Grenada or Dominica for river tubing?

[BballinQT24]

This will be our first visit to both ports and we aren't sure which one to do the river tubing at. The excursion cost is the same for both. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks!

[markstudy]

I answered this question over in the Dominica section with some phtos:) if anyone from the Grenada section is interested- http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1256710

[shamrockace]

We are doing the river tubing in Dominica because there is less excursions available in Dominica. With the river tubing, you get a little island tour included.

[reeran]

We went on the river tubing excursion through Royal Caribbean in Grenada in April of this year. The vests and helmets were disgusting and the river smelled. My first inclination was to stay on the bus and wait it out but I was with 3 other people. Afterwords they shared that they were thinking of staying on the bus too. I think the fact that Grenada has raw sewage flowing in troughs through the town made me hesitant to tube on the river. We found Grenada to be filthy and disgusting and will plan to stay on the ship if we are ever on another cruise there.

[teresastreed]

We've been river tubing in both Dominica and Grenada. They are both equally fun and a great excursion. There is nothing wrong with the helmets or life jackets they give you to wear.

 

As far as the previous poster commented that they would just as soon stay on the boat. They probably should have. Obvious to me their noses are up in the air and have never gotten their big toe dirty. Grenada is a great island with lots to see and do. I bet they don't realize most of the spices they use in their food come from that dirty island of Grenada.

[reeran]

We've been river tubing in both Dominica and Grenada. They are both equally fun and a great excursion. There is nothing wrong with the helmets or life jackets they give you to wear.

 

As far as the previous poster commented that they would just as soon stay on the boat. They probably should have. Obvious to me their noses are up in the air and have never gotten their big toe dirty. Grenada is a great island with lots to see and do. I bet they don't realize most of the spices they use in their food come from that dirty island of Grenada.

 

 

LOL you crack me up...maybe you should move to Grenada, it sounds like your kind of place, you can go take a dip in the raw sewage. There are people who practice good hygene and there are those like you who do not care. I bet you are one of the ones who beeline out of the bathroom stall and out the door without ever washing your hands.

[markstudy]

We went on the river tubing excursion through Royal Caribbean in Grenada in April of this year. The vests and helmets were disgusting and the river smelled.

 

The river tubing is at the top of mountain in a state park. No people live on the top of the mountain. So the water is straight from the rains in the rain forest. Its as pure and clean as water can be. Now, 20 miles down the mountain side in the city.... I'm sure the sewage works are not up to the quality of the USA but sewage flows down-hill so you have nothing to worry about with a river tubing trip in crystal clear water at the top of a mountain. (Also our equipment was clean, and in good shape)

 

We had some New York City folks with us and the women were complaining about having to wear their water shoes in the water. Apparently they bought some expensive designer water shoes and they didn't want to get them wet. ( I love watching city folks in the great outdoors ) LOL

[IslandStar]

We went on the river tubing excursion through Royal Caribbean in Grenada in April of this year. The vests and helmets were disgusting and the river smelled. My first inclination was to stay on the bus and wait it out but I was with 3 other people. Afterwords they shared that they were thinking of staying on the bus too. I think the fact that Grenada has raw sewage flowing in troughs through the town made me hesitant to tube on the river. We found Grenada to be filthy and disgusting and will plan to stay on the ship if we are ever on another cruise there.

 

I take offence at this post. A few things to bear in mind before casting aspersions at the people of this beautiful island:

1) In April the island had not had rain for 8 months and we had wildfires all over which was using up precious supplies. We only have rain water from the mountains to feed our reservoirs and wells. It was so bad we were all on rations for 6 months so the last thing we are going to use it up on is washing down the streets. Much as we love our tourists we also like staying alive.

2) We do not nor have we ever had raw sewage running in the 'troughs' also known as drains here in the streets. Unfortunately when you dont have rain any water or liquid that ends up in the drains that doesn't flow freely will stagnate BUT IT IS NOT SEWAGE!

3) No rain = no water in a river tubing excursion - fairly simple really

 

It's a shame when you feel the need to take personal swipes or cast aspersions at those that disagree with your post like in your last comment. It is a shame you didn't enjoy your experience here but please do come back when its been raining like now as the island is lush, green and the river tubing is flowing fast. Give us another chance.

