tender question

[txtravelerfamily]

Good morning everyone,

I would like to book an outside vendor excursion when we are in Belize in November. I am looking at an excursion that may require we get to the Municipal airport for a flight as well. How do the tenders work?? We do not have FFT and I am afraid it will take us hours to get off the boat. Any input would be appreciated.. TIA..

 

:):):)

[Purvis1231]

If you are spending a lot of money on the excursion, FTTF maybe a good investment. You may have a wait a little to get off the ship.

[Micahs Grandad]

If you go early to lounge where they are giving out tender tickets, see a social host tell them you need to get off early they will work you into an early tender

[RuthlessBoss]

What hours do you expect to be at (actually near) Belize? I think the reality of your plan does not fit what you think it will be. I guess you've never made a stop at Belize before.

[beachbum53]

Good morning everyone,

I would like to book an outside vendor excursion when we are in Belize in November. I am looking at an excursion that may require we get to the Municipal airport for a flight as well. How do the tenders work?? We do not have FFT and I am afraid it will take us hours to get off the boat. Any input would be appreciated.. TIA..

 

:):):)

 

Doesn't the vendor provide your transportation from the port to the airport? I would definitely try to get FTTF first, before booking the excursion.

[txtravelerfamily]

The vendor includes the cost of the flight, but it would require a cab ride to get to the airport. We have not been to Belize before, which is why I am a little leery. My husband and older daughter would like to snorkel at Shark Ray Alley but myself and younger daughter don't like snorkeling . The Carnival Excursion is expensive, considering 2 of us would not even get in the water. I guess my husband and older daughter could do the Carnival Excursion and my younger daughter and I could do something else, but that isn't ideal.

We do have trip insurance, but I am not sure if it covers the ship leaving without us.

[cruzeluver]

Unless something out of the ordinary happens, it should not take you hours after arriving to get ashore. Both times we have been to Belize we booked private tours. We arrived at the location designated for getting tender tickets a few minutes before they started handing them out and were off the ship in no time.

[riffatsea]

I often book outside excursions but a plane ride somewhere sounds a bit too dangerous to me on a cruise stop. Perhaps ask in the port of call board to see if others have done this excursion easily from your ship.

I wouldn't book it unless I had lots of recs from people who had done it previously.

[Savlamara]

I'd like to know what type of excursion involves s flight as well...

[cherbear4000]

When getting off the ship at a tender port and you are not on a Carnival excursion, you have to stand in line in one of the lounges and they hand out number stickers. When your number is called, you will be led down to the tender boats. The earlier you line up to get your sticker, the earlier you will be off the boat.

[evandbob]

I'd like to know what type of excursion involves s flight as well...

 

An excursion to the isle of Ambergris Cay needs a short flight from the local Belize City airport to San Pedro. The original Shark Ray Alley is located a short boat ride off San Pedro in the Hol Chan Marine Park.

 

The present Carnival excursion to "Shark Ray Alley" is actually to Caulker Cay, which is a bit closer to where the ships anchor.

 

My 1st Carnival cruise had an excursion to the original Shark Ray Alley directly from the anchored Paradise. I step off the Paradise and the excursion boat zoomed off to Shark Ray Alley without going to the Belize port, saving time and making the excursion possible during the hours of the port stop.

 

A few years after I visited San Pedro, I went back for a land vacay, and flew into Belize International. We then had to make our way to the local airport for the short hop to San Pedro and Ambergris.

Edited March 4, 2016 by evandbob

[riffatsea]

I know people who spend vacation time on Ambergris Cay. They love it but not sure I'd go there on an excursion if I was not interested in snorkeling and just wanted a beach. Up to you of course.

[evandbob]

I know people who spend vacation time on Ambergris Cay. They love it but not sure I'd go there on an excursion if I was not interested in snorkeling and just wanted a beach. Up to you of course.

 

The beaches on Ambergris are indeed nothing special. The waters there are all protected, so most beaches have an abundance of sea grass growing.

 

The iconic picture of a wooden dock extending from a beach into the ocean derives in part from the numerous docks on Ambergris that allow swimmers to get out past the sea grass prevalent in the shallow waters and swim or snorkel off the end of the pier in the deeper waters.

Edited March 4, 2016 by evandbob

[sid_9169]

The vendor includes the cost of the flight, but it would require a cab ride to get to the airport. We have not been to Belize before, which is why I am a little leery. My husband and older daughter would like to snorkel at Shark Ray Alley but myself and younger daughter don't like snorkeling . The Carnival Excursion is expensive, considering 2 of us would not even get in the water. I guess my husband and older daughter could do the Carnival Excursion and my younger daughter and I could do something else, but that isn't ideal.

