Zip Lines in the Forest?

[CindyinSeattle]

For everyone that is considering going on a zip-line tour through the canopy. There are usually lockers available for you to put your personal belongings in, ie: camera, sweater, etc. I wouldn't suggest you take your camera with you, although I have seen a few people do it. If you must, take a disposable camera, not your digital or camcorder. That way, if you drop it you won't be kicking yourself for stupidity. There is no way you'll be able to stop, go down and get it! I have done this tour with cruise group (DH is afraid of heights) and it is not for those not in good shape or afraid of heights! There is walking back involved, and you are really high up! I never felt unsafe though, the guides ensured that the equipment is securely on. I'm really glad I went - you get a great sense of accomplishment when you get back on the ground! If you have any back, shoulder or neck problems, don't go! You have to keep your right arm up and behind you to stop.

[tyson]

Since you went on a ship's shore excursion instead of on your own, I'm curious how many people they allowed to book the excursion. Did you have a bus load or more? How long was the trip from the pier to Loterie Farm? Was there a long wait once you arrived at Loterie Farm? Thanks for your help!

[MEcruzr]

I'm still hoping someone will answer this last question regarding Loterie Farms.

 

Has anyone gone on a ship's excursion here? How many people go? Is it overcrowded, or does it work fine?

 

Stacy

[FMZ]

Thanks Newkim for all your information! It really sounds like a blast! So if Im sailing with RCCL, can I do it on my own or do I have to book through the ship? I really hate booking through the ship (because of the crowds!) so would prefer to book on my own, but at the same time I dont want to miss out on the adventure!!

 

Thanks again!

[newkim]

We were on Princess and the zip line is not one of their ship sponsored excursions so I don't know if it is possible to book on your own if you are on RCCL. We did this on our own after finding out about it through this thread. We were off our ship and on our way as the RCCL ship was docking. I wanted to get to Loterie Farm before the organized excursion through RCCL got there. I knew that RCCL had an excursion as I had learned about it through this thread.

 

We got off the ship and took a taxi from the pier. It took about 30 minutes in the taxi to get to Loterie Farm. It was probably about 45 minutes total from the time we got off the ship to get there. There was a short wait at the taxi stand while the found some other people that were going in the same direction although the other people weren't going to Loterie Farm.

 

There are no lockers to put your stuff in. They let us put a small bag that we had some sunscreen in behind the bar.

 

There isn't any walking back involved as you end very close to the spot where you start the course. Once you start the course you are never on the ground again until you are finished.

 

I think that is all of the loose ends. If there is anything else you want to know, just ask. It really was a highlight of our cruise.

[pickleps]

newkim

thanks for the update. had a quick follow-up, we leave on a cruise next week. wanted to go to the treetop adventure and are on the explorer.

did you ask the cab to take you just to the loterie farm or someplace more specific?

how much was the cab?

and did you need to make reservations or just beat the excursion crowd?

i have emailed loterie several times and haven't had any reply :(

and were there cabs to take you back or did you set something up with the person who brought you out there (if so, how much time did you need at the zip lines?)

thanks!!

rob

[MEcruzr]

Rob, through my research I've found out that Loterie Farm is about a 20 minute cab ride. The cost is $9 per person each way (this could be outdated info, too, by the time you get there). They are open T - Sat, 9:30 to 4:30. The tour takes 1/2 hour for training and 1 1/2 hours to complete the course. You must be at least 4 ft tall and weigh less than 250#. You have to wear enclosed shoes (sneakers) and you can't take your camera (or anything else) with you. The phone # there is 011-590-590-87-86-16. The discourage people coming on their own if there is a tour from their cruise ship, so making contact BEFORE you get there might prevent disappointment at not being able to do the course. If they don't have the people to do the training (because they are expecting a bus load of cruise passengers) they can't put you through first.

 

Another wrinkle for you... next week Carnival will be in full swing on St. Maarten! I don't know how available cabs will be... or how reliable the estimate of time to get there will be. You might be able to get there and not get back. If your ship offers this as a shore excursion, it might be "safer" to go on the bus. If the ship sails without you... there won't be any available rooms to rent! This is a big deal there... Carnival last for 17 or 18 days and people come from all over the Carribean to experience it. I imagine there will be huge crowds downtown adding to the difficulty of getting around, renting cars, etc.

 

Stacy

[pickleps]

stacy, thanks a lot for the info. much appreciated and extremely helpful. i am going to have to look into this more seriously (was hoping i could just wing it, guess not).

but, now at least we have even more to look forward to when we get there! thats going to be fun.

rob

[gtaylor]

There is a great first-party review posted by BELAIR over at Travel Talk OnLine (TTOL).

