I just returned from HAL cruise. I booked Major Tom for our cave tubing / zip lining tour on Nov. 12th and can't say enough about how great this company is! There were 6 of us in our group and three guides. My son and I were the only ones going zip-lining so the other four in the group went into the caves with two of the guides while Minor Tom (Major's son) waited for us and then took us through the caves. Thomas (the son) is about 20 but very mature and knowledgeable. He was great with my son and made us both feel safe. He says he's been in the caves since he was 3 years old and I didn't doubt his skill or knowledge. He's a lovely young man. I would be proud if my son grew up to be anything like Thomas.

The water was "refreshing" (their words) but not too bad. Lots of mosquitos so don't forget the bug spray. The river was great, a few shallow spots but we could stay in our tubes the whole time. We wore life vests and head lamps so we could see everything. There were a few dark patches but between our head lamps and the guides' flashlight we were comfortable. We also stopped for lunch- a restuarant on the side of the road. Lunch was $6 and consisted of rice (very yummy), beans, fried chicken and salad. Other than the chicken foot in mine (a delicacy to many, just not to me) I enjoyed the lunch. My son still talks about the orange juice. I doubt he'll ever find a juice as delicious as that juice! (There is also a restaurant at the ziplining/cave-tubing spot but I didn't eat there)

We didn't set up a time to meet prior to the day so I was a bit uncertain about how to meet with Major Tom and at what time but Major Tom met us on the dock with a large sign. He speaks excellent english and is a tall, h andsome (!), strong man. We waited for a few more people and then hopped in to a van to be taken the 50 mins to the river. My only issue was the lack of seat belts in the van. I had my son sit in the front seat so he had a belt but the rest of us didn't. Thomas was an excellent and careful driver though.

This is the first time I book a shore excursion privately and I would totally recommend Major Tom. I can't wait to go back to Belize and book another tour through them. Loved this country and loved this tour company!!!

  We just got back from Carnival Legend trip and used Major Tom. He is ALL about safety and was doing it for the last 20 years-long before there were any incidents. I am not a swimmer and don't like closed in spaces but agreed to go with my family. I have to tell you that at NO point during the outing did I feel the slightest bit of fear or being out of control! My guide kept coming up to me, squeezing my shoulder and telling me how great I was doing-asking if I was ok. This was an amazing experience and I would have turned around and gone again in a heartbeat. Major Tom and the Fun Team are AWESOME!!!

  We have gone with Major Tom twice. We have only gone through one cave, truthfully I am not sure there would be time for 2 if the second were as long as the first? Major Tom is a wonderful guide with well trained staff. We cannot say enough about the security, education and fun of his organization. We were with Major Tom in Sept 07 (my husband and I) we loved it so much that we returned with our 4 children this past August. The first time we stopped for lunch (picked it up and ate on the bus to be sure we returned for the tenders. It was fabulous - chicken cooked in rain water and beans and rice. We were also treated to a small taste of cashew wine-a small taste was all we needed. On the second trip we visited a different place, "Cheers" where once again we purchased the lunch but this time we enjoyed a Belize brand beer. By the way the 6 of us shared 4 lunches and we were quite full. Cost $6.00 collected at the time of the stop. From my point of view-cave tubing with Major Tom is the only choice.
vbSynder

  Major Tom - safe and fun
For people who are still interested in cave tubing in Belize, I think it is a matter of picking the right company. We went with Major Tom in August and it was one of the best experiences in my life. You could not ask for a better excursion. But not only that, we felt absolutely safe, especially after seeing other tour groups and speaking to other cruisers.

To start with our tour guide Mike (who was incredible) told everyone that he did not care how well they could swim they could not get in the river without their life jacket on (and not just tied to their waste or tube.) Additionally we were put into groups of 10-12 - two rows of five. We were connected to ther person in front by our legs and the person next to us by our arms. There were two guides for each group one in the front and one in the back. (except the smaller 6 person group which just had Mike the strongest guide). All three groups stayed together. Major Tom was also there and assisted around turns or when the current was fast. Because of the competance of Major Tom and the guides and their stict adherence to safety, there was almost no risk of a similar tradgedy occurring.

The group that came with CCL were on their own, with some guides shouting directions at them. Half the people weren't wearing life jackets (just had them attached to the tube). The group was in complete dissaray, in fact several times our guides had to move us away from tubers who were out of control and running us down. When we got back to the ship we spoke with someone who went through CCL and he said that around the first turn his wife was thrown into a rock from the current and there was no guide around to help. When he went over he got pulled into the rock and hit his head. He had a big cut over his eye. Luckily, they both managed to get out of the current, without any assitance.

From my experience cave-tubing could be one of the best excursions on your vacation, but it is important to pick the company that will make sure you are safe. I am sure there are other company's that have the safety standards similar to Major Tom. But I can personally tell you that Major Tom's is a safe and wonderful experience.

