Where is our port? Roseau or Cabrits?

[CaribbeanBound]

Interesting situation.

 

Celebrity Galaxy is due into Dominica on Mach 4, 2008. Celebrity has scheduled our port to be Roseau. I even confirmed this with them by phone. CruseCal has us listed as Roseau.

 

HOWEVER, the official site of the Dominica Tourist Bureau has us docking in Cabrits. All of the tour folks we have contacted apparently use the same source and tell us we are coming into Cabrits.

 

I sent an inquiry email to the Dominica Tourist Bureau and didn't get any reply.

 

Cabrits is a good hour away from Roseau and the port will affect which sites we will be able to visit.

 

I won't book a tour until they all can agree on our port. Seems silly. In the meantime, it seems the tour operators will be looking for us in Cabrits while we berth in Roseau.

 

Anyone else experience this, or know how to get the two sides to agree on the right port?

[pholter]

I'd say go ahead and book your tour if it's independent. These guys really know what's going on regardless of where the information is getting messed up along the way. They see the ships each week and know where to pick you up.

 

I personally cruised Carnival when we went there, but I could have sworn I heard that Celebrity docks at Cabrits. See- I don't even know! :)

[usha]

When we were on Galaxy last February, we docked in Roseau.

[beecruise]

Interesting situation.

 

Will be arriving in Dominica on Galaxy Feb2. Making arrangements with Levi. He replied we will be docking in Cabrits. Celebrity stated "We don"t know what port you will be at,you can find out when you are on the ship"

Also informed me we will definately be tendered! Relayed this info to Levi,and he says their info still says Cabrits. He stated if it is Cabrits, it will add 2 hrs and $6 per person to the price of the trip.

Previously we were listed as tendered in Tortola, but now they say we are docked.

I will report back when we return from our cruise.

[Indiana Jones]

...on Celebrity Galaxy this last week. The ship's info sheet said it would be "a short distance from the original port", but is in fact around 20 miles away. Our independent tour guide (no names to be kind) met us there but did not inform us that due to the extra time it took to meet us in Cabrits that we would only have time for one stop, even though the tour price was the same. If you're going to be in Cabrits be sure to get full details from your tour operator what you have time to see and at what price.

It is a long, winding trip from Cabrits to the other edge of the island...

especially in a old van with bad suspension and no beverages.:(

[blong2200]

INDIANA JONES: ( Steve)

 

I was on the same tour with you and BENO. In fact, I was the one who arranged the tour with BENO for our group and the same person who had guest relations contact him via email to let him know that our stop would be Cabritis instead of the usual spot. He could have chosen not to come and get us, and cancelled the tour all together, but instead he went out of his way to accommodate all of us. I also was on the same van you and your wife were on with BENO and was witness to the 'temper fit' you pitched at our FIRST STOP. The van you and I rode in DID NOT have bad suspension and you know full well that drinks were provided.....you drank a couple of beers and even have pictures of yourself holding a beer talking to Beno in one of the photos you posted on our group site. Beno also bought with his own money extra beer, soda and water for our group.

 

I was the first of our group off the ship and met Beno and he told ME that we would have make some adjustments to our tour since we had to drive 20 miles to the first stop at Emerald Pool. It was ME who okayed cutting the stop at Trafalgar Falls out of the schedule, and insisted that we not miss Mr. Nicey's fruit stand. If you had stopped long enough to listen you would have understood that the trip to Trafalgar Falls was impossible with the time limit that we had to do the tour and get back to the ship. Yes, I was disappointed that we missed the stop also, but I completely understood that Beno and his 'extra' driver had driven 20 miles one way to accomodate our group and had to drive 20 miles back to their original destination. Surely as a business person you can comprehend all of this. BTW, Beno did speak to our driver after your 'fit' and he did a better job explaining things to us on our trip to Mr. Nicey's and back to the ship. I understand from others that were in our group and rode with Beno that he apologized to them repeatly for the shortened trip and even pulled into the beach, to try to make the trip more enjoyable for all of us.