[harleyrider]

Thanks Zipmom for the tree top zip lines information in St. Martin. Looks like you are on your cruise this week to try it out, so let us know how the adventure went! Thanks

[MEcruzr]

I just got back last night but I had to get on here and tell you about the tree top experience at the Loterie Farm ("lottery" farm... it was won in a lottery... thus the name!). This excursion was just amazing. There were only 22 of us. We arrived by bus (an experience in itself, as the bus driver got lost!). They handed out the harnesses and gloves and quickly put us through the training session... then we hit the tree tops. You start out by climbing up a hill and then climbing a "ladder" into a tree. From there you cross a cable line to a tree platform. There, you hook yourself up for your first zip line... and shoot across the line to the other side of the course! It's amazing, it's fun, it's just something you HAVE TO DO. They have a photographer there that takes your picture, which you can buy at the end. Pictures are $19.99 or two for $30. I bought mine and my son's... he does a really nice job. Then you spend the next hour or so traversing the course. You go over several zip lines, many cable lines, bridges with "steps", bridges with swings... some trees have platforms, some don't. I felt entirely safe the whole time. You're so busy thinking about where your safety clips go and the getting the right order that you really don't have time to think about WHERE you're doing this. And you are up pretty high at times. About half way through the course you'll come across a water cooler... very nice feature! I went with my older brother, his 14 yo daughter and my 16 yo son. Only one woman elected to end the course early. She was quite short and was finding the course difficult (especially the places where you had to really step far for the next step). We also had one man that finished, but I was worried about him the whole time. He was too heavy, I think. He fell once and almost couldn't pull himself back up to the cable even though he could easily get his feet on the cable. He was obviously exerting himself. He did finish though, and I'm sure he felt a great sense of accomplishment... I know I did. We've decided that we're ready for Family Fear Factor!

 

If you're considering this excursion, go for it. If I ever get back to St. Maarten, I will do it again.

 

Any questions? I will try to get back here every couple of days to answer them if I can.

[tyson]

Thank you so much for telling us about your experience so quickly! I have already booked this excursion for myself, my husband, and our 18 year old son when we are on the Navigator in July. I can't wait! Am I right in assuming you went on a ship's excursion and not on your own?

[MEcruzr]

Yes, we were on the Century (Celebrity) last week. I had considered trying to do this on our own but when I found out it was also Carnival week in St. Maarten I decided to not risk it (with the crowds, lack of cabs, etc) and went with the ship. The Loterie Farms is on the other side of the island (the French side) so it is a ride to get there. Our bus driver even got lost. We also sailed early, at 3:30 so I didn't want to risk not getting back in time. At least this way I knew the ship knew where we were! Even though we had 22 people it didn't seem like too many. Everyone goes through the training together (harness, braking with a gloved hand, how to use the safety lines and zip pulley and then they put you through three short traverses... a zip line, a bridge and a cable crossing... all about three feet off the ground) and then they send you one at a time to start the tree top course. By the time you get through the training part you don't have to wait to start the course. If someone gets hung up or goes slow you might have to wait a short while during the course, but the view is nice, the breeze refreshing and the chance to rest welcome!

 

I already mentioned that there is water available on a platform 1/2 way through the course, but they also give you water, punch or rum punch after you finish. We walked down to the restaurant to pay for our pictures and also bought a couple of sodas there ($2.50 a can!). At the end they give a little talk about how everyone did and then reminded us that they provided a "service" and that tipping would be appreciated. Some people did, some didn't. They have a can available.

 

Going to and coming back to the ship was a little different. Normally, representatives meet you on the pier and take you to a bus. This time, she took us on a winding trip through the streets and an open market to the bus. When we got dropped off we had to make our way back to the pier through the market and streets again... only this time no one was guiding us. If this happens to you, pay attention on the way to bus! It's not difficult to find the pier but it was a bit disconcerting at first. We tendered, just so you know.

 

Anything else?

[tyson]

Were you able to leave your backpack or your possessions in the bus, was there a locker, or what? Thanks so much for answering all my questions!

[MEcruzr]

The bus didn't stay and wait for us. It left and came back. We were told NOT to leave anything on the bus. Instead, we left our things in a small "cottage" type building right there at the course. It was the same building where we went to get our equipment, see the printed photos and get a drink after we finished. They assured us our things would be okay and they were. The only people around were from our ship, the people that worked there and a couple of people that showed up on their own and just watched us for a little while. This is not a busy place. The course is not all spread out, either. You can see the building from just about everywhere you go in the trees. The course criss-crosses over/under itself in several places so that at times you're above someone and at times you're below someone. When you're going through the training it's kinda funny... you don't even see the cables over your head. But where they train you is right under the course. You end very close to where you started.

[CaesarsNcruisin4me]

:confused: Can anyone explain how the cable lines work? Is it a cable that you walk on while holding onto a line above you? One of my sons is afraid of heights but we did the zip lines in Mexico last year and he loved it. Also can he chose to end the course early while the rest of us proceed. Hopefully someones out there that can answer these questions. I have tried to email the company to send me a brochure but their mailbox is always full. Sorry another question, during the course are there any spots where you need to simply take a leap of faith or are you always safety harnessed to prevent you falling to the ground? :eek: probably stupid question but curious all the same. thanks for the info........Sandie

[GoHeels]

I looked at the Loterie Farms website, and they still don't have any mention at all about the zip line tour. We are going to be on Carnival, and they don't offer this as a ship's excursion, so we would have to go on our own, but I'm afraid since there doesn't seem to be any official site to let you reserve, directions to get there, etc. Is this a well-run activity or some fly-by-night thing?

