Ronys Independent Tours

[seasideny]

Salboz

 

You're not missing anything. We did pay $100 basically for the ride - which is why my dh thought it was a little overpriced. If we had taken more of a tour with him it may have been more 'worth it' but I did prearrange for him to meet us to do whatever we'd like. Since he was there we paid him as agreed, as it wasn't his fault we didn't ask for more of a tour. He did offer to take us to some places but we simply drove by them as my kids just wanted the beach and pool. I like to think of experiences like that as - good karma. I did not wrong and helped the local economy

[ADB]

We have booked with Rony for September, it will be $25 each for a 4 hour tour of the island. He has called me twice since I made the booking very nice person and I can't wait to meet him. Just my experience with him so far I know the day will be a great one.

[lindseesmom]

My concern is that I have never used a private tour group before. I received a very nice e-mail from Rony today and the price seems good too. But isn't it better to book thru the cruise line?? That is how I have booked shore excursions in the past. Is it not risky to book thru a private group or person??

Also since it is a 4 hour tour, how do I know that I will not miss the ship? Do I tell them when I want to go and come back??

Any advice/tips appreciated!

[loveJake]

My concern is that I have never used a private tour group before. I received a very nice e-mail from Rony today and the price seems good too. But isn't it better to book thru the cruise line?? That is how I have booked shore excursions in the past. Is it not risky to book thru a private group or person??

Also since it is a 4 hour tour, how do I know that I will not miss the ship? Do I tell them when I want to go and come back??

Any advice/tips appreciated!

 

We used Rony in September, we hooked up with someone from our roll call who made all the arangements, now that's trusting (they were a great couple and we had a blast-even went cave tubing together with Major Tom the next day). He stayed with us the entire time, even at the beach. He was never out of our sight. When we first started cruising we only booked ship excursions, now hardly ever. I will however not just go with anyone I see when leaving the ship. I do my homework on these boards and have everything planned in advance. Even though the trip with Rony was not planned by me I did the research on him.

[lindseesmom]

Thank you for your info, "Love Jake" & I have heard only positive things about Rony. He has e-mailed me many times and he seems very efficient. This is good to know. I think we will be go with Rony!!

[wallysdtr]

We were on the Valor - April 26 - and used RonY at the recommendation of others that posted on cruisecritic. As a tour guide he was wonderful! Very gracious and also kept the vendors away that were trying to sell extremely overpriced trinkets.

RonY was willing to take us where we wanted to go but since it is his home, we let him do the guiding. We were glad we did. It cost us $40 each since there were only 2 of us but it was well worth it. We got a tour of the entire island, got to take great pictures, and went to a beach that was less expensive than the one we originally asked RonY to take us to. What else could we do but enjoy lunch there and treated RonY as well.

We are looking forward to going back and actually heard from RonY yesterday asking how we were doing.

We highly recommend him!

[rockmegently]

Add one more positive review for RonY. We were there on April 23rd cruising on the Carnival Legend. My son and I went scuba diving so I arranged a private tour of the island with RonY for my wife and daughter. They had a great time seeing the sights, playing with monkeys, and doing some shopping. They also went horseback riding on the beach. He customizes the tours based on your interests.

 

He is very professional and speaks outstanding English. I highly recommend him. Thanks to those who provided feedback earlier as it was based on those positive reviews I decided to book him.:D

[Buffettfan 225]

We have just booked a tour with Rony's company and within hours he called on a Sunday night from Roatan to speak with me! Plus he has emailed multiple times. Very nice man. Looking forward to our tour in June.

He has let me know his website is now up and running but website is different than in previous posts. It is www. ronystours dot com . www.ronystours.com Hope this helps those that have been looking.

buffetfan ~ Suzy

[lindseesmom]

Thanks for the website for Rony & have been in touch with him for our tour in August. Looking forward to the tour and let us know how your tour goes in June.

[Tigergenesis]

thanks for sharing!

[Buffettfan 225]

Thanks for the website for Rony & have been in touch with him for our tour in August. Looking forward to the tour and let us know how your tour goes in June.

I try to post a detailed review upon return. For now another family has reserved Rony, and I am second in line in case they don't show. But he has arranged another guide. I think he works with a lot of family members etc.

