Caribbean Helicopter Tour of Montserrat

[chirpy12345]

Just wondering if anyone has done this tour lately? Can you tell me when the tour started and if you were picked up from the cruise ship pier?

[[g]cruiserke]

I have not done this tour (sorry to get your hopes up seeing there was a reply to your thread :o) but I'm also looking for recent reviews as I'm very interested in booking this tour for our April cruise on the Celebrity Silhouette.

[CruisinGirl777]

This tour sounds really interesting. I hope that someone responds.

[MDSue]

I went quite a few years ago and had a spectacular time. There were two tour times, each lasting about two hours long. I do believe they picked us up by the dock and drove us a short distance to where the helicopters take off.

There was two helicopters that travelled a few minutes apart that flew over to Montserrat and back. You will see beautiful views of Antigua at take-off and then great views of the island of Montserrat including the volcano and all the damage done years ago by the eruption.

 

Each helicopter held 5 people; one in the front, and two rows of two in the back. The ride over and back lasted about 45 minutes and the pilot was very knowledgable about the island,

 

On the way back to Antigua, someone in my group asked the pilot if he ever saw whales on his flights. Right afterwards, the pilot spotted a pod of three and swooped down closer for us to see- a really cool bonus (and not always an option)

 

Anyway, it was well worth the trip.

 

Here's a few pics from our trip:

 

on the way over:

 

 

the volcano

 

 

 

 

These were the helicopters we took, but they were destroyed in a hurricane shortly after our tour. I haven't seen the new ones.

 

 

The tour is expensive, but well worth it to me.

Edited July 3, 2012 by MDSue

[CruisinGirl777]

I went quite a few years ago and had a spectacular time.

 

the volcano

 

 

 

 

These were the helicopters we took, but they were destroyed in a hurricane shortly after our tour. I haven't seen the new ones.

 

 

The tour is expensive, but well worth it to me.

 

Thanks for your input. And great pics. It definitely seems worthwhile.

[bccolaman]

cruiserke;32350044']I have not done this tour (sorry to get your hopes up seeing there was a reply to your thread :o) but I'm also looking for recent reviews as I'm very interested in booking this tour for our April cruise on the Celebrity Silhouette.

 

We did this tour last year and really enjoyed it..worth the price!!

[lightninbug]

Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences with this tour, as we are looking at booking while there next April and I am wondering if there is just one tour company that offers the helicopter excursions or if there are more than one... and if more than one, which company everyone is referring to. Thanks again!

[MDSue]

Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences with this tour, as we are looking at booking while there next April and I am wondering if there is just one tour company that offers the helicopter excursions or if there are more than one... and if more than one, which company everyone is referring to. Thanks again!

 

As far as I know, only Caribbean Helicopters offers the only tours to Montserrat. They had to have special permit to fly over a volcano zone. We went three or four years ago, so I'm not sure if that has changed. We also had to book through the ship (Royal Caribbean). Perhaps, if you are on another line that doesn't offer the tours, you could contact them directly. You can google their name to get to their website.

They were a first class operation. It was such as memorable tour.

 

approaching Montserrat:

 

 

lava flow:

 

a buried city:

 

 

a surprise pod of whales on our trip back:

 

[lightninbug]

Thanks MDSue for the info & the awesome pics! Now I know I want to do this trip! I'm going on Princess and they don't offer it, so I will locate the tour company to set it up. From your pics, it looks like this will be a definite highlight of the cruise! :D

[MDSue]

Thanks MDSue for the info & the awesome pics! Now I know I want to do this trip! I'm going on Princess and they don't offer it, so I will locate the tour company to set it up. From your pics, it looks like this will be a definite highlight of the cruise! :D

 

Thanks, It was a great experience- my first and only helicopter flight and I really enjoyed it. On our trip, they needed two people who were willing to fly separately (one on each helicopter), my sister and I volunteered and we both got to ride in the front with the pilot, a great vantage point! Our pilot was the one who spotted the whales and flew down for a closer look. My sister's group didn't see them. It was so funny that a passenger just asked about whales and the next thing you know, our pilot spotted some- so I guess it pays to ask.

[B&J_Pgh]

We looked at Caribbean helicopter's website and and you can save $24 per person versus RCCL's fee if you book direct.

[sweetsleep]

I made an independent reservation with them for my January 28 sailing on Princess so we are in Antigua on January 31 and I am on the earlier flight. Hope there is someone else on this cruise doing this too? My sister refuses to get on a helicopter!

[biker@sea]

I made an independent reservation with them for my January 28 sailing on Princess so we are in Antigua on January 31 and I am on the earlier flight. Hope there is someone else on this cruise doing this too? My sister refuses to get on a helicopter!

 

D.W. will not fly in a plane .:eek:

I did get her to do this tour with Me .

She had the time of her life, loved it as did I .:)

[nursesusiee]

I am going to be booking this excursion for Nov 2014. It looks so exciting!!!

[MDSue]

I am going to be booking this excursion for Nov 2014. It looks so exciting!!!

 

I'm not sure why my pics are no longer visible (at least for me). I think the photo-hosting site I used went under.

 

It was one of my most memorable excursions; well worth the investment for me. Enjoy!

[vermonter16]

This thread is old.  Looking at this through Celebrity Cruise Lines.  Anyone done it lately?  Or independently - cost to get to where they take off, etc.  Thanks.