Missing the last tender....

So just back from the problem fraught Glory cruise - don't get me wrong I had a FABULOUS time - but with leaving late, and missing Roatan there were a lot of unhappy campers on the ship!

 

As we were visiting Belize I was bound and determined to visit Lamanai deep in the Belizean jungle - this tour is offered by belizecruiseexcursions.com and has had many excellent reviews on the Belize board. The main problem is timing. The tour is generall around 5-7 hours - and docking time is 8 am to 5 pm - throw a couple of tenders in there and well you can easily miss the last tender and the ship.

 

I followed the Belize board diligently hearing back from recent cruisers - all of whom seemed to make the last tender - altho pretty close with maybe 15-20 mins to spare! I actually wrote to the excurions company (Island Marketing) and got a response from their VP of marketing assuring me that in the many years they have been doing tours they have never had anyone left behind and they had 'contingency plans' in place should this ever happen.

 

So last Tuesday I enthusiastically boarded the first tender and headed to Belize and my Lamanai excursion - my only precaution was to bring my passposrt with me - I never do this and usually keep it locked in the safe...

 

To save some 'typing time - here is the link to my 'review' from the Belize board (see post #97) http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=16940904#post16940904

 

Yes we technically missed the last tender - but luckily made it back to the ship. I shudder to think what would have happened if we did not make it back as our next scheduled port was Roatan and if you are aware you will know that while we docked for an hour we quickly left and were not allowed to disembark due to the civil unrest - I keep wondering if we somehow would have been allowed to get to the port (roads blocked!)....which would have meant trying to catch the ship in Freeport a few days later (let's not even go there) - and I was also very glad that I had travel insurance - and super glad I did not have to use it!

Usually I book my tours through independant tour operators EXCEPT when there is a time constraint such as yours. I also went to the Lamanai ruins and barely made it back in time to catch the last tender and this was through the ship tour.

 

Dave

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I did this exact same tour when we went to Belize two years ago. It was an excellent tour. Lamanai was gorgeous.

 

We had the same problem. I was biting my nails on the way back. We got back to the 2nd to last tender. Our driver said no one on their tours had missed the ship yet. That was two year ago but it sounds like all of their tours cut it close.

Usually I book my tours through independant tour operators EXCEPT when there is a time constraint such as yours. I also went to the Lamanai ruins and barely made it back in time to catch the last tender and this was through the ship tour.

 

Dave

 

If your tour with the Carnival and the group is late, would they wait for you? Or it's also depends how many people in the group?

We were on the Spirit out of San Diego on Oct. 18 and someone was left at the dock in Acupulco (our last port) and they brought them out on a small boat and they had to climb up a ladder into the ship......Dennis

If your tour with the Carnival and the group is late, would they wait for you? Or it's also depends how many people in the group?

 

To clarify my previous post, I was on a NCL ship that offered the tour not Carnival.

 

If you are booked through the cruiseline they will wait on you. If you are booked on an independent tour, it is up to the Captain whether to wait or not.

 

Factors that come into play....making the next port on time, paying additional port fees for not leaving on time, paying additional fees to the pilot for not leaving on time.

 

Dave

This is one excursion that you should definitely take through the ship, not an independent operator. The ship will wait for you.

 

(It is a wonderful excursion, highly recommend!)

Back when Costa Maya was the next stop after Belize...there was a "back up plan"...because that is only a 6 hour drive.

 

Very "doable" should the cause arise.

 

Not fun...but doable!!

 

 

I do not believe that getting to Roatan (even when it was safe) would have been that easy.

:eek:

yes, it's scary!!

On our March, Legend cruise we took the Lamanai tour (which was FABULOUS!!) and were rushed back to the ship 15 minutes late...gangway pulled up behind us. It was quite the adrenaline rush....and I don't mean that in a good way:p That was our second time in Belize. The first time we did the cave tubing and also cut it close.

The problem with Belize is that after the horrendously long tender, you have to travel at least an hour by bus/or boat to even GET to an excursion.

 

We are scheduled to go back there one one of our cruises next year and we'll just stay on the ship. We figure we did Belize twice and we've had enough.

We were on the Spirit out of San Diego on Oct. 18 and someone was left at the dock in Acupulco (our last port) and they brought them out on a small boat and they had to climb up a ladder into the ship......Dennis

 

 

Dennis-

I heard from our waiter that it was two employees!

This is one excursion that you should definitely take through the ship, not an independent operator. The ship will wait for you.

 

(It is a wonderful excursion, highly recommend!)

I usually do try to book independently but when time is an issue I agree that booking thru the ship is the way to go! Unfortunately this excursion is NOT offered by Carnival so if you want to visit Lamanai you have to book independently and take your chances - guess it depends on your comfort zone?

