6 Ships in Belize on the Same Day!!!

[MiltonsMommy]

I just checked cruisett.com and when we are in Belize on January 11, 2012 apparently so will everyone else! It's showing a port load of almost 16,000 people! :eek: I wanted to do cave tubing, but now I'm not sure what to do. I'm afraid it's going to be worse than going to Disneyland on a holiday weekend. Has anyone else been to Belize when it's been that busy?

[wadethegringo]

I just checked cruisett.com and when we are in Belize on January 11, 2012 apparently so will everyone else! It's showing a port load of almost 16,000 people! :eek: I wanted to do cave tubing, but now I'm not sure what to do. I'm afraid it's going to be worse than going to Disneyland on a holiday weekend. Has anyone else been to Belize when it's been that busy?

 

That doesn't sound right. Belize has never had that many ships on the same day that I am aware of. That would be a zoo.

 

I would keep checking to see if that information changes.

 

At present the ships in port arrive and depart at different times. Most tours will have the same amount of limited space. I would book what you want early.

 

Boat or fly over to the Cayes to avoid the Cruise Ship crowds;)

[MiltonsMommy]

I thought so too, so I contacted a cave tubing company I was interested in booking with and asked if they had the same schedule. They said they have the same information :confused: I'm not sure what we should do in way of shore excursions because it sounds like that would be a nightmare being there with so many people. But, like you said the ships should arrive at different times. Ours arrives at 7:00 a.m. so maybe I can get on a tour before the allllll the people arrive

[TMLAalum]

Hi Miltons Mommy- could you please share how you learned the # of ships in port? I want to be prepared for our upcoming stop there! Thanks.

[Kryssa]

Hi Miltons Mommy- could you please share how you learned the # of ships in port? I want to be prepared for our upcoming stop there! Thanks.

 

http://www.cruisett.com

click on "ports"

 

OP, are you the first schedule to dock? If you're one of the earlier ships and have booked a private excursions, I say go for it. If you're one of the later ones, consider skipping it.

[MiltonsMommy]

Looks like us and one other are scheduled to dock @7:00 and the other 4 are scheduled for 8:00. I was hoping for a bigger time difference due to tendering, but I guess not! But, I think I'll just go ahead and book our private excursion - maybe the hour difference will give us enough time to get a head start.

[doublej]

Looks like us and one other are scheduled to dock @7:00 and the other 4 are scheduled for 8:00. I was hoping for a bigger time difference due to tendering, but I guess not! But, I think I'll just go ahead and book our private excursion - maybe the hour difference will give us enough time to get a head start.

 

I feel your pain. We will be in Cozumel in November with 8 ships in port. What a lot of people! Trying to decide whether to book something independently or just stay on the ship.

[MiltonsMommy]

I feel your pain. We will be in Cozumel in November with 8 ships in port. What a lot of people! Trying to decide whether to book something independently or just stay on the ship.

 

 

EEEKK you are sitting at almost 23000 people. Good news though that isn't a tender port, but as you said - I feel your pain too. I almost wish I wouldn't have looked at cruisett.com.

[marci4tony]

Well - it was BOUND to happen....now what? A ferry ride to the mainland where there are LESS PEEPS?!

[beauty1492]

cruisett.com had all the wrong days for port for my Legend cruise. It can be wrong

[mdrobtx]

Yep, this site shows six ships in port that day including yours.

http://www.cruisetimetables.com/visitingbelizecitybelize-11jan2012.html

 

We had five in port when we were there in Jan two years ago.

[monicajay]

OMG! there are 9 ships in port when we go. It used to be I chose a cruise because of price and itinerary, looks like I'm going to start to have to take ships in port into the equation now too.

 

What to try and organize with 9 ships in port?

[theampres]

Yep, this site shows six ships in port that day including yours.

http://www.cruisetimetables.com/visitingbelizecitybelize-11jan2012.html

 

We had five in port when we were there in Jan two years ago.

 

 

acc. to this website, 10 ships in cozumel on dec. 9! - and 7-8 arriving at 0800H!! - is this even possible?? anyone ever been there or maybe anyone who lives there, know? sounds like "portmageddon/cruisemageddon" to me..(never use those icon-thingies, where's that frazzled-looking one when u need it..?)

 

if true, we will likely just stay on ship...been to cozumel toooo many times anyway....! can't even imagine the place with this many tourists...local merchants will be happy, though...

[theampres]

OMG! there are 9 ships in port when we go. It used to be I chose a cruise because of price and itinerary, looks like I'm going to start to have to take ships in port into the equation now too.

