in the Yucatan and you can still climb it.

 

 

 

 

[mdrobtx]

Without reading all the posts.

In Belize City we took a cab to the municipal airport and flew a little Cessna over to San Pedro, Ambergris Caye for the day.

Went snorkeling at Shark Ray Alley. Had a marvelous lunch in San Pedro then hopped on the Cessna to come back. Got back over an hour before the last tender.

Search my posts from Jan/Feb 2010 for a complete review with video.

We fell in love with Ambergris and did an OI (on island) trip there in Sept 2010.

 

Yep, adventurous. Be sure to leave a note in your cabin explaining where you went for the day. At least that way if you don't make it back....they'll know. :D

[gander24]

My hubby & I did the Raiders of the Lost Mayan Caves tour in Belize and it's one of the most memorable experiences of my LIFE! We both agreed that you never see this kind of excursion in the U.S. because the jungle & caves were sooo untouched, uncommercialized, and required some real maneuvering to get through! We both had gone into caves on family vacations in our lifetime but they were the "stay-on-the-path, paved-walkways-and-fully-built-stairs, electrically-lit" kind of caves. These were so beautiful and so different.

 

You take an hour or so ride into the jungle of Belize, and this is no-joke jungle. You meet your guides and there is a really great ratio of guides to guests. I felt very safe, except at some points when climbing up the rocks through the jungle. You could easily trip or fall if you're not careful, and at some points have to hang onto a rope to maneuver around safely. Rule #1 of the jungle is do NOT mistake a vine for a rope, as they are not secured to anything!

 

 

DH and I with one of our awesome guides, Louis...

 

 

When you get to the caves, they're stunning. This is the part where I realized caving was way more fun than being at work.

 

 

At one point once you're inside, you have to climb about 10 feet down a step-ladder which sounds easy but I had a fear of heights. You're hooked in and they help you every step of the way. As you can see, your headlamps and the camera flashes are your only source of light.

 

 

At one part, you get to cross an Indiana Jones-esque bridge! For the faint of heart there is an alternative pathway if you don't want to do it, but it was really fun.

 

 

And in between caves you get to zipline, INTO the caves and across the jungle!

 

 

It was way cool, and totally worth the money. The tour guides are very helpful in always offering to take pics for you with your own camera! They also take pics with professional photographers you can buy at the end, but there is no pressure. At the end of the tour, you stop for a Belizean lunch and enjoy the bus ride back to the pier. SO much fun. The best part was, feeling proud of conquering my fear of heights and doing some real-deal spelunking!

[m*u*g*]

I can highly recommend this one also. Was the best deal of any excursion we've ever done. If in a hurry to do other things, take a speedboat to the site. If wanting a relaxing ride, take the catamaran. Takes longer though.

 

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