Eli's tour not for everyone...

[teegeezfun]

my husband and i just came back from antigua on constellation and we did eli's tour while we were there. Although 85.00 is by no means over priced for what we got on eli's tour, imo i could have better spent the 85.00 on something else better suited to my individual needs and desires. This thread is to more fully descibe what you experience on eli's tour, aside from the glowing descriptions i read prior to my trip.

 

there are several reasons why i wouldn't recommend this tour as one to suit everyone.

 

i have arthritis in my hip and am not very athletic and unfortunately no one on these boards warned me prior to my trip that it may prove to be very difficult to get on and off of the boat at tour stops because of the very steep forward ladder. This ladder deprived me of participating fully in the tour and not being able to swim or snorkle made the trip boring. if you are not comfortable swimming/snorkeling/climbing up and down ladders then seek out another tour.

 

At least i was able to board the boat at the dock, thus avoiding the steep ladder for a time. I really felt bad for those that were picked up for the tour on the beach and had to navigate that steep ladder while standing in rough surf in order to board the boat. There were several woman of age 45ish who struggled to board the boat at this stop.

 

Further, i realize now that a full day on the water is too much for those who have never visited antigua and only have one day to do so. We left the island feeling as though we saw nothing other than some homes of the rich and famous and some mangrove trees. Hells gate was picturesque but the stop was for no more than 1/2 an hour in a 6 hour tour.

 

Again, 85.00 is a very reasonable price for a full day on a boat with lunch, i don't feel that i overpaid for what we got. i just think that i could have better spent my money.

 

Sorry if you feel the need to flame me, but remember i am on the cruise "critics" board and am thus offering a critique. this tour suits a particular type of visitor and is not for everyone. I hope this proves useful to those of you shopping for something to do while in antigua.

[Texed]

I agree that you should read about an excursion before you go. Eli's web site is pretty plain on what you do for the day. There have been many posts about the "active" excursion that Eli offers. My 65 YO sister went on this excursion and loved it.

 

I have gone with Eli 4 times, and I have been on this board a long time. Yours is the first negative post about Eli's excursion that I have read.

 

I see you didn't care for the Constellation much either. We have been on Constellation 3 times, and have loved it each time.

 

I guess it is true that differences makes the world go 'round.

[teegeezfun]

"I see you didn't care for the Constellation much either. We have been on Constellation 3 times, and have loved it each time."

 

i did like constellation very much, and overall my experience on her was a very positive one...please take a moment to reread my critique of the ship and itinerary if your feeling is that i am some sort of negative jerk.

 

i simply will not blindly endorse everything about the constellation experience, because some things, including the brown meat at the breakfast buffet were unacceptable. future cruisers deserve to know this. these boards are not free advertising for eli, celebrity or any other commercial endeavor. they exist to serve the traveler.

 

eli's web site does not describe the ladder, nor did other descriptions on this board, therefore i feel it is my duty to warn others that may not be as comfortable with climbing.

 

futher, it is not eli's fault that i made a bad judgement about the full day on the water as opposed to seeing some of the interior of the island. none the less, i regret that decision now and wish that on my first and perhaps only visit to antigua i had seen more of the countyside.

[VTSnorkeler]

We are leaving in 2 days and have booked with Eli - it was a no brainer excursion after reading all the rave reviews.

 

Thanks for the warning about the ladder. We'll look out for that.

 

Texed - cut this gal some slack... she's just giving her opinion... everyone knows you are a big supporter of the eco tour and there are plenty of other positive reviews out there. It's good to see the other side of the coin now and again...

[Texed]

I wasn't trying to be mean. I am just saying, she is correct, if you do not like to swim, snorkel, hike, and ride in a boat, you WON'T like Eli's Eco Tour. But, I think the web page pretty well describes it. :)

[sherry7]

teegeezfun, thanks for your opinions on Eli's tour. We will be in Antigua next January and I've been reading some of the reviews about Eli here. His tour does sound wonderful, and we're considering booking it. However, I do appreciate hearing all opinions...good, bad, and neutral.

