Roatan Rum & Chocolate Tasting, West End Beach & Roatan Sign

Disappointing Visit to Roatan

Our driver was not on location at scheduled pick-up time. I understand that tour companies are not allowed to drive completely into port area and we had a pretty big hike up a hill and back down. Other tour operators finally called our person and she arrived quickly after that. I feel that our tour of Roatan included only the most ren down parts of the city, excluding Anthony’s Diving Resort. It was very nice. We did visit the chocolate factory and the rum place. Then on to West End Beach. Parking was very scarce so had to walk from quite a distance. The beach frontage is very narrow there and was insanely crowded. The armed security there made us feel a little more comfortable there. We DID find a place to sit but I didn’t enter the crowded surf. We chose not to stay long!

Response from the operator: Well thanks Miss Polly Furns from Kentucky for leaving me this review even though it's as disappointing as your visit to here was. You exited the port 1 hour plus earlier than the time you booked your tour for. Your tour was for 9am and you exited a few minutes before 8am, you did not have to wait for me since I was just exiting the cruise port from dropping my sister off who works inside the port from 8am and I dropped her off 5 minutes before 8am to be there to meet you just in case you had exit before the local time of 9am. It is beyond me why you would think Honduras is on the same time zone as Kentucky or Mexico. Someone called me as I was driving out the port to the parking lot to make my way to wait for you for 9am, you only had to walk down the hill about 30ft to exit the roped area to enter my vehicle. If you had checked the meeting directions that I sent you weeks before your arrival, you would have seen photos with directions of how to exit the port and also stating that there is a short walk uphill and downhill and if you had any walking disabilities there are taxis inside the port for just $2 per person to exit to the meeting point parking lot. It would have only cost you $4 total to avoid the hike you claim you took. It takes longer to get off the cruise ship to enter the cruise port plaza to then exit the plaza area to take the taxi to make your way uphill and then down. Mostly only elderly or people with walking disabilities opt for this option. Only ship sponsored excursions are allowed to pick up inside the port, this is everywhere in the world that if you wish to be picked up inside the port directly as you exit your cruise ship you must book excursions sold on the ship. I was not late; you were an hour plus early and did not even have to wait for 5 minutes since I make it a practice to show up early when a client does not answer back when I send out the initial conversation with the meeting link directions. The tour included exactly what the listing described and as pictured. It also included more than the listing described and what you actually paid for. Just so you know, I pointed out the West End Public beach that was included in the listing and took you instead to the West Bay Beach and paid for beach loungers out of my pocket in order for you to have a better experience for two reasons, the first since you and your cousin being in your 60's I assume, thought it best to take you there where you could have a beach lounger instead of the original tour listing description of the use of West End public beach where you just bring your own towel and enjoy the public beach. The second reason was because you was complaining about the beach you visited at one of your stops in Mexico. I can't tell what was wrong with the beach since you only said it was a waste of money and a bad beach. Not much elaboration. You ended up crossing over to the Argentina Grill Beach Loungers and I took you to Beacher's Bar and Grill. Both have equally the same size beach front and loungers and usually are roped off from each other. You did not have a problem finding a seat since immediately as you went to the beach chairs, a Beacher's staff was seen talking to you and I pointed out to you that any empty lounger was up for grabs. This is common sense, just like the loungers on the pool deck of your cruise ship, if you see a towel or belongings in the chair, it is obviously taken. Anthony's Key was not included in the itinerary, just a little something extra I decided to show you. Parking as you mentioned is very scarce everywhere on the Island just so you know, starting from the cruise port, the airport and everywhere else on this island, but there is always somewhere to park. The walk was probably 100 to 120 ft maximum, not even a minute. Flat terrain and most of it with a paved sidewalk. Upon returning I brought the van closer to pick you up and even offered beforehand for you to exit the vehicle, so you didn't have to walk back with me, but you did not answer or exit the vehicle so I proceeded to take the last spots left for parking. That is also something else you should have mentioned, there is parking that makes the walk shorter, but it was already taken by others who arrived first. The beach was not insanely crowded, had it been we would not have seen empty loungers everywhere. We are in the slow season, there are no schools or colleges out when indeed we have a spike and the beach does get full. I have seen that beach full and businesses on Roatan at times will shut from September to November due to our very slow season. All the resorts share the same beach, WEST BAY, as I mentioned, I did not have to take you there but did this upgrade on my own and probably should have went with my gut from weeks ago to cancel this tour since nobody else signed up and it was more trouble than it was worth. You paid $60 per person, just $120 total. You got a private van to yourselves, clean and good air-conditioning, a driver with fluent English and 2 extra's that was not included. Beach Pass at West Bay and a visit to Anthony's Key. Thanks for the 3-star review. It would have been nice if you told me this in person and not telling me you had a good time at the end of your tour. And last but not least, you forgot to mention that upon returning, that I did drop you off inside the cruise port, since all operators are allowed to drop off their guest inside the cruise port. There is not enough space for operators to park outside the port let alone inside. Cruise companies also do not want to lose business, and I also pointed out to you where they have the only independent tour operator dispatcher hidden away inside the cruise port making it difficult for guest to find that option. I recommend next time booking an excursion sold by your cruise line and maybe visit higher end destinations like Europe, New Zealand, Singapore Etc.

via Viator