 

Yes, I guess I could have been more responsible as our 'tour leader' and gotten us all together after I spoke with Beno and realized that our tour was going to be shortened, and you then could have chosen not to go, however, with Beno going out of his way to accomodate us and getting up at 5:30 in the morning to drive to Cabritis to meet us, I didn't feel this was necessary.

 

If you still feel that you shouldn't have had to pay the $40.00 per person, as you stated to Beno, for the tour, let me know and I will REFUND your money. Beno did nothing, but go out of his way for all of us. His tour is one of the best in Dominica and I am very sorry that you were disappointed in the way it was handled, but don't blame it on Beno or post negative comments without stating all of the facts.

 

Beth

 

Beth

[Indiana Jones]

INDIANA JONES: ( Steve)

 

I was on the same tour with you and BENO. In fact, I was the one who arranged the tour with BENO for our group and the same person who had guest relations contact him via email to let him know that our stop would be Cabritis instead of the usual spot. He could have chosen not to come and get us, and cancelled the tour all together, but instead he went out of his way to accommodate all of us. I also was on the same van you and your wife were on with BENO and was witness to the 'temper fit' you pitched at our FIRST STOP. The van you and I rode in DID NOT have bad suspension and you know full well that drinks were provided.....you drank a couple of beers and even have pictures of yourself holding a beer talking to Beno in one of the photos you posted on our group site. Beno also bought with his own money extra beer, soda and water for our group.

 

I was the first of our group off the ship and met Beno and he told ME that we would have make some adjustments to our tour since we had to drive 20 miles to the first stop at Emerald Pool. It was ME who okayed cutting the stop at Trafalgar Falls out of the schedule, and insisted that we not miss Mr. Nicey's fruit stand. If you had stopped long enough to listen you would have understood that the trip to Trafalgar Falls was impossible with the time limit that we had to do the tour and get back to the ship. Yes, I was disappointed that we missed the stop also, but I completely understood that Beno and his 'extra' driver had driven 20 miles one way to accomodate our group and had to drive 20 miles back to their original destination. Surely as a business person you can comprehend all of this. BTW, Beno did speak to our driver after your 'fit' and he did a better job explaining things to us on our trip to Mr. Nicey's and back to the ship. I understand from others that were in our group and rode with Beno that he apologized to them repeatly for the shortened trip and even pulled into the beach, to try to make the trip more enjoyable for all of us.

 

Yes, I guess I could have been more responsible as our 'tour leader' and gotten us all together after I spoke with Beno and realized that our tour was going to be shortened, and you then could have chosen not to go, however, with Beno going out of his way to accomodate us and getting up at 5:30 in the morning to drive to Cabritis to meet us, I didn't feel this was necessary.

 

If you still feel that you shouldn't have had to pay the $40.00 per person, as you stated to Beno, for the tour, let me know and I will REFUND your money. Beno did nothing, but go out of his way for all of us. His tour is one of the best in Dominica and I am very sorry that you were disappointed in the way it was handled, but don't blame it on Beno or post negative comments without stating all of the facts.

 

Beth

 

Beth

1. "No names to be kind"...I never mentioned any names-did I ?...there was no need to defend any tour guide in this public forum because I made a deliberate point to NOT mention any names so it wouldn't be personal.

Had I mentioned a name I could see where you would get upset.

Merely trying to help future cruisers handle this potential problem with their tour operator up front, as Celebrity isn't helping much on this issue.

2. The one (1) beverage cooler was in the other van both coming and going back for the 20 mile trip...yes,I did have 2 beers

while at the falls.

3. Ask anyone else in the last seat/ back of the van about the suspension to get their opinion of the ride.

The money paid for this ride to the falls, or tours done on any island is not the issue at all...and I'm not looking for, asking for, or will accept any refund. The issue is my precious time...we have maybe 6 or 7 hours to spend somewhere, and after months of planning just want to be sure it's spent as wisely as possible with the limited time we have.

I'm not blaming you or anyone else about the way things turned out-so please don't take this personal...I could have asked about the final plans for the day before getting in the van-I didn't-so it's my problem.