Belize Excursions a/k/a Island Marketing LTD

[adk0425]

I have read several good reviews for this tour group for a Lamanai tour on cruise critic but when I searched this tour group on trip advisor I read several very bad reviews.

Has anyone booked a Lamanai tour through Belize Excursions/Island Marketing LTD in the last 90 days? If so what was your experience? Are the vans in decent shape? tour guides friendly?

We are interested, but would like to hear some updated information on this company. Thank you in advance for information.

[wardm]

Mediocre +Dishonest = AVOID this tour operator

I initially found this tour operation online and although they appear very organized on first impression, the overall experience was very negative. First, they request a 30% deposit online. I was not comfortable with this as NO OTHER OPERATOR requests any money upfront but in the end decided to do it. Our tour was on December 28th and we were to meet at 9:00am however, our tour operator Marvin didn’t arrive until 9:30am. We travelled in an air-conditioned bus which was clean and comfortable; however all the tours that left prior to ours used open-air trolleys which would have been a nicer option. The tour was as “advertised” however there were very few facts conveyed about the island itself; essentially it was more of a taxi service than an informative tour. Finally, and most upsetting was that at the conclusion of the tour I paid our driver the full amount for the tour having forgotten that I had provided the 30% deposit online previously. Based on the driver’s reaction, my feeling is that he recognized my mistake. This was my last tour of the cruise and no other operators required a deposit upfront and out of habit paid the full amount in cash at the end of the tour.

I realized my error almost immediately upon boarding the ship and sent an email to Monique. After sending two further emails, her response to me was that the driver had no recollection of me overpaying for the tour, and that she is not will to credit my VISA for the 30% deposit. I appreciate that this was my error, but an honest business person could easily do the right thing and correct this. Overall, the tour was mediocre and there are many other options in St. Thomas that appeared to be more entertaining. Island Marketing is not worth the hassle!

[Lady Anna & Sir Troy]

One hit wonders make me concerned. :confused:

 

I would like to know as well from someone who posts a little more frequently.

 

L.A.S.T.

[vfb2girls]

We have used Island Marketing for several of our excursions and we have never had any trouble at all with them, in fact I felt that their customer service was great. We used them for our cave-tubing excursion, booked Nachi Cocum with them, had booked a stingray excursion for Grand Caymans, but this was cancelled because we couldn't make the port. This was in 08 and we are now booked with IM for our March cruise. As far as the deposit, we did have to put down a small deposit and when we met with our excursion guide the remaining balance of the excursion was paid, not after the excursion. I wouldn't hesitate to book your excursion with this company. Good luck

[2 cruzen]

We have used Island Marketing for several of our excursions and we have never had any trouble at all with them, in fact I felt that their customer service was great. We used them for our cave-tubing excursion, booked Nachi Cocum with them, had booked a stingray excursion for Grand Caymans, but this was cancelled because we couldn't make the port. This was in 08 and we are now booked with IM for our March cruise. As far as the deposit, we did have to put down a small deposit and when we met with our excursion guide the remaining balance of the excursion was paid, not after the excursion. I wouldn't hesitate to book your excursion with this company. Good luck

 

Just wondering if your cave tubing with I/M was recent. We leave in 10 days and I just read a very negative review and I tend to worry - plus I'm booked for 9 people, so I REALLY want it to be fun and reliable. Any feedback asap would be very much appreciated.

[Nan-L]

I have them booked for XUNANTUNICH and I'm starting to get scared to use them. Would loose our $56 deposit but idf I can'rt count on them getting us back to the ship on time it would be worth it...

Anyone use them for this? and what happened..

Thank you for any info

[airlink diva]

I just got off the Dream this morning :( and I used Island Marketing for my shore trip to Lamanai. I will post pictures later this week (going around Florida for a few days). I will give the overall tour a 6.5 out of a 10.

I will say that I did enjoy the tour guide "D" boy and the boat driver Collin. Both were great. "D"boy gave alot of great info along the way and at the ruins. He had no problems answering questions.

Collin was the boat driver and I had to admire his skills on knowing which turns to make, avoiding shallow water and attempting to point out any wildlife along the way.

The lunch was really good also.

What they stated is true, BRING PLENTY OF BUG SPRAY!!! Those bugs were no joke!:mad:

Now what I didn't like was they combine two ships with two different times as one tour. The website states they need at least four people to run the tour. There were more than enough on my ship to run a separate tour from the other ship.

The Legend was there a hour prior to the Dream and left a hour earlier. When I arrived and signed in, there were Legend people that had signed in over 45 minutes. When we left, the time was very tight (the Legend had to be back for the 4:15 p.m. ferry). We didn't get to the site until right at noon. We had to rush on lunch and only saw a small portion (four ruins and one of these was in a quick passing heading back to the boat).

This wasn't fair to the Legend or Dream cruisers. They should had the Legend cruises heading out and gone and then the Dream cruisers.

We got back with only about 20 minutes for the Legend cruisers to make the last ferry. I could tell by one of the Legend cruises he was not happy with the close timing of their return.

I would like to go back to Lamanai again,but not with Island Marketing. Like I stated the tour guide was great,the lunch good,but the tour operator made a poor choice on combining two ship with different times together.

[Knishfish]

We were sailing on the Carnival Liberty and arrived in Belize on Feb 26, 2013. We were one of very few boats docking and we had booked the Lamanai tour in advance with Belize Cruise Excursions/Island Marketing. We were sailing on the Carnival Liberty and arrived in Belize on Feb 26, 2013. We were one of the first to arrive to meet the guide but everyone else arrived within about 10-15 minutes. As soon as I paid for my wife and I, the cashier volunteered, "I THINK you'll have enough time for this tour." What the heck was that supposed to mean???? And to say that AFTER she had taken our money!! They then kept us in a holding area for an hour.

 

There is already a lot of time pressure with the Lamanai tour because of the distance. When I asked them what was causing the 1 hour delay, they replied that they were awaiting the land transportation but could not explain why this was not arranged in advance, nor what was causing the delay, nor why they were delayed. Their attitude was very much one of "tough luck, too bad." There were 3 groups of about 15 people from our ship going to Lamanai and we all had to wait for the 3 separate vehicles. When our group got on the boat part of the tour, the motor broke down and we were delayed another 10-15 minutes in getting to the site. I would highly recommend Lamanai but I would never again use Belize Cruise Excursions/Island Marketing.

[BecciBoo]

We have used Island Marketing for many cruise excursions in all locations but Belize...which we are doing April 7 to Goff's Caye. We've never had any trouble going through them. Hope it is all its represented to be, as we had it booked 2 years ago and it was canceled due to the weather so we missed Goff's. I was very disappointed and cannot wait to get back to see it. The reviews for the Caye itself are pretty good on Trip advisor.

Island Marketing is just that, a marketing firm that handles bookings for the independent operators at each port. The "deposit" you pay them is their cut of the tour fee or commission for booking the tour. Which is why you always pay the remainder to your tour operator.

I believe this tour utilizes ECO Tours, if I'm not mistaken. Of course there are several tour operators that go to Goff's. We'll see if Dave's operation lives up to his reputation.

[BecciBoo]

I went back to Advisor and checked our Goff's Caye tour again....as I said it's through Dave's ECO Tours. And the reviews for this are excellent.

The reports of bad tours are mostly for the Lamanai excursions and I feel it is the tour operator that is at fault, whomever that is. Do not confuse the booking agent, i.e. Island Marketing, with the tour operator. But I would let Island Marketing know about the poor service with the Lamanai operator.:)