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Beno still a good choice?????

stunned

By stunned,
in Dominica

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  • 2 weeks later...
ltdavies

ltdavies

Posted
Posted

I just came back off the Destiny and this was my 2nd tour with Beno, very professional. Dominica is not like any other island, it is rainforest and is so beautiful It doesn't have all the fancy Diamonds International and expensive shops, it is true island experience. It would be ashame not o see it. I have also booked a tour with my parents who are visiting in November. You can' go wrong with Beno.

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airlink diva

airlink diva

Posted
Posted
I just came back off the Destiny and this was my 2nd tour with Beno, very professional. Dominica is not like any other island, it is rainforest and is so beautiful It doesn't have all the fancy Diamonds International and expensive shops, it is true island experience. It would be ashame not o see it. I have also booked a tour with my parents who are visiting in November. You can' go wrong with Beno.

Thanks for your review! I have a tour booked in late October and like Stunned the reviews for Beno have dropped off. I can't wait. Also, did Beno take you near the Pirates of the Carribbean set areas?

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  • 3 weeks later...
MAGNUM PI

MAGNUM PI

Posted
Posted

I highly recommend an excursion with Beno! It is the greatest guide, and is a fantastic ambassador for Dominica. You will find that he is very proud of his country.

 

We had the pleasure of spending a day with him, during a March 2005 cruise.

 

We chose to be escorted to the Caribe Indian Territory, as we were interested in purchasing the world famous, handmade woven baskets.

There were six of us in our family group; we were all impressed with the craftsmanship & price of these hand woven items. All sizes/shapes were available. This was NOT at a retail shop/store. This was at a road side stand, where a man sold his crafts.

 

We have taken four caribbean cruises, bringing back beautiful mementos from each one. However, our baskets made by the Caribe Indians, are the most coveted.

 

He transported across his beautiful Dominica, in his air conditioned van.

Beno provided non-stop wonderful narration, throughout the day.

 

It has been over 2 years since the day we spent with him, and I still receive periodic emails from him! I consider him a friend, as he does anyone he meets.

 

We are returning to Dominica in January 2010, and we will spend another day, with him. His knowledge of Dominica is unsurpassed, IMO.

 

Those who have booked an excursion with Beno, be assured of a terrific time.

 

If you have any more questions, feel free to contact me.

 

MAGNUM

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airlink diva

airlink diva

Posted
Posted
I highly recommend an excursion with Beno! It is the greatest guide, and is a fantastic ambassador for Dominica. You will find that he is very proud of his country.

 

We had the pleasure of spending a day with him, during a March 2005 cruise.

 

We chose to be escorted to the Caribe Indian Territory, as we were interested in purchasing the world famous, handmade woven baskets.

There were six of us in our family group; we were all impressed with the craftsmanship & price of these hand woven items. All sizes/shapes were available. This was NOT at a retail shop/store. This was at a road side stand, where a man sold his crafts.

 

We have taken four caribbean cruises, bringing back beautiful mementos from each one. However, our baskets made by the Caribe Indians, are the most coveted.

 

He transported across his beautiful Dominica, in his air conditioned van.

Beno provided non-stop wonderful narration, throughout the day.

 

It has been over 2 years since the day we spent with him, and I still receive periodic emails from him! I consider him a friend, as he does anyone he meets.

 

We are returning to Dominica in January 2010, and we will spend another day, with him. His knowledge of Dominica is unsurpassed, IMO.

 

Those who have booked an excursion with Beno, be assured of a terrific time.

 

If you have any more questions, feel free to contact me.

 

MAGNUM

Thanks for the great info!! I'm about head to port and one of my tours is with Beno. So far I'm the only person booked with him on my tour and really didn't know which tour to take. This Caribe Indian Tour sounds great and I think that I will lean towards this one.

happy sailing!!

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MAGNUM PI

MAGNUM PI

Posted
Posted

Airlink Diva:

 

I think that you will be thrilled with the Caribe Indian Territory tour. Most people opt for the tours to the waterfalls, or more traditional destinations.

But you will be going to a secluded site, where it is the only place in the world, to acquire these world famous crafts. The prices are VERY reasonable. I bought 4 baskets, myself! They make other crafts, besides the baskets, too.

 

As I recall, there was a very small convenience store-next to this road side stand. Where you could purchase a bottled beverage.

 

You will love Beno. Very personable. Very friendly. Very knowledgeable.

 

Magnum

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jsglow

jsglow

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You will consider Beno to be your personal friend. 18 months after our cruise, we keep in touch with him on a fairly regular basis. Next time we are back in Dominica, we'll spend our day with him. (There, is that enough of an endorsement?)

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bommarkm

bommarkm

Posted
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We were just on the AOS last week and due to the hurricane we could not make it to Antigua. They told us we would be going to Dominica and the evening before I email Beno to book a tour. He was great. He got back to me right away and I was able to arrange a tour with him. He was very professional and very helpful. Unfortunately, when we tried to dock in Dominica the waves were too high and we had to pull away and have a day at sea. I never got to take the tour with Beno but he was awesome to deal with!!!

