Guadeloupe Tours ? ?

[jjw1026]

We leave in a couple of weeks for the 14 day Southern on the Maasdam and do not see any tours for Guadeloupe. I don't know if I'm dreaming this or not, but did I hear HAL was having problems with the tour people there and maybe could this be why there aren't any listed? Just curious. Like to get any tours we decide to take purchased before we leave. Thanks

[Krazy Kruizers]

When we were there a couple of years ago, we happen to be there on a Sunday and there were only a couple of tours offered. Having been there before we just opted to stay on the ship.

[kyriecat]

I'm also trying to figure this out. There is a thread on the X board that Tuggers started about her current Maasdam 14-day trip. She was in Guadeloupe on Sunday. I left a posting asking if HAL had offered their sailing any tours but she hasn't responded yet. Probably busy having fun. I've read that the rainforest on the Basse-Terre side of the island are beautiful with lots of waterfalls and that the snorkeling around the island is also really nice, but I haven't found any guides offering tours. One of the things Tuggers posted was some people elected to take a taxi tour of the island for $30 pp. The taxi driver took them to the other side of the island and wouldn't bring them back unless they paid ANOTHER $30 pp. :eek: I usually like private tours but I don't know if I want to get caught up in THAT! Here is a link to Tugger's thread: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=864117 and her description of Guadeloupe is posting #91. Hopefully HAL will offer some tours.

[fuzzywuzzy]

We toured Guadeloupe a few years ago from a cruise and had a lovely young lady as our tour guide. I believe we took the ship's tour. We were with a few other people. True, the city is ugly, dirty and unsafe (we were told to not stray off the main streets). But the countryside was beautiful up in the rainforests in the mountains. We stopped at banana fields and our guide explained to us how they harvest and grow the bananas. Very interesting. Back in town we had time to walk around but none of the stores really intriqued us. We went to an outside cafe and ordered a beer. Walked through the spice market which was very interesting as well. We heard from others that the people in the shops were very rude and would not speak English or could not, whichever. But that is still no reason to be rude.

 

We were not impressed with the city. I'm not sure what we are going to do that day this time when we arrive at Guadeloupe as it will be on a Sunday also. I have no desire to walk through a dirty, congested city.

[kyriecat]

I just checked and HAL has posted Guadeloupe tours for my sailing. I assume they have them for earlier ones as well now.

[jjw1026]

kyriecat, thanks for the post. I just looked at ours and they now have them posted. Thanks again and have a great cruise. . . .;)

[Akheila]

it would seem that they have added a bunch of potential excursions today..we had none for our sailing of guadaloupe either and now today I see that there are some. I also see they have added for some of the other ports that weren't recently there.