Cave Tubing or Snorkeling??

[cruisingschool]

I can't decide what to do in Belize. I will be travelling with my husband and a 10 year old and a 13 year old. Any suggestions as to cave tubing or snorkeling?

 

DeAnna

[kidfanz]

After a month of reading on the boards, I am still not decided. We are a family with 4 kids ages 16, 13, 12 and 10. We have been to Grand Caymen and snorkeled with sting rays. It was incredible! Do we look for a repeat of such a great experience, or look for a new experience and do the cave tubing? It would be nice if cruise ships would stay long enough at some of these ports to enjoy more than one type of adventure.

[cruisingschool]

When will you be in Belize? We are on the Legend leaving March 19 from Florida.

[Reneek]

Search thru old topics and you can get a feel for how others perceived their trips. We took our 14 and 15 year old girls on the cave tubing trip and they of course did better than most adults. Required alot of rowing at the time we went. From a child perspective (or squeamish adult) even if you keep your light on, you are not going to be able to see exactly where you are going. If they are fearful of the dark, remember it is a cave and we actually turned off all lights at one point, to "feel" the cave. My girls enjoyed the experience. Remember there will be few places you will ever have the opportunity to cave tube vs many,many places for snorkling. Belize does however, have a great reef system.

See a related link: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=139164

[kidfanz]

Our cruise on NCL Sea leaves 4/2 and we will be in Belize on Wed.

[maier]

We just got home Sunday. We did the tube on it was wonderful. Something you will not forget. booked X-Stream tubing thur the internet. Saved

{1/2 price}

[jessie073]

My fiance and I did the cave tubing with Xtreme when we were in Belize last year and LOVED it! It was a such a different and truely memorable experience. We love to snorkel as well and I hear the snorkeling it beautiful in belize but we did plenty of Snorkeling at our other ports of Grand Cayman and Cozumel so the cave tubing was a very nice change of pace. It's def for someone somewhat active though - you ahve about a 45 minute walk through a beautiful rainforest. Then into the tubes for a great trip down the River. The caves are kinda long and dark but they're not scary and it was def an amazing experience! Let me know if you have any questions.

[tjebme]

Do we have to book cave tubing/snorkeling tours ahead of time or are there people on the dock hawking tours? We hate to plan a schedule, much prefer to wait until that day to decide what to do.

 

Thanks.

[jessie073]

Do we have to book cave tubing/snorkeling tours ahead of time or are there people on the dock hawking tours? We hate to plan a schedule, much prefer to wait until that day to decide what to do.

 

Thanks.

 

tjebme - I would sugguest booking in advance. There wasn't a nuch of people at the dock like in Grand Cayman. I know extreme looked like they were booked for a certain number of people and that's about all they had room in their vans for. Hope that helps.

[addicted to cruising]

Ill be in Belize on May 3rd with my family that includes a 10 and 13yr old boys. We are planning to cave tube most likely with Reggie. On a Western iteneray snorkeling is better at other ports. Caving is an experience unique to Belize. dont miss that chance of a lifetime as you may never get back there.

 

booking privately is alot cheaper and the groups are smaller so do your homework. Ive heard that X-tream, Wet-n-Wild and Reggie are the best. unlike X-treame the other 2 visit a local eatery for lunch(incl in price) and I hear it is fabulous. X-treame provides fresh fruit.

[alb38]

Cruisingschool -

Just came back in February and we did the cave tubing (kids are 14 and 12) and they loved it - I think it was the most memorable of all the excursions that we did. My mom and brother did the snorkeling and also enjoyed that but I would snorkel at a different stop and go with the cave tubing you won't regret it!!

[jessie073]

Yes - I agree with the previous posters - it's def an experience of a lifetime. By the way, Extreme does do lunch also right there at the cave tubing spot - we had a great chicken meal for like $5.00. You have to order in advance by Extreme will help you with that and it's def worth it!

[katz]

We were on this excusion two weeks ago. It was wonderful. Since we were first-time cruisers, we booked through RCC. We were met at the pier by the tour guides. We traveled by bus and were given a very informative and entertaining tour of the Belize City and the countryside. I don't think the walk through the forest was actually 45 minutes. It was not difficult to carry the tube, life jacket and head light. We rented reef shoes for $5. This came in handy since we did not want to walk barefoot or ruin our sneakers. Bring an old pair of sneakers or sandels. The tubing was slow paced most of the time. We were given a very nice lunch of chicken, rice and beans and coleslaw. Also, we had a locked area were we could store our belongings while on the river. There are co-ed bathrooms to change in.

 

Have a wonderful time!!