[Zeno]

I wasn't trying to be mean. I am just saying, she is correct, if you do not like to swim, snorkel, hike, and ride in a boat, you WON'T like Eli's Eco Tour. But, I think the web page pretty well describes it. :)

 

Actually Texed I think you are being VERY unfair to the original poster - she never said that she does not like to snorkle, swim etc. To quote her:

"This ladder deprived me of participating fully in the tour and not being able to swim or snorkle made the trip boring." Her point was that the LADDER made it impossible for her to fully participate and that anyone else with difficulties with steep ladders would have the same problem. I am sure if she had easier entry to the water she would have been able to participate in these activities and therefore had a better experience. Personally I THANK her for pointing this difficulty out - I LOVE to swim and snorkle but I have arthritis in both knees - if i took a tour on this boat I would be in the same position as she was. It would be useful if the website made it clear that this was NOT an easy entry boat.

[Giorgi-one]

Not to criticize the OP, but I have never been on a snorkel boat where you did not have to climb a ladder to get back on the boat. Also, I don't understand why someone with a physical problem would not ask questions before booking.

[cruisinmait]

I am personally glad that you posted your true opinion. This was one tour that I was seriously thinking about. I was really looking forward to hell's gate. Now that I know you are only there for half an hour and on the boat most of the day I think I will find something else to do.

[stebul]

Hell's Gate is not very big. For us 30 minutes is enough time there. The only choice you have to make is whether to climb Hells Gate or snorkel (rougher water, not for beginners). There are two other stops where you get off the boat: First, there is a stop to hike to the top of Bird Island. The stop here is for about 45 minutes. Then Hell's Gate. Then after that another opportunity to snorkel for about 45 minutes in calmer waters.

 

Eli stops the boat frequently to talk about the Antigua and the islands (it is an eco-tour, so there is an education component as well as the hiking and snorkeling). The tour is fast paced, but there is a lot of variety packed into a short amount of time. It is one of the best group tours (15-20 people) I have taken.

[Zeno]

Giorgi :I have been on MANY snorkel boats and ladders vary considerably - some had very easy entry ladders that I have little problems with even now and others that I could only have used before my knees became bad. You do make a good point though - if you have any physical disabilities, it is good to enquire what sort of water entry system the boat has. In my experience some excursion providers are very honest about things like this while others gloss over any problems one might have. Personally I LOVE the catamarans where long ladders are lowered right down into the water - great for people with problems - depending on the length of the ladder I can do some with no assistance and some with just minimal help from my husband.

A suggestion to any excursion providers - it REALLY helps to have a CLEAR picture of the ladder on the website.

[Sunny AZ Girl]

I, for one am thankful for this review. I abhor the constant criticism and nitpicking that some posters seem intent on doing, but I feel that the OP had a very valid concern that is important for anyone with any kind of difficulty with ladders. I have ALWAYS had trouble with boat ladders. When I was 18 yo and 115 lbs I could not get back into my family's boat without being hauled in by someone else. There is just something about a ladder that seems to lean backwards as you climb up that make it impossible for me! Now I am 52 yo and let's say quite a bit "fluffier" :eek: I would be truly embarrassed if they had to get out a hoist just to get me back in the boat!

 

We had to cancel a cruise and a tour with Eli in October due to a family emergency. However, we are booked for a cruise in April 2006 that will take us back to Antigua & I was looking forward to doing this tour at that time. However, I will have to look elsewhere if the ladder is the kind I cannot use. I don't want to spend my whole time on the boat! Even though i have a lot of time & I plan to be nice and svelt :D by the time I go, past experience shows me that no amount of dieting can get me up one of those little ladders! I will try to learn more about it before we go. Eli, are you listening???

