Cave Tubing Death

[LHP]

This is not necissarily the case: I already stated earlier in the thread that we just returned from W. Carib. and did the tour thru Carnival on Sept. 10th. We were on the Liberty cruise that was diverted to W. Carib. due to Ike, so we really didn't have time to explore other options or independent tours. Our guides on the Carnival tour made sure that everyone in our group was linked together, especially in the caves. They worked so hard, helping anyone who was stuck, no one at any one time was "on their own". I thought the Carnival tour was very well run and there were no safety issues. I can not speak for the other companies, but I do know that our guides' number one priority was the safety of everyone in their group.

 

Perhaps Carnival just started this rule OR they used another tour operator who already implemented this policy because you were not a regular ship in port...but the fact remains for YEARS....the one thing that people have complained about with Carnival is the fact that they did not link up.

 

In May when hubby went, they came upon the Carnival group and they were indeed "on their own". He said several Carnival folks tried to "hitch a ride" with their group because they were tired of having to paddle. The water was very low and it was a lot of work to get through the caves.

 

So based on what we have heard and seen for years, your Carnival tour "linking up" is the exception and not the rule.

[tomko2]

How tragic. Our thoughts and prayers for the poor husband and their children.

[pungo3]

This is an extremely sad situation. My heart goes out to the family of the woman who died. Such a tragic loss.

[jandjfun]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jandjfun

I am so sorry to hear it actually happened. I have said over and over right here on these boards, it nearly happened to me. PLEASE don't go cave tubing in belieze. I am a very strong swimmer. I was slammed into the wall on a curve, the tube capsized and people began running me over, pushing me under the water each time. The other people couldn't help it, the water was to swift for them to control themselves. Finally, I came up just as another tube went over me, and I grabbed onto it. the man on the tube grabbed my arm and we both continued on. The "guide" just went by and said "are you OK?" I said "no, i'm not" and he just kept going. We finally got to a shallow part so I could stand up again.

There were a lot of people there that day. These were normal conditions. I have no problem someone died doing this activity.

 

first please allow me to correct my original words. I am so very passonate about this subject, I got ahead of myself typing. I meant my last sentence to say I have no problems BELIEVING someone died doing this avtivity.

Secondly, I was on a ship sponsored excursion, I was wearing a lifejacket, and yes our butts dragged in a lot of areas. In fact at the end of the cave, we actually had to pick up the tube and walk because there was not enough water. The water was not high, just very swift in parts.

Thirdly, please don't take a teenagers attitude and say "well this will never happen to me". It only took a split second for me to be slammed into the wall, YES feet and hands first! Capsized and under the water. Everytime I came up I would get slammed into the cave wall again. I am very lucky to only had a couple of scratches and bruises. I could have easily died that day.

fourthy, in the story from her husband he says she was wearing a life jacket too. But they dont help when you are stuck in a whirlpool, or on the curve with the water slamming into the cave walls.

Lastly, I really hope you will never allow children to go on this excursion, and if you decide to go yourself, then I hope it's not you or your loved one we will be writing about next.

Take care.

__________________

This is what I worte on the other thread regarding this matter. I want everyone to see it. PLEASE don't go!

If you want to go cave tubing, the place to do it is x-caret. I was in Playa Del Carmen and visited two different parks and cave tubed in both. Very nice, very beautiful and safe.

[Ltvscout]

We've gone cave tubing twice with Yhony's company and both times felt very safe and we had a great time. They make sure to link people in your group up and your group leader is guiding the link the whole way through the trip. We took this trip in 03/06 when we were in Belize on the Miracle and in 03/08 when we were there on the Legend. Both times we saw the Carnival excursion people floating along by themselves. If there was any linking it was done on their own within families. We never saw any guides maneuvering the Carnival excursion people down the river or through the cave. (Carnival only does one cave, Yhony and others do two.)

 

I'm very sorry to hear about this lady losing her life. I kind of figured that sooner or later something like this would happen after twice witnessing how the Carnival sponsored excursion was run.

[SandyToes1978]

So based on what we have heard and seen for years, your Carnival tour "linking up" is the exception and not the rule.

 

Wow! It looks like we got lucky. If that's the way they normally do it, that needs to change. I would not have liked to have been on my own, especially in the cave. We probably did go thru a different company since we were the 2nd & unexpected ship in port that day.

[farler05]

Such a sad story. My heart goes out to the family.

