Question Regarding Ports & Excursions

Hello, folks,

Newbie with some questions here.

My family is looking at a cruise next year, (me, wife, son 14 yr old). We're looking at the Carnival Magic and Norwegian Getaway.

From everything I've read, it seems the Getaway is the better ship for us. Both go to more or less the same ports next year. However, there are some differences in the way the ports are named, as well as available excursions.

Most notably, on Carnival it says Belize, but for NCL it says Harvest Caye, Belize. Is there only one port really, that both ships use?

More to the point, Carnival lists excursions involving cave tubing and cave tubing/zipline combo excurisions... but NCL does not list any such excursion.

Does this mean:

1) That ONLY Carnival passengers can sign up for those... like CCL has an exclusive contract with those excursion vendors?

2) We sign up for them on our own if we went NCL... of course thus losing the protection of the ship waiting for us if something goes wrong/late.

3) Both cruise lines can sign up via the cruise line, and NCL just hasn't got it listed... for some reason?

We definitely appreciate any insight folks may have.

Thank you.

Take care,

Lou

Harvest Caye is NCL's new private island. There are some excursions to look at on the NCL web site that leave from the private island. The island is set to open now in February 2016. There is nothing I found that reads if tenders will also be going into Belize City from the NCL ships so you can shop around and/or pick up independent excursion companies.

I seriously doubt there will be any tenders to water taxis from Harvest Caye to Belize City. It's too far away. HC is designed to be all-inclusive. there will be tenders to the mainland for mainland excursions to ruins and such.

Thank you both for the replies.

So, Crewsweeper, are you saying that if were to go on NCL and go to HC, we would not be able to reach the venue for the cave tubing/ziplining?

You mention there is no way to get to Belize City, but we could get to the mainland for ruin excursions... so I'm a bit confused, sorry :o

Thanks.

Take care,

Lou

The ship excursions will have tenders pick you up on the island for the NCL arranged excursions. I think crewsweeper is saying you will not be able to get to Belize City unless it is through a ship operated excursion.

Ah, gotcha... so that basically leaves the cave tubing/zipling out as far as NCL is concerned I guess. Bummer.

Though Cozumel has some pretty neat "cave" activities... just not tubing/ziplining.

Thank you all again for taking the time to help me.

Take care,

Lou

We went on the Magic in April, it was a great ship. There was always lots to do, mini golf, ropes course, basketball court, teen room, arcade, water slides, pools and more. I think your family would enjoy it. Good luck in your decision. :)