Cruise ship VS On your own

[sue7045]

We will be in Roatan in October on the Solstice. I can't decide on our own or through the ship. Does anyone have any suggestion? I have never been there before and I am looking for beach and snorkeling.

[cruise candy]

Just got off the Solstice yesterday. We hired a taxi who took us to Tabayana beach. My friend parked it on the towel, I hired a boat right off the beach and went snorkeling.

 

My friend enjoyed the atmosphere and music for the beach bars directly behind us.

 

I loved the snorkeling. There is a tremendous amount of coral in the area. Got back to the beach and struck a deal with the kayak guy--two person kayak for 30 mins. for $10.00. We ran out of time and had to leave to get back to the ship.

 

Beach is beautiful--sandy with no rocks. Put on bug spray w/ Deet, bring sunblock, towel from ship and some cash and enjoy.

 

I think the ship tours are overpriced and unncessary, but many on the ship were satisifed. We liked creating our own schedule. Not much shopping to be had.

[Chilehead]

There are a lot of choices available through local vendors that are not available through the cruise lines. I have also found that the same excursions through the cruise lines cost at least twice as much. Just google the port you're going to and the word excursions and you'll find a lot of choices. If you find one you like you can post here about the company and, more than likely, you will find others that have used the same company who can let you know how they liked them. We booked zip lining and beginner scuba diving excursions on Roatan through Island Marketing and they were great. I also liked Island Marketing because you can open a live chat with them from their website and they will answer all of your questions.

[lovevacadays]

I think this is a great port to do on your own. My friend and I cruised there last November and used Victor Bodden and his tour guide Tex. Oh my goodness - one of the best tours I've been on in my 14 cruises and only $40.00 for the full day. You can google Victor and then email him with what you want to do. His tours are very, very flexible. You can also request a specific guide when you book a tour through him. We loved Tex but Tex also said that Ali was requested very often.

 

Enjoy the beautiful island of Roatan. It is now one of my favorite ports.

[rp23g7]

We always go on our own, after the first cruise. The tours are usually half of what the ship charges.

 

Example, Puerta Vallarta City, Tequila and Jungle tour, $80 a person in 2008 from the ship. $50 for the three of us together outside of the ship, from the same tour company the ship uses.

[jaterry26]

RP23G7, if you find any great deals on your upcoming cruise, please share... I'll be on the ship with you!!!

[flvol77]

We will be in Roatan in October on the Solstice. I can't decide on our own or through the ship. Does anyone have any suggestion? I have never been there before and I am looking for beach and snorkeling.

 

 

You can find tours through Island Marketing that will save you big time compared to the ship and I would use them.

 

Roatan isn't a place I would rent a taxi and head off, when we were there in July on the solstice people leaving in taxis had to check in with the gate and they had to let them know where they were going and what there eta was on coming back. Most in the car didn't know about it because the drivers would check in and they would get in their cab and leave. I watched it for about 10 mins and decided Maya Key was the way to go.

[MissRabbit]

You can find tours through Island Marketing that will save you big time compared to the ship and I would use them.

 

Roatan isn't a place I would rent a taxi and head off, when we were there in July on the solstice people leaving in taxis had to check in with the gate and they had to let them know where they were going and what there eta was on coming back. Most in the car didn't know about it because the drivers would check in and they would get in their cab and leave. I watched it for about 10 mins and decided Maya Key was the way to go.

 

which port was that at? COxen hole or the new one?

[Harry and Lucille]

Family of ten were there last year. Couldn't get everyone together on tour ideas, however, in research options, and, looking at Victor Bodden web site and with feedback for the folks that booked with him, it looks like the way to go. This November? Booking with his tour options. By the place and time and the price is great.:cool:

[watchdiva]

which port was that at? COxen hole or the new one?

 

Solstice docks at Coxen Hole. It's likely that when the taxis are exiting the pick-up area that they are telling the dispatcher their destination/length of time that they will be unavailable - not for security reasons of any kind....