 

I wish that people would stop talking about how this just proves how unsafe cave tubing is. People die doing mundane things every day - driving a car, riding a bike, crossing the street, falling down stairs, etc. People die every day in accidents. You just never know.

[home_sea_home]

I did this excursion last May through Carnival. The water was pretty low in some spots, but in the caves our guide did tell us to be very careful as the water got very deep in some spots. While we were "on our own" for the most part, through the caves we were linked up together. At no time did I feel unsafe.

That being said, our guide said the waters were unusually low compared to what they normally were at. He also made sure that every one in our group (maybe 15-20 people) was near him at all times.

My heart goes out to that poor woman and her family. But as another poster said, accidents do happen, and they can have horrifying results like this. I can only hope that this will cause all tubing excursion operators (Carnival and otherwise) to implement more safety precautions.

[Kurbanfan]

I wish that people would stop talking about how this just proves how unsafe cave tubing is.

 

I don't think they are trying to prove anything. Nothing wrong with a little warning of how dangerous it can be from people who have experienced it......make your own call;)

Accidents happen everywhere, but sometimes they can be avoided......

[LHP]

Wow! It looks like we got lucky. If that's the way they normally do it, that needs to change. I would not have liked to have been on my own, especially in the cave. We probably did go thru a different company since we were the 2nd & unexpected ship in port that day.

 

Glad you had a good time. It really is "the thing" to do in Belize. Hubby and oldest son do all the adventure stuff. Our youngest son has Autism, so he and I hang around the ports or stay on the ship.

 

Another advantage of the independent tours is that you go through 2 caves instead of one. (unless you do the independent tour that also rides the ATV..then you ride and do one cave).

 

The not linking has been the main complaint from those who have gone on Carnival excursions because even when the waters are not high, they said it was easy for kids to go directions that they did not need to go.....even getting up against the walls can make little scrapes or things like floating by a spider on the wall that was to close for comfort....which would have scared me...much less a child.

 

We do whitewater rafting and while it a lot of fun, folks have been trapped under rocks and died.

 

Most people do the Carnival excursion though because they are worried about getting back to the ship on time. I have not read any complaints about the independents missing the ship...but it is possible. So what I have suggested in the past to folks who do want to use the Carnival excursion is to link their family and friends together for the entire trip. (perhaps using Dad as the head of the train)

[LynneL]

Based only on my past experience - water barely moving & my arms working overtime paddling thru the caves - this terrible situation came as quite a shock! We went a few years ago, last week of Aug. Our guide did say that in the Spring the water is faster moving & deeper but I had no idea in Sept. it could be so drastically different. Guess hurricanes affected the water.

 

When we went with a private operator we headed there right after the ship disembarked, were the first ones to arrive at the tubing & didn't have to deal with anyone else besides our group of 10. We were the only ones in the cave at the time We did see 2 charter busloads of people from a Carnival tour arriving later after us so that would have made for a huge group of people tubing through together. It is scarey to think of someone falling off & others floating right over them & easy to picture. Certainly makes one think of asking questions regarding size of groups/staff ratio when planning excursions.

[mzloolue]

The lady's death is tragic.

 

I remember a while back that there was a thread on this forum describing an extremely scary cave tubing experience. If I remember right a man was pulled or pushed by the water and went under rocks.

They couldn't find him for a while.

His wife was hysterical, but he somehow got out alive.

 

I decided after I read about that incident that cave tubing was not for me.

The thought of having my loved one drowning under a rock is just a bit much.

[lovebug33]

Tubing in general is more dangerous than it sounds. I envisioned tubing as floating down a river. We went down the Provo River in Utah and my DH nearly died because the water was so unusually high and swift. We were stuck 5 hours before we were rescued. When my Aunt went to go cave tubing in Belize, they weren't allowed because of the water. I feel so bad for the DH because, like he said, they didn't say much about how dangerous it was. He probably thought they were just going to float down the river. I cannot imagine the panic and fear he must have felt.

[sea-cruise]

How sad. My condolences to the family.

My cousin had a scary experience while cave tubing as well, but he was fortunate and came out of it okay.

