Harvest Caye- very disappointed.

[Joannel1958]

Belize is a very beautiful place. Not Harvest Caye. NCL has created a beach where you spend the day. There are not enough chairs on the beach or by the pool. The sand is very coarse, You can not walk bare foot. The water is a lagoon so it is stagnant. There are not any floats or tubes to rent.

 

The pool was nice. Drinks are way overpriced and you have to pay for the food. There are only two restrooms on the island. There are plenty of gift shops if you want a $15.00 coozie or a $7.00 chocolate bar.

 

We have been to other private islands and this is the worst. Tried to get a snorkeling excursion but NCL does not allow any private excursions on the island.

 

Very disappointing. Went back on the ship for lunch and they must assume everyone is off the ship. Only 1/4 of the buffet was open for lunch. Way too crowed and not refilled as items were taken.

[brookie848]

Sorry you didn't enjoy the stop. We're really looking forward to our time there next week.

 

By the way, a quick glance at the map shows at least seven rest rooms on the island. My husband has kidney issues and this is always a concern for us. I just didn't want your statement of there only being two to freak people out.

[js]

Sorry you didnt enjoy your time at Harvest Caye. I plan on doing lunch and drinks during the day and would like to pay cash. Were you able to use cash on the island in addition to your card? I budgeted $150 for two people for lunch and drinks. Do you suggest I increase that amount? Im not really sure how much food and drink are going for on the island.

 

Hi Brookie! See you soon! We have a beach cabana on Harvest Caye and I think you do too, correct?

 

Thanks again OP. I always appreciate reading feedback...good or bad.

 

 

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[brookie848]

Sorry you didnt enjoy your time at Harvest Caye. I plan on doing lunch and drinks during the day and would like to pay cash. Were you able to use cash on the island in addition to your card? I budgeted $150 for two people for lunch and drinks. Do you suggest I increase that amount? Im not really sure how much food and drink are going for on the island.

 

Hi Brookie! See you soon! We have a beach cabana on Harvest Caye and I think you do too, correct?

 

Thanks again OP. I always appreciate reading feedback...good or bad.

 

 

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Yes, we do have a Cabana. I'm thinking we can definitely get lunch for less than $30/person. And I saw one menu with bottles of wine being less than $20, so we might we do one of those.

 

 

We will see you on Sunday morning either in the waiting Haven waiting area or the lounge! I'm going to try to remember for us to have Mardi Gras beads on then.

[Thrilled2012]

I'm sorry you didn't enjoy it :(. I've heard other people on here say that they were not fond of it either, plus a real life friend who said that it was the worst private island that she has been too. She said she still had fun though and she is not a picky person so for her to say this makes me not want to go. I am bummed though, because I love the western Caribbean itinerary. We don't like to just hang on beaches without snorkeling or doing some activity. I'm glad we got to go to Belize last November when the Getaway still went to Belize City and we could do an excursion. The next time we go back to Belize I guess we'll have to choose a line/ship that goes to Belize City so that we can zipline.

[BostonGal35]

that STINKS about there being limited food on the ship.

 

we are stopping here on our New Year's cruise. the plan was to get off for a few hours in the morning, then come back for free lunch on the ship and hang by the uncrowded pool. we are in a suite for this particular sailing (yay!) so we'll just make sure our butler sets us up.

 

a shame, as we love GSC. no idea why this private island doesnt have free food or allow use of UBP like GSC. we rarely pay for food and drink in port when you can get it on the ship for free.

[cb at sea]

This is not a "typical" private island...yes, it's private to the cruise line folks, but it's not entirely RUN by the cruise line.....

[www3traveler]

Harvest Caye is a collaboration between the government of Belize and Norwegian. It is run by a Food and Beverage Concessionaire from Belize and all of the staff on the island are from Belize. The staff on Great Stirrup Caye comes from whatever ship is anchored there.

 

Yes there is a zip line, I have done it.