We do have trip insurance, but I am not sure if it covers the ship leaving without us.

 

I have done the excursion you are talking about. Just try to get a tender ticket/ number at the designated area early and you will be fine. It's only about a five to ten minute cab ride to the airport, and they will have your flight info there. I ended up being early, and actually waited at the airport for about 45 minutes before the flight. The flight and the excursion itself is worth it, plus I had some time to have lunch and walk around the city of San Pedro before time to fly back to Belize city...

[txtravelerfamily]

An excursion to the isle of Ambergris Cay needs a short flight from the local Belize City airport to San Pedro. The original Shark Ray Alley is located a short boat ride off San Pedro in the Hol Chan Marine Park.

 

The present Carnival excursion to "Shark Ray Alley" is actually to Caulker Cay, which is a bit closer to where the ships anchor.

 

My 1st Carnival cruise had an excursion to the original Shark Ray Alley directly from the anchored Paradise. I step off the Paradise and the excursion boat zoomed off to Shark Ray Alley without going to the Belize port, saving time and making the excursion possible during the hours of the port stop.

 

A few years after I visited San Pedro, I went back for a land vacay, and flew into Belize International. We then had to make our way to the local airport for the short hop to San Pedro and Ambergris.

 

This is exactly it. The excursion i found is thru Shore Excursioneer. The plane ride itself sounds fun, They have a back to ship guarantee although if the airport had to shut down, i don't know how we would get back to the mainland.

[txtravelerfamily]

I would actually consider booking the Carnival Shark/Ray snorkeling tour for my husband and daughter, if my other daughter and I could find a way to get to Caye Caulker on our own

[txtravelerfamily]

I have done the excursion you are talking about. Just try to get a tender ticket/ number at the designated area early and you will be fine. It's only about a five to ten minute cab ride to the airport, and they will have your flight info there. I ended up being early, and actually waited at the airport for about 45 minutes before the flight. The flight and the excursion itself is worth it, plus I had some time to have lunch and walk around the city of San Pedro before time to fly back to Belize city...

 

It sounds like a great excursion, but I don't know if I am brave enough to attempt it considering the chance of being left behind in Belize. Ughhh, decisions decisions

[Savlamara]

It sounds like a great excursion, but I don't know if I am brave enough to attempt it considering the chance of being left behind in Belize. Ughhh, decisions decisions

 

Exactly my thoughts

[A&Jfamily]

Don't be surprised if they don't have a tender number system for non-carnival excursions. On our last cruise in Grand Cayman we just followed the sign to tender area. They stopped us on deck 1. Next to us ok the outside stairwell was a line for Carnival excursions. They started them first but wishing 5 minutes they were walking us to mid ship for 2nd tender.

[RuthlessBoss]

It sounds like a great excursion, but I don't know if I am brave enough to attempt it considering the chance of being left behind in Belize. Ughhh, decisions decisions

 

They say you are safe on an excursion, yet you are forewarned by the ship not to go outside "the wall" at the cruise port itself. We saw some of the city and we were not comfortable at all.

[LuvtheBeach10]

The vendor includes the cost of the flight, but it would require a cab ride to get to the airport. We have not been to Belize before, which is why I am a little leery. My husband and older daughter would like to snorkel at Shark Ray Alley but myself and younger daughter don't like snorkeling . The Carnival Excursion is expensive, considering 2 of us would not even get in the water. I guess my husband and older daughter could do the Carnival Excursion and my younger daughter and I could do something else, but that isn't ideal.

We do have trip insurance, but I am not sure if it covers the ship leaving without us.

 

We did a tour a few years ago when we went to Belize. It was the Shark Ray Alley by Air, I think it was by EcoTours. We were picked up at the port and taken to the airport (wasn't very far) and it was about a 15 min. flight to San Pedro. We got to see everything by air and then the snorkeling was amazing, saw tons of stingrays, an eel, some turtles and then went to a different spot and swam with nurse sharks. The planes are taking off pretty regularly, we were back by 3pm and had plenty of time to make it back to the ship. I wouldn't hesitate to do this tour again!

[leekristina25]

I would actually consider booking the Carnival Shark/Ray snorkeling tour for my husband and daughter, if my other daughter and I could find a way to get to Caye Caulker on our own

 

 

If you book privately with Coral Breeze your entire family could ride together to Caye Caulker and then you could stay on the island while the others snorkel.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app