[reeran]

No the excursion we were on...the river tubing is not at the top of the mountain...how we wished it would have been! We went to to the top of the mountain and then went a mile or so back down. Again, the vests and the helmets that they gave us to wear were absolutely filthy, if they were used in such "pure and clean " water I just can't see how they would look like this. There were a lot of people complaining about the smell of the water and how disgusting the equipment was . As for the troughs, if indeed it was stagnant water as opposed to raw sewage, it's not much better smelling and can breed malaria and all sorts of diseases.

 

It would take an awful lot for us to leave the ship if we ever have Grenada as a port stop again. It was a shame because we were looking forward to visiting there as it was our first time.

[teresastreed]

We've done this excursion twice in Grenada because it is a Blast! Great Excursion! Again, No problems with the helmets or life jackets and the river doesn't smell bad! Some people might just be OCD about such matters! No one ever complained either time we were on the excursion! It is NO DIFFERENT than swimming in any lake or river in the US!

[IslandStar]

No the excursion we were on...the river tubing is not at the top of the mountain...how we wished it would have been! We went to to the top of the mountain and then went a mile or so back down. Again, the vests and the helmets that they gave us to wear were absolutely filthy, if they were used in such "pure and clean " water I just can't see how they would look like this. There were a lot of people complaining about the smell of the water and how disgusting the equipment was . As for the troughs, if indeed it was stagnant water as opposed to raw sewage, it's not much better smelling and can breed malaria and all sorts of diseases.

 

It would take an awful lot for us to leave the ship if we ever have Grenada as a port stop again. It was a shame because we were looking forward to visiting there as it was our first time.

 

As before I am sorry you had such a poor experience with this excursion. It does not seem to reflect those of others but then you did come at a particularly bad time for us in terms of sever water shortage. Point taken on the water stagnation in the town I will raise it to the Board of Tourism for future reference so hopefully a good swill down where some does stick will do the trick.

 

Please do give the island another chance as the people are wonderful :cool:

[markstudy]

I thought it was a pretty river ;) (Here's our trip photos)

 

 

 

 

[teresastreed]

Great Pictures Mark and they prove there is nothing "dirty" about the helmets or lifejackets. I have pictures proving the same point. I agree the river is beautiful and so is the scenery around it. Great Excursion and a great way to see the interior of Grenada a Beautiful Island!

[reeran]

Great Pictures Mark and they prove there is nothing "dirty" about the helmets or lifejackets. I have pictures proving the same point. I agree the river is beautiful and so is the scenery around it. Great Excursion and a great way to see the interior of Grenada a Beautiful Island!

 

 

I guess everyone has their own definition of "dirty". Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately) we do not have photos because it was an experience we would rather forget.

[Mr. Luckytoo]

Hey Mark, Thank you so much for the advice and cool photo's.

 

We'll be on Grenada in about 3 weeks. Our cruise isn't doing Dominica :( so I was thinking about the rafting. Given your experience would you:

 

1. Do it again?

 

2. was it a ship excurion or 'on your own'?

 

thanks again!

[Mr. Luckytoo]

As before I am sorry you had such a poor experience with this excursion. It does not seem to reflect those of others but then you did come at a particularly bad time for us in terms of sever water shortage. Point taken on the water stagnation in the town I will raise it to the Board of Tourism for future reference so hopefully a good swill down where some does stick will do the trick.

 

Please do give the island another chance as the people are wonderful :cool:

 

IslandStar - how is the water situation on the island now? With all the Hurricaines I hope things are better? :confused:

[markstudy]

Would you

 

1. Do it again?

 

2. was it a ship excurion or 'on your own'?

 

I think the ship has all the rafting companies under contract so there didn't seem to be a option to go independent. Plus we were only there for a half day so I didn't want to worry about missing the ship.

 

Would I do it again? No :) But I enjoyed doing it once:D

The drive up to the river was very pretty and gave me a good tour of the island. I didn't like going in a group of 30 people so I made sure to go last and it felt a little more private. The river was very pretty but I felt the ride was too short. I was just having a blast and it was over. Seemed like 30-or-40 minutes (but I didn't time it...so who knows?). Tour guides and kids that helped keep you off the rocks and put on a diving show were a lot of fun and happy. So I did enjoy it.

 

But if you have ever been white water rafting, this is more like taking a tube down a steam. ;) Wife and I are thrill seekers so this was a quite relaxing day for us :)