[AdventureAntigua]

Well once again i heard that i had to reply here to an issue.:( (and was asked to)

 

I really don't like people to leave the tour feeling unhappy which is why i go over the top on my site with info so that you can make an informed decision as what to do. I am the first person to say that my tour is not for everyone, and I hate it if people arrive and think the tour is something closer to the Jolly Roger pirate cruise or the regular sailing catamaran trips that have been around forever. I designed my tour to be more active and more educational. If you read the info on the site and look at all the photos then i think that you will be happy if you decide that to book. Please do not tell people to come on my tour without sending them the url first. People should know what they are getting into before they come on the tour. They will enjoy it more.

 

Over the past 15 months we have taken all kinds of ages, sizes and shapes up and down the front and the rear ladders and haven't had problems. Everone from people with arms in casts to people on crutches have enjoyed the tour and been up and down the ladders. I kid you not. Thanks for alerting me that some people need to have better photos of the ladders though. I have added a fourth photo of the ladder (3 were there before) which is closer up than the others so that people can have a better idea of what it's like. The front ladder has five steps which are 3 feet wide. Each step is nearly 4 inches wide and has a rubber insert inside to stop slipping. There are very large hand rails at the top so that you don't lose your balance either. The front ladder is set at an angle. It is the only part of the boat that i designed and i am happy with the ladder system that i have. Most boats doing tours will have ladders however many do not. The bigger the boat the bigger the ladder and the smaller the boat the smaller the ladder. My last boat had a tiny one and i wasn't happy with that. Check the new ladder photo i added on the bottom of the FAQ page: http://www.adventureantigua.com/faq.htm

and please read http://www.adventureantigua.com/tour.html and any other text on the site to see if this tour is for you. I admit this tour is not for everyone. If anyone has a question about anything that is not answered on the site......please email Nell through the site. Part of her job is to make sure all questions are answered and people are HAPPY.:)

 

Teegeezfun, i am sorry that you left antigua feeling that you hadn't seen anything and wasted your money. I totally agree with you that if you are not comfortable trying snorkeling, swimming, doing ladders, going on nature walks, caving, climbing, or learning about Antigua's history and ecology then pick another tour. This one wasn't for you, and i feel bad. Email me direct and i will refund you the US $81.

[Zeno]

Eli - thx for showing the picture of the front ladder but PLEASE for those of us who love to snorkel - can you show a picture of the snorkeling ladders. As I explained above I LOVE snorkeling but I have encountered ladders that are just too difficult for me to use (front ladder looks OK for me BTW). You tour sounds like the kind of thing I would love BUT I really need a good look at the SNORKELING ladders.

Thx.

[AdventureAntigua]

email and i will send you pics of them....

[erniesband]

People will recognize that we're big supporters of Eli's, having written many of the original reports about the Ecotour on these boards. I recognize that we didn't mention ladders in any of our posts, but to echo previous posters, we've never been on a snorkeling excursion that didn't involve a ladder - need to get in and out of the boats, after all. We've been on both of Eli's boats, both the old one and the new one, and the ladders on the new one are suberb. We've also been on Eli's excursion with people in all types of physical conditions. Those who needed help in and out of the boat got it. Friends of ours have an adult son who is physically challenged; before booking Eli's tour, the dad specifically contacted Eli with questions about getting in and out of the boat at the snorkeling stops. They went, and had a ball. The son was helped in and out as necessary. We've also been on the excursion with people who have chosen to spend all day, with the exception of the lunch stop, sitting on the boat and relaxing. I think most of the reviews have been honest in describing the tour as a day spent on a boat, with opportunities for snorkeling, climbing and hiking, and Eli's website does a great job of describing the tour. This type of tour isn't for everybody, but there's certainly enough information out there to allow people to make an informed decision.

 

By the way Texed, we'll be even with you, but not soon enough - we plan to be back in Antigua next January, and you know what we'll be doing!

 

Jodi :D

[FBrew]

Adventure Antiqua,

We are going on your excursion April 5th. I don't even snorkel. I flunked that along time. I have a partial knee replacement and my husband has a bad back we can't wait to go. I think it is gonna be the highlight of my trip

Phyllis

[Zeno]

email and i will send you pics of them....