  Cave tubing in Belize is a must. We searched many outfits on Ambergis Caye that offered trips to the mainland to tube. But they seemed expensive and needed at least six people to make the trip work for them. So, after a little research at the internet cafe we came across Major Tom. He immediately answered his cell phone and worked out the logistics with us right away. For a complete day including cave tubing and zip line was only $95/person, compared to $230/person that other outfits were charging. When we met up with Major Tom we knew we were in good hands. He knows almost everyone in Belize, since he is a former military officer and very active in the community. Also, he is an excellent historian of the area. He entertained us for the hour drive with stories of the Mayans, the history of Belize with the Spanish and British, and his personal background. He will even stop at some of the local markets if you want to try fresh produce. Also, when rain made it too high to visit one part of the river, he had a back up plan so we could still go tubing at a different part of the river. He is an excellent guide, less expensive than others, and you feel confident that you are in good hands.
Brett Schiller

  I just got back last week from Belize and we did the combo ziplining/cave tubing with Major Tom and he was awesome!!! All the guides we had in Belize were great but Major Tom really stood out. We were a group of 6 girls and I always felt he was looking out for us at all times making sure we were ok. One of the girls was scared of heights and he made sure the zipline guys knew that. Two of the girls are not very strong swimmers and he was always making sure they felt comfortable while tubing. He was very knowledgeable about the country and history and willing to share all the information (good and bad)
Highly recommended! :)

  We did the cave tubing in Belize last week (it was actually just last Wednesday). I can't say enough about Major Tom. Our guides were awesome, very safe and told us many fascinating bits of information on the walk to the cave. Many other tour groups were hurried along and missed out on learning about the rain forest.
They asked us about what time our ship was leaving and they had us back in plenty of time. We could have stopped for lunch, but they said they would take us right back to the ship since we only had about 90 minutes of "good" shopping time left. We were back in port with enough time to shop and grab a beer
I highly recommend Major Tom. (And a side note, from what we could tell we had a higher quality tour and experience at half the cost of the carnival tour)

  We were in a van with two other families (10 of us in the van). We were fortunate enough to have Major Tom as our guide, although Minor Tom and the rest of the "Fun Team" were driving other vans with passengers. Our tour was extremely organized. Each van (no big buses) was escorted by a few members of Major Tom's team. There were only five people connected together while going down the river (not 38) and the guides were all very attentive and cautious. They made sure that people did not float alone in the dark caves. I did see other tour operators letting their customers float alone, and I saw several teenagers that looked frightened as they tried to find their families in the dark cave. There was no way that Major Tom or his guides would have let that happen. I would much rather have been connected to my group, then to worry about my children floating alone in the caves.

Major Tom met us at the dock holding a sign with my name on it. We did have to wait for about an hour, but it wasn't his fault. There were people that signed up for the tour, and two people never showed up. The other family of three decided that they "didn't want to rush", so instead the held up our tour. They finally arrived and we headed to the caves. He stopped at a general store to supply us with cold water to drink, and offered us some of his breakfast. The ride was at least an hour, but we knew that going in. I enjoyed the "Yap, Yap, Yap" that was described in the post. I go to other countries to learn about the people that live in that country, and I found it fascinating to learn about Major Tom's Mayan descent. As we drove, he gave us a bit of a history lesson about the country of Belize, and told us interesting facts about the land and the rain forest. I enjoyed his sense of humor.

Once we arrived at the caves, we were given life vests, flashlights, and tubes. The Major was very safety conscious, which I appreciated. I felt very safe with him. Once we arrived at the rain forest, it was a 45 min. walk to the caves. The walk went fast, because Major Tom was sharing his knowledge of the rain forest with us. We learned about plants and trees that were in the forest, and plants that were used for medicinal purposes. He showed us different insects, including termites and leaf cutter ants. We did use insect repellent before we went on the trip, but no one received any insect bites (including ants). It was obvious to my family that this man takes great pride in his country and his Mayan descent, and I couldn't help but feel privileged to have spent an afternoon with such an interesting man.

There were not thousands of people on our trail through the forest. There was a steady line of people, most from other tour companies. I did notice that many of the other tour passengers would stop to listen to our "Major" because he was so interesting and captivating. The line of people in front of us moved steadily, and I didn't see anyone having a problem carrying their tubes. If anyone did have a problem, Major Tom's guides carried the tubes. My 10 year old daughter was having trouble carrying hers, and Joe, one of the Fun Team, carried her tube to the river. He also trailed behind my children to be sure that they kept up with us and didn't get lost. Once we were in the river (which was shallow in some areas), Major Tom connected us. Joe stayed with one group, and Major Tom stayed with our group. If we broke apart at any time, Major Tom would reconnect us. I had no worries that I would be separated from my children in those caves. Inside the cave, Major Tom tried to tell us information about the caves, but it was hard to hear him with other cave companies screaming in the caves. It felt like such a sacred place, and the only disappointing part (for me) about the tour was that other cave tubing companies allowed (and encouraged) their customers to scream in the caves. What a shame!

Some parts of the river were very shallow. We never had to get out of the tube, though. Major Tom and the Team dragged us over the shallow areas yelling "Bottoms Up" so that we wouldn't scrape our bottoms on the rocks. None of us had a problem getting scraped by rocks. Even my 10 year old was able to lift herself up high enough to avoid the rocks. It wasn't hard to do. I suppose it's like anything else, if you approach a situation with a postive attitude, you'll have much more fun. Finally, it was time to head back to the ship. On the way back, we stopped to meet a medicine woman (a friend of Major Tom's). She gave him fresh mangos, which he shared with everyone in the van. We made it back to the ship in time.
In my opinion, Major Tom is awesome. He appears to me to be a very honest man, and he does all he can to ensure that his customers are happy and have a good time. I would recommend him to anyone that is traveling to Belize.

