Tubing questions

[Katiebug227]

DH and I are 99% sure we'll be booking on the Valor for next April. The cave tubing looks like a bunch of fun and we have just a few questions.

 

1) Will the Carnival folks give us a hard time about choosing to go with an independent tour operator? On our first cruise (Triumph - NE/Canada) we booked our excursions through Carnival and were happy, but it was pricey. We also didn't have to tender on our first cruise, so I'm worried about not being able to get to shore in time.

 

2) My husband wears glasses (he's blind as a bat). Will it be a problem for him to leave his glasses on for tubing? He'll take an older pair just in case, but I'd rather not do the cave tubing at all if he's likely to lose them.

 

3) It's just the two of us on this cruise. I checked out cave-tubing.com and the site said the prices were for a group of 5 or more. Coral Breeze didn't list a minimum group size, and neither did X-Stream. Will we have problems finding an independent operator willing to take us?

[Eliot Ness]

1) Will the Carnival folks give us a hard time about choosing to go with an independent tour operator? On our first cruise (Triumph - NE/Canada) we booked our excursions through Carnival and were happy, but it was pricey. We also didn't have to tender on our first cruise, so I'm worried about not being able to get to shore in time.

No, you will be fine doing an independent tour operator. We had no problems getting off the ship in time (Carnival Valor), just get to where you're supposed to be on the ship a little early.

2) My husband wears glasses (he's blind as a bat). Will it be a problem for him to leave his glasses on for tubing? He'll take an older pair just in case, but I'd rather not do the cave tubing at all if he's likely to lose them.

Just get one of those cheap cords that attach to the glasses that will keep them around his neck in case they do fall off. I bought one for my Sunglasses at Wal-Mart for under $5, and my wife bought one for her pair in the gift shop on the ship (it was under $10).

3) It's just the two of us on this cruise. I checked out cave-tubing.com and the site said the prices were for a group of 5 or more. Coral Breeze didn't list a minimum group size, and neither did X-Stream. Will we have problems finding an independent operator willing to take us?

When we first booked with cave-tubing.com there were just the two of us so the price was going to be just a little higher. This is part of the reply we got right after we booked, "The price for 2 is $55us per person, but if you join a group while meeting us, then the price will be the regular $45us per person. With us you pay cash until the tour is over." We wound up with others in our group from our Roll Call so we then had a group larger than 5. I think Yhony might join you in with another group so you'll only have to pay the $45, and it is a very, very, nice tour..... he runs a very good operation and has some great guides.

 

John

[DiveCruiser]

We never use the ships excursion operators.

Have him were glasses, my wife was blinder thatn a bat so to speak in the caves.

Contact Coral Breeze.

 

Bob

[buckeyeinmd]

I'll second what ElliotNess said. We used them in August. There were 3 of us but there were also a few other families who had booked with them on our ship. We ended up paying $45 per person.

 

Doug

8/92 Monarch of the Seas

3/93 Mardi Gras

3/03 Victory

8/06 Glory