Local Tour Guides that Meet The Ship

[vssinfl]

Hello!This will be our first cruise..we are taking Royal Caribbean Serenade of the Seas doing the Southern Caribbean this summer. I have been told that it is ridiculas to book excursions with the Ship as the same tour guides just meet that ship and you can negotiate much better rates with them..Is this true? Since my husband and I are taking 9 of us for a special cruise...the cost was very high. If we can save on the land excursions and not go through the ship that would be great. I am fearful we will end up with someone scarey and disreputable..any comments would be greatly appreciated..Thanks!

[pw2003]

We visited Dominica a few years ago and went with Beno Tours. This was the first time we had gone with a non-cruise tour and as such we had a few reservations. Well, I have to admit...it was awesome and way better than the majority of thed 2-3 hr shore excursions the cruise lines offer. Beno was a very nice guy and his assistant (Brandon I think) did a great job showing us the island and giving us a very "local" view of the area.

 

I loved it and we will defiinitely go with Beno again should we return to Dominica.

 

Regards

 

Paul.

[ltdavies]

Hello!This will be our first cruise..we are taking Royal Caribbean Serenade of the Seas doing the Southern Caribbean this summer. I have been told that it is ridiculas to book excursions with the Ship as the same tour guides just meet that ship and you can negotiate much better rates with them..Is this true? Since my husband and I are taking 9 of us for a special cruise...the cost was very high. If we can save on the land excursions and not go through the ship that would be great. I am fearful we will end up with someone scarey and disreputable..any comments would be greatly appreciated..Thanks!

 

We never book through the ship. We have used Beno Tours 5 times. He does a wonderful island tour and in December we went to Screws Spa. It's a man made hot tub place very tropical. You pay Beno at the end of the tour. You can reach him at bnpascal@gmail.com He will respond within 1 day. Just give him the date your arrive, time and how many people. He also has a website http://www.benonaturetours.com/

[dolfndreams]

I have never had any problems in my last three cruises following the outside tour guides recommended here on cruise critic. I travel solo and still have chosen almost all my tours with local guides. Much less crowded and all have been very professional and enjoyable.

 

I do research my tours through cruisecritic and tripadvisor. The guides meet right outside the ship or have given me clear directions on how to meet them by taxi, most meet outside the ship and are as easy to find as a tour through the ship.

 

I personally highly recommend it, though you must go with your own comfort level.

 

I went with Bumpiing tours in Dominica and they were awesome, met us right off the ship and had us on our way quickly and efficiently, incredibly fun day, swam in Titou Gorge, walked to the falls, snorkeled at Champagne etc. Vivian was our guide and was great.

 

This trip (just back in March) was so much fun I scheduled for next year.

[vch]

I also used Beno Tours, in fact in January of this year. You can customize your private tour however you like or let him do it for you. Our group of 4 was very pleased. Beno was very good about not getting us to an attraction when the regular tour buses were there, so we had the falls completely to ourselves, which was wonderful.

 

He is very knowledgable about his island and a VERY safe driver. We have another cruise scheduled for next year and we have a stop in Dominica again, needless to say we have Beno booked again !

[a3593]

I have to agree with everyone raving about Beno. My group of 14 was with himone week ago today, and it was amazing. Dominica has very hilly roads, with hairpin turns, and Beno drove them like a pro. He had a cooler filled with beer & water, and was just all around nice guy & thorough guide. You won't be dissapointed; I highly recommend!

[msdivacruzer]

Can anyone tell me the name of the tour company that meets people at the port in Roseau, Dominica they wear yellow shirts and drive white buses?

[Aplmac]

If you were a fellow West Indian like I am,

you'd just get off the ship and talk to any of the waiting tour-guys with vans

something like..

 

 

Eh, Bruddah!

Whuh gwan? Yuh cool? .. *bouncing a closed fist*

 

Listen nah: Man and de wife want a lickle half day tour around de place, ya.

Hummuch yuh go charge we?

 

We en' no Merikan touriss yuh know, so yuh hadda gi' me a CARICOM rate, sight?

 

.