Victor Bodden vs Little French Key

[mchatt92]

Hello all,

 

I booked Little French Key five months ago for our NYE cruise. However, I noticed some bad reviews in the past few days. The cost of our tour is $98 pp. I am debating whether to cancel and try the Fun and Sun Victor Bodden Tour.

 

This is our second cruise and our first attempt at non -carnival excursions. Any advice from you guys would be greatly appreciated.

[ondebyou]

We enjoyed our first visit to Roatan a couple of years ago and we had booked the Zip N Dip with Victor Bodden. They are all the good things you may have read about them here.But I have seen several bad reviews about VB as well.

 

We're just going for LFK this time for something different. I think the few bad reviews were during the Thanksgiving Holidays. I'll go and experience them for myself and make my day there the best that I can.

[mchatt92]

Thanks for your comment. I decided to email the owner to get more info, since I had booked the trip so long ago. He responded quickly and answered all my questions. Based on his professionalism, I am going to stick with LFK.

[ondebyou]

Thanks for your comment. I decided to email the owner to get more info, since I had booked the trip so long ago. He responded quickly and answered all my questions. Based on his professionalism, I am going to stick with LFK.

 

I believe you made a good choice. We'll be going January 30th. I see you'll go before us, please come back and let us know how it was! :D

[ondebyou]

I believe you made a good choice. We'll be going January 30th. I see you'll go before us, please come back and let us know how it was! :D

 

 

I continually read negative reviews for Little French Key, so, We'll be changing our booking. Maybe with Victor Bodden again, or go to Maya Key. or perhaps hail a cab to West End. Will definitely begin my research again. I only hope you are reading these negative reviews also.:cool:

[Zippercat]

We used Victor last week and were quite pleased. Very professional; driver was polite and drove carefully, car was clean and we always felt safe. Driver gave us a nice tour and took us everywhere we wanted to go, incluiding a very nice place for lunch.

[mchatt92]

I continually read negative reviews for Little French Key, so, We'll be changing our booking. Maybe with Victor Bodden again, or go to Maya Key. or perhaps hail a cab to West End. Will definitely begin my research again. I only hope you are reading these negative reviews also.:cool:

 

Okay, here's the deal: Hubby is not thrilled with the price of LFK. I know I sound cray cray because I already booked our excursion, but we are going to bow out. I am going to book VB or Maya Key as well. I'm bummed because I thought I had this already figured out back in July only to have this one port dilemma. I did read the reviews......

[mchatt92]

We used Victor last week and were quite pleased. Very professional; driver was polite and drove carefully, car was clean and we always felt safe. Driver gave us a nice tour and took us everywhere we wanted to go, incluiding a very nice place for lunch.

 

Did you do the Best of Roatan? What places did you visit?

[PSkinner]

We were at LFK last week and it was not a pleasant experience. Nothing usually bothers me on vacation but this was the worst experience. We were thinking it would be a private beach. NOT. There is no beach. There is a little patch of sand that maybe 5 people could walk on at the same time.

The food was cold and there was a long line to get to it. I would say there were only about 50 people there that day.

The boat that took you our snorkeling anchor over coral so everyone got cut up getting back on the boat.

The private zoo is about 4 cages; a couple of monkeys in one and birds in the other. No tour guide.

Do Take your EMAIL with the package you paid for. We spent the entire time arguing with the bartenders trying to get our "all inclusive drinks" that have now been changed to include only beer, soda, and water.

We paid $148 per person for an all inclusive package and the only thing that was worth the cost was the Zip Line and it was through a different company.

[slowpoke58]

Hi, We are just back from Roatan on the Carnival Dream. The tour people that we decided to use was Victor Bodden Tours. Our driver was George. You could not find a better guide for the island. There were 4 of us and he took us anywhere we wanted to go and told us all about the island. He was really great. If you use Victor Bodden tours, which we highly recommend, be sure to ask for George, He is great.

[AllAmericanAmy]

Had booked with Little French key for our family of 4 (cruising in January 2013). The rate when we booked was $55.00 per person for transportation and "admission" to LFK. It included NO food or drinks. As a special "favor", Moshe was willing to let us use the kayaks and non-motorized equipment which is usually NOT included in the cheapest package.

 

Well, after doing the math ($220 for 4 of us) and realizing we had to add food costs it would be at least $250 for the day. Ouch.

 

Then I got thinking ... what if the weather is not excellent the day we go? It can happen for sure. So, we would be on an island with absolutely nothing to do and would have paid $250 to do it. Plus it sounds like to reach really good snorkeling location you have to pay extra to get out on the boat (and we've all read the reviews about being let out or having to get into boat and getting cut up by coral - yikes).

