Treasure island tours still in business???

[akruz]

We have made several email attempts to Solimare and have had no replies. Peter tours were quick to respond. Henry Plate is still contemplating as he had no inquiries.

 

I would like a choice but I guess if only one email response, not much of a choice.

 

Has anyone else had this trouble.

[PennStateMom]

I also have had no luck in contacting Solimare. Guess it's time to try someone else.

[msmasi]

We have made several email attempts to Solimare and have had no replies. Peter tours were quick to respond. Henry Plate is still contemplating as he had no inquiries.

 

I would like a choice but I guess if only one email response, not much of a choice.

 

Has anyone else had this trouble.

 

I have a tour booked with her the first week in April. I contacted her two weeks ago through the Treasure Island e-mail address and received an immediate response. Good luck as I have read that she is an excellent guide.

[Fran&Tom]

I have a tour booked with her the first week in April. I contacted her two weeks ago through the Treasure Island e-mail address and received an immediate response. Good luck as I have read that she is an excellent guide.

 

Any updates?- just emailed her myself.

Fran

[beckcab]

I've also been trying to reach her but no success. Anyone have other suggestions?

[AnnJohn]

I haven't heard back from her either.

[CHSGrl]

Mmmm. Starting to get worried. I have a tour booked with her on January 1. Have emailed her several times, but no response. No email bounce back either. I used the goutvisje email.

[mojomn]

i have read some good reviews on this company... we are thinking about booking a sunset cruise with them in feb...

 

 

http://www.island-experience.com/island_tours_curacao.php

[OceanDreaming2]

We were on a tour with Solimare last week. I could not recommend her at all. She apparently does not have a license as a tour operator - had to meet her outside the gated area. Her van was a wreck and she couldn't figure out how to open the back hatch. The seatbelts were cut out of the van. The air conditioning vents were flithy. She drove like a madwoman through a torrential downpour.

 

As a tour guide, she probably knows her area but she scared the living daylights out of us.

 

I would look for another tour operator for your stop in Curacao.

[FormulaRacer]

Would not suggest Solimare at TreasureIslandTours. Appearently she is NOT a licensed tour operator, and is not allowed through the gates at the cruise port terminal in Curacao. We tried emailing her from the ship the day before the scheduled tour and she did not respond. When the ship docked, we had to ask several poeple that were selling tours if they knew of Solimare. They did and told us to walk to a certain area pass the main gate and wait for her. She showed up 30 minutes late. I don't think that she owns her own van, and rents or borrows one. The van she used was dangerous. The back tailgate door would not open, which was a safety concern if needed to exit the van. The seatbelts for the passengers were actually "cut out" of the seats, so there was no protection there. The van was old and woren, poor tires, and Solimare did not have a speaker system to narrate while driving. She had to make several stops turn around in her own seat and address the tourists. At one point she stopped on the large bridge with heavy traffic. She is a very fast driver, and somewhat scary to ride with in the van. We had a stop at the liquor distillery than she wanted to take us on a one hour drive to the other side of the island which was quite remote. At one point we all wanted to go back to the ship. She made a few more quick stops. Then after that we all requested as a group to go back to the ship, we had had enough. We did not compensate her for the amount she requested. Instead we all agreeed to pay her 30% less than what she wanted as all of us in the van complained....and total of 6 passengers.

 

I would suggest that when you book outside of the ships excursions you take a real chance of being disappointed. If the van would have broken down, we would have been in real trouble. If the van would have been in an accident from her fast and unreasonable driving, we would have been in trouble.

 

I suggest that if you want to see the isalnd of Curacao I would suggest a "licensed" tour operator. Check out the van for safety before you get in. Talk with the driver to make sure he or she has a plan and have then show you a map of the suggested route and determine exactly what attractions that you will stop and visit. Remember you are in a strange country, you know no one, and USA laws do not apply. Be extra careful on who you choose for the off-ship excursion. While prices may be slightly lower than a cruise ship excursion, in the long run, you may not get what you pay for anyway with the discount tour operator.

 

I would certainly suggest that you think twice about hiring this operator. Think safety and think about being in a foreign country (island) if something possibly goes wrong. In this case, at least our party of 6 made it back to the ship. But in some aspects of the tour we were not to sure we would make it back.