[1tuckersmom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by jandjfun

I am so sorry to hear it actually happened. I have said over and over right here on these boards, it nearly happened to me. PLEASE don't go cave tubing in belieze. I am a very strong swimmer. I was slammed into the wall on a curve, the tube capsized and people began running me over, pushing me under the water each time. The other people couldn't help it, the water was to swift for them to control themselves. Finally, I came up just as another tube went over me, and I grabbed onto it. the man on the tube grabbed my arm and we both continued on. The "guide" just went by and said "are you OK?" I said "no, i'm not" and he just kept going. We finally got to a shallow part so I could stand up again.

There were a lot of people there that day. These were normal conditions. I have no problem someone died doing this activity.

 

first please allow me to correct my original words. I am so very passonate about this subject, I got ahead of myself typing. I meant my last sentence to say I have no problems BELIEVING someone died doing this avtivity.

Secondly, I was on a ship sponsored excursion, I was wearing a lifejacket, and yes our butts dragged in a lot of areas. In fact at the end of the cave, we actually had to pick up the tube and walk because there was not enough water. The water was not high, just very swift in parts.

Thirdly, please don't take a teenagers attitude and say "well this will never happen to me". It only took a split second for me to be slammed into the wall, YES feet and hands first! Capsized and under the water. Everytime I came up I would get slammed into the cave wall again. I am very lucky to only had a couple of scratches and bruises. I could have easily died that day.

fourthy, in the story from her husband he says she was wearing a life jacket too. But they dont help when you are stuck in a whirlpool, or on the curve with the water slamming into the cave walls.

Lastly, I really hope you will never allow children to go on this excursion, and if you decide to go yourself, then I hope it's not you or your loved one we will be writing about next.

Take care.

__________________

This is what I worte on the other thread regarding this matter. I want everyone to see it. PLEASE don't go!

If you want to go cave tubing, the place to do it is x-caret. I was in Playa Del Carmen and visited two different parks and cave tubed in both. Very nice, very beautiful and safe.

 

I did cave tubing in X-caret, and I did not even like it there. I think it is unsafe period.

[blackrose602]

First, I would like to extend my deepest sympathies to this woman's family and friends, as well as the guests and crew aboard the Glory. We were just on that ship last month, though we did the Eastern Caribbean route, and it saddens me to think about this happening at all, particularly in the middle of a beautiful vacation.

 

However, I hope this tragedy won't scare people off from participating in shore excursions. I grew up in the Central Florida area, and according to newspaper accounts, there has been an incident on Disney property every day since it opened. Most are very minor, but people have been seriously injured and even killed.

 

Things happen, and while they're tragic, I don't believe that the answer is to become reclusive. Nor do I think the answer is the ridiculous level of lawsuit-prevention methodology currently used by theme parks and restaurants in the United States. "Hot coffee served hot" anyone?

 

Obviously, if the tour provider is shown to be negligent, and if Carnival is shown to be negligent, then there should be penalties. I just hope that everyone involved stays as calm and reasonable as the people on this thread seem to be. I'd hate for paranoia to set in.

[1tuckersmom]

I don't think they are trying to prove anything. Nothing wrong with a little warning of how dangerous it can be from people who have experienced it......make your own call;)

Accidents happen everywhere, but sometimes they can be avoided......

 

 

This is very well said and I do agree.

[NaturalLove]

My deep, heartfelt condolences to the family. This is a true tragedy. We were on the Legend last week and were also in Belize on September 24th. We scheduled a cave tubing excursion with Yhony. The day before the excursion DH and I were talking about the next day's cave tubing and how excited we were (me more so then him). A lady overheard us talking and said she heard that Carnival cancelled their cave tubing excursions because the water was too high. We went to the shore excursion desk to check out if that was true and low and behold it was true. I really wasn't sure if Yhony was going to cancel, but we figured we weren't going to meet up with him if Carnival deemed it unsafe. If that's not divine intervention, I don't know what is. I do know that when we arrived in Belize trying to find something to do, people from the various tour companies were advertising cave tubing amongst other things. I questioned one of the guys about the cave tubing and told him that Carnival cancelled it because of the high waters. HE gave some lame response basically saying that the crusie ships don't alwasy have all the information and the locals ae better equipped to make judgements. I was like whatever and decided to do a city tour. My DH was so happy we didn't go cave tubing. He said he wasn't interested and was only doing it because I insisted.

[IKE]

My Deepest Sympathy to the Family. May God help them deal with this loss.