[brockwell]

I was at Harvest Caye in January with my family of six and we all loved it. I think it depends what you're looking for but we enjoyed a nice relaxing day on a beautiful beach that wasn't crowded at all. We commented on how there seemed to be hundreds of extra lounge chairs. Not sure why our experience was so different but I can't think of one complaint. We did not eat there however, and only bought a few drinks as our departure time was 1pm. We all agreed when we left that we would love to go back again someday.

 

Oh, and we all walked barefoot no problem. It certainly wasn't the best sand in the Caribbean but we got used to it.

[WYTinman]

Belize is a very beautiful place. Not Harvest Caye. NCL has created a beach where you spend the day. There are not enough chairs on the beach or by the pool.

 

I'm throwing the "BS" flag on this one.

 

If you couldn't find a chair at Harvest Caye. You didn't leave the ship!

[spidybabe]

We found the island to be beautiful, boring and overpriced. We would much rather go to mainland Belize or Great Stirrup Caye (where food and drinks are included -alcohol too if you have the UBP).

Safe sailing

 

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[PhillyTravelBug]

I am soooo glad we went in September. We did the cave tubing and zip lining in the jungle. It was an hour drive inland and got to see the country while hearing all about Belize from our tour guide. This stop was the highlight of the trip for me.

 

Sorry to hear about your experience,

[MagnoliaBlossom]

We too, didn't care for HC. It is beautifully done and the zip line is terrific. We had an enjoyable time watching folks on the zip line. There seemed to be a zillion chairs, so it is confusing that the OP couldn't find chairs.

Food and beverages were expensive, so once we had wandered about and seen it all, we returned to the ship where we had free food and UBP. If you are a beach person this is a nice place, especially the pool would be nice for small children, but we are not sun worshippers so it just wasn't our thing.

 

But - all is not negative, the blue morphs were wonderful, don't miss them.

[khaide612]

I was there in January. Chairs galore! And people were complaining that the water was too rough.

 

For the time that we were stopped there I didn't feel the need to eat. There were water stops available on the paths and misting fans to keep you cool so no need to buy a drink either.

 

I saw a few bathrooms too so not sure what the OP is talking about. I will agree that the chocolate was expensive but will add that Harvest Caye was our last stop and the chocolate prices were consistent with what we found in the other ports.

 

I also went back to the ship for lunch and had no issue in the buffet - maybe OP went at one of those weird times? The dining room and O'Sheehan's were also open.

[QuickieGlenn]

Went there a couple or weeks ago , it is a beautiful island, I saw plenty of chairs open, people having fun drinking & eating and enjoying themselves. I saw they sold chocolate did not price it and it was so warm it would have melted. I think people do not like that they have to pay for things on the island and that opens up the flood gates to complain. We did not drink or eat on the island, I am in a wheelchair so I cannot enjoy the beach and all the activities. I pushed all over the island, did some shopping, people watched. I still had a good time

[Demonyte]

I also went back to the ship for lunch and had no issue in the buffet - maybe OP went at one of those weird times? The dining room and O'Sheehan's were also open.

 

MDR open for lunch on a regular port day? Never on the cruises I've taken in the last couple of years at least (NCL did away with that years ago).

[champagne lover]

Is there a Margaritaville restaurant on the island, I was sure I had read that somewhere?

[Coastalbreezes]

Is there a Margaritaville restaurant on the island, I was sure I had read that somewhere?

 

 

No Margaritaville. There's a place called the Landshark Bar & Grill.

 

Also to the OP, you didn't mention what ship you were on, but wasn't O'Sheehans an option for lunch on board?

 

 

Tracy

[Vacationdreamer<><]

I'm sad to hear this. I was hoping another cruise line would give DCL's Castaway Cay a run for its money.

Why can't every line do what Disney did?

 

Coarse sand is gross. Did others find it coarse?

[Thrilled2012]

I'm sad to hear this. I was hoping another cruise line would give DCL's Castaway Cay a run for its money.

