Nieuw Amsterdam - Mahogony Bay, Honduras

[sail7seas]

It's NCL Spirit and Carnival Valor.

I just checked:

 

Valor is 110,000 ton and Spirit is 75,000.

 

[LAFFNVEGAS]

It's NCL Spirit and Carnival Valor. Of course, I could research to see size of each as I have no clue. :D

 

Spirit is not large and Carnival ship trumps an NCL ship ;) for Mahogony Bay so at worse case scenerio it will be the NA and the Valor.

[sail7seas]

Thanks, Lisa.

I'm looking forward to seeing this new (to us) port.

 

[RetiredMustang]

Sail7Seas,

 

Mahogany Bay is easily twice the size of Grand Turk, and is very pretty and easy. We were there in February on a Collectors Cruise on Ryndam. I did not take the chair lift from the main port area to the beach area, but could see it - it looked like a ski lift kind of thing, but fairly flat. It appeared you also could walk to the beach.

 

I did a live-blog on my Ryndam cruise, and included decriptions of our day in Mahogany Bay, including links to photos. Go to http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1353835&page=7 and see post #126.

 

It looked like the port was designed for two ships. I don't know where a third may have docked; perhaps it would have to anchor out and tender.

 

Dave

[cruz chic]

Let us now what you think about it when you get back if you don't mind.

[sail7seas]

Thanks for the wonderful link, Dave. The photos were terrific in giving me an image what to expect. It appears Carnival has done a good job of creating a comfortable, safe, clean tourist area.

 

Lorekauf.... After all the help I've gotten in this thread, it will be my pleasure to post my reaction to Mahogany Bay when we return. :)

 

I really am looking forward to visiting there.

 

[m steve]

and had a private tour that took us to the Iguana farm, some other sites and ended at the Thirsty Turtle at Bananarama resort. We had a great time and that place served great drinks and food. The only neggative is we had a long walk up hill to meet our driver as the cruise lines won't allow the private guides into the dock area for pick ups but they could return us there at the end. Now if i could remember the name of our guide.

[sail7seas]

That sounds fun. I get a kick out of all the iguanas we see at Crown Bay in St. Thomas. Your tour sounds like a good time. If you happen across the name of your guide, I'd like to compare out your tour and the one previously mentioned here by 'bonafidebeachbum'. That one also sounds outstanding.

 

Thanks.

[Typhoon1]

How far is the distance between the port where the ship docks and the beach? Is it similar in that regard to Grand Turk?

 

Thanks for all the help here. It's been really good.

 

 

The beach is much further than Grand Turk. It is a little walk along a path then over a foot bridge.

 

The Magical flying chairs will take you to the beach. IIRC, it was five or ten dollars to use the flying chairs round trip.

[BOTHWELLPJ]

Hubby and I spent 2 weeks on Roatan Island...loved it. take a taxi and go to West Bay or West End....West Bay beautiful beach..grab a chair at BananaRamaand spend the day...West End shops, restuarants can't really remember a beach...questions?

[DCParky]

I was on the NA in February and when we stopped at Mahogany Bay, the NCL Sprit was there at the same time. Mahogany Bay can only take two ships of that size. The shopping area and the beach never seemed crowded. It was definitely one of the best stops of our cruise!

[DFD1]

The tour operaator is Victor Bodden Tours. We used them with a private car and driver last month and it worked out very well. The vehicle was not the best, but the driver was a pleasant and knowledgable young fellow who had lived there all his life.

 

If you use Bodden Tours be prepared to walk thru the port area and a couple of blocks beyond to meet them. Their dispatcher has your name and a driver already assigned to you.

 

They are independent and not allowed to pick up at the port. They do, however, drop you off at the port entrance at the end of your tour.

 

I'm sure there are other operators who have approval to pick up at the port if they are booked thru the ship.

 

Hope this helps.

 

PS: One thing we found unusual about Roatan, which is a part of Honduras...It was occupied by the British and speaks the King's English while the mainland of Honduras was occupied by the Spanish and speaks Spanish.

 

We found it a beautiful and happy place.

[SmokinActuary]

The Magical flying chairs will take you to the beach. IIRC, it was five or ten dollars to use the flying chairs round trip.

 

Actually the fee (which I think is $5, but you get it gratis if you book a shore excursion) is for the day.

[Typhoon1]

Actually the fee (which I think is $5, but you get it gratis if you book a shore excursion) is for the day.

 

I think you're right. Now that you mention it, I recall it being unlimited. Once we settled in at the beautiful beach, we stayed until departure time.

[sail7seas]

Thanks for the tour operators name, DFD. I think that tour sounds fun.

I'll post here what we decide to pre-arrange for our day there. :)

 

Really appreciate the help here.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Sail, I had wanted to mention that we loved staying the day at Mahogony Beach when we were docked there in January 2011 but this past September we were docked at Coxen so went to Foster. They came an picked us up at the main entrance to the shopping area of the pier and took us on about a 20 ride to the other side of the island. The beach day get away with a lobster lunch was amazing, my personally feeling is any where in Roatan is a wonderful tropical paradise.

http://www.fostersroatan.com/

[m steve]

roatancruiseexcursions.com last year and will use them again. It's part of a company from Cayman and they have local guides in Roatan. All the private tours meet just outside the gate at the top of the hill. A good walk. Only the cruise ship tours meet you at the dock so if walking is a problem, book with HAL.

[sail7seas]

Great. Walking is no problem for us. We 'exercise walk' on a regular basis but, of course, I realize this wonderful information is for all of us. Hopefully many have benefited from all the help here.

 

Thank you.

 

 

[piscesgal223]

I am planning a Caribbean tour and one of the cruises I have been looking at(am interested in) is the one that goes to Mahogany Bay.Y'all may have sold me on it!