Cindy Chaladoff aka 'Cindy from NJ'

  We were just there on July 2! We booked with Major Tom!!!! I can't say enough GREAT things about him and his team!
1st- Everyone uses the same river and caves- so it will be crowded...that being said I NEVER felt crowded!
2nd- We went after a BIG rain and the rivers were high and fast- Major Tom grouped us together in a group of 10 with a guide and we had an awesome time. It was VERY obvious that safety was very high on Tom's list! As a mother of two boys I REALLY appreciated this!
3rd- safety...Directions for what we needed to do and not do were reviewed several times. Before you hike you cross a river holding onto a rope-this was closely monitored! You are with your guide the whole time! Hiking through the rain forest is spectacular! Our guide warned us of slippery steps and so forth. He always checked on us to make sure we were ok. Like I said it rained pretty good the day before we arrived so the hike was slick. Other groups (.com) had some of their groups hustling to catch up with others. I was very nervous for some of the children in those groups. Some of them were having to run. Which is sad because the hike was slippery and steep in some spots and when you run you aren't able to soak in the beauty of the rain forest!
If we ever end up in Belize again I would most certainly book with Major Tom again!
Fraucruiser
  I did 2 mainland tours, Cave Tubing/Zip Lining and Lamanai. I booked both of them directly through cave-tubing.net with Major Tom. I would suggest booking directly through them, it saved me close to $100 each than booking from the Island, plus Major Tom is very knowledgeable and a friendly tour guide! Cave Tubing/Zip Lining was outstanding... the other members in the group wanted to see Altun Ha also, so we did that first. It didn't cost any extra (just the $5 park entrance fee). I also enjoyed Lamanai, very awe-inspiring.
I spent the last few days of my trip on Caye Caulker. Much more laid back, and I really enjoyed it. I stayed at the Sail Winds, right on the beach next to the water taxi. I got a big suite for a very reasonable rate.
It was the rainy season, but it only rained for about 5 minutes a day, then was sunny again. Everyone was extremely nice, and I can't wait to go back again.

  This is a copy of the email that I sent to major Tom as soon as I came back from my cruise on the Glory. I took his tour while in Belize and I think you can read for yourself that in my book MAJOR TOM is top notch.... .As a matter of fact, a lady from Cruise Critic (sorry I can't remember her name and I think her daughter) was on the excursion with us with Major Tom.

Tom, I just wanted to drop you a line and give you kudos on our tour that we took while we were visiting your area. My name is Richard but our group was booked under the name of Brian. We were off of the Carnival Ship Glory there on Wed May 21. Our guide was George and another young man ( I think it was your son). I don't know if you remember our group or not.

As police officers here in the states we always hear about it when we screw up but very seldom when we do good things or do a good job. With that in mind I wanted to drop you a note to commend these young men that took our group on the tour. I have cruised with Carnival many times (13 to be exact) and I have visited many places. In my travels I have also taken many shore excursions. Your group was so professional, pleasant, and entertaining that it was well worth the trip, the hike, and the heat. It was fun yet educational, entertaining yet captivating. The caves were incredible and overall experience a pure treat. I will recommend all of my friends that are traveling to Belize your company. I had heard before traveling that the cave tubing there was a "MUST DO" but I didn't realize how nice it would be. I don't know why Carnival does not use you but they should. I felt completely safe at all times and truly felt that your group had our safety as their prime concern, second only to us having fun and getting the true "cave tubing" experience. With some of us being (shall we say Large) individuals George really earned his money that day. He had to assist our group in many of the "low water" areas where we were dragging bottom. He never complained and was still nothing but pleasant and jovial even though you could tell that we wore him out dragging us across those rocks. I just can't say enough good things about him. He is a credit to your company. Once again I will recommend you to my friends as well as Carnival when I speak to them. Thanks for a great time. Keep up the good work!
Richard Dean

  Had a group of 17 and we booked with Major Tom - 1st class operation!!!! We had 4 guides with us who were amazing and they guided us everywhere never letting us out of their sight - MAJOR TOM ALL THE WAY!
RENEE - From The Beach In Ocean City, NJ!
  Just to add to the glowing reviews...we were in Belize last Tueday and it was the highlight of our cruise (even better that the dolphin swin in Cozumel). Major Tom met us at the dock and Minor Tom was our personal guide. We had the time of our life. There were 7 of us including 5 kids (7,10,12,14 &15). Minor Tom gave a tour on the way out of Belize City. We stopped by a local grocery and bought rum and cashew wine both made in Belize. The walk through the forest was very fun and educational. Then we floated down the river which was a blast. On the way back we grabbed a yummy lunch and ended the day with time to do some quick shopping. Minor Tom was very personable and you left knowing you made a friend and had the experience of a lifetime. Can't say enough good things about Major Tom, Minor Tom and the entire operation!!!
armant

  No worries at all if you've booked through Major Tom! We cave tubed with Minor Tom last Thursday with our three kids and had a great time (and always felt safe). I'm a nervous mom and I was completely comfortable during all our activities with them. Minor Tom was great and fun to hang out with - he treated us like neighbors and not strangers from the States. He even stopped at a roadside store on the way to the caves to buy us some fried plantain chips, which he really wanted us to try (they were good!). Major Tom responded to an email I sent from the ship the night before our trip within just a few hours, and his team was waiting right there on the dock for us when we got off the tender at 6 a.m. Belize time (our Royal Caribbean ship stayed on "ship time" [Fort Lauderdale time] the entire trip, so our hours in Belize were 5:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.) A warning for those on Royal Caribbean - we had a great cruise and loved everything about the ship, but getting off the ship on the earlier tenders was a bit difficult as RC takes all the people on their own excursions on the first tenders. We raised a bit of a stink (politely) with guest services because we wanted to make sure we had time for both cave tubing and zip lining and the last tender was at 3:15 boat time or 1:15 Belize time They gave us some VIP tender passes that were supposed to allow us to board any tender. However, when we got to a tender station, the activity staff initially told us there was no room for us (despite the passes) but finally let us on (there was plenty of room). My advice about RC - be persistent (but polite, of course)! The cruise line does want to make everyone happy, so most likely they will accomodate your request.
Have fun!
happycamper5
  We just went cave tubing and zip-lining on Tue with Major Tom, our guides were Mike and George. Both were great guides, very informative and entertaining. The only thing I would stress is that if you want time to shop, or you or your better half will spend all day worrying about getting to the boat on time do not book both the cave-tubing and zip-lining. We did both and got back to the port at 4:00 or last tender was at 4:15. My husband worried from the time we left the port, but I believe the entire bus was nervous when it was 3:00 and we were still an hour away!! The driver did a great job and Mike was correct when he said we had time because the line would be long to board the tenders(they were!) My family still had a wonderful day the zip lining was our favorite activity the entire cruise!!! only wish it was longer!!!! Do go with Major Tom, if anyone is worried about time only do the cave tubing and you will have lots of time for lunch and shopping. I recommend this tour, great family operation!
highcard
  We had the pleasure in January, We were on the Legend and actually had our arrival date switched with Roatan, but Major Tom was there waiting anyways. We had a great tour and he was very aware of the Time as port time was different. We arrived back at the port a good hour/hour and a half prior to the last tender. I would advise all who are going to contact the pursers desk and inform them you have a private booking. They will tell you where to meet and you will be able to go ashore with the ship excursions for that activity. Just speak up.
Colturn

