Princess Cruises is honoring passengers’ favorite Caribbean and Panama Canal tours with its 14th annual CRUISE service awards. Recognizing the most popular shore excursion experiences and tour guides from the 2012-13 season, the awards are based largely on passenger feedback.
Chosen from the extensive line-up of shore excursions offered on Caribbean and Panama Canal cruises, the awards highlight the important role local tour operators play in each destination as part of a passenger’s overall cruise experience. Winners are determined largely by tour scores and comments made on passenger surveys.
A number of tours have topped the list for several years, and five of them have been passenger favorites for five or more years in a row. One excursion — the Americas Cup 12-Metre Yacht Regatta tour in St. Maarten — has now been voted ‘Shore Excursion of the Season’ for that port for the 14th year in a row.
“Local tour operators play an important part wherever our ships sail,” said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises president. “So each year we honor the best shore excursion providers who contribute so much to our passengers’ Princess experience in port.”
The CRUISE program is the longest running customer service program in the cruise industry. The Caribbean and Panama Canal awards began in 1999 and cap off a season-long effort to recognize the role that local Caribbean and Panama Canal tour partners play in passengers’ cruise experiences. Tour Guide of the Season award winners receive $100, a letter of commendation, 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.
The 2012-2013 shore excursion winners are:
ANTIGUA
Stingray, Snorkel, Swim & Scenic Country Drive, Stingray City Antigua Ltd
Catamaran and Lobster Lunch, Scenic Cruise & Swim, Tropical Adventures
ARUBA
4WD Island Tour, Baby Natural Bridge & Arashi Beach, DePalm Tours
Mi Dushi Sail, Snorkel, Antilla Shipwreck & Lunch, Windfeather Charters
BARADOS
Harrison’s Cave & Scenic Drive, Goddards Shipping & Tours
George Washington House, Garrison & Change of Guards, Goddards Shipping & Tours
BELIZE
Xunantunich Mayan Ruins, Marimba Music & Lunch, Chukka Caribbean Adventures
Horseback Safari Ride, Bacab Eco-Park & Lunch, Bacab Eco Park
BONAIRE
Glass-Bottom Boat Eco-Cruise & Bonaire Marine Park, Bonaire Destination Services
Mangrove Eco-Cruise by Kayak & Lac Bay, Bonaire Tours
CARTAGENA
Emerald Jewelry Making Class & Diploma, SEICO Limitada
COZUMEL
Passion Island Beach Break, Lunch & Scenic Cruise, Isla Pasión, Cozumel, México
Interactive Dolphin & Manatee Swim & Sea Lion Show, Dolphin Discovery Cozumel
CURACAO
Ostrich Farm, Art Workshop & Scenic Drive, Funbini B.V.
DOMINICA
Wacky Rollers 4WD Safari, Gardens & Titou Gorge, WRAVE Ltd.
Certified Scuba Diving (Two Sites), Dive Dominica Ltd
FUERTE AMADOR
Panama Canal: Today’s Locks System and the Future, Aventuras 2000
Authentic Embera Indian Village, Elite Shore Excursions Foundation
GRAND CAYMAN
Stingray Encounter, Reef, Snorkel, Beach & Lunch, Native Way Watersports
Atlantis Submarine Scenic Adventure, Atlantis Submarines Grand Cayman
GRAND TURK
Horseshoe Reef & Round Cay Snorkel Adventure, Chukka Caribbean Adventures
Dune Buggy Island Adventure Tour, Chukka Caribbean Adventures
GRENADA
Harbor Cruise, Grand Anse & Morne Rouge Beaches, Best of Grenada Ltd.
LIMÓN
Original Canopy Zipline Tour at Veragua Rainforest, OCT Enterprises
Hacienda Tour, Fruit Cultivation, Lunch & Shopping, Swiss Travel Service
OCHO RIOS
Aerial Chairlift, Bobsled, & Dunn’s River Falls, Mystic Mountain
River Tubing Eco-Adventure, Chukka Caribbean Adventures
PANAMA CANAL
Panama Canal: Today’s Locks System and the Future, Aventuras 2000
Authentic Embera Indian Village, Elite Shore Excursions Foundation
PUERTO QUETZAL
Filadelphia Coffee Estate & Colonial Antigua with Lunch, Elite Guatemala/Ventura Máxima
PUNTARENAS
Rainforest Aerial Tram, Tarcoles River & Lunch, Elite Shore Excursions Foundation
Coffee Plantation, Botanical Garden & Lunch, Gray Line Costa Rica
ROATAN
Dolphin Encounter & Museum, Anthony’s Key Resort
Certified Scuba Diving (Two Sites), Anthony’s Key Resort
ST. KITTS
Scenic Railway Ride & Circle Island Drive, St. Kitts Scenic Railway, Ltd.
Fairview Great House and Gardens & Panoramic Drive, Kantours
ST. LUCIA
Sulphur Springs, the Pitons, Scenic Cruise & Lunch, Cox & Company Ltd.
Rainforest Aerial Tram & Canopy Zipline Adventure, Elite Shore Excursions Foundation/ DBA Rain Forest Sky Rides St. Lucia
ST. MAARTEN
“America’s Cup 12-Metre” Yacht Race, St. Maarten 12 Metre Enterprises N.V.
Helmet Diving at Sea Trek Underwater Park, Seatrek St. Maarten NV
ST. THOMAS
BOSS Underwater Adventure & Scenic Cruise, Aqua Adventures
Coral World, Sea Lion Swim & Scenic Drive, Coral World Ocean Park
Tour Guides of the Season Winners:
ARUBA – Maria Geerman of DePalm Tours
CARTAGENA – Jose Alonso Villa Olivo of Avia Caribbean Ltda
COZUMEL – Juan Trejo of Caribbean Fun Sun Ltd
CURACAO – Helene Desiree Maas of Funbini B.V.
DOMINICA – Steline Joseph of Wrave
GRAND TURK – Austin Dickenson of Caribbean Tours International
LIMÓN – Ivan Aguilar of Swiss Travel Service
PANAMA CANAL – Arthur Wagner of Elite Shore Excursions Foundation
PUNTARENAS – Olman Vargas Pizarro of Asuaire Travel Service
ST. THOMAS – Captain Tom of Fun Water Tours
