Need info on private Dune Buggy tours

[endoellen]

We are very interested in a half day (preferably morning) dune buggy tour. I prefer booking outside of the cruise lines. I've found a few on the internet & have emailed them about their tours. If anyone has taken a tour that wasn't booked thru the ship, I would really like to hear your comments. We have a group of six & are fine with 2 pers. per buggy. My DH is 53yrs. & can surely handle a little dune buggy. I have read where some of the ships dune buggy excursions wouldn't book someone over 50. How ridiculous!!!

Thanks in advance for any helpful information.

Ellen:D

[NoVa Mimi]

Ellen, I'm looking for the same excursion. I checked out the ship's tour and they are the ones who would not allow anyone over the age of 50...I agree it's ridiculous, especially since my DH is 51 ;). I contacted a company called Bazz and they wanted US funds wired to their bank, so they are off our list. A company called Scooby tours instructed me to book with the ship as they were the company for ship's tours. So, I'm still looking also. I'll be following this thread as we'd still love to do this type of excursion. Good luck with your search and if I find anything, I'll let you know.

[endoellen]

I found Tiger rentals website that shows they have tours. I've emailed them twice & have not received any reply. I'm very disappointed, because this is really something our group of 6 wanted to do. My husband is 53yrs & it is crazy that the ship tour doesn't allow over 50. He's in much better physical condition than most men half his age!

Well, I guess we'll have to find something else to do. I think you can rent scooters for the day & go out on your own. But, I'm not sure about that since we won't know our way around.

Any other info out there, please reply.

[downunder1]

I just did the buggies in Curacao through the cruiseline. My aunt was 51, so I went alone. It was a LIE, 90% of our group was well over 50 and noone said anything or was turned away! Secondly, I am disabled myself. I am 5 foot three and could barely reach the petals! Seriously, I had to strain with all my might. At the 1/2 point we stopped at an overlook I could not climb due to all of the stairs, so I waited at the bottom. Thats when they decided to give me a dunebuggy that was hand controlled (looked like a golf cart). Ive never done hand controlled, but it was FABULOUS. So much easier, and the ride wasnt nearly as bumpy. We had a buggy vlow a tire and a few more that died in the rain, which we were told is common in wet conditions, so they had to bring a bus to take us the last 10 minutes to the boat. If I hadnt booked through the ship, we very likely would have missed the boat due to those troubles, but the operator had backups for all contingencies.

[downunder1]

Book the buggies on board the ship...thats how most in my group were able to get around the 50 age rule apparently.

[NoVa Mimi]

downunder1, I'd love to book through the ship, but as you attempt to purchase the shore excursion on line at Royal Caribbean's site, you are not permitted to continue with the process if anyone in your party is above 50. Remember they have our dates of birth and ages with our cruise booking. Has anyone attempted to contact the folks at the shore excursion department?

[endoellen]

I contacted Curacao buggy tours & did get a reply by email. They replied & we are suppose to have a reservation with them, but, after my reply to them that we would be at the cruise ship terminal to be picked up & asked how they would like to be paid, I have gotten no reply.. Now I don't know if we are going or not. Their website states the max age is 60. We leave this Sun. & will be in Curacao on May 21. I'm going to be very disappointed if they don't keep their reservation with us.

I think they are the same group used by the ship.

Ellen

[NoVa Mimi]

Ellen, good luck and I'm looking forward to hearing all about your trip when you get back! Please post and let us know how it all goes. Have lots of wonderful times...it's almost your turn!! :)

[endoellen]

Hi! NovaMini

 

I finally got another reply from Curacao buggy tours today. He told me to book with the ship & I replied that they wouldn't let us because we were slightly over 50!

He replied back that he would take us on the tour but we would have to pay the ship tour price of $89 per person instead of $125 for 2 people that he usually charges. I'm going to check with the other 2 couples in the group to see if they want to pay $53 more than his advertised price. I'm also not sure that it is the same trip as on their site. He's saying that there is no off road riding. What's the point in the dune buggy then????

I'll post when we get back if we take the tour.

 

I'm sooo ready to get on the ship!!!!

Ellen

[NoVa Mimi]

Ellen, thanks so much for posting while you're busy getting ready to leave! I'm looking forward to hearing about what happens. I agree about (not) going off roading in the dune buggies, hmm I thought that's what DUNE buggies did was go off road and maybe around DUNES :) Have fun and post when you get back!!

[endoellen]

NovaMini,

I canceled the tour with Curacao buggy tours. Other members in our group wanted to go off road & see more sites as the original tour on their website reads. We didn't think it was worth the money to ride on road to a fort and a little beach break. We'll look into something else for this port.

I'm checking on ABC tours in Aruba for their half day jeep tour. We've done a full day a few yrs. ago & really enjoyed it. We made a lot of stops, had lunch, snorkeled in 2 different places and saw a lot of Aruba.

Good luck with planning your excursions!

