Belize and Roatan- tender or dock

[cruzinlisa]

My next cruise includes Belize, Roatan and Cozumel on my itinerary. I have never been to Belize or Roatan. Are they tender ports or does the ship dock.

 

It sounds like the thing to do in Belize is cave tubing, but that is out because we will have a 2 year old and I am claustrophobic. Are there other things that anyone would recommend.

 

It sounds like for Roatan most people make it a beach thing- right? Is it right where you get off the ship or do you have to take a cab. If its nearby is it really walkable with a two year old or should we plan on cabbing. I say that because some people feel a mile or so is walkable, which it may be for an active couple or people WITHOUT little children but we are not that.

[jimbo5544]

My next cruise includes Belize, Roatan and Cozumel on my itinerary. I have never been to Belize or Roatan. Are they tender ports or does the ship dock.

 

It sounds like the thing to do in Belize is cave tubing, but that is out because we will have a 2 year old and I am claustrophobic. Are there other things that anyone would recommend.

 

It sounds like for Roatan most people make it a beach thing- right? Is it right where you get off the ship or do you have to take a cab. If its nearby is it really walkable with a two year old or should we plan on cabbing. I say that because some people feel a mile or so is walkable, which it may be for an active couple or people WITHOUT little children but we are not that.

Belize is a tender port. Very shallow waters so the tender is fairly long. Roatan, an island off of Honduras is a dock port. Pretty tight at Mahoney Bay. When we were there on the Dream and a sister ship (CCL, but can't remember which one) backed in, we had to get out of the water on the beach, that was how tight it was. We stayed on the beach there, but some did take taxis to other places.

[crusinpsychRN]

Belize is a tender port. Very shallow waters so the tender is fairly long. Roatan, an island off of Honduras is a dock port. Pretty tight at Mahoney Bay. When we were there on the Dream and a sister ship (CCL, but can't remember which one) backed in, we had to get out of the water on the beach, that was how tight it was. We stayed on the beach there, but some did take taxis to other places.

 

What do you mean "had to get out of the water on the beach"?

 

Easy enough walk to beach in Roatan. They also have chair lift. I think the price is up to $12 now for all day back and forth per person, a bit high I think.

[coolcookie34]

Belize has a nice zoo. It was an excursion through Carnival.

[golfadj]

What do you mean "had to get out of the water on the beach"?

 

Easy enough walk to beach in Roatan. They also have chair lift. I think the price is up to $12 now for all day back and forth per person, a bit high I think.

 

I thought only one ship at a time could dock in Roatan. It is a tight squeeze and very often ships miss the port.

[sarahleebones]

Like the others have mentioned, Belize tender, Roatan dock.

 

Roatan was my favorite to dock as we were in the aft and as it backed in (the Glory) it was like we were at the front of the ship pulling in. It was awesome!

[SnowWhiteNYC]

Roatan: take a cab to one of the west end beaches...we love Bananarama. Prefer it to Mahogany Bay. Much less crowded. Should be around $40 RT with stops for photos etc. Cab may wait there for you or come back. They take payment at the end.

 

Belize: Coral Breezes does nice private tours. Would highly rec.

 

We love both ports.

 

Snow

[KCMarie]

I thought only one ship at a time could dock in Roatan. It is a tight squeeze and very often ships miss the port.

 

Two ships can be at the Isla Roatan dock at the same time. Sure makes for a crowd at the port and beaches.

[golfadj]

Two ships can be at the Isla Roatan dock at the same time. Sure makes for a crowd at the port and beaches.

 

From our one visit was nice with one, two would make it crowded.

 

Believe our next one in Sept we are there ourselves.

[AmyHernandez]

We are doing the river Wallace tour through carnival on our trip. My parents did it and said our kids would love it. You take a river cruise through the jungle and see monkeys and iguanas along the way. Then you end up at the ruins and do a tour there. Your little one may not care about the history of the ruins but she could play and walk around while you listen. They raved about it and now want to go to just Belize. In Roatan we are also taking a can to the Bananarama. Looks beautiful

[Katie Lou]

We just cruised to Belize and Roatan. In Belize we did the River Wallace and Altun Ha ruins tour. I thought it was great. We were on the Liberty ( in August) and I would recommend doing a Carnival excursion in Belize as the tender process is very disorganized and it took passengers a long time to get a tender. Even with an excursion booked, we had to wait around 30 minutes, after they called our tour to the gangway, to get on a tender. It would be hard to book a private tour as you would have no idea when you would get to port.

In Roatan, we booked a private tour with Rory's and ended up at a private beach where there were maybe 10 people, it was the best day we had on the cruise.

[LittleJeanne]

We love Roatan and i look forward to going back again. The Mahogany Bay beach is only accessable by chair lift or walking. It'd be a pretty long walk for a 2 yo but if you had a stroller with you you'd be there in no time.

 

We did the beach our 1st time there and then took a cab tour and visited the island the last time. We enjoyed some time @ the wst end beaches and got some great pics.

 

I haven't been nearly as comfortable outsid of the port area in Belize and would really only think about taking programmed excursions and not wondering off on my own. My next time thee will be with a group from work and several in the group want to ride the air boats.

[cruzinlisa]

Sounds good, thank you. I am not sure about Belize yet and what to do, although I have heard to book with the ship for various reasons so if we do an excursion we probably will. But I have to find one that interests us. Roatan, I would probably like to do a beach day, that is usually good with a toddler. Cozumel will probably be beach club sort of day too, which makes me want to do an excursion in Belize.

 

In Belize- I thought about ruins, but we went to the ruins in Tulum (Mexico) the second week of May and it was sweltering hot. We are going the third week of April this cruise so its similar time. Is there a lot of walking?

[jimbo5544]

What do you mean "had to get out of the water on the beach"?

 

Easy enough walk to beach in Roatan. They also have chair lift. I think the price is up to $12 now for all day back and forth per person, a bit high I think.

We were on the beach (in the water) when the 2nd ship backed in. They actually herded the people out on the side nearest where the ships dock.

[jimbo5544]

Two ships can be at the Isla Roatan dock at the same time. Sure makes for a crowd at the port and beaches.

Yes on both counts, although the 2nd came in about two hours after ours. Pulling out was tricky as well.

[jimbo5544]

Like the others have mentioned, Belize tender, Roatan dock.

 

Roatan was my favorite to dock as we were in the aft and as it backed in (the Glory) it was like we were at the front of the ship pulling in. It was awesome!

We were in an aft wrap (closest to the pier). You are absolutely correct it was like that.

[Cruisegirl6]

STU

When we go to Roatan we will be the only ship there that day. :)

 

We not getting off at Belitze staying on the ship for many reasons, heck may be the day I actually can sleep late lol