[NaturalLove]

My deep, heartfelt condolences to the family. This is a true tragedy. We were on the Legend last week and were also in Belize on September 24th. We scheduled a cave tubing excursion with Yhony. The day before the excursion DH and I were talking about the next day's cave tubing and how excited we were (me more so then him). A lady overheard us talking and said she heard that Carnival cancelled their cave tubing excursions because the water was too high. We went to the shore excursion desk to check out if that was true and low and behold it was true. I really wasn't sure if Yhony was going to cancel, but we figured we weren't going to meet up with him if Carnival deemed it unsafe. If that's not divine intervention, I don't know what is. I do know that when we arrived in Belize trying to find something to do, people from the various tour companies were advertising cave tubing amongst other things. I questioned one of the guys about the cave tubing and told him that Carnival cancelled it because of the high waters. HE gave some lame response basically saying that the crusie ships don't alwasy have all the information and the locals ae better equipped to make judgements. I was like whatever and decided to do a city tour. My DH was so happy we didn't go cave tubing. He said he wasn't interested and was only doing it because I insisted.

 

Yikes, I meant we were in Belize on September 18, 2008.

[tiggerlover]

First, I would like to extend my deepest sympathies to this woman's family and friends, as well as the guests and crew aboard the Glory. We were just on that ship last month, though we did the Eastern Caribbean route, and it saddens me to think about this happening at all, particularly in the middle of a beautiful vacation.

 

However, I hope this tragedy won't scare people off from participating in shore excursions. I grew up in the Central Florida area, and according to newspaper accounts, there has been an incident on Disney property every day since it opened. Most are very minor, but people have been seriously injured and even killed.

 

Things happen, and while they're tragic, I don't believe that the answer is to become reclusive. Nor do I think the answer is the ridiculous level of lawsuit-prevention methodology currently used by theme parks and restaurants in the United States. "Hot coffee served hot" anyone?

 

Obviously, if the tour provider is shown to be negligent, and if Carnival is shown to be negligent, then there should be penalties. I just hope that everyone involved stays as calm and reasonable as the people on this thread seem to be. I'd hate for paranoia to set in.

 

 

Very well said! I think everyone should always keep their guard up, be it here in the US or in a foreign country. Common sense should always prevail and moreover people should also learn to take responsibility for their own actions.

[sea-cruise]

TiggerLover:

Semper Fi

[RizzoLee]

DH and I were in Belize in 2005, and wanted to do the tour, but found the price too high back then.

 

We were considering it for January, but DH preferred to do the Zoo tour instead - I'm glad I didn't try to convince him otherwise! I was surprised at his suggestion, but am happy it is so now.

 

How awful, my sympathies and condolences to the family affected as well.

[TicTac#2]

When I started this thread, there was not a lot of information that could not be verified so I didn't post anything that I could not verify..(I also ran out of internet minutes.) I did interview several people that were on the cave tubing trip (including my table mates). This is what I know to be true.

 

1) This was a Carnival shore trip.

 

2) The Carnival CAVE-TUBERS were not linked, Non-Carnival cave-

. -tubers were linked (including my table mates).

 

3) The responce time for the Belize EMS was over an hour.

 

4) The river level was high and the current fast.

 

5) Non-Carnival guides did help several people from the Carnival sponcered

trip when they got in trouble.

 

I morn the loss of my ship mate. My heart goes out to Edwardo and

the children and family

 

Rest in peace Linda.

[Hurricane Girl]

When I started this thread, there was not a lot of information that could not be verified so I didn't post anything that I could not verify..(I also ran out of internet minutes.) I did interview several people that were on the cave tubing trip (including my table mates). This is what I know to be true.

 

1) This was a Carnival shore trip.

 

2) The Carnival CAVE-TUBERS were not linked, Non-Carnival cave-

. -tubers were linked (including my table mates).

 

3) The responce time for the Belize EMS was over an hour.

 

4) The river level was high and the current fast.

 

5) Non-Carnival guides did help several people from the Carnival sponcered

trip when they got in trouble.

 

I morn the loss of my ship mate. My heart goes out to Edwardo and

the children and family

 

Rest in peace Linda.

 

Hey TicTac, Happy to see you made it home safely!!! You need to also mention, it had rained in Belize the day and night before this accident happened and the water level was high. The non-carnival groups had more guides with them than the carnival group. People also need to remember: Carnival does not send their staff out on this excursion they hire a private company to do this. (some have said on other boards that it was carnival staff)