Favorite Western Caribbean Excursions with younger kids (9 & 6)

[rdevine10]

Please tell me what your family with younger kids loved! We are traveling in April to:

 

Cozumel

Belize

Roatan

Grand Cayman

 

I have a few ideas, but we are trying to still figure it out!

 

I have 2 girls (if that helps) and I am somewhat worried safety wise as they are very "noticeable" with the striking blond hair & blue eyes.

 

thanks!

[Woodmnky]

I would highly recommend taking a private excursion to see the Sting Rays in Grand Cayman. The private tours are much less crowded. Grand Cayman is very clean and feels very safe.

[crusinmama06]

Cozumel - Passion Island :D

 

There are no locals. Only cruise ship guests. The only concern, you list "Roatan" which means you might be on a CCL ship? And to get to Passion Island, they use the "Twister Speed Boat" :eek: So your kids may be too young if you are actually on a Carnival ship.

 

On RCI and Celebrity - they use a Catamaran (basically a tender boat)

[Woodmnky]

I will be in Roatan in about 2 weeks. We are planning on hanging out at the beach that is right there when you exit the ship as we are looking for a free and easy beach day. I will let you know how it goes.

[rdevine10]

thanks for the suggestions thus far!

 

We have been debating the following:

 

Cozumel- Paradise Beach

Belize- Cave Tubing

Roatan- likely just using the sky lift and beaching it in Mahoganey Bay

Grand Cayman- Turtle Farm & Beach or Turtle Farm & Stingray

 

I am not sure about the stingray thing as older DD and I did a stingray excursion last april. She was not thrilled with the stingrays swimming near her at all, and younger DD is even more, shall we say, hesitant.

 

I will look into Passion Island, but we are on Carnival.

 

thanks... and please keep the suggestions coming!

[dorito6778]

ditto paradise beach! you will want for nothing after a day there!

[cb at sea]

No need to be worried about their safety....the "locals" have seen blue-eyed blonds before! And, you won't be leaving them alone anywhere.....no need to worry at all.

[Kristi Williamson]

Cozumel is a Nachi Cocum stop as far as we're concerned and we have four kids. They all LOVE it. Chankanaab Park is also fabulous and has dolphins to swim with as well. It's a quick cab ride away from the pier.

 

Belize is a SHIP EXCURSION! We've been to Altun Ha and the River Wallace and it was nice. Caulker's Cay is also lovely. We're thinking about cave tubing next and our youngest is 8. (ours range from 8-17 and their 9th cruise is coming up)

 

Roatan is one of our favorite ports. You can stay in Mahogany Bay, but it's not for us. However, it may be great for you. Google it, you'll see tons of pics. We love Fins and Flippers, or Victor Bodden is highly thought of on these boards, as well. We've never taken Victor, so can't say from personal experience.

 

Grand Cayman: Cruisinmama gave a good place...Passion Island. We liked snorkeling with the turtles in GC, as well. TONS of fun. It's very clean and safe here, but expensive. You can pretty much do anything here you can do in the States. It's pretty "Americanized", actually. Pick anything here, you'll be fine.

 

This is a great itinerary. Hope you have a blast! And seriously, don't worry about your kids. Your going to be with them and the islanders won't think anything about them. You're just a couple passengers out of the 10's of thousands they see weekly. Your blond haired, blue eyed girls won't get so much as a second glance from them.

 

Our youngest even has those kind of weird "white" blue eyes and she gets more comments in the US about them than she's ever heard on the islands. I think once she got a "Wow...pretty girl", on the islands...followed by..."Let me show you my bracelet! One of the beads would match those eyes perfectly, love". LOL