NCL Tabyana Beach Party & Canapy Tour

[Marlissa]

Hi all,

 

Four of us have purchased NCL's Tabyana Beach Party and Canapy Tour. The 5th one of us has purchased NCL's Tabyana Beach Party and Snorkel Tour (we're hoping to meet up at the Beach Party).

 

We have our own snorkel equip. and prefer to use it, not the "community" equipment. How do we get the stuff from the Canapy Tour portion of the excursion to the Beach Party portion? Can we leave it in the vehicle and they'll take it to the Beach (I assume we get to the Beach via the Canapy lines) or will we have to take it with us on the zip lines (I was thinking in some sort of backpack but my DH just informed me that he thought we could wear the stuff. Just imagine us on the zip line with snorkel fins and mask on, and air tube in the mouth :eek: )

 

We don't want to make the one person that isn't doing the canapy tour carry all the snorkel equip. for the four of us - also not sure if we'll meet up with the other person.

 

Has anyone done NCL's excursion and could offer some assistance?

 

Marlissa

[noedig]

We just did the canopy and beach tour last week with NCL. Don't worry about your gear. You will leave it in the van, and the van will be waiting for you at the bottom of the mountain when you're done. You definately would not be wanting to carrying a backpack with it in while your zipping.

[Marlissa]

Thanks for letting us know. This sounds much easier than I anticipated.

 

Marlissa

[happytogoing]

Your friend will end up at the same spot as you - Tabyana Beach.... and you'll find each other with no problem..... I hear the canopy tour is great.

 

We did the semi-submersible and it was better than I expected.

 

Bring your own snorkle gear, otherwise you'll be renting at Tabyana....

[WDWfan13]

noedig,

 

We are planning on doing the canopy tour and beach in March. How many people were on the tour? We don't want to go with a huge crowd!

[noedig]

There were 8 or 9 of us in our group. Certainly not crowded. There was a group that had left just before us, and I'm assuming groups to follow, but we were never pushed or held up whatsover.

[WDWfan13]

Thanks. I'm reading all these posts about the tour being sold out and picturing a huge, crazy group of people...not what I want on vacation!

[noedig]

The tour sells out quickly because they can only handle smaller groups of people. It's not a madhouse at the canopy area, just a mad house trying to get one of the only (I've been told) 120 spots. If there are multiple ships in (there was another NCL ship when we were there) than it becomes harder to get that excursion.

 

We only saw the 9ish people in our group, along with the two workers, who, when you get there, you will see that they are necessary, especially for those who don't brake enough on the faster runs. Nobody gets hurt, but they'll stop you pretty quick (which is way better than hitting the tree)

[jmalstrom]

You might get lucky like we did and meet some really FUN people on the Canopy tour. We thoroughly enjoyed zipping through the jungle with noedig and his precious wife last week! Also met another couple we had lunch with at Tabyana and then dinner on the ship the next evening. VERY enjoyable people. Made the canopy tour even more fun. This tour was the highlight of our trip. The snorkelling at Tabyana is FABULOUS, by the way!

 

Lisa

(p.s. It's a brisk 55 here in Houston tonight - we call that a cold snap! Thinking of you guys in the real cold, noedig!)

[patagoniagirl]

On the canopy tour is there a lot of hiking around or just a lot of climbing up ladders? My cruisemate has a bad knee and this may be too challenging? Any insight is appreciated!

[bolt]

I am thinking about doing this tour. Just how do you stop yourself? Maybe I am not adventuresome enough for this tour.

 

Could someone please explain this excursion to me.

 

Thanks:eek:

[jmalstrom]

IT IS A BLAST!!!!

 

I am in my late thirties and not terribly adventursome, but this sounded like fun. My husband was thrilled when I told him I wanted to do it.

 

There are no ladders! In one spot you do have to walk to the next platform - not strenuous!

 

You are driven up a hill (small mountain) to the top of the course. They outfit you with a hair net and helmet, put on a harness which goes around both legs and around your waist, and give you a pair of heavy duty gloves. At the front of your waist on the harness there is a giant caribiner (sp? - basically a big, closed hook) and somewhere is attached a large pulley.

 

Once your group is outfitted, they take you over to the first platform and give you some basic instruction. There are cables strung between the trees in the jungle and platforms every so often. You start on one platform and end on the next, and so on for 12 platforms.

 

When it is your turn, you pull down on the cable with both hands and the guide puts your pulley on the cable, covers it with a sheath and then hooks your caribeener (and you, since it's attached to your harness) to the cable. You put one hand behind you on the cable to steady yourself, and that is the hand you control your speed with. The other hand goes on the harness in front of you, pick up your feet, cross your ankles and GO!!!! You zip down the line toward the next platform. You control your speed by pulling down on the cable with the back hand, or not!!! As you reach the next platform, the guide on that platform will signal you to slow down or speed up, and will tell you when to start braking by pulling down on the cable with your back hand. If you can't stop, they will stop you by blocking your pulley when you reach the platform.

 

I am not terribly coordinated, but I was able to control my speed very well after a zip or two. One line is almost level, so you have to not brake at all. I stopped short of the platform and one of the guides came out the line to me, wrapped his legs around my waist and pulled me to the platform!!! The single girls were jealous!!!

 

You are very high off the ground and the platforms are metal mesh, sturdy but smallish. You are ALWAYS tethered to the zip line or a cable around a tree, so if you fall it won't be far. No one was ever in danger of falling on our trip and noone was even bothered by the heights. Noedig's wife was VERY afraid at the start and almost backed out, but ended up going and loving it. The guides went with her on the lines she was afraid to do alone.

 

One guy in our group had a fused ankle within the past year and he had no problems. Our arms and abs were slightly sore the next day. I wouldn't take my mom who has back problems on this tour.

 

If I had it to do over, I would not drink the water offered at the mid point. I drank it without thinking and later had issues - may or may not have been from that water, but next time I would just wait till we got to our bottled water which was in the van at the bottom.

 

It was wonderful fun and I plan to do it again the next time I get to Roatan!!

[jellens]

Tabyana beach party was a bit pricey. They have dark meat chicken, hot dogs and hamburgers. Fruit. Fruit was good. Facilities nice.

 

For $20 bucks you can take a cab to a beach next door to Tabyana and walk there. No lunch, but big deal!

 

Just an option.