Sky Safari Zip Lining

[Pittfan763]

Hello to all. New to the board. Planning our first cruise coming up on May 23rd. This is my first cruise, her 2nd. This is also for our Honeymoon (May 15). 4 days away!

 

In any event, we were talking about trying to save money by booking our excursions independently from Carnival. Has anyone had luck with this? Or, is there a website out there that specializes in this?

 

I have been searching the boards, but it has been somewhat of a daunting task to search among all the posts. I scanned for 3 hours yesterday, and I am still looking at a blank page next to all of the port of calls. :)

 

We are leaving out of San Juan. And then moving on to different Ports, and are looking to do the following excursion:

 

St. Kitts - Sky Safari Zip Lining

 

So, we kind of game planned that we would like to do an excursion at each port. But we would like to save some money by not booking through Carnival. We are also considering the option of booking half of our excursions through Carnival and then the others just get off of the ship, and see what people have to offer to us.

 

Any ideas would be appreciated. Not too sure what I am getting myself in to:)

 

Thanks!

Jason

[dz63]

Hello to all. New to the board. Planning our first cruise coming up on May 23rd. This is my first cruise, her 2nd. This is also for our Honeymoon (May 15). 4 days away!

 

In any event, we were talking about trying to save money by booking our excursions independently from Carnival. Has anyone had luck with this? Or, is there a website out there that specializes in this?

 

I have been searching the boards, but it has been somewhat of a daunting task to search among all the posts. I scanned for 3 hours yesterday, and I am still looking at a blank page next to all of the port of calls. :)

 

We are leaving out of San Juan. And then moving on to different Ports, and are looking to do the following excursion:

 

St. Kitts - Sky Safari Zip Lining

 

So, we kind of game planned that we would like to do an excursion at each port. But we would like to save some money by not booking through Carnival. We are also considering the option of booking half of our excursions through Carnival and then the others just get off of the ship, and see what people have to offer to us.

 

Any ideas would be appreciated. Not too sure what I am getting myself in to:)

 

Thanks!

Jason

 

 

Hi Jason,

 

I just noticed your post. Hopefully I am not too late in answering!

 

I agree with you that it can be overwhelming choosing tours for so many ports of call and the tours offered by Carnival are more expensive than booking tours privately.

 

We were on the Victory in July and booked all of our port excursions independently from Carnival. It was very easy to find our tour operators once we exited the ship. Not only do private tour operators charge lower rates than what Carnival charges, but you also have the advantage of not being in a large cruise ship crowd.

 

We also did the Zipline in St. Kitts. At that time we were able to book this privately as it was not offered through Carnival, but apparantly that has now changed.

 

 

Prior to our cruise, I had spent hours reading the forums to come up with possible tours for our family.

 

Here is an outline of the Victory's ports of call and some suggested tour operators. (I do not have any tour operators for St. Maarten, because when we cruised on the Victory we went to Antigua instead).

 

 

In St. Thomas if you want to see sights and relax on a beach, than a tour with Sunny Liston, Airforce 1 Papa Bear, Godfrey, Spider man or Island Marketing will do. These tours are inexpensive but do not provide food--and it does require travelling around in an open air vehicle.

 

 

In Dominica, Antours, Woody, and Levi Bumpiing Tours are well known and highly recommended. You can visit waterfalls, go river tubing, visit a Caribe village or go hiking here!

 

 

Barbados has alot of everything--from sightseeing and beach stops, ziplining, swimming with turtles or visiting Harrisons Cave. You can take a land tour with such operators as Cameron Reid, Scenic Barbados Tours, Glory Tours, Johnson Tours, or Coconut tours or explore the island on a jeep safari with Adventureland. If you want to go on the seas and swim with the turtles you can take a excursion on a catamaran like the Tiami, Silver Moon, Calabaza or Shasa. These are popular excursions and lunch is provided.

 

 

St. Lucia has island tours that take you to beautiful beaches, breathtaking vistas and allows you to taste food from that culture. Spencer Ambrose Tours, Serenity (although I found them to be more expensive than Carnival), Cosol, Fabian Tours, Frank, Herod and Bernard from St. Lucia Taxi Man are some highly recommended tour operators. You can also go ziplining or if you are adventurous, even climb the Gros Piton!

 

 

St. Kitts also offers sightseeing by land, catamaran or train. You can stop at a beach or even go Ziplining. Some recommeded tour operators are Thenford Grey, Everton Delaney, Royston Tours and St. Kitts Tour Store.

 

 

I have not included all the tour operators but tried to mention some of the more popular and recommended tour operators from CC. When it comes right down to it you have to choose what interests you and go for it.

 

If you check out my review (the link is in my signature), you can see photos and get more information about the excursions we did.

 

Well, I hope I haven't overwhelmed you more! ;) You will have a fantastic cruise visiting some of the most beautiful islands in the Caribbean.

 

Good Luck with your planning!

[Disneyna]

How did you like the Sky Safari Zip Line? We just booked this last night and leave on the Victory Sunday. Can't wait!!

