First of all, I've asked a lot of questions before booking, and VIV tour representative did an excellent job answering the questions in a timely and informative manner. That was a good sign and turned out to be the correct first impression.
As soon as we got off the ship, it was easy to locate the company representative. We were a party of 4, 2 adults and 2 elementary-aged kids. Both our private driver, Narciso, and the tubing guide, Barry, were very hard-working, friendly, and knowledgeable. If you book through VIV, you do not need to carry the tube to the cave, and they not only take you through the cave (like a tour from the cruise ship) but offer an extended ride down the river. We were a bit concerned about the coolness of the water since we visited in January, but it was not bad at all. Definitely bring hard-soled water shoes and a change of clothes. Make sure that the vest and helmet fit well right away not to fumble with them later.
Altun Ha was a great experience, too. Narciso was very knowledgeable about the history of the pyramids, as well as overall local history. Seeing a rare jabiru bird on the drive back was a special treat.
We left the cruise ship on the very first tender and returned on the last one, so I would not recommend doing 3 activities if you are thinking about fitting in the ziplining, too.