 

What to try and organize with 9 ships in port?

 

we must think alike...and at same time, too - are u sure you don't want to go to Blue Hole with us in "peaceful" Belize? -only 2 ships there, thankfully!

 

but I counted 10 in coz, dec. 9 -- either 9-10, same thing = too many people!

[monicajay]

So I went back to that website thinking I'd add up how many people that would make all together. In fact when I really started to look many of the ships are listed twice. For example: Ryndam is listed as being part of a 7 day itinerary and again as part of a 14 day itinerary.

 

So in fact there are only 5. Feeling much better.

[World Gallery]

If there are that many ships in Belize, I think I would plan ahead to do a tour that you think wouldn't be overwhelming or just stay on the ship that day. The bad thing about Belize is (compared to say, Cozumel), is that there is just on area that the tenders from all ships lets people off on, Tourism Village. Tourism Village has always been extremely crowded at certains times for us, even when there were only 3 ships in port (morning and later when everyone is getting back from tours), so crowded that it is like walking out of a sports event after a packed game. Just hold on to your kids, you will be walking in big crowds in a small space. Since it is gated, you are really packed in this area. In Cozumel, it is totally different and you won't feel the crowds. We have never felt crowded, even when there were lots of ships because Cozumel has more than one pier and they are not "holding" people in a "tourism village". Then Cozumel has a ton of beach options that people spread out on. Belize doesn't have any beaches on the mainland.

If you "prepare" yourself for the "zoo" it will be, have a tour lined up, and hold on to your group, you will be fine.

[cruiserssandr]

EEEKK you are sitting at almost 23000 people. Good news though that isn't a tender port, but as you said - I feel your pain too. I almost wish I wouldn't have looked at cruisett.com.

I think Belize is always a tendering port. We have been to Belize 3 times and have never seen this many ships in port at one time. We are there again in Feb 2012 so I guess I will check on how many ships will be there that day

[udamom]

we are in the western carib in 20 days and I have found that cruisett is wrong for 2 out of 4 ports. It says we are with 2 other Carnival ships in Belize and Roatan but according to Carnivals website they are in other ports that day (cruisetimestables appears to be correct )

so maybe with more investigation you will hopefully find less ships then you thought :cool:

[MiltonsMommy]

Unfortunately, I have checked with independent shore excursion companies and they have the same info as well, and I checked each ship listed -- I went onto their websites and verified their itineraries, and it all comes out to 6 ships in port at the same time. So I guess I either deal with the masses or don't get off the ship :(

[udamom]

bummer Miltonsmommy that is a lot of ships!! I would think they would have problems with having enough tenders!!

[QueenofEverything]

We were in Cozumel with 8 ships over spring break one year. It wasn't that bad, lots of folks around and Sr. Frogs was insane. It was kind of exciting. The ships got into a "horn war" at one point, it was funny

[BIGA961]

I just checked cruisett.com for our cruise in November, and they have the entire schedule wrong. They have us going to one port that isn't scheduled, and they've deleted two that we are supposed to go to. I wouldn't put much stock in this site.

[Northern rose]

Thanks for the web site. I have check our time in Belize . Our ship the Carnival Liberty is only ship in port. But... when we are in Grand Caymans there is a total of 9 ships in port.

[Wanderlust813]

If there are that many ships in Belize, I think I would plan ahead to do a tour that you think wouldn't be overwhelming or just stay on the ship that day. The bad thing about Belize is (compared to say, Cozumel), is that there is just on area that the tenders from all ships lets people off on, Tourism Village. Tourism Village has always been extremely crowded at certains times for us, even when there were only 3 ships in port (morning and later when everyone is getting back from tours), so crowded that it is like walking out of a sports event after a packed game. Just hold on to your kids, you will be walking in big crowds in a small space. Since it is gated, you are really packed in this area. In Cozumel, it is totally different and you won't feel the crowds. We have never felt crowded, even when there were lots of ships because Cozumel has more than one pier and they are not "holding" people in a "tourism village". Then Cozumel has a ton of beach options that people spread out on. Belize doesn't have any beaches on the mainland.

If you "prepare" yourself for the "zoo" it will be, have a tour lined up, and hold on to your group, you will be fine.

Excellent advice! Thank you for your wisdom and post.

[GatorPal]

I am considering a cruise that goes to Belize City...have never been before, but it seems it can be a nightmare (tender situation and all). I am a veteran of 12 cruises but am looking for your honest advice here. Should I skip this one??