  We used Major Tom on our trip in November on the Valor. Highly recommend and have done so many times. We had Major Tom, George and Keith on our own tour van. They also had a larger van with the rest of the tubers in. We kept joking that we had our own special tour. Keith was our guide through the caves, awesome. My four year old loved it and he was free - kids under 5 are free and the other two boys were only $25. With that and all the good reviews, I was happy I selected them.
  Just came back from our cruise and used Major Tom....He and his son took our group of 6 people to the caves and they were just great! He picked us up at the pier with no problem and we headed up to the caves which took about 45 minutes. The park was beautiful and we hiked through the jungle for about 40 minutes with Minor Tom sharing his knowledge about the various plant and animal life. We even got to taste termites ( for those that wanted to!) The knowledge and passion that was shared by these two guides was awesome...The caves were beautiful...We learned so much about the Mayan culture that day. Truly impressive. The lunch at the local restaturant was delicious! They also stopped at a local grocery so I could buy some vanilla. I really enjoyed this. tour. They were first class all the way. I don't think you will be disappointed.
  We just returned Jan 20 on the Legend. Major Tom was great, Meets you on the dock, we had a small group about 10. It was like a personal tour. He is very aware of the time, we arrived back at the port about an hour and a half before the last tender left. Great day. We would go again any time.
  We're from Western Oregon, where we have fast flowing rivers in the dead of summer that are less than 50 degrees water temperature; so the slightly cool river on the Belize cave tubing excursion was no problem at all. I'd agree with others and say it takes less than a minute to get used to the coolness.
Our particular excursion, on Dec. 20, 2007, was with Major Tom , (www.cave-tubing.net) and I have nothing but good things to say about him and his company. We booked our tour directly with Major Tom as we'd read good reviews about his company beforehand; and he was less expensive ($45 plus $5 for lunch if you so desired) than the cave tubing excursions offered by the cruise line. We were not disappointed in the least. Our only small problem was getting an early tender off our ship, RCI Navigator of the Seas. Though we arrived on-shore a little later than planned at a little after 9 AM, a member of Tom's company was waiting for us and several other parties at the pier; and Major Tom himself escorted us to the waiting bus.
Our guides, Manuel and Mike were superb, filling us with personal and impassioned tales about their great country as we rode out to the park reserve where the cave tubing tours take place. I was particularly impressed by Mike taking extra care and time in escorting a woman in our group who was on crutches. I'm not sure other tour groups, who seemed to be hurrying their customers along on the walk through the rain forest to the put-in site, would have taken such extra care and time with customers needing special assistance.
The trip down the river and through the cave was a memorable one for myself, my wife and our two daughters. Manuel and Mike had customer safety utmost in their minds, with fun and enjoyment a close second. I would highly recommend Major Tom's tour to anyone. Our personal valuables were locked in the tour bus until our return from the river; we never had any question about such security; and, on the return to Belize City, we were treated to a wonderful lunch of stewed chicken and beans and rice. Go with Major Tom if you have a chance.