[dz63]

How did you like the Sky Safari Zip Line? We just booked this last night and leave on the Victory Sunday. Can't wait!!

 

The zipline was safe and alot of fun. We had a thrilling experience flying over the the rainforest in St. Kitts!

 

I have written a detailed review with photos all about our zipline adventure with Sky Safari.

Click on the link below and scroll down to posts #154-156 to read all about it!

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1038334&page=8

 

 

I have also put together a Youtube video of our Sky Safari experience.

Details and link to this is below:

 

Carnival Victory—Ziplining in St. Kitts, July 11, 2009

This video/slideshow features our Port Excursion in St. Kitts--as we go ziplining with Ski Safaris over the tropical St. Kitts rainforest. Length: 4:43

 

[Disneyna]

The zipline was safe and alot of fun. We had a thrilling experience flying over the the rainforest in St. Kitts!

 

I have written a detailed review with photos all about our zipline adventure with Sky Safari.

Click on the link below and scroll down to posts #154-156 to read all about it!

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1038334&page=8

 

 

I have also put together a Youtube video of our Sky Safari experience.

Details and link to this is below:

 

Carnival Victory—Ziplining in St. Kitts, July 11, 2009

This video/slideshow features our Port Excursion in St. Kitts--as we go ziplining with Ski Safaris over the tropical St. Kitts rainforest. Length: 4:43

 

Thank you so much! :)

[Sequim88]

Question about physical capabilities required. My wife is paralyzed on right side. Her right leg is fused straight and she can lift legs from waist or lean back as needed, no problem. But she could not hold on with right hand. No back or neck issues - injury that cause paralysis was closed head brain trauma. She can walk some and climb stairs (not quickly) with cane or hold on to me.

 

Any thoughts about if they would let her go? We are also looking for somewhere to parasail but saw in a 2007 thread this is not available at St. Kitts. Maybe that has changed.

[declansdad]

The zipline was safe and alot of fun. We had a thrilling experience flying over the the rainforest in St. Kitts!

 

I have written a detailed review with photos all about our zipline adventure with Sky Safari.

Click on the link below and scroll down to posts #154-156 to read all about it!

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1038334&page=8

 

 

I have also put together a Youtube video of our Sky Safari experience.

Details and link to this is below:

 

Carnival Victory—Ziplining in St. Kitts, July 11, 2009

This video/slideshow features our Port Excursion in St. Kitts--as we go ziplining with Ski Safaris over the tropical St. Kitts rainforest. Length: 4:43

 

 

Love the pictures and video. Did you have a hard time dealing with the camera(s) while on the zipline?

[dz63]

Love the pictures and video. Did you have a hard time dealing with the camera(s) while on the zipline?

 

No, we did not have a hard time dealing with the camera's. I had strapped my camera right onto my zipline harness, so just in case I would loose my grip on the camera, it would remain attached!

[dz63]

Question about physical capabilities required. My wife is paralyzed on right side. Her right leg is fused straight and she can lift legs from waist or lean back as needed, no problem. But she could not hold on with right hand. No back or neck issues - injury that cause paralysis was closed head brain trauma. She can walk some and climb stairs (not quickly) with cane or hold on to me.

 

Any thoughts about if they would let her go? We are also looking for somewhere to parasail but saw in a 2007 thread this is not available at St. Kitts. Maybe that has changed.

 

Sky Safari highly recommends not to participate if you have had any previous neck or back injuries. Also when you break on the zipline, you are required to bend your knees, spread your legs apart and lean back. Since your wife's right leg is fused straight, this may be a problem if she is unable to get into the right position fast enough to break. To avoid disappointment, I would suggest that you email Sky Safari's, explain your situation, and ask them if they would let her go. Before we booked I had emailed Sky Safari's to ask questions and they always responded back within 2 days.

[declansdad]

No, we did not have a hard time dealing with the camera's. I had strapped my camera right onto my zipline harness, so just in case I would loose my grip on the camera, it would remain attached!

 

 

Thanks, good to know.

[joepeka]

No, we did not have a hard time dealing with the camera's. I had strapped my camera right onto my zipline harness, so just in case I would loose my grip on the camera, it would remain attached!

I too saw your photos and videos (very nice) and wondered how you managed to operate the camera(s) since it looks like both your hands are tied up hanging on to the harness. So you were able to have one arm free to take pictures and/or video?

[dz63]

I too saw your photos and videos (very nice) and wondered how you managed to operate the camera(s) since it looks like both your hands are tied up hanging on to the harness. So you were able to have one arm free to take pictures and/or video?

 

We really only had to hold on to the harness when it was time to get into the "breaking position" at the end of each zip line run. Therefore it was easy to have one arm free to take pictures and videos while "flying".

[joepeka]

We really only had to hold on to the harness when it was time to get into the "breaking position" at the end of each zip line run. Therefore it was easy to have one arm free to take pictures and videos while "flying".

Thanks much for the insight. I feel better knowing the camera won't be a problem for me to operate.