Whats the best thing to do in Belize

[labrady]

Before I spend 3 days reading through all the forums ;) thought I would just ask. What is the best excursion in Belize besides scuba? DH and I are traveling with our 8yo daughter and this is our first cruise. We have booked snuba, snorkeling and fishing at the other 3 ports. We have heard about a 50/50 split on book through RC or book online with other places. Some say it is a little scary to book outside the cruise line. However, some sites say my 8yo can go on their tours and some RC excursions list 12yo or older. I have no idea what to do. Any suggestions?

Thanks for any help you can offer!!!

[Scooter-n-GB]

My .02: DW and I did an combo-excursion to Altun Ha and a boat trip on Rio Wallace. Not sure if your cruiseline will offer this, but something to consider.:)

 

Only reason I would suggest going thru cruiseline, is this is a tendering port, and you will have priority tendering, so that you make your excursion.

[DonMar]

While I have not done much in Belize, I can tell you that I really enjoyed our trip to Lamanai. (It was the best excursion we did.) I do not know if it would be the best trip for an 8yo as it has an hour drive then an hour very fast boat ride to the site. We also booked the excursion through a private operator and ran the risk of missing the ship. Everyone who posts having gone on this trip has made it back - as did we.

 

When I was planning our February cruise, I selected something different in each port and the ruins (history) was the focus of Belize. Altun Hu might be an easier trip with an 8yo.

[OttoCal]

If you are interested in Mayan Ruins, that would be fabulous. Otherwise, take a fast ferry trip to Caye Caulker, walk around the island, have a nice lunch, some Belekin Beers, it has a laid back vibe, cute tourisy shops where the sales staff is not aggressive, and it is really pretty. You can get the ferry right next to where you will be dropped off from the cruise ship, and the outgoing and return times are clearly posted. Buy tickets for the outgoing time you want, get on the ferry, and be back on the dock a few minutes ahead of the return time. They ferries run on time, but you probably would want to take one back with enough return time so that there is still time to get a later one if you miss it. (As in, don't take the last ferry back that gets you back to the dock area 20 minutes before you need to be on the ship).

 

You won't need a map or a guide, and can walk around at your own pace.

[Warmer Climes]

We did cave-tubing.com with our 8 y.o. daughter in February and she loved it. Their safety practices seemed to us to be much better than the cruise tours we saw there. The water was a little chilly but this was DD's favorite excursion. You book ahead and pay at the end of the excursion and it's about half the price of the cruise excursion.

 

Barb

[April22legend]

We did cave-tubing.com with our 8 y.o. daughter in February and she loved it. Their safety practices seemed to us to be much better than the cruise tours we saw there. The water was a little chilly but this was DD's favorite excursion. You book ahead and pay at the end of the excursion and it's about half the price of the cruise excursion.

 

Barb

Just how cold is "a little Chilly". I was considering doing this with my mom and 2 children (ages 10 & 8) but am a little concerned about the temperature of the water. We are from Florida and don't like the cold too much...any experience from previous cruisers would be appreciated ;) .

[Goulaigan]

Before I spend 3 days reading through all the forums ;) thought I would just ask. What is the best excursion in Belize besides scuba? DH and I are traveling with our 8yo daughter and this is our first cruise. We have booked snuba, snorkeling and fishing at the other 3 ports. We have heard about a 50/50 split on book through RC or book online with other places. Some say it is a little scary to book outside the cruise line. However, some sites say my 8yo can go on their tours and some RC excursions list 12yo or older. I have no idea what to do. Any suggestions?

Thanks for any help you can offer!!!

I hope this does not end up a double thread. I am on dial up and have been interupted three times! We just got back 2 weeks ago from Belize. We went to Smugglers Run for horseback riding and lunch. Three of our group were not comfortable riding so Trevor and Cathy set them up in a neat horse drawn wagon to tour the property. They arranged it so both tours ended at the same spot and time so that we could all ride the wagon to the papala for lunch. Everyone had a great time. We hope to return next year! This is a picture of the Papala where we ate lunch. Check out their web site at www.smugglersrunplantation.com

[Ya Ya Cruiser]

We just got back last night from our cruise with a stop in Belize. We did a tour with Martin Deras; his company is Ecological Tours - we did a snorkel with a stop at Caye Caulker. We did a stop at the Coral Gardens, a stop at Shark Ray Alley - the rays were amazing! and had about an hour and a half at Caye Caulker - a great day - the boat is not large as they have to be careful with the size of boats that go to the snorkel area as it is a protected marine park, but there were young kids on the trip.

 

Might be an option for you.

