Tendering to Meet Private Tubing Company

[math_teacher]

I want to book with one the private Tubing companies in Belize but am a little worried about being able to get an early Tender from Carnival. Has anyone had any experience in this and what is the easiest way to get a tender?

[Bob7]

We did that on the CCL Miracle last month. All the ships anchor a long way from Belize, you can hardly see it on the horizon, many sandbars, cruise ships have run aground. But the tenders are speedboats, huge twin outboards on them, they really fly, took about 10-15 minutes. As always, ship tours get the first tenders. When debarkation is announced they won't let anyone down the stairs without a ship tour sticker until all the ship tours are gone. Our shipmates got off early on one of the ship tour tenders by going down to the gangway area early, before the announcement, near the computers where they beep you off with your card. If you get that far there is no control on who gets on. When they start loading people just get on, but make sure that tender is going to the Cruise Village at the port, and it's not some other tour to a caye or island or one of the other locations, ask the ppl getting on or the guys at the gangway. One of the crew let us down on a later ship tour tender that had empty seats, b/c she knew we were trying to get to our private tour, sweet lady. If you get one it will save you 1-1.5 hours. But your private tour will wait for you at the dock, they know the routine. But getting off early allows you more time to do stuff. It allowed us to take longer on our cave walking tour, some photos below in the Walking the Caves thread.

Good luck!

-Bob

[David and Mary]

We were on the Valor last month and booked a private tour, we went upstairs early and they took all of us on one of the first tenders off as they had room. The operators know the way the cruise lines work and do everything they can to make sure no one gets left behind. They even have a list of people who has booked and do a roll call making sure everyone is there. Don't worry just have fun!!

[vermonter16]

We went to the theatre with the first tours and explained to the gentleman that we had a flight we needed to catch (it was true) and that we needed to get off quickly. He loaded the tours on and then when their was room we hopped on. We got out pretty fast.