Starfish Island

Looking for recent reviews for Starfish Island. We are thinking of taking the ship excursion. We will be on the CCL Pride in 3 weeks, thanks!

We are also considering booking this on our January 3rd cruise on the Sunshine

We just pulled the trigger and booked it. We've been to Belize once before and hated it. Hopefully, this will be an amazing time.

Ecstasy December 2004

Triumph December 2011

Magic March 2012

Magic December 2012

Liberty August 2014

I have never heard of "Starfish Island" but I'm thinking this might be the old "Bannister Island" that was bought out and traded hands. If so, I have a complete review of it listed in my signature line with tons of pictures. I don't know how much it changed though if that's the case. But, if it's the same place you will find TONS of starfish in the water there. :)

We weren't impressed with Starfish Island. Water was very murky. There were jelly fish in the swimming area.

Waiter service was terrible! The service was so bad that we would not go back again.

We weren't impressed with Starfish Island. Water was very murky. There were jelly fish in the swimming area.

Waiter service was terrible! The service was so bad that we would not go back again.

So is this the old Bannister Island? Anyone have updated pics of this place? When it was Bannister Island and we were there, there wasn't any "waiter service". You walked up and got your drinks and food. :confused: Just trying to figure out if it's the same place or not.

So is this the old Bannister Island? Anyone have updated pics of this place? When it was Bannister Island and we were there, there wasn't any "waiter service". You walked up and got your drinks and food. :confused: Just trying to figure out if it's the same place or not.

I don't know. I never went to Bannister Island.

When we didn't get waiter service, we went to the bar and sat at the bar. Waited about 15 minutes there and didn't get service so we headed back to our loungers. DH complained to a security guy there about the lack of service and got someone to come over about 15 minutes later. Then she disappeared until about 5 minutes before we were to leave.

I don't know. I never went to Bannister Island.

 

When we didn't get waiter service, we went to the bar and sat at the bar. Waited about 15 minutes there and didn't get service so we headed back to our loungers. DH complained to a security guy there about the lack of service and got someone to come over about 15 minutes later. Then she disappeared until about 5 minutes before we were to leave.

Oh, that really sucks. If this is the same place and it has changed hands, it sounds like the service isn't one of the improvements they've made. Sorry you had a bad time. Hopefully next time you go to Belize you'll find a better place. Happy cruising.

Oh, that really sucks. If this is the same place and it has changed hands, it sounds like the service isn't one of the improvements they've made. Sorry you had a bad time. Hopefully next time you go to Belize you'll find a better place. Happy cruising.

Belize needs a place like Maya Chan in Costa Maya!

We've enjoyed our previous excursions in Belize. Just wouldn't do this one again.

This place was really bad. This is a man-made island with a hard packed shell and sand mixture held in place with retaining walls. The whole island is about 50 yds by 125 yds. There is a smallish area for swimming, but the bottom has been churned up and if you try to stand up you sink up to your ankles. There is nothing to see in this area if you want to snorkel. The sand in the beach area is too packed down for any children to dig or try to play in. There are plenty of starfish in the area, but if you go past the ropes that designate the swimming area, or over a retaining wall (only about 18" high), the security guys will come after you.

When you get off the tender, there are some buildings to the right - bar/restaurant, restrooms, kitchen, gift shop, and lunch area. To the left are the kayak storage building, first aid hut, and the small playset. Also in this area is a small pen for a starfish and several conchs. The very uncomfortable hard wooden loungers are situated facing away from the tender dock towards the ocean. There are not enough of them. Do not under any circumstances use the loungers that are near the restaurant unless you like the smell of overused grease and toilets.

The service is a joke. There is none. I never saw a waiter. If you are lucky, the lady renting the body boards and kayaks won't be on break. The only thing to do on the island is to rent a kayak or drink (if you can track down the bartender). There are no floating lounging mats. I was told that the management won't invest in any. The day I was there the water was calm and the swimming area has some type of floating breakers to lessen the waves, so I don't think that the body boards are for anything but floating on.

Lunch was included in my excursion - but it was essentially inedible. The rice and beans was decent, but the chicken was so dry that it was hard on the outside, and I don't eat mayonnaise based salads when they have been sitting without ice for who knows how long. The punch was tasty and wet. I was unable to get water with out buying it. Good thing I brought a water bottle with me.