  I rarely write reviews about my excursions because they are usually what I expect or less. My cave tubing escursion on Jan 15th with Major Tom was the highlight of our trip. We met in the am with Major Tom and then waited for his son Minor Tom . I was very impressed by Tom Jr. Here is a 20 year old that will no doubt inherit his father's business but still furthers his career by taking night classes in marine biology. He was so knowledgable about Belize, culture, politics etc. He was extremely fun and well mannered and very respectful and interested in our questions etc. We had a history lesson the moment we entered the van. There were seven of us. Major Tom had a larger group. I recommend the smaller groups. As we got to the park we started our hike. Jungle George met up with us and was a riot. He makes the sound of holler monkeys or gorillas and it was amazing. We all thought there was some huge gorillas in the mist. I'm told that Jungle George once carried a double amputee through the hike and I believe it. They are there to make sure you have a great excursion and they do.This hike was tougher than I thought but we made it. Along the way through the rain forest Tom Jr. would point out plants to eat for thirst and we all chewed on the stems. He showed us termites and my sister and another group member ate them- Good protein I guess and tastes like mint. I'll take thier word as I wasn't all that hungry. We touched the charmin leaves ( used for toilet paper in a pinch). We ate small nut like things that were like coconuts. We watched other large groups throughout the day and noticed that they didn't get near the lessons and attention that we got. The tubing was great. Jungle George was in front and led us through the water. He brought us near the falls and made it so fun. This guy is strong as he was going against current sometimes and pulling all seven of us. Tom Jr. was steering from the back. We saw natural formations that Tom explained the stories behind. It was absolutely awesome. The bats didn't even bother us. I can't say enough how unique this experience was and I have done a lot of things including zip lining and this was much better. After the cave tubing we changed in very clean bathrooms and they also have showers and changing rooms. Oh they also rent water shoes for the trip but some of our group said they felt all the small pebbles so bring suitable shoes. There was shopping there but we didn't shop. One the way out we noticed a giant tarantula crossing the road and they stopped so we could get pictures. My termite eating sister tried to get it to go into her hand?? On the way back we stopped at Amigos for lunch for an addiotional $5.00 and it was beans and rice, chicken and cole slaw. It was very good and they gave you fresh valencia OJ that wasn't processed. They also serve beer, alcohol etc. They also had souveniers there that a women made. We bought some jewelry. We returned to the pier in plenty of time to shop. These independent tour operators know that reputation is everything so they make sure they get you back to the ship on time. This excursion was half the price of what the cruise lines offer and included lunch. I would highly recommend Major Tom to anyone. It was by far the best excursion I have ever taken. Major Tom, You should be very proud of your son! He was the best. Hope this review helps with your decision about cave tubing.
Susan from Boston
  For those of you who have small children and are a little worried about cave tubing with them, I would just like to say that Major Tom has five children of his own, and his two youngest sons went with us on our trip (we went on a Saturday, so they were not in school). My wife is a parent educator in Hampton, VA, and was a social work supervisor for over thirty years before "retiring," and she was so impressed with Major Tom's interaction with his children, and with the two sons themselves--for they are certainly manly and very intelligent fellows--that she is still talking about the three of them, and what a wonderful family they make. Of course you probably know that Major Tom's eldest son works with him giving the tours and driving one of the two Toyota vans--I think he was taking a well-deserved day of rest when we went cave tubing--but I wish you could see for yourself the very evident love that Major Tom has for children, and the careful watch he keeps on each and every one of them. Tubes come in all sizes, and the first "security measure" after Major Tom ensures that everyone has a life vest securely in place is to be sure that the tube is exactly the right size for the individual. As I said before, this is an "adventure": it is thrilling and varied in experiences, but with Major Tom I do not think it could be more safe! Tom himself is only a few months younger than I; I hope we may be said to have reached maturity; but I wish I could say I had been as good and careful a father as he is and clearly always has been. I would trust Tom with my children's lives as readily as we trusted him with our own. Sometimes long-term experience is genuinely a priceless advantage you cannot deny, especially with the welfare of your loved ones.
  My wife and I have spent about a week's worth of days now in the company of Major Tom, traveling almost everywhere in the Northern half of Belize, and I assure all of you he is both indefatigable and brilliant--so he would be the perfect companion from any square inch of Belize to any other for those actually interested in learning about the country and its people. He is in fact the father of the Belize tour industry, having worked many years toward the development of organized cruise touring in Belize. You probably get back to your ship on time today as a result of the planning he put in, years before the first cruise ship nosed into the Bay of Honduras. His own story is fascinating, but of course it is his own. Anything about Belize he does not know has not yet been discovered. We did have the pleasure of a leisurely cave tubing excursion with him, and it is much, much more fun than I imagined, the water is NOT cold, the beauty of the caves inside and out is astonishing, and we did not feel the least bit endangered or even at risk at any point. Only one bat and one cave spider this time. And of course my camera's battery wore out halfway through the first cave, as the area all around the caves and the Mopan River is so scenic I couldn't pace myself--or the battery . . . . Tom's confidence is as infectious as his enthusiasm, and everyone had a wonderful time. I realize this will come as a disappointment to those of you who come reeling down the gangplank to stagger into The Wet Lizard for a quiet day in port--you know who you are--but for the rest of you, I recommend Major Tom wholeheartedly.
Doug Reynolds

  HELLO MAJOR TOM! I just wanted to take a moment to THANK YOU and TOM JR for such an exceptional and facinating tour for my family. They just couldn't stop talking about how lucky they felt to have been taken on the cave tubing tour with your son. They said that because other tour operators that they saw that day did not even talk to their group while your son gave them extra special treatment taking time to explaining and pointing out a lot of very interesting things to them along the way. They said your son was soooooooooo FUN and WONDERFUL and an ABOVE THE TOP FANTASTIC tour guide! I wanted to Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for everything and we can't wait to tell our friends how highly we recommend you and your son. THANKS AGAIN MAJOR TOM FOR MAKING THIS THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE CRUISE!!!
Sincerely,
Krista McGinn
  We just got back from a cruise (Carnival Miracle) through Central America, Belize being one of the ports. Prior to booking an excursion, we checked messages and recommendations on Cruise Critic. After reading several postings, we decided to email Major Tom. He responded in less then 24 hours with directions, prices and payment options.  It is about a 45 minute walk through the rain forest to the mouth of the cave. Absolutely amazing!!! Major Tom is extremely knowledgeable when it comes to the rain forest and can answer any question you may have. I do recommend bringing bug spray! Now on to cave tubing!!

  Floating through the caves and rain forest was spectacular....breath- taking!! . This excursion is serene...calming, peaceful, and tranquil. I would recommend it to anyone and everyone! Major Tom gave a great tour with many personal touches. We spent more then an hour on the river floating and exploring the cave and rainforest. I can't say enough about how great this tour was, along with Major Tom. He is, by far, the best tour guide we have ever had!! On our way back to the cruise ship, we stopped for lunch at Pearl's. Major Tom raved about the food at this local restaurant and we couldn't wait to try it. Not only was the food spectacular, but it was nice to give to the local people and experience their culture. Try the bread pudding!!! What we could not finish, we wrapped up to take with us. After lunch, we went back to the pier in time to do plenty of shopping. Once again, let me explain how happy we were with Major Tom and his Fun Team!

