Booking the Shark-Ray Alley Excursion - Carnival or Private Belize Company? Suggestions?

[CementShoes]

I'm looking to book the Shark/Ray Alley Snorkeling excursion, and am wondering if I should call someone else instead of going through Carnival.

Who would you knowledgeable all recommend and when do I do this and how? Thanks!

[shirleygr]

We used Coral Breeze when we went to Belize in December and thought it was a top notch outfit. If you go to the Belize board, you should be able to find reviews and more information. Also, here is Coral Breeze's website:
www.coralbreezelimitied.com (http://www.coralbreezelimitied.com)
I must say it was some of the best snorkeling I've ever done and we thought Belize was just beautiful. Enjoy!

Shirley
cruising-courtesy-kindness

Family Cruise on Fascination . . . May 3, 2004

NCL Majesty 11/98
CCL Ecstasy 1/01
CCL Fascination 11/01
CCL Fascination 4/03
RCI Majesty of the Seas 8/03
CCL Imagination 12/03
CCL Fascination 5/04

[izzyvet]

I am also booked with Coral Breeze. Can't wait to go, they will be on our first port.

Izzy

NCL Starward 4/92
NCL Wind 12/00
Adventure 4/02
Grandeur 12/02

<MARQUEE>Until Explorer in May!!!!
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Until Carnival Pride:
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Roll Call Explorer 5-23 (http://messages.cruisecritic.com/2/OpenTopic?a=tpc&s=927093444&f=1683059817&m=8863007657)
Roll Call Pride 10/17 (http://messages.cruisecritic.com/2/OpenTopic?a=tpc&s=927093444&f=6963067357&m=95510335)

[tpear3]

I have the same question--as it appears that Carnival is not charging too much more for their tour than Coral Breeze. It seems, since we must tender, that going with Carnival may be the safer bet. Can anyone help provide differences between Carnival's excursion and Coral Breeze?

NCL Sea - 10/00
CCL Inspiration - 11/01

12/19/04 Elation cruise
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[robbyxoxo]

http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_cool.gif...for those looking to save a buck, u can take the earliest water taxi to caye caulker and book a shark/ray alley excursion from there....water taxi is $15 round trip...snorkeling tour can be had though Johnnys for $15 for 3 hours....prices should be close to same still.....timings can be crucial though.....gotta catch early water taxi to get the early snorkeling tour....i dunno what coral breeze charges, but im guessing they cost more..

[guitargirl]

Coral Breeze is $69 for adults, $49 for kids. Less crowded, better food (this is by reputation, I am booked but have not yet gone). Plus, kids as young as 8 can go. Carnival's minimum age is 12.

They can't guarantee it, but often have been able to tender you directly back to the ship.

Glory 6/5 - 4 snorkel trips!!
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[cruisemom2]

I've read all the reviews and I've decided to book through Carnival. If we didn't have to tender there, I might feel differently, but that's just me. Since we've never been to Belize, we're playing it safe this time.