 

Enjoy your cruise and hopefully this post provides some insite into our experience with Solimare.

[Isa65]

Ok, Formularacer - we get it. You did NOT enjoy your tour with Solimare. Let it go already.

 

Weird that your name is formula RACER and you're complaining of someone driving fast.:D

 

I don't know Solimare and am sorry that you had a bad experience.

BUT, the stop you mentioned are all standard for all sightseeing tours, licensed or not.

[Kerry2travel]

I went to Curacao few years ago and didn't know to check any tour ahead of time, so we booked our tour being on the ship from the list of tours offered. I don't remember the name of the tour guide, but we enjoyed our time there. As a highlight of the tour we visited the liquor factory where you can try samples of different liquors, my bf got drunk.:D

[FormulaRacer]

Racing high speed, high performance race cars is done on a track, and you quickly learn the principals of safe driving on the roads. When someone is transporting passengers, safe driving is a must. While I enjoy racing at high speeds on a track here is the USA, I did not appreciate the fast driving of our tour operator, nor did the other passengers.

 

Here in the USA the Department of Transportation of any State requires that tour operators be fully licensed.

 

You can take any risks that you wish in a foreign country. The emphasis of my post was to warn unsuspecting cruise passengers of the possible dangers that may exist when hiring an unlicensed tour operator, and what we experienced.

 

I am sorry that you did not agree with the post. What's great about living in America, we can voice an opinion whether or not others agree or disagree.

[catsforkids]

Would not suggest Solimare at TreasureIslandTours. Appearently she is NOT a licensed tour operator, and is not allowed through the gates at the cruise port terminal in Curacao. We tried emailing her from the ship the day before the scheduled tour and she did not respond. When the ship docked, we had to ask several poeple that were selling tours if they knew of Solimare. They did and told us to walk to a certain area pass the main gate and wait for her. She showed up 30 minutes late. I don't think that she owns her own van, and rents or borrows one. The van she used was dangerous. The back tailgate door would not open, which was a safety concern if needed to exit the van. The seatbelts for the passengers were actually "cut out" of the seats, so there was no protection there. The van was old and woren, poor tires, and Solimare did not have a speaker system to narrate while driving. She had to make several stops turn around in her own seat and address the tourists. At one point she stopped on the large bridge with heavy traffic. She is a very fast driver, and somewhat scary to ride with in the van. We had a stop at the liquor distillery than she wanted to take us on a one hour drive to the other side of the island which was quite remote. At one point we all wanted to go back to the ship. She made a few more quick stops. Then after that we all requested as a group to go back to the ship, we had had enough. We did not compensate her for the amount she requested. Instead we all agreeed to pay her 30% less than what she wanted as all of us in the van complained....and total of 6 passengers.

 

I would suggest that when you book outside of the ships excursions you take a real chance of being disappointed. If the van would have broken down, we would have been in real trouble. If the van would have been in an accident from her fast and unreasonable driving, we would have been in trouble.

 

I suggest that if you want to see the isalnd of Curacao I would suggest a "licensed" tour operator. Check out the van for safety before you get in. Talk with the driver to make sure he or she has a plan and have then show you a map of the suggested route and determine exactly what attractions that you will stop and visit. Remember you are in a strange country, you know no one, and USA laws do not apply. Be extra careful on who you choose for the off-ship excursion. While prices may be slightly lower than a cruise ship excursion, in the long run, you may not get what you pay for anyway with the discount tour operator.

 

I would certainly suggest that you think twice about hiring this operator. Think safety and think about being in a foreign country (island) if something possibly goes wrong. In this case, at least our party of 6 made it back to the ship. But in some aspects of the tour we were not to sure we would make it back.

 

Enjoy your cruise and hopefully this post provides some insite into our experience with Solimare.

I appreciate your candid and detailed review. Safety cannot be underestmiated in a foreign country and also getting back to the ship. Critical reviews are as important as good reviews.

[inghilch]

I'm reading this thread and tour guide info is limited. We are on the Dec 22nd Breeze and have a private tour of the island booked with Meyer Tours. I found them online and I'm curious if anyone has heard of them?