Can anyone tell me more about cavetubing.bz?

[Kellyfkrc]

How much does everyone tip the guides (on average)?

[abitcloudy]

i still see nowhere listed for $50... I see $75 on : http://www.cavetubing.bz/tours. Where is everyone seeing $50?

[mitsugirly]

i still see nowhere listed for $50... I see $75 on : http://www.cavetubing.bz/tours. Where is everyone seeing $50?

 

 

If you look up above a few post, I posted the picture directly from their website with the pricing. It says right on there $50 for just the cavetubing. ;)

[Kellyfkrc]

Tipping?

 

 

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[mom_n_mi]

Tipping?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

I read this thread previously:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2057552&highlight=tipping

[Kellyfkrc]

I read this thread previously:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2057552&highlight=tipping

 

Perfect. Thanks

[AnchorsAweigh2011]

Tipping?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

I think you should tip them well because it is an important source of income for the tour guides!

[geogal]

Just back from the Norwegian Sun cruise and excursion independently booked with cavetubing.bz.

 

No problems with tender times. I think the cruise lines like to "scare" folks into thinking they have to book a ship's excursion in order to get "priority" tendering to the dock. Our ship docked at 8:00 am and we got tickets to the first tender, and boarded by 8:30 am.

 

We were met by a myriad of staff people wearing the CaveTubing.bz yellow shirts at the exit of Terminal One, as directed. We were quickly loaded into a 12-person van for the 45-minute ride to Caves Branch National Park. We opted for the longer tubing excursion with lunch included for $50/person, and it was a wonderful day. Did not have to carry our own tubes, and the lunch and unlimited rum punch was delicious. Guides were safety conscious and knowledgeable. We were back in plenty of time to browse the shops and pharmacies before taking the 4:00 tender back to the ship.

 

Hint: wear good hard-soled water shoes for the hike to the cave. NO flip flops are allowed. They rent water shoes for $3.00. There are changing rooms at the park, and you can leave your belongings in the locked van with the driver. Do NOT wear scuba booties, as the path the to river is gravel. Husband learned this the hard way. Also, no water bottles are allowed in the park!

 

Tip generously, as they folks really earn it! You can tell they love what they do.

 

It is too bad that this cave system has been publicized so much, as it was crowded with lots of other ships' tours and outfitters. My husband was afraid that the water would be cold, but our tubes had "bottoms" to protect you from touching the water with your rear. But, the water was warm enough for swimming and cliff jumping. We even saw some bats as we floated out into the sunlight.

 

Go and enjoy!

[AnchorsAweigh2011]

Just back from the Norwegian Sun cruise and excursion independently booked with cavetubing.bz.

 

No problems with tender times. I think the cruise lines like to "scare" folks into thinking they have to book a ship's excursion in order to get "priority" tendering to the dock. Our ship docked at 8:00 am and we got tickets to the first tender, and boarded by 8:30 am.

 

We were met by a myriad of staff people wearing the CaveTubing.bz yellow shirts at the exit of Terminal One, as directed. We were quickly loaded into a 12-person van for the 45-minute ride to Caves Branch National Park. We opted for the longer tubing excursion with lunch included for $50/person, and it was a wonderful day. Did not have to carry our own tubes, and the lunch and unlimited rum punch was delicious. Guides were safety conscious and knowledgeable. We were back in plenty of time to browse the shops and pharmacies before taking the 4:00 tender back to the ship.

 

Hint: wear good hard-soled water shoes for the hike to the cave. NO flip flops are allowed. They rent water shoes for $3.00. There are changing rooms at the park, and you can leave your belongings in the locked van with the driver. Do NOT wear scuba booties, as the path the to river is gravel. Husband learned this the hard way. Also, no water bottles are allowed in the park!

 

Tip generously, as they folks really earn it! You can tell they love what they do.

 

It is too bad that this cave system has been publicized so much, as it was crowded with lots of other ships' tours and outfitters. My husband was afraid that the water would be cold, but our tubes had "bottoms" to protect you from touching the water with your rear. But, the water was warm enough for swimming and cliff jumping. We even saw some bats as we floated out into the sunlight.

 

Go and enjoy!

 

We have booked this cave tubing excursion and are looking forward to it. Thank you for posting such detailed update!

[jp4166]

See that there are two competing companies. Has anyone used dark night?

[mitsugirly]

See that there are two competing companies. Has anyone used dark night?

 

 

Hmmm, I don't see where that is "competing" since I've been on here for several years and cruising and have never even heard of this place (dark night) or seen it ever mentioned. :confused:

 

The places you will see most on here mention are .bz and .com ;)

[James in SA]

Dark Night is a different set of caves nearby the ones we are more familiar with. The name Dark Night is sthe name of one of the caves. Their website http://www.darknightcavetubing.com/ shows some interesting looking tours, but I do not know which of them are doable from a cruise ship.

 

I did notice their desk in terminal 4 of the Tourist Village on my last trip, and I read here somewhere that a Dark Night Cave tour was offered as an excursion on a Carnival ship.

 

Some interesting looking pictures in their gallery, I would like to see that area some day.

[tracyb51]

I just wanted to add our experience since I am not seeing many posts against this company. We just returned from a 7 day cruise on Royal Carribbean and I booked a cave tubing/zoo excursion through a third party shoreexcursioneer.com. I got a great deal based on what I was seeing our ship charge for something similar. We got the first tender off the ship and I had a hard time finding them at first. Once we finally found the guy he took us through a parking lot to an area with many other people waiting to leave for their excursion. There were several vehicles sitting there with their name on them and several employees also. We were told after arriving in that area that the caves were flooded from rain the night before and that it was unsafe to do that activity so it was cancelled. We were told there were other options for us and they listed off zip lining, atv rides and the Mayan ruins. I already had the zoo still planned so I wanted to do the ruins. They told me it was too far from the zoo and they worried we would not get back in time to the ship. I then chose zip lining for my daughter but being scared of heights I knew I was just going to watch her. They made us wait another 15 minutes and loaded us into a van. We were cramped into this van with 4 of us on the back seat. We drove for 45 minutes to the main office and we were told we could use the bathrooms and pay for our excursion. I had already paid a deposit when I booked the trip so I told the ladies that I needed to pay for my daughter to zip line and both of us to do the zoo adding that I paid a deposit so that should come off what I owe them. They informed me that the deposit did not count and that it was for shoreexcursioneer.com and not them. I was upset about this and they proceeded to tell me it was $55 for my daughter and $50 for me to do the zoo. I was so upset over the cost and them not counting my deposit but knew I was stuck at this point being so far from the port. We loaded back in the van and drove another 10 minutes on some crazy bumpy road to the zip lining. Across the street was the atv rides. Most of the people in our van were doing the atv rides so I took my daughter to the zip lines. We finished fairly quickly and I went to find the driver to let him know we were done so we could get to the zoo. He told me I had to wait for the rest of our group to do the atv rides and they were not even on yet. It was another 30 minutes after they got onto their atv's before they were done. Then they were covered in mud as we crammed back into the van to go back to the office for lunch. The guide told everyone else that if they wanted to do the zoo it was an extra $25. I stated I was told it was $50 and that it was I was charged. He said he would check on that and never did. By the time we finished lunch the driver came over to me to say we could go to the zoo. It was a little after 1pm by this time and the ride back to port was 45 minutes. Our ship said we had to be back at 3:15pm but they did not recommend being there that late as not everyone could get on the last tender. This left us with very little time for the zoo and I was told they would drop us off and another driver would come back for us. I was very concerned about the time constraint and what if the driver coming back for us was late. I told him I did not want to still do the zoo since they got us back so late waiting for the other people. He said he would check to see if they could give me a refund for the zoo. I sat there waiting and waiting and finally they started loading everyone back in the van. I was told the owner was coming to talk to me so I stood there while everyone in the van waited for me. The man was on the phone next to me and I waited and waited. He finally got off the phone and the driver talked to him in spanish so I could not understand. Then the owner looked and me and very rudely told me it was my fault I did not return sooner and he was not going to refund my money. I told him it was not my fault and that I was told I had to wait for the rest of our group. He yelled at me and told me had other vans at the location and I could have come back anytime. I told him again that I was told I had to wait and how was I suppose to know those other vans were available to me if I was told to wait. I was so upset and this company completely ruined my day. On the way back in the van I was staring out the window in tears over the whole situation and everyone else in the van was getting drunk on rum punch while my 10 year old had to listen to them getting more and more drunk and vulgar. I just can't believe how rude the owner was and he was so mean. I told him I planned to write reviews on my experience and he did not seem to care. This was our first cruise and it was not a pleasant experience. Not sure we will ever do this again and if we do I will never return to Belize City.