 

YaYa

[Too blessed to be stressed]

Just how cold is "a little Chilly". I was considering doing this with my mom and 2 children (ages 10 & 8) but am a little concerned about the temperature of the water. We are from Florida and don't like the cold too much...any experience from previous cruisers would be appreciated ;) .

 

We did this cave-tubing.com and thought it was much better and safer then the cruise excursion. The water was not bad at all. The rivers in Texas are much colder! Great adventure even for a child.

[TXTraveler]

We just got back from Belize, and we also booked through cave-tubing.com. This was the first time that we booked a trip without going through the cruise company, and I was very nervous. I was impressed with Cave-Tubing.com from the moment we met the guys at the pier. A few families were late, and rather than make the rest of us stand around and wait, they loaded us up on their bus and took us on a tour of the city. By the time we got back, all but one family was ready to go. One of the Cave-Tubing.com guys stayed behind to wait on that one family.

 

We did 2 caves for half of the price that tours cost when booked through the cruise ship AND those tours only do one cave. A city tour and 2 caves for half the price is a great deal. The Cave-Tubing guys made sure that we were back several hours before the last tender to our ship.

 

The people in our group with little kids or non-swimmers were put at the front of our human chains so that the guides could keep an eye out for their safety.

 

 

On our previous trip to Belize, we booked a snorkeling trip through the ship. We had a great time on that trip, as well.

 

Maybe next time we'll try swimming with sharks!

[Belizehereicum]

******************* they will cater to your needs supplying snacks, body suits (for those of us who like the water warm), snorkel gear and the best secluded amazing spots in the protected park on a totally different island than everyone else, they are very accomodating.

[BottledRed]

I hope this does not end up a double thread. I am on dial up and have been interupted three times! We just got back 2 weeks ago from Belize. We went to Smugglers Run for horseback riding and lunch. Three of our group were not comfortable riding so Trevor and Cathy set them up in a neat horse drawn wagon to tour the property. They arranged it so both tours ended at the same spot and time so that we could all ride the wagon to the papala for lunch. Everyone had a great time. We hope to return next year! This is a picture of the Papala where we ate lunch.[ATTACH]39925[/ATTACH] Check out their web site at www.smugglersrunplantation.com

 

This sounds exactly like what DH and I would like to do in Belize! Approx. how much did it cost?

[TeeBuccs]

We just got back last night from our cruise with a stop in Belize. We did a tour with Martin Deras; his company is Ecological Tours - we did a snorkel with a stop at Caye Caulker. We did a stop at the Coral Gardens, a stop at Shark Ray Alley - the rays were amazing! and had about an hour and a half at Caye Caulker - a great day - the boat is not large as they have to be careful with the size of boats that go to the snorkel area as it is a protected marine park, but there were young kids on the trip.

 

Might be an option for you.

 

YaYa

 

 

Do you mind me asking where you met up/connected with Eco Tours upon arrival? If I book with them online I am curios where you meet and if they guarantee to work around your ship's schedule to get you back in time. We are sailing Valor in three weeks and Belize is the only port that remains "unplanned."

 

Thanks!

[suzepoo]

We had a group of 15 last year and booked with the GREATEST company for less than HALF what the cruise line wanted, and no BUS, just a very comfortable van.....we also had an AWESOME lunch in the cutest "glass house" at the Jaguar Paw Resort.....$85 per person and I GUARANTEE you one of the GREATEST days of your life!!! Narciso was our guide and who you will most likely hear from if you ask questions or book with them. Their website is c belize dot com (if you try to type that here, it will **** it out) so just type that in your address line......INCREDIBLE and no worries about missing your ship as they would be OUT of business if they weren't dependable! Hope this helps!!!:D

[Yobro]

I've spent a couple of weeks of vacation in this beautiful country. If you like to snorkel and appreciate good healthy reefs, then you've got to go to the Cayes. Belize has some of the most healthy reefs and beautiful cayes in the world in my opinion. I've been all over the Caribbean and the barrier reef off of Belize is the all-time best in my opinion. The diving is great, the snorkeling is unreal and the beautiful cayes are picture perfect. Not to take away from Belize's jungles (Which really are beautiful as well), but paradise in Belize is found in the barrier reef.