 

 

I do not believe that getting to Roatan (even when it was safe) would have been that easy.

LHP - you are correct - I actually did do a bit of research on getting from Belize to Roatan it seems to be pretty tricky! Glad I avoided that 'adventure'!;)

If you technically missed the last tender what did you do?

See here: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=16940904#post16940904 (post #97) which describes our getting back on the ship - lucky for us!

So, girl, are you going to write a FULL, lengthy review, complete with Camel pics? ;)

 

When we were in Belize in May, DD & I were having a late lunch onboard. We'd done cave tubing with Major Tom, and were supposed to stop for a local lunch, but because the caves were absolutely packed that day, we were running late. So they took us straight back to the dock. I'm sure their thinking was that if they got us there before Carnival's excursion, we'd be ok. Naturally, I had to run across the street to...

 

 

...because I was NOT leaving without having a Belikin beer!

 

Anyway, after we ate our lunch, we went out to the railing to watch the last tender. Then it seemed we started to move. I thought they'd pulled up anchor and started off. They we saw another tender absolutely flying across the water. The ship's thrusters started churning up a bunch of silt and we sort of drifted until they reached us.

 

At dinner that night, people we asking what we thought of "the tilt" that afternoon. What tilt? We didn't even notice it! They said we'd drifted onto/against a sandbar but they managed to maneuver off.

 

Not sure if that's true or not. We were totally oblivious. Anyway, it sounds like that last-minute, late tender is not unusual. I certainly don't want to be on it.

 

I'll definitely need to re-think what we want to do next December. I just knew you'd rave about it and I'd decide it was what I would do next time. I most definitely will not stay on the ship. I thought Belize was beautiful (despite the litter we saw along the roads). I only have 13 months to obsess about it!

So, girl, are you going to write a FULL, lengthy review, complete with Camel pics? ;)

 

When we were in Belize in May, DD & I were having a late lunch onboard. We'd done cave tubing with Major Tom, and were supposed to stop for a local lunch, but because the caves were absolutely packed that day, we were running late. So they took us straight back to the dock. I'm sure their thinking was that if they got us there before Carnival's excursion, we'd be ok. Naturally, I had to run across the street to...

 

 

...because I was NOT leaving without having a Belikin beer!

 

Anyway, after we ate our lunch, we went out to the railing to watch the last tender. Then it seemed we started to move. I thought they'd pulled up anchor and started off. They we saw another tender absolutely flying across the water. The ship's thrusters started churning up a bunch of silt and we sort of drifted until they reached us.

 

At dinner that night, people we asking what we thought of "the tilt" that afternoon. What tilt? We didn't even notice it! They said we'd drifted onto/against a sandbar but they managed to maneuver off.

 

Not sure if that's true or not. We were totally oblivious. Anyway, it sounds like that last-minute, late tender is not unusual. I certainly don't want to be on it.

 

I'll definitely need to re-think what we want to do next December. I just knew you'd rave about it and I'd decide it was what I would do next time. I most definitely will not stay on the ship. I thought Belize was beautiful (despite the litter we saw along the roads). I only have 13 months to obsess about it!

Is there a shopping area right at the dock in Belize if we decide not to take an excursion but still want to get off the ship? Thanks

See here: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=16940904#post16940904 (post #97) which describes our getting back on the ship - lucky for us!

 

Found it on post 94.

 

We did cave tubing and zip lining in Belize and just about missed the last tender. That is not a nice feeling riding in the van with white knuckles. We never had lunch. Got back to the ship starving at 5:45pm.

Yes, there's shopping on the pier at Belize. I got a cute Coach purse. There's also the generic souvenier shops and a restaurant. We ate at the restaurant and it was pretty good. The Belikin was okay however we had it fresh as the brewery prior to the restaurant! It was sooo yummy at the brewery!!!

Joan - will definitely be doing a full review and just downloaded camera pics - will be working on this on the weekend I hope! And my son so wanted a Belikin beer t-shirt - of course I saw one at the port BEFORE leaving for the Lamanai excursion and figured I would buy it on the way back - well like that was going to happen - lesson learned I guess? (redeemed myself by finding a Kalik t-shirt in the Bahamas - that and a few hand rolled cuban cigars and he was happy :D)

 

I think I shall stick to my general rule from now on - if timing is an issue for a specific port I will bite the bullet and book with Carnival if there is something I really really want to do - altho I prefer to book with independents sometimes the risk is just not worth it.

 

Joan - maybe you can try the Altun Ha excursion thru Carnival - that probably would have been my 2nd choice!

 

I am almost finished drafting my letter to belizecruiseexcursions/x-stream telling them of our 'belizean adventure' and hope to send it off in the next few days - will let you know if and when they respond!