 

Changed my mind and am now booked for a private tour with Victor Bodden "Best of Roatan". $100 for 4 people for all day private tour/car/driver. We're going to go to West Bay Tabyana Beach (supposed to be some of the BEST snorkeling in Carribean right off the beach) and rent a couple of chairs for $5 each (for the adults), do the Monkey Tour ($10 for 2 adults), Zip line ($90 for 2 teens plus free Monkey visit). Let's see... $100 + $10 + $10 + $90 = $210. Add lunch somewhere for another $40 and I'm back at $250 but with more to show for it.

 

We'll do the kicked-back lay on the sand and do nothing day at Costa Maya (Nohoch Cay) for only $40 per adult & $20 per teenager which includes a nice lunch.

 

Little French Key looks stunningly beautiful and could be the best stop on someone's trip. Or not.

[lovevacadays]

Had booked with Little French key for our family of 4 (cruising in January 2013). The rate when we booked was $55.00 per person for transportation and "admission" to LFK. It included NO food or drinks. As a special "favor", Moshe was willing to let us use the kayaks and non-motorized equipment which is usually NOT included in the cheapest package.

 

Well, after doing the math ($220 for 4 of us) and realizing we had to add food costs it would be at least $250 for the day. Ouch.

 

Then I got thinking ... what if the weather is not excellent the day we go? It can happen for sure. So, we would be on an island with absolutely nothing to do and would have paid $250 to do it. Plus it sounds like to reach really good snorkeling location you have to pay extra to get out on the boat (and we've all read the reviews about being let out or having to get into boat and getting cut up by coral - yikes).

 

Changed my mind and am now booked for a private tour with Victor Bodden "Best of Roatan". $100 for 4 people for all day private tour/car/driver. We're going to go to West Bay Tabyana Beach (supposed to be some of the BEST snorkeling in Carribean right off the beach) and rent a couple of chairs for $5 each (for the adults), do the Monkey Tour ($10 for 2 adults), Zip line ($90 for 2 teens plus free Monkey visit). Let's see... $100 + $10 + $10 + $90 = $210. Add lunch somewhere for another $40 and I'm back at $250 but with more to show for it.

 

We'll do the kicked-back lay on the sand and do nothing day at Costa Maya (Nohoch Cay) for only $40 per adult & $20 per teenager which includes a nice lunch.

 

Little French Key looks stunningly beautiful and could be the best stop on someone's trip. Or not.

 

Great decision! Plus, with Victor's tours you can change what you want to do midstream if you want. They are there to make the day for you.

[HaleyAaronP79]

We are heading to Roatan Spring Break with a 6 yr old and I just now started looking at excursions. I thought LFK would have it all, especially the monkey part because my daughter loves animals, but I'm rethinking this now. I really like the plan you have set up and I need to research Victor Bodden a bit more. Thanks for sharing!!

[mara93]

Thank goodness for this thread!

 

We booked LFK (when prices were lower than they are now) but after all the reviews, we're having lots of 2nd thoughts especially since we're traveling with our 4yr old son.

 

We're going to stick with Victor Bodden, do the Fun & Sun tour instead.

[mitsugirly]

Thank goodness for this thread!

 

We booked LFK (when prices were lower than they are now) but after all the reviews, we're having lots of 2nd thoughts especially since we're traveling with our 4yr old son.

 

We're going to stick with Victor Bodden, do the Fun & Sun tour instead.

 

If you want to know what LFK is like...go to my signature line and click on the review I just did from LFK. It's under my DREAM review. This place was HEAVEN!!! For those saying there wasn't a beach there...well there's actually several beaches there!! :rolleyes:

[lovevacadays]

Okay, here's the deal: Hubby is not thrilled with the price of LFK. I know I sound cray cray because I already booked our excursion, but we are going to bow out. I am going to book VB or Maya Key as well. I'm bummed because I thought I had this already figured out back in July only to have this one port dilemma. I did read the reviews......

 

Victor Bodden is a great choice. Sure there are a few bad reviews but tht will happen with any business. The majority are good to great. We toured with his guide Tex back in 2009. It was an amazing day. One my friend and I still talk about. So much so that we sometimes tease that we are each going to retire on Roatan.:)

[funfamilyof6]

We used Bodden on our last summer's cruise and did the monkeys, ziplining and then asked our tour guide, Tex, to take us to a nice beach.

 

We had a good time but the only thing that we did not like was that Tex took us to a beach that had major construction going on in the background where a resort was going up/being renovated (not sure which). Our idea of a nice beach is beautiful sand, nice water and NO construction noise. We are not picky people, we would not have even minded a lot of people but the construction kind of put us off. It seemed that the Tex went out of his way to get to this particular beach and there was no time left to go to another.

 

The next time we go we will be more particular on what exact beach we go to. Ziplining took a looooong time due to the many people there and created a long line which is another reason we didn't have a lot of beach time. We did a private tour with Tex, but knew others who did the zip and dip (beach) and said that they were disappointed because they also spent way to much time waiting for everybody to finish the ziplining and almost no time at beach.