Gumbalimba Park

Is it possible to get to Gumbalimba Park without booking shore excursion with the ship? Would like to spend more time there and really didn't want to be rushed with a crowd of people if posible. TIA

If you are asking if it is possible to take a taxi and pay at the door ...... then yes.

We visited in December while on a one-week land visit.

Wondering if anyone has done this on their own rather than through ship. What was cost of admission and taxi there and back. Would really like to spend more time there than shore excursion allows. TIA

Cant help you with those questions...... don't remember the admission price and we did not take a taxi from the port. We were there on a one week vacation and decided to stop there late one afternoon on our way back from West End Village to West Bay beach area where we were staying. Sorry

We walked off the ship and booked a zip line and Gumbalina combo tour in the port. At the pier there will be a line of different vendors booking tours. Don't remember the price. I think around $50, and you can probably negotiate :)

We walked off the ship and booked a zip line and Gumbalina combo tour in the port. At the pier there will be a line of different vendors booking tours. Don't remember the price. I think around $50, and you can probably negotiate :)

That's a bargain!! What cruise line were you on? I know there are two different piers. We will be on NCL.

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We were on NCL.

I checked out their website and they suggest you go with a ship tour. They don't have any prices listed either. I also wanted to go on my own so please post upon your return.

Cruise ships ALWAYS suggest you use their tours. It is one of their big money makers :)

We, however, almost ALWAYS either book an independent tour or DIY. Cheaper, more control over your day and just a better experience imo.

No, I meant the actual website for Gumbalimba Park. They have a header for 'Cruise Arrivals' but it says to go through your ship. Wonder if they get a kickback?

http://www.gumbalimbapark.com/index.html

No, I meant the actual website for Gumbalimba Park. They have a header for 'Cruise Arrivals' but it says to go through your ship. Wonder if they get a kickback?

 

http://www.gumbalimbapark.com/index.html

A lot of local excursions in all ports have been strong armed by the cruise lines to offer their services exclusively through them and to not allow cruisers to just show up on their own.

I know Blue Lagoon in Nassau and Playa Mia in Cozumel are two that come to mind, that I've read about people being asked which cruise ship they are on, when trying to buy themselves. Then having to pretend to be in a hotel and not on a cruise ship, to gain admission directly, without the cruise line $20-$30 extra tacked on. (sometimes after figuring in taxi or bus expenses, it isn't that bad)

Gumbalimba might have had to do a similar deal, to keep their relationship with the cruise lines.

Bill

Still wondering if we will be allowed in at Park if we arrive by cruise ship. Really don't want to go with the ship group and be rushed to leave. Would like to spend most of our day there as we have been to Roatan several times already and this would be a new experience for us. Hope someone will post back to this thread if they have recently been allowed to go by taxi and then get admitted without taking a ship tour. TIA

Still wondering if we will be allowed in at Park if we arrive by cruise ship. Really don't want to go with the ship group and be rushed to leave. Would like to spend most of our day there as we have been to Roatan several times already and this would be a new experience for us. Hope someone will post back to this thread if they have recently been allowed to go by taxi and then get admitted without taking a ship tour. TIA

I would suggest that you email one of the independent tour companies and ask them if this is possible.

Victor Bodden and Rony are popular choices on here but we have always been very satisfied with Roatan Culture tours. They have always been very receptive to customizing tours for us and would tell you if could go independently, and probably tell you, or find out, a price for admission. We have never been to the regular stops on Roatan and prefer to have a vehicle at our disposal to stay as long as we want at our preferred stops. Roatan is the one port where it works out almost as economical to have your own private driver for the day as arranging for individual taxis -slightly more expensive if there are only two of you but certainly more convenient in case one plan doesn't work out as expected and you want to go somewhere else.

Still wondering if we will be allowed in at Park if we arrive by cruise ship. Really don't want to go with the ship group and be rushed to leave. Would like to spend most of our day there as we have been to Roatan several times already and this would be a new experience for us. Hope someone will post back to this thread if they have recently been allowed to go by taxi and then get admitted without taking a ship tour. TIA

Am anxious to hear if you've gone and what you learned. I'm going in June on Carnival and also want to go to Gumbalimba on our own with a taxi.

Am anxious to hear if you've gone and what you learned. I'm going in June on Carnival and also want to go to Gumbalimba on our own with a taxi.

The last post in this thread is almost a year old….. you may or may not get a response from that poster……..

I'm not sure why you would think they will turn you away because you are on a cruise ship……. if you are worried about it I would simply respond, if asked, what difference does it make ? And then proceed to hold out your money and I can pretty much guarantee they are not going to turn it down……

The other alternative, if you don't mind a little white fib, is to say you are staying at one of the resorts on West Bay……. they will not check.

Admission to Gumbalimba was $30 - $35 per person when I was staying on the island 2 months ago in February. I asked beach vendors and got the lower price, the higher price was from the desk at Infinity Bay. Both included RT transport.

Add on your taxi fare from the cruise port to see if that is less than the cruise ship excursion.

We did the Princess excursion to Gumbalimba and had a blast.

Just a note watch out for the tree's I contacted something to where my arms and knees went crazy with an extreme rash that made me want to tear my skin off. over a week later I'm still on steriode medication. Don't know what touched me but it sure has been miserable.

We are booked with Rony Tours and one of our stops is Gumbalimba Park. The cost is 30.00 for the park, the private tour is extra. From what I have found out, either go with a tour or if you go by taxi, just say you are staying at a resort.