Belize, Honduras & Cozumel shore excursions

Just booked us on NCL for March 2015 to Belieze, Honduras and Cozumel. Kids will be 3, 6 and 9 at the time. Anyone have recommendation of shore excursions to do with younger kids?

I know that many shore excursions have age minimums, so wondering what others might recommend. I'm not tied to having to do something through the cruise line, ok to do something on our own.

If you want to DIY...get a guidebook and read up on your ports. You'll find all kinds of info that will help you make the right choice for your family! Libraries have guidebooks, or you can buy one....but read one!!!

We did this itinerary when our boys were 4&6 yrs, in Jan, 2012. In Belize we took the ship tour to Lamanai, many (all?) posters on cc warned us not to do it but we had a great time. Our boys travel well in vehicles, are familiar with boats and love history, so this was a great choice for us. We still talk about it, but it is definitely not for everyone. It is a trip though to do through the cruise line since you are about 2 hrs away from the ship.

In Roatan we booked Bodden tours, we did a private tour for the day where we had a van and driver assigned to us. This worked out well since it rained and we got cold, so ended up going back to the ship earlier than planned. They were highly recommended on the port of call forum, so see if that is still the case. I was able to use a booster for ds1 and a car seat for ds2, which made me very happy!

We walked around the port area in Cozumel, so I can't really comment on what to do there.

This was one of our favourite cruises, mainly because of the itineraries. Enjoy your cruise!

we've done this itinerary with our kids (similar ages) twice now- and I strongly recommend Maya Key in Roatan booked through NCL. It's fantastic- it's a small island just a short (5 min) boat ride away- you can stay as long as you like (they run the return boat back every half hour or so through the afternoon)- there's a pool, and included buffet lunch (BBQ chix, fish fingers that are excellent, rice, beans, plantains, fruit, cookies, etc)... full bar for purchase, replica mayan ruins, an animal rescue with lots of animals (including a large area with sharks, turtles, sting rays- you can even pay extra to snorkel in there with them if you want) and some sea lions (extra if you want an "interactive" experience with them).

But the real draw to Maya Key is the SNORKELING. It is fantastic. And easy. They have a nice beach (with lounge chairs and white sand) and extending off the beach is a long pier maybe 100 feet that takes you directly onto the reef. You walk down the pier, put on your gear, and go down the ladder and you are ON the reef. The reef here is VERY nice- some of the better snorkeling I've seen (and I've snorkeled a lot of places). It's so easy that my 6 year old spent 2 hours out there snorkeling- tons to see and the coral is in great shape. It's a great way to "try" snorkeling as it's from a nice dock not jumping off a boat.

if you are interested in TA online reviews- it used to be called Fins and Flippers I think and I searched for reviews and pictures under that. It is only available now through the cruiseline.

It's a perfect location in my opinion- it had everything.

You may enjoy Chankanab in Cozumel. There small pool, and a beach with a small lagoon like area. We were there in the beginning of January and I commented how it was a nice area for younger children. There is also snorkeling depending on your children's comfort level in the water they may not be up to. It was rough the day we were there, but the seas were unusually rough during our entire cruise and it may not always be that way.

It is a short cab ride (I think 10.00) for up to 4 people each way and 20.00 to get in. There is a coupon for 2.00 off at cozumel insider dot com (no spaces)

We just did this itinerary on NCL in Dec 2013.

I second Chankanaab in Cozumel. We did the dolphin swim. Check it out at dolphindiscovery dot com. You can get discounts if you book in advance. There is so much to do there , even if you don't do the dolphin swim. A lagoon, snorkeling (either take your own gear or you can rent it really cheap...no need to pay for an excursion), a large pool, a small swimming area that is closed in from the big ocean, plus the ocean as well. Really enjoyable time.

Belize we did cave tubing with cavetubing dot bz (not dot com). Not sure that the 3 year old would enjoy it, but there was a couple there with an infant.

Roatan we did zip lining with South Shore Tours...was great, but I would NOT recommend it for little ones. They are not hooked in all the time, and the platforms aren't very large. If mine had been 3 and 5, I would have been freaking out that they would run right off a platform. I have heard that Snorkeling in Roatan is fantastic...we planned on that after zip lining, but it raining in the morning so we didn't have time for both and my kids (9, 9, and 10) really wanted to do zip lining. West Bay Beach is supposed to be awesome, there are all kinds of "resorts" that you can hang out at.

In Roatan, we have used Bodden twice to arrange transportation. Our most recent cruise stopped in Roatan, and our three year old son enjoyed visiting the iguana farm, visiting the monkeys at Victor Bodden's house and walking through the hanging bridges at South Shore. The snorkeling is also outstanding on Roatan.

In Belize, if you choose to go cave tubing, please consider doing so with a private independent operator and not a cruise tour, since the cruise tours put a lot many people together on a chain, and I believe it is safer to be with a smaller group since the independent tours had smaller chains of people. The day we cave tubed, there was very little water and it was extremely safe, but on days where there is more water you might want to make a day off decision as to whether or not this is safe for a toddler. I also don't know if a three year old would enjoy this (we visited Belize before we had our son).

The zoo in Belize is outstanding. It is really more of an animal sanctuary for rescued animals, and allows you to get pretty close to the animals. The reviews mention that it is a half hour from Belize city, although it might be on the way back from cave tubing since I don't really remember it as being out of the way.

We did this itinerary when our boys were 4&6 yrs' date=' in Jan, 2012......I was able to use a booster for ds1 and a car seat for ds2, which made me very happy!

 

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We will be traveling on a similar itinerary with our ds4 in a few weeks. Is a car seat or booster required in these locations? We were not planning on bringing one with us, but may reconsider if it is a necessity. I know that 4yo's can use seatbelts in Florida w/o a booster...hadn't even considered if it was required in our ports of call.

WE did Cozumel, Roatan and Belize in September with our 2 year old..

In Roatan, we booked a Victor Bodden private tour, and that was great. Air Conditioned van all day and Victor's Monkey Business (getting to play with live monkeys) was a HUGE hit for the little guy

In Belize we did a Goff's Caye excursion through Island Marketing, and our little man was content to play on the beach the entire time, and he liked the boat ride.

In Cozumel, we swam with the dolphins at Dolphinaris, and he was able to fully participate in the entire thing... it was AMAZING!

We did this itinerary 2 yrs ago when my son had just turned 6. We did the cave tubing with a private tour group-had better tubes and more suited for small children. In Roatan, we also did the Bodden tour and visited his home and loved it. Then we've done cozumel twice. The first time we booked nachi Cocum which is an awesome, private beach only available for 100 people-very quiet and peaceful with food and drinks included. The second time we went to Mr Sanchos which was awesome as well.

We are doing a similar one in Dec with our 5 year & 11 year olds. Our Roatan got changed to Trujillo (NCL). They started changing this port with the October cruises....you may want to double check. If you do go to Roatan, I second Maya Key, that is what I had planned.

In Cozumel - Playia Mia - small waterpark, beach and inflatible beach toys

Belize - Cave tubing

Trujillo - hopefully snorkeling - but since it is a new port, I don't know yet.

We have done these ports over and over with our daughter (since she was 3 years old and is now 5 years old).

I have tons of reviews listed in my signature line with TONS of pictures to go along with them. (The only exception is my Jewel review...which I haven't listed the individual ports yet, but Cozumel and Mr Sanchos is on there). :)