[mariapd719]

Im going with my chunky cousin...LOL is there a weight limit for the zipline? Hes about 260 or so

[suzepoo]

but my DH is 240 and had NO problems....check their website as I believe it posts the maximum waist size...... it is "c belize dot com" ..... if I try to type it here it will X it out.......HAVE FUN and be sure to tell Narciso that Suzanne sent ya! Let me know if you decide to book and when you are going, ok??? GUARANTEED GREAT TIME!!:D

[suzepoo]

maximum waist size is 46 inches....hope that helps!!:D

[mariapd719]

Well is that above the belly or below the belly because apparently men have a different idea of where their waist is actually located :rolleyes: LOL

 

Thanks for the info ...he might be able to go if he sucks it in

[lmmn]

Just how cold is "a little Chilly". I was considering doing this with my mom and 2 children (ages 10 & 8) but am a little concerned about the temperature of the water. We are from Florida and don't like the cold too much...any experience from previous cruisers would be appreciated ;) .

When they put together the chain, you do not want to be the first or second tube in the chain if you tend to get chilly. The guide will go to the front of the chain. They have to paddle aggressively to move the chain, but these strong, strong guides have big splashes when they paddle, and people in the first couple tubes in the chain get wet, and makes it more chilly.

 

I have mentioned this several times...but be sure to get on the first tender and the first bus...much less waiting.

[OttoCal]

I think 'chilly' really refers to the fact that the water in the rivers is not as warm as the fabulous Caribbean sea temps. It is 'refreshing' compared to the 80-85 degree water temps that you may have experienced during sea excursions.

 

So water temps probably in the 70s for the tubing activities. Kids will love it- they usually adjust to the water better than us wimpy adults!! If you grew up in the Northeast and are used to the cooler Atlantic or inland lake temperatures- well, it won't be that cold!

[rgeib01]

Not sure about all the things to do in Belize, but we went cave tubing with ***** Adventures (belizecavetubing. net) and loved it. Only $35 per person. Not only was it the cheapest, it was also the best. Our tour did way more than any other we saw, and the guides were awesome. They hooked us all together, which was perfect for us. My stepdaughter is afraid of everything, and having us hooked together was the only way she would have felt safe. Had we taken the cruise ship tour, I don't think she would have done it because they were all floating down on their own, some without a guide even in sight! Our guide stayed with my stepdaughter the entire trip once he realized she was scared. Even after we were all allowed to split apart and float down the lazy part on our own, he stuck with us, not letting go of her tube once. Our tour included getting out at a certain point in the caves where the ground rose above water. All the other tours passed on by, which was too bad, because it was breathtaking. I thought cave tubing was a great adventure, and I am so glad we did it.

 

I thought the cruise line tours were way overpriced and weren't as good as the private tours. These private tours make their money off of the cruise lines and they aren't going to mess up. They know the time your ship arrives, they know what time you have to be back. I was worried at first. Now that I've done it, I know I'll never book through a cruise line. Yeah, they make sure the people who've booked with them get off first...that's their way of trying to force you into booking with them and making a profit. Not worth it. Just get up early and get the first tender ticket. Or you could do what we did (which I don't recommend - this was our first cruise/first tender and we had no clue what we were doing)....get there LATE, get one of the LAST tender tickets, then once you realize you might not be getting off the boat until 11:00, FRANTICALLY talk to the guys guarding the line and hope like crazy they'll tell you to just get in line and try to fit you in on the next tender boat! :)

[iluv2travl]

Before I spend 3 days reading through all the forums ;) thought I would just ask. What is the best excursion in Belize besides scuba? DH and I are traveling with our 8yo daughter and this is our first cruise. We have booked snuba, snorkeling and fishing at the other 3 ports. We have heard about a 50/50 split on book through RC or book online with other places. Some say it is a little scary to book outside the cruise line. However, some sites say my 8yo can go on their tours and some RC excursions list 12yo or older. I have no idea what to do. Any suggestions?

Thanks for any help you can offer!!!

 

We went on the Land Rover, Cave, River, and Jungle Experience through RCCL on the Legend. That was still the best excursion ever. My son was 8 at the time as well. He loved it and so did we! It's very exotic, and much better than walking around Belize City (which you will still get to do when the excursion is over). However, this would not be the excursion for your family if......you have any medical or physical limitations. There are sections of the caves where you literally must climb around bolders and such with headlamps on. If you have no limitations I would choose this tour. It's totally incredible and worth every dollar!

 

Lori

[suzepoo]

I'm so glad you had a good time! We can't WAIT to go back in October and visit Narciso again....he's WONDERFUL and will answer any and all questions either by email or instant message before you cruise, and if he is your guide for the day in Belize, then he will answer any and all questions you have about Belize, too, as he was born there and is VERY knowledgeable! Please tell him that Suzanne sent you, too! It's an AWESOME time for sure!!!:D

[dalwhitt]

I've never been cave tubing and was wondering if there are any claustiphobia concerns.