More Nativeway questions, (paranoid)

[caprcorn28]

Thanks for the replies - I will just email it then!! :)

[Ltvscout]

We are all set up to do our excursion with Nativeway - with the exception of needing to fax in the credit card number. Have any of you done this via the secure fax line or did you call or just email it?

We tried faxing our CC # last week. The line just kept ringing. We emailed Sharon to ask her what was up with the fax machine and she said they had a lightning strike that blew out the fax. She asked for my phone number and called me to get my CC #. I'd never send credit card info via unsecure email. You're asking for trouble doing that. They may or may not have a new fax machine in place by now.

[ginag]

Just call...it's much easier! (345)-916-5027

[ericworldz]

Thanks for the replies - I will just email it then!! :)

 

take a piece of advice, NEVER EVER send your credit card info through insecure email!

 

just my 2 cents, i work in IT field

[Ltvscout]

take a piece of advice, NEVER EVER send your credit card info through insecure email!

 

just my 2 cents, i work in IT field

As do I which is why I advised against it as well. ;)

[salty dingo]

I work as an IT consultant, and here is why it is not a good idea to send a CC number through email: someone can tap into the network at any point between sender and receiver. You can never be sure what route the email will take. It is very easy to look for a series of numbers that could be a valid CC number, because they have a certain "signature" including a check digit that must match the rest of the numbers with a math formula.

 

If someone in another country taps into the network and listens, which is probably more likely than it happening here, they can get your CC number without much trouble.

 

Some people break up the CC number into two separate emails. That would be very difficult for a hacker to detect. But it is always safer to use a secure website or to call it in.

[andnickali]

I too had reservations about the whole credit card thing, and when I called Nativeway to book I just gave Sharon the number over the phone. I gave her a credit card that I only use for internet purchases, that way it would be easy to see any activity that is on there (for them or any other business).

 

I took the tour last week, and Eldon was the one that drove us to the dock and another person drove the boat (Chris). He is actually the one that collected the money at the end of the tour. The tour was excellent- the best excursion I have ever done!

[Bothell]

I too had reservations about the whole credit card thing, and when I called Nativeway to book I just gave Sharon the number over the phone. I gave her a credit card that I only use for internet purchases, that way it would be easy to see any activity that is on there (for them or any other business).

 

I took the tour last week, and Eldon was the one that drove us to the dock and another person drove the boat (Chris). He is actually the one that collected the money at the end of the tour. The tour was excellent- the best excursion I have ever done!

 

Did you take the Rays, Reef and Rum Point tour? Or just the Rays and Reef?

What time did they get you back to the dock?

[andnickali]

We did the rays, reef and rum point tour. We got to the pier at 8:30 and there was a man with the Nativeway sign that told us to meet in 1 hour under the nearby gazebo. There was a total of 16 people on the tour (my group made up 8 of them!). From the gazebo we walked to a parking lot where they have their bus and Eldon took us to the dock. It took about 15 minutes to get to the sandbar, we spend about 45 minutes with the rays, Charlie pretty much just swam down and picked them up for us to touch, kiss and feed--- a once in a lifetime experience---. After that we went a very short distance to the reef. The water is deeper and has some waves, but my 8 and 10 year old had no problems swimming around with a float, my 4 year old rode on her daddy's back for a while but quickly lost interest (and he was getting tired) so I took her back to the boat. We were there about 30 minutes (plenty of time). Next onto Rum Point (10 minute ride). Chris had menus for the local restarurant and he placed our orders. Rum Point is the beach that makes you want to keep coming back! The water is bluer than a pool, warm and shallow. The beach is secluded, has nice soft sand and just the right amount of people. We ate right at the restarurant on picnic tables and then spent about 1-2 hours just walking around (there are some shops but I didn't go to them) and playing in the water. We left there about 2:15 and were back to the pier at 3:00 for our tender. I would have loved to spend a few more hours just hanging out at Rum Point. I have already started looking in to house rentals for next year vacation (very expensive).

 

Chris was well aware of our times and I had not one worry about missing the tenders. I have heard that since the tenders are run by the Port Authority and the Port Authority releases the cruise ships that the chances of missing a tender are rare. I suppose that all of the tour companies could contact the PA and let them know they have passengers on the way. I am not sure if that is a fact, but it would almost make sense. Nativeway was a first-class operation and I would go back to them in a heartbeat!

[Bothell]

We did the rays, reef and rum point tour............We left there about 2:15 and were back to the pier at 3:00 for our tender.

 

Andnickali

That is great to hear! I am excited to go there and will probably be doing the same...looking for a place to rent and go back! I love the beach and have heard this one is nice.

Lisa

[andnickali]

I spoke with one couple while at Rum Point who go there every January for two weeks with a large group (family). The husband said he had traveled extensively in the islands and had never found a beach as beautiful as Rum Point. I have not been to too many islands (8), but based on the beaches I went to- I would agree.

[phabric]

andnickali-

 

Glad to read your review. We are interested in the same tour. We are a group of 10 adults, 2 are non-swimmer but they are interested in doing the stingrays. Do you they would be able to do the tour, I guess they could stay on the boat at the reef. What was offered for the lunch?