  Just got back last week from a stop in Belize on RCCL jewel of the seas If you are hesitant about doing cave tubing-DONT!!!!!! We had a group of 9 and it was amazing, even a 6 year old boy who was great. Excellent service and had an hour an a half to shop before last tender. got back to the boat to find out 310 who booked on the boat were cancelled due to the heavy rains days earlier, not us!!!!! Don’t worry about booking directly online- save a few bucks to use later in the casino. Thanks so much Major Tom and George of the jungle and Major Tom’s son - you are the absolute best!!!

  My husband and I just returned from our cruise on the carnival Miracle and we used Major Tom. Our guide was Charlie Chan and we had him all to ourselves. He was absolutely the best!! He was so knowledgeable about everything in Belize and we felt so safe and comfortable with him. We took great care of us in the cave and stayed hooked on to us the whole time. While other people were stuck off to the side we glided through the cave without getting stuck or anything and Charlie knows the caves like the back of his hand! He was really the best guide possible and I would recommend him and Major Tom to everyone. If we ever go back to Belize, I would use them in a minute. It was an A++++ experience and one I will never forget. It was definitely one of the highlights of our cruise. Lori

  I just got back from a cruise on the Carnival Glory. While in Belize, my wife and I did cave tubing with Major Tom. It was a truly memorable experience, and by far the highlight of our trip.

I had initially heard about Major Tom from CruiseCritic. I figured no one had anything bad to say about his tour group, so he has to be doing something right. I booked a reservation a month in advance and then reconfirmed when we were within a week or so of the cruise.

Sure enough, though, Major Tom himself was waiting for us with a printed sign featuring my full name. We introduced ourselves and waited briefly for Major Tom to purchase the necessary permits for us to enter the national park that the cave system is located in. It was just me and wife for the tour today!

When you arrive at the cave itself, it takes your breath away. That is my one regret, that I did not have a waterproof camera to capture at least some of the natural beauty. We all jumped into the water to try it out. Then we locked our feet together, and Major Tom guided us against the current into a pitch black cave. We got out in a small beach within the cave. We turned on our lights to take a look around. There are stalagtite formations all around, some of which have fallen over millions of years.

Tom explained that this cave was used as a hideout by the Mayans (or pre-Mayans) at one point. Then we got back on the tubes and started going downstream. In the next enclosed part of the cave, Tom guided us to a waterfall area. This is known as the Crystal Cathedral. Tom dunked us under the waterfall and we drank out of the fresh waters. This water first enters the main cave area at this point, so it is entirely safe to drink.

Tom also offers multi-day packages for people who want to see more of Belize. He gave me pricing for a 7-night package called "Heart of the Mayan" that seems very educational and reasonably priced. I hope to visit Belize in the near future. I'm also inspired to learn about the Mayan culture and gods which Tom described for us. We even had an interesting conversation about the historical accuracy of Mel Gibson's 'Apocalypto.' 

One thing that Tom mentioned is that all of his associates provide the same service as he does, including his son Tom Jr. So whether you get Tom himself, or one of his associates, rest assured you're going to get a great tour.

  I spent 10/18 with Major Tom while in Belize on the Legend. Major Tom was WONDERFUL! Check out his site at cave-tubing.net and note his experience and credentials. His son joined him along with two other guides for helping and drove us to the caves in two vans. We were given lots of information about the country on the trip there and back. I like booking with independents because you get much more personal attention and insight into each country because you are with real residents that are happy to share their country with you.

The walk thru the jungle to the caves was information filled, too. Major Tom pointed out different plants and trees and their uses.

When I think of caves, I envision a small space such as a bear's den. These caves were caverns, filled with interesting shapes formed by the stalactites. The guides have hi-beam lights and point them out and the stories behind some as you drift past. Tablemates on the ship's tour just drifted through and missed some of the beauty and history of the caves.

And the ZIP was terrific! My first time and we were the only two from our group that signed up for it which made me a bit scared. I am in my mid-50's and no athlete by any means!! There were many steps cut into the slope to get to the first platform. I admit that my knees burned and had to stop a few times to let them cool down... I rarely climb more than two floors on the ship, opting for the elevator instead [Embarrassment] . But I made it and the fun part began!

Safety was a priority at the zip. We had a guide going first to each platform and one that stayed behind and followed after us. There are two steel cables that the zips were attached to and you had a glove to hold on to your harness with and another glove with a leather palm that you held on to the cable with, allowing you to 'brake' by pulling down and also kept you straight and not spinning around when you reached the platform where the first guide would 'catch' you. There were seven zips of varying length. I loved it and would do it again in a heartbeat! I also did one in Roatan- not the ships one. That one was much more difficult, about 17 platforms, only one cable, one guide, no gloves or helmets. The facility itself and the platforms weren't in top shape and I didn't feel near as safe. Had I done Roatan first instead of Belize, I wouldn't have gone on the Belize one, which would have been sad.