Ellen

[NoVa Mimi]

Ellen, thanks for the update! I really don't blame them at all, I thought it would be "off-road" as well. I think we'll end up at Kon Tiki probably. I am looking forward to your return to read about all the fun you'll have! :)

Now... get off the computer and get ready to go! :) It's soon going to be your turn and your cabin will soon be ready. Have a safe, fun trip Ellen and please post upon your return.

Tami

[lili0606]

Don't know if you guys were still wondering about this but the dune buggy excursion on the ship (Royal AOS) also does not have any off roading. It was still a good excursion though becuase it was something different, a way to see the city, and you stop at a really nice beach.

[SnowBird Cruzer]

I found Bazz Fun Rentals on the web and I've communicated with them once a few months ago.

I appreciate the comments here as I hadn't discussed payments/deposits with them yet. I am going on the AOS on the 03/01/09 cruise.

 

Their own website ( http://www.bazzfunrental.com) says they DO GO OFF ROADING.

 

I found 1 review on tripadvisor.com that says "We (me, my wife and son) went on this half day off-road buggy trip. Before we were not quite sure what to expect, but it was awesome! The buggies are just great, the trip was spectacular, and the guide and service was great also. We went off-road on the north side of Curacao, which is just beautiful, completely different from the rest of the island. It had rained so we got a bit dirty, but that didn't matter. We washed it right of at the beach we went to. Also the bat caves were something else!

A definite must-do!

 

The website looks good and the dune buggys do look fun.

I never saw anything about an age limit, but all in my group are under 50 anyway.

 

I'll post again when I get more info.

 

Jeff

[SnowBird Cruzer]

I confirmed that Bazz Fun Rental dune buggy's go offroad.

They have a video on Youtube and I also found another person who posted their own video.

 

The dune buggy's look fun and I'm arranging a tour for the 4 in my group.

We have to put 25% down and can do it on a credit card.

 

jeff

[SnowBird Cruzer]

Well, I've made my 25% deposit and I have instructions on meeting them at the pier, and I even have the tour guide's phone #.

 

I'll post again after I've done it.

[vivig]

SnowBird Cruzer,

 

Hope that you had a wonderful time on your cruise! We followed your lead and booked the same company for our upcoming cruise. May I ask how your experience was?

 

many thanks in advance

:)

[lovemylab]

I am also looking into the dune buggy tour through Bazz Fun Rental. I am looking forward to reading some reviews from other CC members on this company :)

[SnowBird Cruzer]

Hi all,

Just back from our cruise.

The dune buggy tour with Bazz was fun, easy, great, wonderful.

I loved it! My wife said, "You owe me big time, mister!" so I think it's easy to say she "loved" it too.

 

The drive was definitely off road. We stopped at one end of the island on some lava/coral rocks. Then off to the Bat cave. Made a stop at a beach for a break. We didn't bring suits so we just looked around and took pictures.

Some driving on roads, but the final downhill on no roads was AWESOME.

 

The fee was $75/person, but that's less than the ship excursion of $89.00.

When we got back to the parking lot by the ship, a couple of people heading out on another excursion actually asked about going on ours instead. Right in front of their tour operator!

 

They prefer you make the final payment in cash, but they will take a credit card.

I had no problem giving them my credit card # for deposit before we left.

I highly recommend the trip.

[vivig]

Thanks for providing an update for us all! Can't wait..we are leaving on Sunday!

[lovemylab]

Thanks for providing an update for us all! Can't wait..we are leaving on Sunday!

 

Hi Vivig

 

What were your thoughts on this tour?

[vivig]

Hi Autumn3, I agree with SnowBird Cruiser's report.

 

We an AMAZING time, however some things for you to be aware of: the road you are driving on is most definetely dry..dessert like lots of cacti. You don't see much of the island i.e. from a tourist perspective. As SnowBird mentioned you see "The drive was definitely off road. We stopped at one end of the island on some lava/coral rocks. Then off to the Bat cave. Made a stop at a beach for a break"

Our guide was not very talkative, he did explain some things but he was a little shy. (Very nice person though no complaints).

The beach that he took us to, be forewarned that you MOST definetely require to bring water shoes..lots and lots of BIG rocks in the water that hurt :).

Wear sunscreen for the drive! We got burned!

If you are looking for something different, and you enjoy adventure then this is the tour for you.

They delivered on everything that they promised! Service was GREAT from Maarten!

We were happy with the experience and our son ABSOLUTELY loved it!

Thanks to SnowBird for posting the information or else we would not have located this excursion.

The cars are really cute! (For the men out there cool looking).

Hope that this helps,

Vivian

[SnowBird Cruzer]

Vivig,

You made my day.

I'm glad I could help you with your trip.

I've gotten so much good advice from others in the various threads that I'm glad I could help someone else.

 

I still haven't downloaded the video yet, I can't wait to see what my son taped while I was driving!

[lovemylab]

Thank you to both Vivig and SnowBird Cruzer for their great reviews. My husband and I are pretty sure we will be booking with this company :D