[andnickali]

I definitely think a non-swimmer would be able to do the tour, the stingrays are in waist-deep water and there is no swimming required. My kids did swim under, but I did not. The guides will catch the rays for you to touch. So, as long as the people are comfortable being in water they will be fine. On the other hand, the reef part will require the ability to swim. The water is at least 10 feet deep and there is a small wave current (not breaking waves). I did wear a float and made my kids wear one also, but many people did not. I originally went without one and then swimming became too much work so I put one on.

 

For lunch: right at Rum Point there is an open air restaurant that serves burgers, sandwiches, fish and chips, chicken tenders and fries. The guide will take your order and call over to place it. When we got there all of our food baskets were set out on one of the tables ready to go. The food was good, and there was something for everyone.

 

My advice is to not miss this because of people being hesitant of the water part. The stingrays are amazing and the water is safe. The reef was great, but we were not there that long- your friends could just watch from the boat. Rum Point is gorgeous. I am sooooooo glad I picked this tour and not the one that had the island tour (turtle farm and Hell). I would have liked to see those things, but I don't feel I would have left GC with the same outlook had I not gone over to Rum Point.

[Cape Cruiser 2007]

Same here-reading so many positive reviews for Nativeway-maybe GC is the time to try an excursion not from RCI...I, too, am very stressed when things go wrong/late. Wondering if I should just stick w/ cruise excursions and save myself possible headache-let alone any grey hair!

[cruisin newbie]

As AndNickAli posted, they are right there holding a Nativeways sign as you get off the tender. Be sure to get as early of a tender as possible. I went to the desk the night before to see if they would give me one in advance since I had an early excursion booked (can't hurt to throw in that you are a cruisecritic member) and they gave me a priority tender ticket. Which means that as soon as they get the VIP's and folks doing the ship's excursion off - then we can go.

 

I had signed onto my cruise's roll-call board and got to talking w/ several cruise mates, one of us called Sharon and she said that if we got enough people they would gladly do a tour w/ just people from our ship and customize the tour times around our schedule - PERFECT! I think in the end, there were 17 of us booked, all from the rollcall. We got back in plenty of time. The tour guides were very conscious about this and even asked what time the last tender was as opposed to what time the ship left port. Someone was worried about ship time vs. island time...I was really worried about this myself (was my first cruise) but RCCL sets their time to island time - so..."no worries mon!"

 

The food was very good. I got the grilled chicken sand and DH got some kind of salad. We both liked it and did not go away hungry. I'm thinking some in our group may have even got wings. Drinks at Rum Point are relatively expensive - so bring cash!!!

 

I made all of my arrangements via email and always got quick responses from Sharon and I believe that I faxed my CC info to her - I know I did not email it.

 

I think I've answered most of the questions asked here (from my experience anyway). Have a great time!

[andnickali]

Regarding the tendering in GC. I noticed that different cruise companies use different tenders. Carnival uses large double decker tenders that fit about 100 people. Some of the other ships use their own life boats. I am not sure how many people are in each boat, but that could explain why some people have stated they are waiting longer to get on/off the boat. As for us, we just walked down to deck ) and got onto a tender in both GC and Cozumel (where the tenders were even bigger and enclosed). After reading some of the horror stories here in the threads I was worried, but Carnival seemed to have a pretty good system.

 

Also, just be sure to check the times, like cruisin newbie said RCCL sets their clock to the island time; but, Carnival does not- so in essence you are "cheated" out of an hour in the end. Just make sure you know what your boat does.

[cruiserfriends]

We are booked on the Grandeur and in GC from 10:00 - 5:30. Our string ray excursion is from 1:45 - 3:45. :eek:

 

I just sent an email to Ruth @ Capt Marvins so that she can reassure me that we will make it.

 

Thoughts?

[ericworldz]

i just check the weather forecast, it says 60% chance of rain all week long from feb 6-feb 10. what to do in ports during the rain??

[VaTraveler]

Often when it says rain, it means a shower lasting about 15 minutes. We had the same forecast on our last cruise, and it only rained once in the whole 7 days. That one lasted about an hour and was just more of a drizzle.

[herecomesthesun]

I really want to do this excursion, but our ships leaves at 4:00, meaning the last tender will be at 3:00. Does this honestly give us enough time? I'm confused about the difference between island time and ship time, too. I thought the ship always ran on island time when in port. Anyway, I'd really appreciate opinions on whether we can swing this, or if it just isn't worth the stress.

[andnickali]

I really want to do this excursion, but our ships leaves at 4:00, meaning the last tender will be at 3:00. Does this honestly give us enough time? I'm confused about the difference between island time and ship time, too. I thought the ship always ran on island time when in port. Anyway, I'd really appreciate opinions on whether we can swing this, or if it just isn't worth the stress.

 

Our ship also left at 4:00, and our last tender was 3:30- we had plenty of time (although I would liked more) to do the Nativeway Rays, Reef and Rum Point. Carnival does not change the ship time to island time, so we just did not change our watch and that solved that.