Enjoy Belize as it is a pretty country. Check out Major Tom and use him to have a safe, informative tour of the countryside and a GREAT tubing adventure! Rest assured you will be back in time for your ship's departure. He guarantees it or he will pick up the cost to get you to the ship. I have never heard of that happening and have read only wonderful reviews of his tours so get ready for an awesome time.
Judy

  Details on Belize:
Folks if you want to go cave-tubing, go with Major Tom!!!!! He's got to be the best guide we've seen. He is remarkably well-educated, far better than yours truly I'm sure. He's very plain spoken and good humored. He will answer your questions about Belize directly, both good and bad. Your hike through the rain forest will not just be a long walk. He takes the time to show you different plants and their uses. He shows you the ones to avoid. If you could record everything he tells you on that walk and could remember it all, you'd stand a chance of surviving being lost in the jungle. George was the narrator for while we were in Belize City. Like Tom, he is good humored and well educated. He's one of Tom's guides and lived in NYC for a time. We also met a third guide, Elvis, but we didn't get to spend much time with him. However, he seemed to be cut from the same cloth as Tom and George.


  Hi, we just got back from the 10/20 sailing on the Glory and booked with Major Tom. When we first got off the tender, didn't see him as we walked too far but once we asked, everyone knew where "major tom" was and directed us to him. He was expecting us, a group of 8. He needed to wait for 4 others off the Glory, then we'd be ready to go. 2 of the 4 were going ziplining. He sent them off with a separate guide, Linda and did not send them with us, though we wound up running into them in the caves later. It was very organized and we had Carlos/Charlie as our driver. We were the first group to get to the caves so had a relaxing walk to the river. Note a couple of tarantula's crossed our walking path, about the size of the palm of your hand. They were more frightened of us than we were of them. Continued on our way to the water. Beautiful river. We floated into the cave with Charlie never far from us. He didn't have us hooked together as we were by ourselves and he wasn't concerned about us getting lost or mixed up in another group. We floated thru the caves and paddled when he told us too and got our butts up when he told us to also. We did run into some of the cruise folks and that tour seemed to be crazy with a ton of people. We did not opt for lunch and made it back to the port in plenty of time for shopping and margarita's at a port restaurant. We would highly recommend Major Tom and his group.

  We found “free-floating” to be easy and fun; the group was easily kept together by Major Tom, Tom Jr., and the other guides, and what’s more, they shepherded us through the entire cave system, ensuring we were kept totally informed about the historical background of the caves, formations within the caves, and their deeply religious meaning to the ancient Maya civilization. But what was most impressive was their safety concerns at all times, working together, they proved to us that we did not need to “hook up” to be kept together – we merely needed the right number of guides with a great deal of expertise and experience, and those we got! The care taken, the respect for the caves and the rainforest, the constant information, personal attention, and simply put, the complete professionalism of this company was awesome. We could immediately see why this is a much sought after cave tubing company and one of the oldest in Belize, with a great deal of cruise ship background (that’s why we had zero worries about getting there and getting back in good time). Major Tom has the best show on the road, as far as we are concerned, and we are very grateful for the perfect tour. And now we see the new website ( cave-tubing.net), which affords guests the choice of pre-paying by PayPal, or paying when you get to Belize. Absolutely perfect!! We have recommended this company to all our friends and certainly endorse them to cruise critic members. Yeah and double yeah!, for Major Tom and the “Fun Team” in Belize!! BTW, their tour also includes a free city tour – we enjoyed the north side of Belize City heading out to the caves, and the south side when coming back.

  Tom came highly recommended and I am glad we booked him. While the other tours just marched right through the jungle, Tom stopped on several occasions to teach us about various vegetation, rock formation, etc. The other tour guides just walked right by us every time, never teaching or talking about anything. You do free float, but there are times when you will link up in lines of 4 or 5, side by side. This is done because of sharp rocks and heavy current, but the guides are there in the water to make sure no one gets hurt. But for the most part you do free float. It was an awesome experience. Go with them!!!

  We just did Major Tom's tour last week. My DW has significant foot problems so we were concerned about the walk in. After she emailed Major Tom, he said he would have a man stay with her so she could take her time and rest as needed. He had George do everything but carry her, and I think the man would have done that if needed. Major Tome bragged that George once towed a man who could not finish the walk to the normal cave entrance from the point on the river where you get out of the cave, upstream from the exit to the entrance and thus enable the man to float back down through the caves with his family. George is a young and powerful man who not only towed the man upstream through the caved to the entrance, but beat the rest of the group that walked to the entrance! As others have said Major Tom is a fountain of information and shares it freely. We would book again with him in a heartbeat! He is not only fun, but he is an honorable man. When a multiple fatality bus and truck wreak closed the highway for nearly an hour on the way back to the ship, it became impossible to stop for lunch. He made sure that everyone got their money back in cash from his pocket as soon as the decision was made to skip lunch. He also assured us that he would get us back to the ship before it sailed even if he had to put us on a special tender. That did not prove to be necessary, but knowing the lengths he was willing to go really helped to turn a bad situation into a tolerable one. The Major gets 4.9 out of 5 stars from me. ;-)

  My family and I (8 of us) were in Belize last week - 7/26/07. I had scheduled a trip with Major Tom. He was absolutely fantastic!!! He met us at the port displaying a sign with my name on it. We walked to his van and drove to the caves. On the way he let us s top at a little store for soda and water. As we drove to the cave he told us a lot about the country of Belize, pointed out things of interest as we were passing them, answered the millions of questions we asked him, and even stopped to show us individual trees and nuts native to the country. Major Tom is extremely knowledgeable about the country, ancestory of the Mayan people, and the caves. He shared with us information about the caves and what the various rock formations symbolized to the Mayans. He was very interesting to listen to, in fact, people from other groups slowed down to listen to what he was saying. The other guides were letting the people float through the caves on their own. They didn't tell them any information at all. Also Major Tom was concerned with our safety. He had us wear our life vests instead of just fastening it to the tube. If anything were to happen to someone without a life vest it would be difficult for a guide to get to them quickly. As you can tell I can't say enough good things about Major Tom. It was definately the best excursion of the whole trip.

