Princess Guests Select
Favorite Shore Excursions
Princess Cruises announced winners for its 2006-2007 cruise season awards for best Caribbean tours. Also named were favorite tour guides in many of the Caribbean ports of call. Results are based on passenger feedback.
The best tours got the most votes in two categories -- large volume tours and smaller, more intimate tours. More than 820 shore excursion options were evaluated.
Rewarding Excellence
The awards both reward tour operators who have delivered consistently excellent tours and provide feedback to future Princess Cruises passengers planning their shore excursions for the next Caribbean season. The winning tours will be notated in next season's shore excursion booklet.
"Local tour operators really represent their destinations in our passengers' eyes, and they are so important to ensuring that Princess' high service levels continue even off the ship," said Steve Nielsen, Princess' vice president of Caribbean and Atlantic shore operations. "We were quite pleasantly surprised by passenger response this season - in many ports it was difficult to choose a winner because so many tours had been highly rated by our passengers."
He also said that the Americas Cup 12-Metre Yacht Regatta tour has now been voted "Shore Excursion of the Season" in St. Maarten for the ninth year in a row."
Tour Guide of the Season award winners receive $100, a letter of commendation, a pin, a plaque, a ship tour and lunch onboard with their family. Operators of the Shore Excursion of the Season receive a plaque and a letter of commendation, a tour of the ship, and lunch onboard for company officials.
Winners for the 2006-2007 Cruise Season
ANTIGUA
High Volume Tour: Antigua Five-Star Catamaran with Lunch, Wadadli Cats
Low Volume Tour: Circle Antigua by Sea with Lunch, Tropical Adventures
ARUBA
High Volume Tour: Best of Aruba, Deplam Tours
Low Volume Tour: Aruba See & Sea, Atlantis Adventures
BARBADOS
High Volume Tour: Coast to Coast Scenic Drive, Foster & Ince
Low Volume Tour: Tiami Five-Star Catamaran with Lunch & Turtle Encounter, Tiami Cruises, Ltd.
Tour Guide of the Season: Roger Scandella, Cruise Management
BELIZE
High Volume Tour: Lamanai Mayan Ruins & New River Safari with Lunch, Cruise Solutions Belize
Low Volume Tour: The Lost World Canopy & Rappelling Adventure, Bak-A-Bush Adventure Tours
BONAIRE
High Volume Tour: Best of Bonaire Island Tour, Bonaire Tours
Low Volume Tour: Two-Stop Snorkeling on the Seacow, Bonaire Tours
COZUMEL, MEXICO
High Volume Tour: Tulum, Lost Civilization of the Mayans, Turismo Aviomar
Low Volume Tour: Cozumel Sail & Snorkel, Fury de Mexico
Tour Guide of the Season: Rene Garcia Bernal, Sanddollar Sports
COSTA MAYA, MEXICO
High Volume Tour: Kohunlich Mayan Ruins, Tours Del Caribe
Low Volume Tour: Dolphin Swim, Grupo Cacum Tour
Guide of the Season: Diana Reyes, Tours de Caribe
CURACAO
High Volume Tour: Curacao Highlights & Hato Caves, Atlantis Adventures
Low Volume Tour: Ostrich Farm & Aloe Plantation, Fun Bini
DOMINICA
High Volume Tour: Dominica's Favorites, Fun Sun Inc.
Low Volume Tour: Rain Forest Aerial Tram, Rainforest Aerial Tram
GRAND CAYMAN, CAYMAN ISLANDS
High Volume Tour: Island Highlights & Stingray Sandbar Snorkeling, Tour Co-Op
Low Volume Tour: NEW WAVES/Rays & Reef Snorkeling, Resort Sports
Tour Guide of the Season: Nicholas More, Nautilus
GRENADA
High Volume Tour: Grenada Explorer, G.F. Huggins
Low Volume Tour: Hike to Seven Sisters Waterfalls, Grand Anse Aquatics, LTD.
HUATULCO, MEXICO
High Volume Tour: Rural Communities & Traditions, Turismo Marina
Low Volume Tour: Huatulco River Float, Turismo Marina
ISLA MARGARITA
High Volume Tour: Dolphin Encounter, Skylimit Travel Service
Low Volume Tour: Fiesta Party Bus Across the Island, Novel Tours S.A.
LIMON, COSTA RICA
High Volume Tour: Countryside by Train & Eco-Cruise, Asuaire Travel
Low Volume Tours: Sloth Sanctuary & Canoe Adventure, Swiss Travel Service, and the Crocodile Show, TAM Travel Service
Tour Guide of the Season: Percy Pidera, Swiss Travel
MONTEGO BAY, JAMAICA
High Volume Tour: Countryside Tour with Lunch, World Tours
Low Volume Tour: Montego Bay Canopy Adventure, Chukka Cove
OCHO RIOS, JAMAICA
High Volume Tour: Ocho Rios Highlights & Dunn's River Falls, World Tours
Low Volume Tour: Horseback Riding at Chukka Cove Beach, Chukka Cove
Tour Guide of the Season: Deiridre Gayle, World Tours
PANAMA CANAL
High Volume Tour: Highlights of Panama, Aventuras 2000
Low Volume Tour: Authentic Embera Indian Village, Shorex Panama
PUERTO QUETZAL, GUATEMALA
High Volume Tour: Colonial Antigua with Lunch, Kim' Arrin
Low Volume Tour: Filadelfia Coffee Estate & Colonial Antigua with Lunch, Greyline Tours
PORT OF SPAIN, TRINIDAD
Tour of the Season: Port of Spain Highlights & Cultural Show, Trinidad & Tobago Sightseeing Tours
PUNTARENAS, COSTA RICA
High Volume Tour: Poas Volcano & La Paz Waterfalls, Swiss Travel Service
Low Volume Tour: The Original Canopy Tour at Mahogany Park, Original Canopy Tour
Tour Guide of the Season: Zelma Alarcon, Swiss Travel
ROATAN, HONDURAS
High Volume Tour: Pirates, Birds & Monkeys of the Caribbean, Tabyana
Low Volume Tour: Canopy Adventure & Tabyana Beach, Tabyana
ST. KITTS
High Volume Tour: St. Kitts Scenic Railway, St. Kitts Railway, LTD.
Low Volume Tour: Nevis Sail Away, Kantours
ST. LUCIA
High Volume Tour: Best of St. Lucia by Land & Sea, Cox & Company Ltd.
Low Volume Tour: St. Lucia Canopy Adventure, Cox & Company Ltd.
ST. MAARTEN
High Volume Tour: St. Maarten 12-Metre Challenge, 12-Metre Enterprises N.V.
Low Volume Tour: Dolphin Discovery Swim in Anguilla with Lunch, Dolphin Discovery Anguilla
ST. THOMAS, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS
High Volume Tour: St. John Trunk Bay Beach & Snorkel, Cruiseship Excursions
Low Volume Tour: Turtle Cove Sail & Snorkel Adventure, Fun Water Tours Tour Guide of the Season: Joesph Morgan, Fun Water Tours
TORTOLA, BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS
High Volume Tour: Coast to Coast Scenic Drive, Island Adventure Tours
Low Volume Tour: Dolphin Swim, Romney Associates
For information on 2007-2008 shore excursions on a Princess Cruise, talk to your travel agent or visit www.princess.com.