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airlink diva

airlink diva

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Yesterday I was in Dominica and had a tour booked with Beno. Since I was the only person who booked in advance, another five people joined me on this tour (more on them later).

Dominica is a wonderful island, like a garden of Eden!! It's very lush!! Beno wasn't our tour driver, but Joesph. But Joesph was really great, gave alot of good info on the island, the people,etc.

We made several photo and shopping stops. I really enjoy the shopping stops along the road. I purchase several baskets,dolls and local candy.

The trip would had been perfect except for my fellow tourist. To put it in a polite way, they were the most loud,crass,rude people that I ever took a tour with in my life. The comments they made about the people,their homes, and other remarks that I can't post gave a negitive vibe.

I want to visit Dominica again and will tour with Beno again also. But if I'm solo, I will just pay the cost for a private tour than to endure such people again.

Look for a full posting later

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MAGNUM PI

MAGNUM PI

Posted
Posted

Airlink:

 

Your experience on your "group tour", reinforces my belief in private tours!

 

When I book a non-ship shore excursion, I ALWAYS book a private tour. Why take the risk, of your special day, being spoiled by a rude guest? On our Beno trip, to the Carib Indian Territory, I booked our family group of five people.

 

A person has too much money invested in the cruise/airfare, to jeopardize your enjoyment, by trying to save a few dollars(on a group tour).

 

Your memories are the most valuable thing; insure that you will have great ones!

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airlink diva

airlink diva

Posted
Posted
Airlink:

 

Your experience on your "group tour", reinforces my belief in private tours!

 

When I book a non-ship shore excursion, I ALWAYS book a private tour. Why take the risk, of your special day, being spoiled by a rude guest? On our Beno trip, to the Carib Indian Territory, I booked our family group of five people.

 

A person has too much money invested in the cruise/airfare, to jeopardize your enjoyment, by trying to save a few dollars(on a group tour).

 

Your memories are the most valuable thing; insure that you will have great ones!

While I agree with you, I was traveling solo. While the cost for a private tour with a family of five is reasonable, I can't afford a private tour in each port alone. In all of my cruises (eight in total), this was the only time that I ever encounter such people. On my other ports, everyone was great.

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  • 2 weeks later...
fridaythe13th

fridaythe13th

Posted
Posted

I just booked a cruise which includes Dominica. I'm starting to do research and looked up his website. http://www.benonaturetours.com/tours.php Now I just have to figure out what stops to make. A general Island scenery tour and Carib Indian Territory sounds like a must. Is that doable? Does he have a set rate per person? TIA and happy cruising.

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fridaythe13th

fridaythe13th

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Posted

I emailed Beno and got a reply. I asked specifically a tour to include Carib Village, Emerald Pool and Jacko Falls. For 6 people he quoted me $400 for 4-5 hours plus $5 pp entry fee per site for the pools.

 

Bumpiing quoted me 6-7 hours for the same stops for $60 pp ($360) plus the $5 pp site fee.

 

Do these fees seem a little high to anyone else but me? I've been on other island tours recently for $30 pp.

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kiraryker

kiraryker

Posted
Posted
I emailed Beno and got a reply. I asked specifically a tour to include Carib Village, Emerald Pool and Jacko Falls. For 6 people he quoted me $400 for 4-5 hours plus $5 pp entry fee per site for the pools.

 

Bumpiing quoted me 6-7 hours for the same stops for $60 pp ($360) plus the $5 pp site fee.

 

Do these fees seem a little high to anyone else but me? I've been on other island tours recently for $30 pp.

 

Wow that does seem high since we just paid $40pp for 2 people in January - but it was an unforgettable tour and he was so informative as well as his nephew - made the tour very interesting

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  • 2 weeks later...
airlink diva

airlink diva

Posted
Posted
Hey - I'm just curious, but after booking my trip with Beno he said that my bf and I are the only ones booked so I'm worried that he may try to charge for a private tour?? I told him we'd pay the pp price for a group tour....

Prehaps I can answer this. I was the only person that booked with him the day my ship was in port. What he did was added people to my tour. While this save me money, the people that I was with wasn't the best of company.

I suggest that prehaps while on the ship prior to arriving in Dominica, prehaps check with tablemates or people on your roll call about joining you.

But hey, this give me a great excuse to visit Dominica again and I hope to have a better tour.

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Retired Professor

Retired Professor

Posted
Posted
I booked a tour back in May with Beno for Dec. 2 but haven't read much recently about this tour. Is this still a good choice? We would be doing the Trafalgar Falls/Emerald Pool tour. Any feedback would be appreciated.

Beno is definitely a good choice. Beno knows Dominica like no one else: its sites, people, history, culture,flora and fauna, etc. Beno certainly is not the ordinary tour guide - he is enthusiastic, friendly, thourough and he enjoys the opportunity to acquaint people with his island. I am just adding my affirmation of what everyone else has stated on this message board.

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