Why can't every line do what Disney did?

 

Coarse sand is gross. Did others find it coarse?

 

 

This is the primary reason that my friend did not like this island much (she doesn't care about having to pay for food/drinks). I don't know if it's really the case or not, but she said the coarse sand felt "like a man made beach". Again, I haven't been there myself but I trust my friend because she rarely has anything negative to say. I'll still visit the island myself at some point to experience it first hand though.

[Thrilled2012]

Harvest Caye is a collaboration between the government of Belize and Norwegian. It is run by a Food and Beverage Concessionaire from Belize and all of the staff on the island are from Belize. The staff on Great Stirrup Caye comes from whatever ship is anchored there.

 

Yes there is a zip line, I have done it.

 

Oops, I should have been more clear. I want to zip line through the rainforest like we did last time after cavetubing. Ziplining through the rainforest was so beautiful and I'm looking forward to doing it again 😍

[cage keeper]

This is not a "typical" private island...yes, it's private to the cruise line folks, but it's not entirely RUN by the cruise line.....

 

 

OK, this answered my question. I have never been to a private island where the food wasn't included.

[Laszlo]

Belize is a very beautiful place. Not Harvest Caye. NCL has created a beach where you spend the day. There are not enough chairs on the beach or by the pool. The sand is very coarse, You can not walk bare foot. The water is a lagoon so it is stagnant. There are not any floats or tubes to rent.

 

The pool was nice. Drinks are way overpriced and you have to pay for the food. There are only two restrooms on the island. There are plenty of gift shops if you want a $15.00 coozie or a $7.00 chocolate bar.

 

We have been to other private islands and this is the worst. Tried to get a snorkeling excursion but NCL does not allow any private excursions on the island.

 

Very disappointing. Went back on the ship for lunch and they must assume everyone is off the ship. Only 1/4 of the buffet was open for lunch. Way too crowed and not refilled as items were taken.

 

 

I'm with you, been to Belize twice and loved it. Haven't been to Harvest Caye and don't plan on going there. If we wanted a man made island to visit we would go to GSC. Too many other things to do. Spending the day at a place like that is not on my list to do

[dam64]

LOVED Harvest Caye! Yeah the beach is not the best and the water was not clear but dam that pool was HUGE and amazing! We spent the morning by the pool the afternoon by the beach to try both and all though we love a nice beach the pool won it for us! There is enough chairs by pool and beach don't know what your talking about. The beach is HUGE as well plenty of loungers! The food was also great in the restaurant, a bit pricey but hey your on vacation don't sweat the small stuff! We also did the paddle boat loved it! We walked all over the island and saw the snakes and birds and butterflies! I think NCL did an amazing job with that island. The beach could have been better sand and water but all in all we loved it! I heard NCL is going to build a resort from what the locals told me, with the land further down by the beach, you can tell its not complete and they have more room to grow.

[ashley@cruisecritic]

I visited Harvest Caye with about a dozen other people before ships started calling there, so I can't speak to crowd issues or a lack of beach chairs, but I can say that there's definitely water sports equipment available for rent. There is a lagoon, but that's separate from the beach. The Land Shark restaurant on Harvest Caye is a Jimmy Buffett brand (as is Margaritaville), so it offers a similar vibe. Moho Chocolate, where they sell the aforementioned chocolate bars, is an organic, local chocolatier, which likely explains the price; if you go there, you can also learn how chocolate is made. Everyone who works on Harvest Caye is a local, and the island's development was the result of a partnership with the Belizean government. That's why you'll have to pay for things ashore (like food), just as if it were a regular port of call. There's currently no way to leave the island unless you're on a ship-sponsored excursion, but the line is considering setting up a water taxi that would allow cruisers to visit the Belizean mainland (Placencia) on their own. For more info about the island, our port profile is here: http://www.cruisecritic.com/ports/newport.cfm?ID=8216.