[mitsugirly]

I just wanted to add our experience since I am not seeing many posts against this company. We just returned from a 7 day cruise on Royal Carribbean and I booked a cave tubing/zoo excursion through a third party shoreexcursioneer.com. I got a great deal based on what I was seeing our ship charge for something similar. We got the first tender off the ship and I had a hard time finding them at first. Once we finally found the guy he took us through a parking lot to an area with many other people waiting to leave for their excursion. There were several vehicles sitting there with their name on them and several employees also. We were told after arriving in that area that the caves were flooded from rain the night before and that it was unsafe to do that activity so it was cancelled. We were told there were other options for us and they listed off zip lining, atv rides and the Mayan ruins. I already had the zoo still planned so I wanted to do the ruins. They told me it was too far from the zoo and they worried we would not get back in time to the ship. I then chose zip lining for my daughter but being scared of heights I knew I was just going to watch her. They made us wait another 15 minutes and loaded us into a van. We were cramped into this van with 4 of us on the back seat. We drove for 45 minutes to the main office and we were told we could use the bathrooms and pay for our excursion. I had already paid a deposit when I booked the trip so I told the ladies that I needed to pay for my daughter to zip line and both of us to do the zoo adding that I paid a deposit so that should come off what I owe them. They informed me that the deposit did not count and that it was for shoreexcursioneer.com and not them. I was upset about this and they proceeded to tell me it was $55 for my daughter and $50 for me to do the zoo. I was so upset over the cost and them not counting my deposit but knew I was stuck at this point being so far from the port. We loaded back in the van and drove another 10 minutes on some crazy bumpy road to the zip lining. Across the street was the atv rides. Most of the people in our van were doing the atv rides so I took my daughter to the zip lines. We finished fairly quickly and I went to find the driver to let him know we were done so we could get to the zoo. He told me I had to wait for the rest of our group to do the atv rides and they were not even on yet. It was another 30 minutes after they got onto their atv's before they were done. Then they were covered in mud as we crammed back into the van to go back to the office for lunch. The guide told everyone else that if they wanted to do the zoo it was an extra $25. I stated I was told it was $50 and that it was I was charged. He said he would check on that and never did. By the time we finished lunch the driver came over to me to say we could go to the zoo. It was a little after 1pm by this time and the ride back to port was 45 minutes. Our ship said we had to be back at 3:15pm but they did not recommend being there that late as not everyone could get on the last tender. This left us with very little time for the zoo and I was told they would drop us off and another driver would come back for us. I was very concerned about the time constraint and what if the driver coming back for us was late. I told him I did not want to still do the zoo since they got us back so late waiting for the other people. He said he would check to see if they could give me a refund for the zoo. I sat there waiting and waiting and finally they started loading everyone back in the van. I was told the owner was coming to talk to me so I stood there while everyone in the van waited for me. The man was on the phone next to me and I waited and waited. He finally got off the phone and the driver talked to him in spanish so I could not understand. Then the owner looked and me and very rudely told me it was my fault I did not return sooner and he was not going to refund my money. I told him it was not my fault and that I was told I had to wait for the rest of our group. He yelled at me and told me had other vans at the location and I could have come back anytime. I told him again that I was told I had to wait and how was I suppose to know those other vans were available to me if I was told to wait. I was so upset and this company completely ruined my day. On the way back in the van I was staring out the window in tears over the whole situation and everyone else in the van was getting drunk on rum punch while my 10 year old had to listen to them getting more and more drunk and vulgar. I just can't believe how rude the owner was and he was so mean. I told him I planned to write reviews on my experience and he did not seem to care. This was our first cruise and it was not a pleasant experience. Not sure we will ever do this again and if we do I will never return to Belize City.

 

Oh gosh, I am so sorry you had such a terrible experience. It's definitely one that would leave a bitter taste in anyones mouth.

 

I have to ask, did you do some research prior to going and booking with this company? These boards are a wealth of knowledge when picking out the right and reputable vendors to go with. I'm pretty sure that the vendor you used is one that people on here have mentioned to stay away from. This vendor has multiple places to book with (in different ports in the Caribbean) and while it may not be on the Belize board, I believe they have been mentioned on other port boards as a vendor not to go with.

 

While I have not actually went with them, I have booked with them several years ago and after booking I had learned that they no longer had a relationship with the place I booked with. (Obviously they were bringing bad business to the operation that I wanted to visit and that operation didn't want the "bad rep" and canceled their contract with them). I demanded my deposit back from them and eventually it was returned. (If you used a cc to book your deposit online with them, I would go to your cc company and file a charge back with them saying you did not get the service to get your money back at least).

 

Please don't let this bad company ruin it for you if you return to Belize. They are not all bad and if you go with a local company that is recommended on these boards, you will have a totally different experience. Just know that this place is NOT the vendor, they are a 3rd party salesperson. They don't actually do the excursions, they only book them for another company. Why use a 3rd party to book something that you can book directly with the excursion place and probably save money? Just my thoughts.

 

Once again...so sorry you had a bad experience. Don't forget to do exactly what you said you would...post the experience you had with them so others will know...as in go to trip advisor and do the same if you haven't already! :)