 

Pam

[pickleps]

We did the tree top tour about a month ago through our ship's excursions (royal caribbean). it was ok. i think you could just show up and they would let you on, it didn't look like you would need reservations. we had a full group there and i saw at least 8 people come after us and just start the training and do the tour.

also, i wouldn't say it was as much a tour or adventure through the trees as it is just an activity. you don't really venture into any unchartered areas or see anything much beyond the mango trees that you move between.

there are a lot of different types of lines that you have to go between (tight rope ones, zip lines, ladder-type, rope stuff).

the only thing i would add is that the tree top adventure is pretty land-locked. i don't think it really took advantage of being on a tropical island..

they pretty much just let you go at your own pace and didn't talk about the environment or area were going through.

overall it was a cool activity. i would say if you have a couple days on the island or want to get away from the water adventures, it is worth checking out.

[CaesarsNcruisin4me]

Thanks for the info. I have tried calling them for further info but I just get a Mexican recording saying that all calls to Mexico now require the country code 52 plus a 10 digit number and the phone number they have listed is only 9 digits. If anyone out there has a phone number that I can call that would be great. Their email box is always full and my mail gets returned. I was wondering if anyone out there has any pics that you'd like to share to give me an idea of what its all about. Thanks for all the feedback.

Sandie

[CaesarsNcruisin4me]

I did find the number when calling from Canada, if anyone else wants it its 011-52-0590-87-86-16. And after rereading all the previous messages I found all the answers to my questions. Thanks gtaylor if you're still out there! I went to the link that was posted by Belair Travel Talk OnLine and it answered all questions. Thanks again to all..................Sandie

 

Lots of info on St.Martin at www.st-martin.org

Fly Zone

 

Treetop Adventure Park

An exhilarating traverse course and variety of zip-lines suspended high above a private forest reserve soaring between 200 year old mango and mahagony trees. You will also find a special area with suspended bridges, swinging ropes and more for children. Miles of well groomed hiking trails and the "Hidden Forest Cafe" make the experience complete. For more information please call (0590) 87 86 16 or (0590) 57 28 55

 

Web: http://www.loteriefarm.com

Email: visit@loteriefarm.com

Route Pic Paradis, St. Martin, F.W.I.

 

[gtaylor]

I did find the number when calling from Canada, if anyone else wants it its 011-52-0590-87-86-16.

 

 

I've never called from Canada, but I think that number should be 011-59-0590-87-86-16.

 

gary

[CaesarsNcruisin4me]

I've never called from Canada, but I think that number should be 011-59-0590-87-86-16.

 

gary

THANKS GARY,I think my brain activity ceased to exsist when I gave up coffee. :p I'm trying to lose a few pounds before the cruise and needless to say coffee is something I am adding back to my diet. For some reason I had Mexico on the brain and was using their country code. Probably explains why none of my calls went through! Well once I dialed the correct number I received all the additional info I needed.:)

 

 

To anyone else that was wondering about booking it through the cruise line or doing it on your own...Book through the cruise line. They explained that they have a contract with the cruise line and that on days when the ship is in port, all spots are available only for ship passengers and only IF the excusion is Not sold out will islanders or island guests be able to do the course. They said this year they are doing two pick ups per day and next year will be increasing to four times daily. The lady explained that they have a kids course and an adults course but said most kids 11 and over are bored with the kids course and do the adults course. She said it takes approximately 1 hour 20 min to 1 and a half hours to do the course but ultimately it depends on your own speed. She aslo added that most days that the cruise ships are in port that they are sold out as they have a limited number of people that are allowed. She said it would be best to book online before you cruise to avoid dissappointment of not being able to go. Well I think that about covers it.

Thanks again Gary your help was awesome!

Sandie:D

[MrsBoo]

Puerto Vallarta, Puntarenas, Limon, & Jamaica.

[LisaClark]

Has anyone recently done this tour? How hard is it? My hubbie has some knee trouble and I don't have a lot of hand strength. We're not totally physically fit, but we can (usually) handle most physical challenges. Would this tour be too much? We don't want to spend the rest of our cruise nursing any injuries or pulled muscles -- though that would give me a perfect excuse to hang out in the spa getting massages! :D

 

Thanks for your help!!

[tyson]

My husband, 18 year old son, and myself went on the zip lines in July and had a great time! It was challenging, but if at any time you don't think you can go on, you just climb down the ladder on the tree. It was extremely hot and humid when we went, which sapped our strength a little. We had a range of ages on our tour from about 6 years old to 60+ years old. It was definitely the highlight of our cruise!