Green Monkey/4X4

[mgkdk]

Ok....I have to admit my son and daughter had to talk me into this excursion. It ended up being one of the best and worst of our vacation.

 

Our tour guide "Glen" was the best. He was very informative and a great sense of humor. I would do it again in a heartbeat.

 

As far as the worst....I was doing this excurision with my kids as my husband wanted to spend the day on the ship. After seeing the monkeys we did a stop along the way back to the ship. Our group (of 10) was approached my a man selling jewelry and also had a cute little monkey on him. He immediatley went for my 13 year old daughter, which scared the heck out of her. He wanted to put the monkey on her shoulder but she refused. He then placed the monkey on another young man (about 25ish). After seeing that the monkey was safe, the young man let my daughter put in on her arm. After about 30 seconds (and me taking a couple of pictures) we started walking towards the ocean, that's when this man came in our faces and asked for a $5.00 donation for the monkey and our pictures. He was quite insistant. I didn't have a $5 on me, only a $20 and that was going to be for our guides tip. I was a bit scared of this guy but I held my ground and just walked away. This guy started making some loud comments on how I shouldn't travel without any money.

I ignored him, but I did bring it up to our guide Glen.

 

This is a best part again...Glen was really great. He asked me how this man approached me and then went and complained (using some strong language) to another guy...who I'm assuming runs the restaurant/tourist stop that we were parked at.

 

Now we're back in the vehicle and headed back to the ship. About 3/4 of the way, I noticed I'd left my backpack back at the stop. I never forget anything the only thing I can think of is that I was still a bit shaken up by this scary guy. The only thing of importance was my daughters ship pass. Glen immediatly went into action and called another guide who we had crossed paths on the way back. That guide got my backpack and brought it back to the ship...with 10 cheering tourists in his vehicle :)

 

Glen also waited outside the gates with me until we got it back. He was extremely considerate and went out of his way to help "another tourist".

 

We take for granted how much these guides to thru with us tourists just to make a living for themselves and families.

 

I wished I had more to give Glen, he so deserved it. So I'm hoping that this review might help....do the excursion it was very good...and if you can, request Glen...he's a real good guy!

[lynninsc]

Hi! Did you book this through this ship or independently? We are planning a cruise that stops in Barbados and I really want to see the monkeys. Glad you had a good time and everything turned out ok.

[Aplmac]

After seeing the monkeys we did a stop along the way back to the ship.

Our group (of 10) was approached my a man selling jewelry and also had a cute little monkey on him.

He immediately went for my 13 year old daughter, which scared the heck out of her.

He wanted to put the monkey on her shoulder but she refused. ===> Smart girl!

He then placed the monkey on another young man (about 25ish).

After seeing that the monkey was safe, the young man let my daughter put in on her arm.

After about 30 seconds (and me taking a couple of pictures) we started walking towards the ocean,

-that's when this man came in our faces and asked for a $5.00 donation for the monkey and our pictures.

He was quite insistent.

I didn't have a $5 on me, only a $20 and that was going to be for our guides tip.

I was a bit scared of this guy but I held my ground and just walked away.

This guy started making some loud comments on how I shouldn't travel without any money.

Be warned.

Barbados has several of these insistent jerks posing as salespersons (of all sorts of nonsense)

who try to thrust their wares and services upon you!

 

When you encounter one, simply move along quickly and ignore them

no matter how cute the monkey(I've been bitten already):(

no matter how enticing the made-in-Philippines necklaces.

[mgkdk]

Sorry took so long to respond....been real busy.

 

The answer is yes, we booked thru the ship. When it was just me with the kids I felt safer going with the cruise line rather than on my own....I'm not that experienced of a traveler quite yet...working on it but not yet.

 

Have fun, I hope you can get a guide as great as Glen was. Should you get him, and if you remember...tell him the lady who forgot her backback back in March says hi and a big thanks again.