Suzy ~ buffetfan we will be back June 22

[dce85]

I want to echo the positive responses of those who have used Rony's services. My husband and I chose to use Rony because we like the idea of supporting the new guy. We found that Rony was an excellent guide, willing to tell us all about his home. We weren't interested in spending time at the beach so we went to both ends of the island. We also visited the Botanical Gardens. I encourage you to give Rony a chance. I think you'll be glad that you used him as your guide.

[Buffettfan 225]

Roatan:

We did an anniversary/birthday cruise in June and highly recommend Ronystours http://ronystours.com/ He will customize the tour to whatever you want to do. If he is not available that day himself, he has family & friends helping run the small tour company. He is upcoming and so accomodating and friendly. The day I made a reservation he even phoned! has emailed me several times and even after cruise.

We were going to tour island, shop, and originally planned Mayan Princess ($10 entry/person) resort (beach/pool) but was cloudy and limited time. So let him do his thing. Our favorite part was Victor Boden's monkeys. Next time I think I'd go for Monkeys and Mayan resort. Very limited shopping at the actual pier where cruise ships dock. Best find were the fashionable napsak backpacks for $4 each at store LA Iguana & Co. upstairs near stairs.

 

I have posted links to my legend photos- http://travel.webshots.com/album/573...ecurity=ahitHh pictures 132-212 photos were Roatan. Hope this creates a better visual of Roatan pier. Rony sent specific instructions were to meet him/his tour. Just be sure to set a time. We ate breakfast then met up and he had already been there patiently waiting 45minutes. Be sure to get off ship, follow shore to left and out. He is so eager to show his country, and aim to please. He even recalled I mentioned my sons 18th birthday and brought a gift! I would call him a friend for life now. The tour was interesting, he has a/c vehicles, just be sure to figure out ahead if you want to zipline,iguana farm,Victor Bodens monkeys (our favorite stop), shop, beach area. You make the call when you want to head back or give him a time you "need" to be back.

We paid $90 for private tour 3 people + a tip I thought was more than I could pay to thank him for a special day he provided. His rates are on his tour page. For awhile website was down,

but he responds to emails quickly. "RonY Bennett" <ronyroatan@yahoo.com>

IF you inquire or use him- tell him Suzy sent ya, mom of birthday Mike!

Questions--just ask.

[canuck eh?]

Thanks for the wonderfun info. Was kind of worried about this stop. I have checked the website and might to this.

[Divine-Miss-N]

We used in RonY in June 2009 and I can't say enough about him. We went to the iguana farm, Monkey stop, the orphanage and ended our day at the beach. He told us so much about his country and we felt so safe with him and Dave. We had sooo much fun there. He stopped wherever we wanted, whenever we wanted ...We stopped for pictures and to buy fruit! My mom stopped in a local grocery store ...They were so good to us. I plan on using him in the future and would not hesitate to recommend him to anyone!

[lindseesmom]

This all sounds great and we are going with a tour from Rony too. He e-mailed me many times and seems great. We have 3 more weeks till our cruise. Great pictures!!

 

Roatan:

We did an anniversary/birthday cruise in June and highly recommend Ronystours http://ronystours.com/ He will customize the tour to whatever you want to do. If he is not available that day himself, he has family & friends helping run the small tour company. He is upcoming and so accomodating and friendly. The day I made a reservation he even phoned! has emailed me several times and even after cruise.

We were going to tour island, shop, and originally planned Mayan Princess ($10 entry/person) resort (beach/pool) but was cloudy and limited time. So let him do his thing. Our favorite part was Victor Boden's monkeys. Next time I think I'd go for Monkeys and Mayan resort. Very limited shopping at the actual pier where cruise ships dock. Best find were the fashionable napsak backpacks for $4 each at store LA Iguana & Co. upstairs near stairs.

 

I have posted links to my legend photos- http://travel.webshots.com/album/573...ecurity=ahitHh pictures 132-212 photos were Roatan. Hope this creates a better visual of Roatan pier. Rony sent specific instructions were to meet him/his tour. Just be sure to set a time. We ate breakfast then met up and he had already been there patiently waiting 45minutes. Be sure to get off ship, follow shore to left and out. He is so eager to show his country, and aim to please. He even recalled I mentioned my sons 18th birthday and brought a gift! I would call him a friend for life now. The tour was interesting, he has a/c vehicles, just be sure to figure out ahead if you want to zipline,iguana farm,Victor Bodens monkeys (our favorite stop), shop, beach area. You make the call when you want to head back or give him a time you "need" to be back.

