Princess Passengers Pick Favorite Caribbean Excursions

When your cruise ship docks in ports of call you have a limited time ashore and want to make the most of it. What's the best way to do that? Princess Cruises is once again recognizing the important role local tour operators play in the overall cruise experience by announcing the winners of its 2007-08 C.R.U.I.S.E. service awards for the Caribbean. The 10th annual awards honor passenger choices for best tours of the season plus favorite tour guides in many of the ports where Princess ships call.

A number of tours have topped the list for several years, and one--the Americas Cup 12-Metre Yacht Regatta tour in St. Maarten--has now been voted 'Shore Excursion of the Season' for the 10th year in a row.

C.R.U.I.S.E. service award winners are determined primarily through positive feedback on passenger surveys, and the awards are presented to both tour companies and individual guides from Princess' extensive line-up of more than 800 shore excursion options throughout the Caribbean.

"Because we place such a great emphasis on high service levels, we feel it's important to recognize those local tour operators who do a great job of continuing Princess' commitment to service when our passengers are in port," said Steve Nielsen, Princess' vice president of Caribbean and Atlantic shore operations. "These local guides and companies are ambassadors for both Princess and their respective destinations."

Begun in 1999 as part of Princess' C.R.U.I.S.E. (Courtesy, Respect, Unfailing In Service Excellence) customer service program, these tour operator awards cap off a season-long effort to recognize the role that local 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, a specially designed C.R.U.I.S.E. pin. 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. Winning tours will also be highlighted in next year's shore excursion booklet. A full list of winners is below:

ANTIGUA, Antigua and Barbuda
High Volume Tour of the Season: Pirates of Antigua: The Black Swan, Coral Island
Low Volume Tour of the Season: Circle Antigua by Sea, Tropical Adventures

ARUBA
High Volume Tour of the Season: Atlantis Submarine Expedition, Atlantis Adventures
Low Volume Tour of the Season: Aruba Countryside Horseback Ride, DePalm Tours

BARBADOS
High Volume Tour of the Season: Tiami Five-Star Catamaran & Turtle Encounter, Tiami Cruises, Ltd
Low Volume Tour of the Season: Barbados In-Focus Photography Tour, Foster & Ince
Tour Guide of the Season: Ronnie Carrington, Foster & Ince

BEQUIA, Grenadines
Tour of the Season: Bequia Sail, Snorkel & Beach, Corea & Co.

BONAIRE, Netherlands Antilles
High Volume Tour of the Season: Samur Sail & Snorkel, Bonaire Destination Service
Low Volume Tour of the Season: Bonaire Land Sailing, Bonaire Tours

CARTAGENA, Columbia
Tour of the Season: Panoramic Cartagena, Folkloric Show & Shopping, Seico
Tour Guide of the Season: Pedro Bossio, Aviatur

COZUMEL, Mexico
High Volume Tour of the Season: Coba Mayan Ruins, Turismo Aviomar
Low Volume Tours of the Season: Cozumel Segway Adventure, Sunshine Tours; Dolphin Swim, Dolphin Discovery
Tour Guide of the Season: Alan Ceballos, Sunshine Tours

CURACAO, Netherlands Antilles
High Volume Tour of the Season: Curacao See & Sea Tour, Atlantis Adventures
Low Volume Tour of the Season: Culinary Delights of Curacao, Funbini

DOMINICA
High Volume Tour of the Season: Rainforest Aerial Tram & Trafalger Falls with Lunch, Rainforest Aerial Tram
Low Volume Tour of the Season: Dominica River Tubing Excursion, Fun Sun Inc.
Tour Guide of the Season: Jemimah Fevrier, Wrave LTD

GRAND CAYMAN, Cayman Islands
High Volume Tour of the Season: Allura Catamaran Sail to Stingray Sandbar, Nautilus
Low Volume Tour of the Season: Sea Trek Coral Canyon Helmet Dive, Sea Trek Cayman
Tour Guide of the Season: Phillip Cassingham, Sea Trek Cayman