[jessie073]

Just want to add - if you're going to do this I would def book OUTSIDE the cruise line. Our walk through the rainforest was longer because we went farther up the river and got to go through an extra cave. You will see when you're going down the river where the masses of cruise ship passegers come into the river. I also don't know how you would hear anything the guide says about the plants through the rainforest and the caves with so many people. Our Extreme group was divided to 15-20 per guide and was an excellent tour!

[kidfanz]

Ok, but this isn't just comparing to any old snorkeling. If it were just fish and coral to see, cave tubing would win out. Especially with other better stops for that. But, when you are comparing to swimming with sting rays and nurse sharks and even feeding them, now how to compare. This I know is an amazing experience, as we have done this at Grand Caymen and it definatley left us wanting more. But this trip we are not going there. Soooo? Now which???

[jerseyblue]

We did the cave tubing (February 15,2005) with Reggie Tours,(see their website) Jamai and Lionel were our guides. They were excellent! They know the River! It was a better tour than the cruise ship could give you. There were seven in the group. They will get you back to the ship on time. Had a great lunch after tubing at the barbeque hut (near trail entrance) and ice cold Belkin Beer. A great day and nice experience. You can always find snorkeling at one of the next stops. Have FUN!!!!

[angie01]

We went snorkeling with sting rays in Cayman Islands last March and followed that by cave tubing in Belize. Cave tubing was an experience I am glad I had the opportunity to enjoy. It's something different and something that isn't done as readily as snorkeling. We went with 4 kids - 21, 17, 13 and 11. It was perfect. I'd recommend it for the experience and change of scenery! :)

[angie01]

We went snorkeling with sting rays in Cayman Islands last March and followed that by cave tubing in Belize. Cave tubing was an experience I am glad I had the opportunity to enjoy. It's something different and something that isn't done as readily as snorkeling. We went with 4 kids - 21, 17, 13 and 11. It was perfect. I'd recommend it for the experience and change of scenery!

[Cinderellie]

OK, I am hearing from some of you that it was a 45 minute hike with a tube through the rainforest. Neither my hubby nor I are in shape. Is this really a hike? Would two non-exercising chubbies make it?

 

We did snorkling and swimming with the rays in Grand Cayman and loved it.

 

Thanks for your advice.

[suzycruzy]

Yes, you can hanle it we had a group of about 20 and we stopped 3 times along the hike and it was fine. When you get to the water, just jump in and cool off. You will really enjoy your selves.

[jessie073]

Cinderelli - you'll do fine - the walk wasn't bad at all and you stop along the way with guide as he explains the various plants and fruit you pass along the way. You will love the tour! Have fun!

[CoffeeMed]

Cave Tubing: Hows the water temperture?

[Reneek]

1st of February it was around 68-72 degrees. A little cool at first (not frigid) and you warm up pretty quickly.

[chefdeedee]

Dear Friends here are some tips

 

Went Cave tubing with Princess - We went with the ship due to the fact that we were on a limited time frame. There were 500 people on the tour - 5 bus loads - never saw a snake.

 

Positives -

Cool experience to walk thru an actual rain forest - it was pouring rain -

The caves were neat to see, l (water was cool) - water was crystal clear.

 

Negatives

 

Our head lamps were not "bright enough" to actually see the formations in the caves.

 

The changing room "lockers" are little thatched huts with no security - if you don't want to lose it - don't bring it -

 

The bathrooms are not adequate to accomodate the amount of people on the tours - they stopped working when we were there.

 

The life vests you have to wear stink of mold and mildew :( - you will stink like those vests the whole time, and will be anxious to wash your clothes when you get back to the ship.

 

Most people on the tour were chilled to the bone before we ever got into the rivers - because it was raining cats and dogs and they weren't dressed properly.

 

Water was on the very cool side - good thing we wore "dive skins" to retain body temperature - hubby and I were the only ones "warm".

 

Could not hear the tour guide - there were so many people screaming - could not learn a thing.

 

The bus ride - The bus driver drove off the road at 70 mph to pass a house being moved on the road - yup - I said it - a house - We thought the bus was gonna tip over - we were terrified.

 

Would I do it again - no way - not worth 99.00 - glad I did it - yes - I can say I did it once.

[frontrangecruiser]

Hi, I recently took the tour, it was fascinating, my family loved it. To be honest, I'm not a great swimmer, and I had a young child with me, but the tour company I took was very good. They took extra precaution with my child, so I felt very safe. I was honest in the beginning and told the guide that I was not a good swimmer. The company I went with was A-1 Travel, I paid $60.00, and they took us to areas that no one else went. Our guide really made it lots more fun. You can email them if you like at attbelize@hotmail.com, or call them at 1-877-5BELIZE. Tell them Fred sent you if you decide to try them.

 

People...this person has posted this very statement on every Belize cave tubing thread....spam advertisement :mad: