Goff's Caye, Canopy Tour, and Coral Breeze Excursions Review - Just Off 6/19 Elation

[LostFan#1]

OUr party of 13 experienced three different excursions. Five went with Coral Breeze to snorkel, scuba dive, and fly fish. Coral Breeze gets excellent write-ups on this board, and our party highly agrees with that estimation. This party had to get tender tickets, and my sister-in-law says just to be patient. If you think you’re in a line to get a ticket, you probably will be annoyed at those who rush the stage to get tickets when someone does show up. She went at 8:15, and while she was told everyone in her party had to be present, she soon realized that wasn’t true - just ask for the number of tickets you need. She said everyone around her got tickets for the first tender, and waiting in that line was the most tedious. Coral Breeze was waiting for them at the Wet Lizard right at the pier. They boated to Caye Caulker to drop off lunch orders as well as the scuba diver and fly fisherman. Both had almost private tours. High winds made fly fishing very difficult, unfortunately. The scuba diving was very good, “awesome” in my 16 year old nephew’s words. Be prepared to go in a small boat and forge through potentially high waves to get to the scuba site, but apparently it is worth it. They go to the edge of the reef. The rest dropped off lunch orders and went to snorkel - excellent - and then to the rays - also an amazing experience. Coral Breeze was very attentive to my 87-year old mother-in-law, and she got her own private guide!

 

Four others went on the canopy tour. While this is well done - sightseeing info. along the 1-1.5 hour drive, securely harnassed, etc. - and the ziplines are exhilarating, this party saw no birds or animals but did marvel at the beauty of the jungle. If you want to take pictures, get in front of the other members of your party so you can stand on the platform and snap away as they come in for a landing. No professional photographers or videographers are there (imagine that). While this is definitely a unique experience, none in the group thought it was worth the $98 (we went through Carnival as I couldn’t find any private operators who had been used by Cruise Critics members), and 3 wished they had snuba-ed again instead. The whole excursion lasts 5 hours or so, with a lot of waiting while others are tethered and put on the zipline. Take snacks as you will not be given anything but water and maybe fruit juice (I forgot to ask them). Also, take some money with you - we assumed since it was a Carnival excursion (so they were picked up from the ship and did not have to tender with the masses), they would be brought back directly to the ship for security reasons. Not so - they are left at the pier. So, you can shop there before you head back to the ship. Only one in our party left with any money at all, so she became an ATM as well as an aunt.

 

The rest of us, myself included, went on Carnival’s Goff’s Caye snorkeling excursion. We met in one of the lounges, and our excursion boat picked us up right at the ship, which is a plus. We considered trying to get to Goff’s Caye on our own, but we worried that we wouldn’t figure out the water taxi well enough. I’m sure, though, you could save some money. We paid $65 each, and I think the water taxi is $17.50 (one way?). The excursion boat held 40-50 people, and while we motored to the reef, the guides talked a little, passed around laminated cards with fish, coral, and plant life we could expect to see (well, might see), and fitted us with fins. We all had to don a life vest, too, although they said we did not have to inflate them unless we wanted. They showed how to do that as well as how to deflate. Pay attention to how to tighten the crotch strap - when they say it should feel like a “wedgie,” believe them! Mine wasn’t tight enough, and I was constantly trying to get the vest away from my neck. We spent an hour easily at the reef. Three guides were in the water with us, and we were told to periodically lift our heads and stay close to at least one guide. I recommend doing this - while we could always see a guide, I learned later that the guides dove and pointed out fish, coral, etc. I am sorry I missed that. This time, I stayed close - hand in hand - to my husband! We saw amazing fish - the deeply blue fish was our favorite - and lots of coral heads. Then we got back in the boat and went to the tiny Goff’s Caye, and I mean tiny. You can walk tip to tip in a few minutes. But it is quite picturesque - palm trees and white sand. There are two portapotties, but I didn’t use them. There is a small shack to buy snacks and drinks - I saw a menu (they grill lobsters and chicken kabobs, too, which smelled wonderful) but no prices. We drank the provided water and really weren’t hungry - we’d be back at the ship at 12:30 anyway. I did not like the island part of this excursion. Yes, you can snorkel from shore, but you have to wade through a lot of seagrass. It is very shallow, and I did snorkel - saw brain coral and some fish, so it wasn’t a complete waste. If you just want to relax on a white sand beach, then this would be good. Here is what I wished I had done: 1) When we had to leave the reef, I should have asked if some of could stay in the water with one of the guides (or be brought back after dropping others off at the island), and 2) Once at the island, I should have asked one of the guides where to go snorkeling off the little island. I do recommend going off the side the boats dock on; I saw more fish that way. Maybe then a guide would have taken some of us out. For $65, I wanted two hours of reef snorkeling, and I only got an hour. Do walk around the island, and take in all the views of the gorgeous Belizean water - the shades of blue, aqua, turquoise are breathtaking.

 

Any questions?

 

Debbie

[slineberry528]

Thanks for the information on the tender. I am on the Valor July 10 and have booked Coral Breeze tour. I am snorkeling and my 75 year old mother is staying in the boat. Maybe she will have her own private guide!

[LostFan#1]

Good for your mother! If she feels like getting in the water, I am confident the guides will take special care of her. Have a great time!

[TiaGr]

I am on the Valor7/24

 

I want to book but I am unsure of the ship time and port times.Ship docks 9:00 to 6:00 what time will it be in Belize?

 

Any help ........

[mnsawyer]

We did Goff's Caye in early April and enjoyed it. It was great being picked up right at the ship. We did the morning tour and were back on the ship around noon, showered, had lunch on board and then tendered into town. On our cruise, we heard several passengers who had to wait a very long time to get a tender into town - they had independent tours.

 

We tried the chicken kabobs they were cooking at Goff's Caye and they were excellent! I would agree...the island is very small.

 

If I went to Belize again, I would try the Al Tun and River Wallace tour.

[LostFan#1]

TiaGr, When ship times differs from port time, the Capers inform you as does the maitr' d at dinner. We were told to set our clocks back one hour before we went to bed so that we were then on port time. Does that help?

 

Debbie

[slineberry528]

I just read some of the capers from the Valor. It also said about setting clocks back.

[cruise.freak]

We were also on the Elation sailing on 6/19 and did Goff's Caye. It is so beautiful. Snorkleing from the island was good. They had guided tours aroung the island but we just asked the giude were was good and did it on our own since we had a 11.00 year old daughter. We did have the chicken kabobs at 4.00 each and they were wonderful. Our tablemate had the lobster kabob and said the lobster was better there than on the ship. The water is so beautiful at Goff' Caye.

[cruzn buckeye]

Is it true that you have to wear water shoes on this beach? I have read different reviews. We are only interested in lounging on a beach and swimming on this stop.

[mnsawyer]

Not many beaches in Belize....Goff's Caye sand was a bit coarse but we didn't have water shoes and once you got in the water a few feet, it was fine. I do believe that Coral Breezes offers some type of beach excursion on Belize but be aware, you have to wait in line for a tender. Going to Goff's Caye there is no wait in that you are picked up at the ship.

[cruise.freak]

We tried without water shoes and it is semi rocky and it hurt so we just went out with our fins and snorkled.

[slineberry528]

I just got an confirmation about our shore tour in Belize with Coral Breeze. They said because of daylight saving time and workin with the ships our tour will start at 10 and not at 9. These tour operators assured me that they work with the times the cruise ships sail.

[OCruisers]

Debbie .... Your time to do reviews of all three of these excursions is sooooooo appreciated!!! Hope everyone going to Belize will read this helpful thread!

 

Question of Goff's Caye and the "seagrass" situation that maybe you, mnsawyer, or someone can please answer: We actually like being at the beach and just swimming around (now that we no longer have to snorkel or scuba with our girls :p ) and are wondering how much of a problem the seagrass will be? :confused: HELP!

 

Happy Sailing! OCruisers :)

[LostFan#1]

Thanks, OCruisers, for the kind words. I didn't like the seagrass, but once you get out a little further, it isn't a problem, although the water stays shallow for quite a while. Also, I found the grass to be more abundant on the non-dock side of the island. I recommend snorkeling or swimming off the side where the boats dock. Have a great time!

 

Debbie