Beth
~~~~~~~~~~~

Countdown to Glory
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Emerald Seas 6/86
Emerald Seas 11/87
S.S. Royale 10/88
Celebration 6/97
Grandeur of the Seas 6/98
Sensation 6/99
Carnival Triumph 6/00
Carnival Triumph 11/17/01
Enchantment of the Seas 10/27/02
Carnival Victory 5/25/03
Carnival Glory 5/22/04

[steveNcindy]

I booked with Coral Breezes and had a great time. They were very aware of what time everyone's ship was leaving port and had us back in plenty of time for the tender. The snorkelling was wonderful and the Coral Breezes staff was excellent.

One note, the day before we were in Belize, an announcement was made that all snorkelling and cave tubing Carnival excursions were being cancelled in Belize due to projected high winds. We quickly fired an email off to Paul who responded that their excursions were still on. We went and it was a beautiful day while most of the people who booked the cruise excursion were out of luck.

Carnival Legend 02/04

Our Cruise Pics
http://community.webshots.com/user/stevencindy

[Dr. Octagon]

If you book Coral Breeze a month in advance, you get 10% off = $62pp. Plus if you have a group of 6+, the sixth person is free. It's really a great deal, not to mention the great reputation they have on these boards.

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Carnival Glory 5/22 - Western

[cruzn buckeye]

We are looking at the Caye Caulker taxi from Coral Breeze. While looking at their website, it has a general e-mail to send the request. How long does it take for them to respond to the request and is there a certain person that we should e-mail to?

Thanks

[steveNcindy]

cruznbuckeye - most of your emails will be answered very quickly. Paul from Coral Breezes handles all the customer service (I believe he is located in Baltimore) and is wonderful to deal with.

Carnival Legend 02/04

Our Cruise Pics
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[cruzn buckeye]

Stevencindy,
I sent an e-mail about a week ago asking a few questions and did not get a response. This morning I sent another e-mail asking to reserve space for the dropoff at Caye Caulker and haven't received a reply yet. Could it be that they wiil try to fill up with the snorkelers first and if anything is left they will save space for us? I was at least hoping for a reply.

Thanks.

[cruzn buckeye]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by cruzn buckeye:
We are looking at the Caye Caulker taxi from Coral Breeze. While looking at their website, it has a general e-mail to send the request. How long does it take for them to respond to the request and is there a certain person that we should e-mail to?

Thanks<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>Most of your e-mails will be answered quickly.

Actually I sent an e-mail a week ago and have not received a reply. I sent one again this morning asking them to reserve space for the Caye Caulker
dropoff and have not heard anything.
Is it because the snorkelers are booked first?
Thanks.

[cruzn buckeye]

Does anyone know why my posts are partially disappearing?

[brn2crz]

I would guess it is just a problem with your computer not loading the whole page.

<RCI-Rhapsody- 2003
RCI-Rhapsody- 2004
until the return to the Rhapsody of the Seas
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[blyle]

2 weeks ago the Elation was delayed by customs and even the ship excursions did not get started until about 9:30. Those needing tenders had to wait until all the excursions were off the ship. I bet they did not get to leave until much later. Just thought you should know that as I understand it this happens alot.

Elation 4/04
Celebration 5/03
Legend 4/03
Victory 4/02
Sensation 7/96
Holiday 7/94
Celebration 6/93

[waterbound]

Normally I would say go with the outside company especially if its much cheaper, as we have done that with our snorkel trip in Grand Cayman... However..... On our cruise on the Pride in July 2002 we went to Belize and we did the Shark Ray Alley Tour thru Carnival and I am thankful I did... We were tendered off the boat and went directly to the site for snorkeling.. after snorkeling we were taken to an island and were told that we had an hour to hour and a half (cant remember exactly how long)... We got back on the tender and we noticed that all the other tenders put gas in their boat, but ours didnt.. well anyway we were the last tender to leave and we left to head back to the ship and the tender stopped.... We ran out of gas!! We floated in the middle of the ocean for at least 45 minutes and noone came by.. there were no radios to call anyone onboard either... A small fishboat happened upon us but he didnt have any extra gas.. he did pull us out a little further into the mainstream so that hopefully someone would see us.. Finally another boat did come by and had some extra gas.. Needless to say Pride didnt leave ontime because there was a tender of approx 15 people Id say and since it was a Carnival excursion they couldnt leave us.. If we ever go back to Belize I personally will do their excursion, rather than going on my own just because of this one experience... I will say that we go out on our own in Cozumel and I feel safe because we dont have to worry about tendering.. Just wanted to share my experience.

Pride- 07/06/02
Jubilee- 02/22/03
Conquest- 10/19/03

4/15-- Holiday--Surprise cruise for my boyfriend!
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5/15-- M&M at Rawlings All American Grille
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[afdds]

http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_mad.gif Sorry, this will be a negative response to your question about Coral Breeze.

In Dec 2003, Carnival Legend cancelled their snorkle tours due to high winds and bad weather. When we tendered Coral Breeze said they would not cancel. They wouldn't agree to take us on another tour, city or other wise. Didn't want our money back, we just didn't want to get back on the water. Because Belize is a tender port, Coral Breezes newer and better boats was being used for the tender and not the tours. We ended up with a very old run down boat.

Headed out to snorkle and I decided the water was too rough for me. I would stay ashore with another family and their small children. The wind and rain started to become intense by noon. My DH and other families were still out there somewhere snorkling. DH got back to island where lunch was being served a little shaken up. A teenager and himself drifted off or rather the boat drifted off. They tried to swim back but the water was too rough. The boat tried several time to circle around to get them back in the boat. Finally, the guide had to jump in the water and drag them back. DH said the waves were over his head and he wasn't making any head way.
On the way back to the dock the Coral Breeze boat stopped and had a hard time starting up again. The wind and rain was blowing so hard it ripped the captains rain poncho off.
We finially got back to the ship safe and sound.

We will always think twice about tender ports and if it's safer to book with Carnival. Sure we would have been disappointed that Carnival cancelled the tour, but better safe than sorry! You can see some of our pictures with Coral Breeze and our tour at the link below. And please think twice before you book a tender port. I don't want anyone else to have to worry like I did. It's not worth it.

http://home.earthlink.net/~afdds/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/dolphin_flips.gif


Take care,

http://community.webshots.com/user/afdds

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5/23 Carnival Victory

Carnival Legend, Panama, 2003
Norwegian Star, Hawaii,2001
Aida, Sicily 1999
Fasination San Juan-1995