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Help w/ Loterie Farms


cleophus12

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Having read many posts on these boards, I was under the assumption that arriving at Loterie Farms would be the easiest way to do the zip line apart from the shore excursion crowds. However, I just spoke to a gentleman there who said if we arrive early on a cruise ship day they will not be able to take us until after the shore excursion groups. He suggested arriving around 10:00. Anyone had this experience recently? or do you think he is just trying to discourage early arrivals?Can anyone verify this info? Thanks.

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  • 2 months later...

We just returned from the 9/3/06 sailing on the Mariner of the Seas and had a great experience on the Loterie Farm Treetop Adventure. I have read several different reviews on the board and felt it was important to describe in more detail. The folks that met us at the pier were friendly and helpful. It was a tad intimidating to sign away your life on the release - since it let you know if you were injured you were not close to any hospital facility. But we were brave and signed away. (They did tell us we would not see the restroom again till we returned to the pier - but there is actually a small one at the farm.)

The ride took about 30 minutes to reach Loterie Farm. It was a great way to see a bit of St. Martin and St. Marteen. There were several beautiful views of the blue-green waters and gorgeous mountains. The only thing is the roads are very windy and I am glad we had an experienced driver. (Make sure you eat something before you go as those with a queasy stomach may have an issue). There was an excellent training session when we arrived and plenty of staff to help you.

Once your feet leave the ground you have 32 different rope/ladder/zipline etc. courses to experience before you land on the grass again. Granted you are not zip lining over canyons or anything but to be off the ground 15 or 20 feet is actually pretty cool. If you're someone who does rock climbing or hang gliding all the time you may not find this as exciting or challenging. But to the average cruiser who is looking for something different than the usual ship excursion you will love this! You get a good work out from this too. You definitely will find your self winding under and over tree branches but you don't have to be in the best physical condition. It brought me back to my tree climbing days when I was a kid. You will want to wear sneakers for sure! You walk along several courses out of thick rope or wire - without that sole on your shoe it would be very unpleasant. I do recommend the early morning tour if you can get on that one - its much cooler - and your back to the ship by noon - in time to eat lunch - then head over to the beach for a wonderful swim. Make sure you wear shorts to stay nice and cool.

The 32 courses were all different. Some were ladders connected by ropes, some were single wires you walked across (brought back the balance beam days), one of my least favorite (in that it frightened me the most) was a rope that made you think you were Tarzan - you literally swung across a ravine to the other side.

This was my 22nd cruise and of the tours I have taken I will say it was one of my favorite. I found this to be a unique tour that was fun, challenging and just a little different. It was well organized and so peaceful in the woods. The grounds are beautiful. Again, if you're looking for high impact, high thrills you may want to search elsewhere.

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  • 2 weeks later...
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We went through the cruiseline. I have to be honest - its not real close to the port - so if something should happen with your transportation you could miss the ship. It was easy to just board the bus, sign the waiver and off you go. If you have plenty of time to go on your own I am sure its possible. But a taxi would cost more than what you will pay to go through the ship. There are some nice views on the way out - I wish we could have stopped to take some photos.

 

I believe if you go on your own the cruiseship passengers have the priority and go first. The number of pax on the tour with the ship was fine - not too many not too few. Just go EARLY - it gets humid - as you are in the tropical forest there. Oh - they did tell us on the bus it was the "last" opportunity to use the restroom before we went to the tour and back... but there is a small one at the farm... (you learn such usefull info here dont you)

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They have a contract with the cruise lines. One of their clauses is that they will not book cruise ship folks outside of the ship's excursions. We tried in Jamaica. I even called directly and offered to pay in cash. Alas... "nope".

 

This is one of those tours that you GOTTA BOOK thru ship if it's one you want to do.

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We did the ziplines on our own last Christmas while sailing on the Carnival Valor. Carnival DOES NOT offer the excursion. I understand if there is NO Royal Caribbean ship in port, you can go on your own.

We had fun. I was scared to death, though :)

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  • 3 weeks later...

Let me get this straight. There are multiple different things besides zip lining...i understood that from another poster. But they never mentioned you are high up. I was worried with kids to be so far in a canyon. So only 15-20 FT? Is this doable for a 12 and 11 yr old? How much is it?

Thanks. How did it compare to traditional courses that are all ziplining? How did it compare to the one in jamaica.

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Inshape - your kids will love it! Once you leave the ground (climbing up a wooden ladder) your feet do not touch the ground until about an hour or so later. You will be doing all sort of rope courses. Anything from Tarzan type ropes (with a round metal circle to put your foot in) to a bridge made out of rope (with wooden foot steps and ropes along the side to hold onto) to narrow bridges made out of just ropes.

 

Its adventurous and fun - the kids will go fast and be waiting for the rest of the gang. Your only about 10-15 feet off the ground - enough to make it challenging but not so high to make it dangerous (well - if you fell you would break "something")... but dont worry - they have you double clipped onto the safety nets and are in a harness that goes around your legs (like a pair of shorts) - you wont fall! I hate heights and after the first zipline i was fine.

 

You do have all sorts of fun ways to get from point a-b-c etc. Everything goes from one tree to another giant trees. There is a ledge built on the trees sort of like going from treehouse to treehouse.

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I felt the number of people on the tour (with the ship) was workable. There were not a ton of people but there was not just 4 or 5 either - i would say we had about 30 of us - but it was fine. I do not know about doing it on your own - It is a drive from the port and I personally would prefer to do it with the ship early in the morning (as its hot later in the day). We went back to the ship in plenty of time to have lunch and then took the ferry which is right at the ships entrance - to the beautiful beach for a couple of hours. If you take a noon time tour you may not have as much time for the beach.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Yes, they will hold your stuff for you. They held all our expensive cameras - no problem what so ever. They do sell photos at the end of you ziplining so take some cash with you. They were great shots - you can buy the photo if you want or they will email you the picture so you do not have to carry the photo.

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They were about $20 - they had us buy the reg photo and the digital email (they didnt just sell the digital one - sorry - my DH just told me they wouldnt give us just the email) but it was a great email version and we had it blown up to an 8X10 - its rather amuzing.

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I did this tour last year, and it was the best excursion! It said that it was a strenuous tour, but I didn't find it to be too difficult, I wish I had known, my husband who has a heart condition could have done this. There were so many people on the tour, that you had some waiting time between trees. It was very hot/humid, so definately dress cool.

 

The restaurant at the bottom of the hill was excellent!! You must try the crab cakes and the banana daquiris! YUM. This restaurant was featured in an issue of Bon Appetit, and you can see why when you try the food. If you are not the last person on the zip lines, then you will have plenty of time to eat before the rest of your group is done w/ the zip lines and before the bus leaves.

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My hubby is going to take our 10 year old son with him on this shore ex in March. My little guy is very adventurous, so doubt the heights and such will bother him. Here is my question...on some St Maartin web sites they talk about a smaller version for the kids---do they divide up the group for the kids, or does everyone do the adult version?

 

Thanks in advance....

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we did this on 5 dec , you will go as one large group in single file . it will spread out a bit as everone gets going . your son will have a blast we sure did . photos are 15$ each , you do not have to buy them . there is no hard sell for you to get them .

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shorts are fine , we wore them wife got one bruise because she did not lift her leg high enough . make sure to wear sneakers , no open toed shoes allowed .

 

I would not try this with a bad neck or shoulder . some places you have to strech around a tree to hookup your safety lines .

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