  Major Tom at cave-tubing.net is your best choice. He and his close assistant, his son, Tom Jr., and the other highly trained and experienced guides will give you the safest and most informative cave tubing tour in Belize. Our groups have been consistently satisfied with his services. We also like the fact that you are met inside the tourism village where your tender docks, and you do not have to go searching for your independent operator, as Tom and his team are there with very visible signboards, besides the fact that this man is known by everyone at the dock and is easily pointed out. The caves in February are easy going, the water is cool, and just abour right.

Daniel Bierman
www.danielbierman.com        (The "Click here for information on Maya Gods" link features a facinating story Major Tom shared with Daniel.)

  Major Tom took my family of four and two other couples. Then after the tubing the other lucky couples went off for the zip lining. We have a 7 yr. old so I thought it would be a little intense for him. Next time for sure!! With a group of eight everyone was able to get plenty of attention from Major Tom. He was with us the whole time in the caves, interacting with us all. He also hooked us up with a great lunch from amigos - try the spicy chicken! Some younger guides with another company stopped to listen while Tom was explaining the significance of the opening of the cave - then they rushed their group down the first shoot while we were still learning about that special place. It was by far the funnest part of our trip. And its nice to have a guide who the locals respect.

  If you are looking for a tour to remember try Major Tom. He was wonderfully friendly and knowledgeable. Modern day Belize, Mayan history and Naturopathic remedies, rainforest flora and fauna, the myths and significance of the caves - it was all too cool. And he has the serious respect of the locals. A couple other guides with another group stopped to listen to him speak about the Mayan shaman's ritual at the mouth of the caves. Major Tom is the real deal!

  We went this past week with Major Tom and they were perfect, especially for a family. They will work with you to give you whatever you need. We were going to take cavetubing. com since they had more reviews, but it just worked out that we ended up with Major Tom, and we couldn't have been happier. As far as the hike goes, it wasn't rough at all. Anyone who finds it rough I'd think would have to be WAY out of shape. Kids can do it easily. They did take you on foot into a cave that had bats (not flying around...just asleep in their holes), but all you have to do is tell Tom (the guide) if your little one is afraid, and he'll totally take care of you. You wouldn't even have to walk into the cave if you didn't want to. For the cave tubing part, they formed two rows of 6 people each row. The people in each row were hooked together feet to underarms, and then the rows were hooked together by crossing arms and grabbing onto the person's tube across from you. They were wonderful. As we were floating past one spot, there were a few people from a different tour gathered around a snake - turns out it's one of the deadliest snakes there. My stepdaughter started freaking out, and thereafter, the guide wouldn't leave her side. He was wonderful. Even once we got to where they'll finally let you go by yourself down the river (this is after you're through the caves, and there are NO rapids), he continued to stay with us, holding onto our tubes, because he saw how afraid she had been. They were wonderful. Our guide actually reprimanded the people standing around the snake and as we continued on down the river, warned everyone we passed that was headed that way on foot. I really got the feeling that had the snake came towards us (not that it would - there were plenty of other unguided, not so bright people in between us and the snake that would have been targets first), our guides would have protected us at all costs. Great tour, wonderful guides, and we felt soooo much safer than the other people just floating by willy nilly. Oh, our guide also stops in the middle of one of the caves and gets everyone out onto a spot that's above water. Not a single other tour stopped there, which was too bad for them. It was breathtaking. And don't think this tour won't work for the daredevils in the family as well. If you're so inclined, they'll let you jump off a small cliff before taking off, and then after our little excursion onto the dry part, they'll let you back flop onto your tube from above - but only if you want to. You can even try tasting a termite (which my husband did after the guide ate a few....eewwwww!) I'd say they're they perfect outfit for families. 

  Ditto! You definitely want to go with Major Tom and the Fun Team. Major Tom is a great guy who has highly experienced, professional guides. They'll make sure you and your son have a wonderful time. Happy tubing! .(I'm sooo envious)

  We just got back from a Carnival Glory cruise (Western Carribean) and I can't say enough about Major Tom and his crew. We booked in advance on their website and he was waiting for us as we got off the tender with our names on a sign like an airport limo driver. The whole trip was professionally run, resonably priced, and Major Tom is obviously well informed and proud of his country. We were in a fairly small group (about 16 total) and he made the van ride out to the caves fun with running commentary. We all agreed it was the highlight of the seven days.

  Hi. My husband and I took Major Tom Greenwood's Cave Tubing Tour  last year when we were in Belize, and thoroughly enjoyed it! Major Tom's tour has no minimum age requirement, even taking children on their parent's laps with their own little life vests and lights. He has a smooth running operation ensuring that more than enough guides and safety staff are present to avoid any mishaps. Additionally, Major Tom has a consistent practice of keeping his tour groups small and manageable as to ensure safety and enhance the tour experience. Our group only had six in it, and we received a much more informative tour than the cruise lines tour group which had about 40. Let's face it, with a group that size, you are bound to miss quite a bit of the guide's narration. Unfortunately, the majority of the people in the cruise line group just rode on a tube through the cave and did not get to hear the rich Mayan history of which Major Tom is so knowledgeable. I recommend this tour to everyone I talk to whom is going to Belize. After all, Major Tom started it all in 1992, so he is the expert. He consistently gets good reviews, as we booked our tour with him because our niece and nephew recommended him highly. It's obvious that he is doing something right. Have a great time on your cruise! .