There were 8 excursions using the island that day. I was glad that mine got there first. Two Carnival and two NCL ships all had a beach break and a snorkeling with beach break excursion. There were no where near enough loungers. I spoke with someone who had been on the snorkeling trip and they felt like they were rushed so they could be dropped off at the island. I was there for 4 hours and would have gotten off sooner if I could have. This is not a place to take children. One poor family had a 3 yr old with them thinking this would be a nice family day. The child kept sinking in the sand in the water and was scared, she couldn't play in the sand because there is no loose sand, the playset was fine for about 10 min, and she was too young to go in a kayak. These poor people were miserable after about an hour.

And the entertainment was an Elvis impersonator! Not exactly what I think of when I think tropical. His show lasts an hour and can be heard from all over the island.

I was so glad to be off the island!

This place was really bad. This is a man-made island with a hard packed shell and sand mixture held in place with retaining walls. The whole island is about 50 yds by 125 yds. There is a smallish area for swimming, but the bottom has been churned up and if you try to stand up you sink up to your ankles. There is nothing to see in this area if you want to snorkel. The sand in the beach area is too packed down for any children to dig or try to play in. There are plenty of starfish in the area, but if you go past the ropes that designate the swimming area, or over a retaining wall (only about 18" high), the security guys will come after you.

 

When you get off the tender, there are some buildings to the right - bar/restaurant, restrooms, kitchen, gift shop, and lunch area. To the left are the kayak storage building, first aid hut, and the small playset. Also in this area is a small pen for a starfish and several conchs. The very uncomfortable hard wooden loungers are situated facing away from the tender dock towards the ocean. There are not enough of them. Do not under any circumstances use the loungers that are near the restaurant unless you like the smell of overused grease and toilets.

 

The service is a joke. There is none. I never saw a waiter. If you are lucky, the lady renting the body boards and kayaks won't be on break. The only thing to do on the island is to rent a kayak or drink (if you can track down the bartender). There are no floating lounging mats. I was told that the management won't invest in any. The day I was there the water was calm and the swimming area has some type of floating breakers to lessen the waves, so I don't think that the body boards are for anything but floating on.

 

Lunch was included in my excursion - but it was essentially inedible. The rice and beans was decent, but the chicken was so dry that it was hard on the outside, and I don't eat mayonnaise based salads when they have been sitting without ice for who knows how long. The punch was tasty and wet. I was unable to get water with out buying it. Good thing I brought a water bottle with me.

 

There were 8 excursions using the island that day. I was glad that mine got there first. Two Carnival and two NCL ships all had a beach break and a snorkeling with beach break excursion. There were no where near enough loungers. I spoke with someone who had been on the snorkeling trip and they felt like they were rushed so they could be dropped off at the island. I was there for 4 hours and would have gotten off sooner if I could have. This is not a place to take children. One poor family had a 3 yr old with them thinking this would be a nice family day. The child kept sinking in the sand in the water and was scared, she couldn't play in the sand because there is no loose sand, the playset was fine for about 10 min, and she was too young to go in a kayak. These poor people were miserable after about an hour.

 

And the entertainment was an Elvis impersonator! Not exactly what I think of when I think tropical. His show lasts an hour and can be heard from all over the island.

 

I was so glad to be off the island!

Thanks for the info, was looking at booking this......not now.

In response to previous inquiries, I looked up some aerial photos of Bannister Island, and, yes, this seems to be the island previously named Bannister Island. Some of the photos on Google show plastic white lounge chairs on the beach. Those are no longer there.

So, we previously booked Starfish Island and we will be booking it again. This was a great excursion for my family. My parents, my five-year-old and I enjoyed relaxing in the shade, picking up seashells, and listening to 'Elvis.'

Yes, the beach is hard packed sand and shells... which was perfect for a pedicure. See what I did there? Optimism. I ooze optimism.

It is the former Bannister Island. Oh, and we also got pics with a rather large starfish.

We are booked on an excursion to Starfish Island. What kinds of services are available?

They have waiters to accommodate your beverage needs (or you can walk up to the bar yourself.) The lunch was good and there was a tiny gift shop. We lounged in the shade, but there were shaded hammocks and full sun loungers.