 

Thx Eli

We have not finalized our cruise for next year yet (Eastern or Western caribbean) BUT if we decide on Eastern with Antigua as a stop - I am definitely going to email you for those pictures and I have a couple of other questions. My husband and I love to snorkle - so I think as long as I can get in and out of the water, this would be our kind of excursion.

[emmy]

Eli...thank you for taking the time to answer the concerns of these posters. We all benefit from it.

 

I am booked for April 27 and although I am not a swimmer/snorkeller I fully intend to enjoy the boat ride, lunch and history of the island.I did indeed read your website thoroughly. My husband loves to snorkel and I will just enjoy the scenery and the company on the boat and I am very happy with that.

 

See you soon.

 

Emmy

[Sunny AZ Girl]

Eli,

 

I also appreciate the time you took to reply and the thoroughness of your answer. As long as I don't feel as if I'm climbing out of the water leaning backwards I know I can handle the snorkle ladder. I hope to see you in April of '06!

[VTSnorkeler]

just got back from Serenade... eli's tour was great... would have been the highlight of our cruise if we hadn't done our first ever dive in St Lucia. This tour is awesome... I don't ever remember needing to go up the front ladder? Maybe at bird island, but I usually swam in from the back.

[ESaylor]

We also just did Eli's tour on Feb. 3rd. It was the highlight of our trip. While I agree the trip may not be for everyone, I think if you have any physical limitations it would be best to ask in advance how strenuous the trip is. I am close to 50 and had absolutely no problems getting on or off the boat. We did encounter some pretty rough surf due to unusual winds from the north, but this in no way impeded our enjoyment of the tour. Eli also states very clearly that the tour lasts from 10 a.m. until 4:15 p.m. If your ship leaves port at 5:30, that will not give you much time on the island. However, I think discovering the hidden areas of Antigua as we did is much better than walking around the shopping areas.

 

I think everyone needs to do in depth research and find a tour that meets their needs and expectations. You cannot expect a boat tour that includes caving, snorkeling and hiking to not be a tad strenuous. Snorkeling off a boat requires some level of dexterity. I thought Eli's boat was perfectly suited to his tour and I can't express how thoroughly we enjoyed this excursion. We will rebook him in a minute as soon as I can decide on when we can clear our schedules!

[emmy]

Lots of good info here thanks for the personal experiences.

 

I have no trouble doing the hiking and would be content enjoying the scenery from the boat. Since I am not a swimmer this is my question..it sounds like to get to Bird Island the water is not over my head to get to the beach..is this correct? Now for Hell's Gate on a different thread a poster said you have a water entry off the boat and wade over to Hell's Gate...can someone tell me what their experience was....do you have to swim off the boat before you can wade over...saw some pics on webshots that shows people in knee deep water by the rock formation.

 

Thanks

 

Emmy

[erniesband]

Lots of good info here thanks for the personal experiences.

 

I have no trouble doing the hiking and would be content enjoying the scenery from the boat. Since I am not a swimmer this is my question..it sounds like to get to Bird Island the water is not over my head to get to the beach..is this correct? Now for Hell's Gate on a different thread a poster said you have a water entry off the boat and wade over to Hell's Gate...can someone tell me what their experience was....do you have to swim off the boat before you can wade over...saw some pics on webshots that shows people in knee deep water by the rock formation.

 

Thanks

 

Emmy

 

Hi, Emmy

 

You wade to Bird Island. I'm under 5' tall, and the water isn't even up to my waist, if that high. Eli brings the boat pretty close - just keeps it far enough off so as not to damage the props. Hells Gate is another story. It's a water entry with a swim. though not very far. Either wearing the shoes you're going to cave, or carrying them (I carry my sport sandles, and put them on in the shallow water before you cave). My husband is not comfortable doing it without his snorkel vest, or one Eli provides, so he uses that from the boat to Hell's Gate, then leaves it on a rock until we're ready to swim back.

 

Jodi (have done Eli's tour 3 times, going on 4)

[emmy]

Thanks Jodi for your quick response.... glad to know the snorkel vest is available.

 

Emmy