 

Miss Rabbit - we live here and are just as safe in Roatan as we were when we lived in South Florida. Any traveler in any country just needs to have an awareness of their surroundings (just like you would walking the streets of your hometown).

 

For those who say "Roatan isn't safe and don't get off the ship" - here's a cautionary tale for you....we had left the Island and were visiting family in Ft. Lauderdale when our hotel room was robbed (it was an inside job). I find it ironic that some passengers are so fearful of crime in Roatan that they don't even get off the ship or stay confined at Mahogany Bay and where do we get robbed? Ft. Lauderdale......go figure:confused:.

 

Kick back and enjoy Roatan - you'll be glad you did.

[Name Of The Game]

Getting robbed aside.....don't you miss the luxuries and conveniences of the USA? :confused:

[watchdiva]

Getting robbed aside.....don't you miss the luxuries and conveniences of the USA? :confused:

 

That's a great question - and the answer is NO for those luxuries and conveniences come with a price. We can order just about anything/everything you can imagine and have it shipped in. Our home is furnished primarily with furniture and momentos that we have owned for many, many years; my husband's Jeep was shipped over as well. True luxury for us now is standing on our patio in the morning and watching the cruise ships pass by on their way to their docks; true luxury is looking up at the stars at night that seem so close you could touch them (with few streetlights there's little ambient light to interfere with stargazing). We are eating much the same foodstuffs that we did in the US - only now the seafood is fresh-caught!

 

After spending many years working and living at hyperspeed in the US, we are now retired and have the leisure to enjoy all the beauty that Roatan has to offer.

 

We always knew that we would retire to an Island, and as soon as we saw Roatan we knew "this is home" and stopped looking!

[flvol77]

Solstice docks at Coxen Hole. It's likely that when the taxis are exiting the pick-up area that they are telling the dispatcher their destination/length of time that they will be unavailable - not for security reasons of any kind....

 

Miss Rabbit - we live here and are just as safe in Roatan as we were when we lived in South Florida. Any traveler in any country just needs to have an awareness of their surroundings (just like you would walking the streets of your hometown).

 

For those who say "Roatan isn't safe and don't get off the ship" - here's a cautionary tale for you....we had left the Island and were visiting family in Ft. Lauderdale when our hotel room was robbed (it was an inside job). I find it ironic that some passengers are so fearful of crime in Roatan that they don't even get off the ship or stay confined at Mahogany Bay and where do we get robbed? Ft. Lauderdale......go figure:confused:.

 

Kick back and enjoy Roatan - you'll be glad you did.

 

Who said don't get off the ship? Caution should be used, and the port is 100% better than it was three to four years ago. We noticed not as many kids and adults begging for money, we were told that a new mayor had put some things in place to help ease the fears for the cruise passengers and that the kids begging and the taxi driver situation was one of the things they had changed.

 

Which we were happy to see the changes because we loved Roatan.

[wadethegringo]

That's a great question - and the answer is NO for those luxuries and conveniences come with a price. We can order just about anything/everything you can imagine and have it shipped in. Our home is furnished primarily with furniture and momentos that we have owned for many, many years; my husband's Jeep was shipped over as well. True luxury for us now is standing on our patio in the morning and watching the cruise ships pass by on their way to their docks; true luxury is looking up at the stars at night that seem so close you could touch them (with few streetlights there's little ambient light to interfere with stargazing). We are eating much the same foodstuffs that we did in the US - only now the seafood is fresh-caught!

 

After spending many years working and living at hyperspeed in the US, we are now retired and have the leisure to enjoy all the beauty that Roatan has to offer.

 

We always knew that we would retire to an Island, and as soon as we saw Roatan we knew "this is home" and stopped looking!

Well put...I moved from Las Vegas to Belize 2 years ago...

[Perfect Stranger]

Aren't you concerned if you had a medical emergency that your life could be jeopardized due to the lack of modern facilities?

[watchdiva]

We joined a helicopter emergency evacuation service that, in the event of a serious medical emergency, can fly us to the Mainland very, very quickly. There are several excellent clinics here on the Island that can provide interim care but for serious emergencies, we can be choppered to the Mainland.