Lamanai Ruins on your own

[kelster42]

Okay can you do the Lamanai Ruins trip on your own or should you book through the ship?

[beancounterbeth]

We just booked our Lamanai tour through RCL. From what I have heard it is a long tour and you risk being left behind if you try to take this tour any way other than through the ship.

[ute_fan]

I'd also recommend this one through the ship. We were on the first tender off the ship, and the next to the last one back, and we only stopped in the tourist village for about 15 minutes. I'd definitely be worried about doing this one without the added protection of knowing the ship was waiting for me. In addition to the boat ride, which is about 1 hour long, there is also an approximately hour long bus ride. If anything broke down on either of those journeys, you would be in serious danger of missing the ship.

[Mike2131]

We just booked our Lamanai tour through RCL. From what I have heard it is a long tour and you risk being left behind if you try to take this tour any way other than through the ship.

 

Belize City is a tender port and the ride in was fairly lengthy. I think we made either the next to last or last tender back. We had no worries since it was a ship's tour, but, since it is such a long excursion, I probably would not risk an independent tour in this port.

[Zeno]

We also booked Lamanai through the ship. It really is an all-day excursion - we arrived back at the tender docks just in time for the 2nd last tender. If it were not a tender port OR a shorter excursion I would have booked it on my own since this is what I prefer to do. However it made the day more relaxing knowing that if we were delayed significantly (and we actually were a little late) we need not be concerned.

Also when we were investigating this excursion, the independent ones were only about $10 cheaper - so I felt that my piece of mind was worth $10.

[kelster42]

thanks for all the tips

[HeatherMaureen]

This is the information in case you choose to do it by yourself...

The regular trip departs Tower Hill Bridge. 8 miles south of Orange Walk Town at 9:30am. Belize Time. The trip last til 3pm. Belize Time. The price is 40USD...From Belize City you need to take a taxi to get you there and back. The traveling time to reach is one hour exact...As long as you leave by 8:30am you will make it and you will be back by 4pm Belize time...The taxi ride should be 100USD for 4 people...he will wait for you...don't pay until you return. Total trip cost for 4 people is 65USD. if you do it on your own. compare this to what the ship offers. The name of the Lamanai tour is Reyes and Sons. They always have trips going. they only need three min....if you tell them you are from the ship they will get you back by 2pm...

have fun. it is a great trip.

[BobbieSu]

While it would certainly be possible to catch an early tender (fighting in line), find yourself a taxi (is it air conditioned?), make arrangements at the boat dock for a trip down river (the only way to get there), look around Lamanai yourself wondering what you are seeing, sit at the edge of the lagoon eating your stowed away sandwiches and drinks from the ship (there were no eating facilities), worry about getting back in time for that last long tender ride back to the ship anchored 15 miles from shore, I'm sure you could save money, not have to be led around in a small group (ours was 38 people), and have the adventure you are looking for.

 

I am grateful we had Javier to deal with the police, tell us about Belize, the New river wildlife and Lamanai, have our wonderfully tasty Belizean lunch waiting and ready for us there. For $89 pp I sat back relaxed and soaked in the experience I had hoped for. Lamanai remains the highlight of our cruise.

 

If I were to stay in Belize I could see doing it on my own, but the time frame just doesn't allow that and still allow you to enjoy the experience rather than fret about that tender out there leaving you behind.

 

My two cents,

Su

[sweetdardar]

If you are interested in the Lamanai tour without booking through the cruiseship, you can book a trip through

Belizecruiseexcursions.com. The websight says it all. We booked this tour last time we were in Belize, the office where you pay is right inside terminal. It was raining when we were there so they set up another tour at a location on the island where it wasnt raining and we ended up going to a smaller ruin for a lesser price but we were the only two people there. They were wonderful and it was $75 for the Lamanai tour p/p also including lunch.