We paid $90 for private tour 3 people + a tip I thought was more than I could pay to thank him for a special day he provided. His rates are on his tour page. For awhile website was down,

but he responds to emails quickly. "RonY Bennett" <ronyroatan@yahoo.com>

IF you inquire or use him- tell him Suzy sent ya, mom of birthday Mike!

Questions--just ask.

[Buffettfan 225]

I am glad you enjoyed photos. My family is getting used to taking photos "for cruise critic" after one meal of snapping food photos, they actually prompted me in future meals. DH even put his "appetizer back together" for photo! So if chicken satay looks small 1/2 was missing LOL.

The Roatan port photos certainly would have helped as we only guessed which way to walk to meet Ronystour.

Suzy

[Lady_Jag]

This is great to know. Suzy, I really enjoyed your monkey photos. LOL!

 

I already emailed Rony about our upcoming visit in June 2010. After receiving a very nice and very prompt response, I went ahead and filled out the online request form for a "free style" tour for my party of 5. :D

 

I should mention that Rony's website indicates children under 5 are free, so it will be $25 for each of the four adults in my group, and our 4-year-old will not be charged. I also asked about seatbelts, since we will be taking a booster seat for our daughter, and Rony assured me that his vehicles were equipped.

 

Finally, I asked about accommodating a fold-up wheelchair, since my mom can't walk long distances and MIGHT need to bring one as a "backup" plan. Rony assured me that he could accommodate us.

 

I am VERY excited now, and have no idea how I'm going to get through the next 300 days or so. ;)

[azrayne]

Well as you all can see I'm in the count down until I cruise in 32 days.... Rony has been awesome so far. Originally I contacted him about taking his tour as a single person. He was totally up for it and the cost was reasonable at $80 for 1 person. I planned a really free style trip because I wanted to learn about his homeland. Well, as I talked with people on my roll call, there were quite a few interested too....so far 24 to be exact.:eek:

 

Rony has called and we have emailed several times and so far I am extremely pleased with his courtesy and customer service. Of course, I will be posting a review here with pics when I come back!

[ktropical]

Going chritmas 12/20 to 12/27 on Voyer. Can't decide on Ronnys personal tour or Cave tour with Major Tom. Has anyone done both to help with this decison? Thanks!!

[JXR]

Going chritmas 12/20 to 12/27 on Voyer. Can't decide on Ronnys personal tour or Cave tour with Major Tom. Has anyone done both to help with this decison? Thanks!!

 

You could do both, since Ronny's is in Roatan, and the Cave Tubing with Major Tom is in Belize.

 

Joanne

[loveJake]

Going chritmas 12/20 to 12/27 on Voyer. Can't decide on Ronnys personal tour or Cave tour with Major Tom. Has anyone done both to help with this decison? Thanks!!

 

We have toured with both and I don't think you can go wrong with either of them. The only disappointment I had with Major Tom, and this was no reflection on him, is that people did not hurry off the ship and we had to wait. All you have to do is go to the lounge specified in the capers 15 minutes before the time they tell you and you will be on the 1st or 2nd tender, we were on the 2nd. Some people think that no one can get off the ship until ship tours are done, not true. Not all ship tours are scheduled for the same time, and they fill up the tenders with the people waiting in the lounge.

[xtandt]

We just got off the cruise this Sunday and used Rony in Roatan. He was great, very informative and friendly. Gave lots of information and tips. He was with the whole way and felt very safe. We would use him again in the future.

[J&DrCruisin]

Hi Suzi,

 

My husband and I are going to Roatan in Dec. and before I read your posts (with your pics. loved the monkeys), I had no idea what we were going to do there. All our other ports are taken care of but this one.

 

Now, I know for sure we are going to use Rony for our "Free style" tour of Roatan. I am looking forward to this tour and Dec. cannot get here quick enough.

 

Thanks again Suzi :)

 

Julie

[loveJake]

Hi Suzi,

 

My husband and I are going to Roatan in Dec. and before I read your posts (with your pics. loved the monkeys), I had no idea what we were going to do there. All our other ports are taken care of but this one.

 

Now, I know for sure we are going to use Rony for our "Free style" tour of Roatan. I am looking forward to this tour and Dec. cannot get here quick enough.

 

Thanks again Suzi :)

 

Julie

 

We tour with Rony on Tuesday the 15th and your tour would be Wednesday the 16th, we are on the Dream leaving the 12th. He should be getting a lot of bookings just from CC.