GRAND TURK, Turks & Caicos Islands
High Volume Tour of the Season: Chukka Beach Horseback Ride & Swim, Chukka Caribbean Adventures
Low Volume Tour of the Season: Gibb's Cay Beach & Stingray Encounter, Oasis Divers

GRENADA
High Volume Tour of the Season: Grenada River Tubing, G.F. Huggins
Low Volume Tour of the Season: Five-Star Sail, Snorkel & Beach, Best of Grenada

HUATULCO, Mexico
Tour of the Season: Rural Communities & Traditions, Turismo Nautico

ISLA MARGARITA, Venezuela
High Volume Tour of the Season: Fiesta Party Bus Across the Island, Novel Tours S.A.
Low Volume Tour of the Season: Dolphin Encounter & Sea Lion Swim, Skylimit Travel

LIMON, Costa Rica
High Volume Tour of the Season: Original Canopy Tour Limon, Original Canopy Tour
Low Volume Tour of the Season: Golden Bean Coffee Tour, TAM Travel
Tour Guide of the Season: Eric Picado, Swiss Travel

MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica
High Volume Tour of the Season: Croydon Plantation, World Tours
Low Volume Tour of the Season: Chukka Horseback Ride 'n' Swim, Chukka Caribbean Adventures

OCHO RIOS, Jamaica
High Volume Tour of the Season: Ocho Rios Highlights & Dunn's River Falls, World Tours
Low Volume Tour of the Season: Chukka 4WD Safari, Chukka Caribbean Adventures
Tour Guide of the Season: Gary Dalling, Chukka Caribbean Adventures

PANAMA CANAL
High Volume Tour of the Season: The Panama Canal Experience by Boat, Aventuras 2000
Low Volume Tour of the Season: Authentic Embera Indian Village, Shorex Panama
Tour Guide of the Season: Jeronimo Welch, Aventuras 2000

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad and Tobago
Tour of the Season: Port of Spain Highlights & Angostura Distillery, Trinidad and Tobago Sightseeing

PUERTO QUETZAL, Guatemala
High Volume Tour of the Season: Colonial Antigua, Kim' Arrin
Low Volume Tour of the Season: Filadelfia Coffee Estate & Colonial Antigua with Lunch, GreyLine Tours

PUNTARENAS, Costa Rica
High Volume Tour of the Season: Costa Rica's Favorites, Elite Eco Tours
Low Volume Tours of the Season: The Original Canopy Tour at Mahogany Park, Original Canopy Tour; Scarlet Macaw Sanctuary & Mangrove Boat Tour, TAM Travel
Tour Guide of the Season: Porfirio Hidalgo, Swiss Travel

ST. KITTS, St. Kitts & Nevis
High Volume Tour of the Season: St. Kitts Scenic Railway, St. Kitts Railway,LTD.
Low Volume Tour of the Season: Nevis Sail Away, Kantours

ST. LUCIA
High Volume Tour of the Season: St. Lucia Tranopy Adventure, Rain Forest Sky Rides
Low Volume Tour of the Season: 4X4 Safari & Waterfall Adventure, J.A.G. Inc.
Tour Guide of the Season: Showane Williams, J.A.G. INC

ST. MAARTEN, Netherlands Antilles
High Volume Tour of the Season: St. Maarten "America's Cup 12-Metre Yacht" Regatta, 12-Metre Enterprises N.V.
Low Volume Tour of the Season: Explorer Cruise to Marigot & Island Drive, Eagle Tours
Tour Guide of the Season: Hopeton Morgan, 12 Metre Ent, N.V.

ST. THOMAS, US Virgin Islands
High Volume Tour of the Season: Turtle Cove Sail & Snorkel Adventure, Fun Water Tours
Low Volume Tour of the Season: BOSS Underwater Adventure, Aqua Adventures
Tour Guide of the Season: Becca Lee, Fun Water Tours

TORTOLA, British Virgin Islands
High Volume Tour of the Season: The "Baths" at Virgin Gorda, Romney Associates
Low Volume Tour of the Season: Dolphin Swim, Romney Associates

VIRGIN GORDA, British Virgin Islands
High Volume Tour of the Season: Virgin Gorda Sail & Snorkel, Romney Associates

Photo: Princess Cays