best stop to see the riuns ?

Next month a group of use are hitting the following places

Day 3 Cozumel, Mexico 10:00 AM 6:00 PM

Day 4 Belize 8:00 AM 6:00 PM

Day 5 Mahogany Bay, Isla Roatan 6:30 AM 6:00 PM

Day 6 Costa Maya, Mexico 7:00 AM 2:00 PM

on 3 of these i see ruin tours. We just want to do the ruins on one of the days. which of these places offers the best tours and best ruins? again biased on time we have.

thanks

I'd choose Belize for a ruins tour based on time constraints.

I've done Tulum from Cozumel, I just don't think you'll have enough time.

We've done both of these from Belize:

http://belizecruiseexcursions.com/Lamanai_Belize.htm

http://belizecruiseexcursions.com/xunantunich_belize_excursion_tour.htm

We are planning to do Xunantunich in Belize based on reviews. Check out trip advisor...looks amazing!

We are planning to do Xunantunich in Belize based on reviews. Check out trip advisor...looks amazing!

We took this tour when we sailed Carnival Liberty in April 2013. It was amazing!! The ride to the ruins was long, about two hours in either direction. Our tour guides taught us all about Belize on the way. Once we arrived, the sites were breathtaking. We climbed the large ruins. We stood where people did centuries ago! The ride back was silent as everyone was exhausted after an incredible day.

Though we rarely book excursions through the cruise line, we did for this one. And good thing that we did because we left Xunantunich an hour late and still needed to stop for lunch. The ship had to wait more than an hour for us. I can't imagine what would have happened had we booked this tour privately. :eek:

Enjoy.

We did Xunantunich privately.

Yes, it took a long time. Our driver was in contact with the drivers doing the Carnival excursions and knew they were well behind us. The excursion people know each other.

It can be risky, so you must know your comfort level.

Years ago I went to ruins in Costa Maya with David and Ivan. Amazing site. We saw one pyramid and I thought, what a rip off! Some lady kept asking really annoying questions, he tried to be patient with her. When we finally moved on, we walked around the back and a whole city site opened up. There were at least 7 large pyramids, many of which you could climb but weren't neck breakingly dangerous.

The first time I went there was a lush canopy of trees and grass. Three years later after one of the hurricanes, the site had no grass and the canopy was only beginning to regrow.

Altun Ha was a disappointment. Tulum was okay, really in ruins, not a lot left to see. The site is perched over the ocean and it's beautiful with a spectacular little beach down a long staircase. We went in July and it was 110 degrees.

Thanks I see a $20 difference per person between booking the same tour though carnival and booking direct.

are there ANY advantages other ran a refund if you dont get to the port for some reason, for booking though carnival than going direct?

Thanks I see a $20 difference per person between booking the same tour though carnival and booking direct.

 

are there ANY advantages other ran a refund if you dont get to the port for some reason, for booking though carnival than going direct?

Island Marketing will refund your money if the ship does not make it to port.

The only advantage to booking through the cruise line is that the ship is supposed to wait for you if you're running late.

But, as I mentioned earlier, all the drivers are in contact with each other and will get you to the ship on time. They would not stay in business long by making passengers miss the ship.

Thanks I see a $20 difference per person between booking the same tour though carnival and booking direct.

 

are there ANY advantages other ran a refund if you dont get to the port for some reason, for booking though carnival than going direct?

Tulum is really far and I'd only book with Carnival. I've been on a few cruises when we waited 2 hours to leave because the bus broke down. Anything that far, stick with Carnival to be sure you get back on the ship.

Island Marketing will refund your money if the ship does not make it to port.

 

The only advantage to booking through the cruise line is that the ship is supposed to wait for you if you're running late.

 

But, as I mentioned earlier, all the drivers are in contact with each other and will get you to the ship on time. They would not stay in business long by making passengers miss the ship.

actually i read their terms and they DONT refund the deposit BUT will let you keep it to use on another trip for upto a year, since we do at least 2 a year thats ok,

We did Xunatunich in Belize. I loved it. It is a long bus ride but I was fascinated with the drive through Belize. And the guides give you a lot of information along the way. it's a long day and I wouldn't be comfortable booking outside of carnival. We were on the first tender off the boat and were on the last tender back. My kids, who are 12 and 9, even loved it.

Costa Maya: We booked The Native Choice with David and Ivan to do the Mayan Experience tour - a visit to the Chacchoben ruins followed by lunch with a family in the modern-day village of Chacchoben. The tour of the ruins was well done and lunch with the Maya family was fantastic. (They are bilingual - Spanish and Maya. Your guide will translate if needed.) Wonderful tour.

Belize - This past August we booked the Altun Ha and Rio Wallace excursion through the cruise line. Another great tour - a trip up the Wallace River, lunch at a restaurant on the river, then a bus tour to the ruins. You can climb these ruins, if that's important to you.

actually i read their terms and they DONT refund the deposit BUT will let you keep it to use on another trip for upto a year, since we do at least 2 a year thats ok,

That's interesting...because I double-checked before I spoke and on their page it says they do a full refund if the ship doesn't make it to port.

Also, I just read the agreement info they emailed to me after I booked with them in May. There is no mention of keeping any monies for 2 years.

I wonder if this is something new?

We took this tour when we sailed Carnival Liberty in April 2013. It was amazing!! The ride to the ruins was long, about two hours in either direction. Our tour guides taught us all about Belize on the way. Once we arrived, the sites were breathtaking. We climbed the large ruins. We stood where people did centuries ago! The ride back was silent as everyone was exhausted after an incredible day.

 

 

 

Though we rarely book excursions through the cruise line, we did for this one. And good thing that we did because we left Xunantunich an hour late and still needed to stop for lunch. The ship had to wait more than an hour for us. I can't imagine what would have happened had we booked this tour privately. :eek:

 

 

 

Enjoy.

We plan to do the ship excursion also...carnival freedom. I learned to specifically pick ship excursions when you want the most time off the ship and your destination is far! We saw so much more in Europe this way also on MSC

Xunantunich .

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Next month a group of use are hitting the following places

 

Day 3 Cozumel, Mexico 10:00 AM 6:00 PM

Day 4 Belize 8:00 AM 6:00 PM

Day 5 Mahogany Bay, Isla Roatan 6:30 AM 6:00 PM

Day 6 Costa Maya, Mexico 7:00 AM 2:00 PM

 

on 3 of these i see ruin tours. We just want to do the ruins on one of the days. which of these places offers the best tours and best ruins? again biased on time we have.

 

thanks

To see ruins out of Cozumel, you have to take a 40 minute ferry to the main land (that's 40 min one way). We went to a place called Costa Maya which is a great ruin-but we got back to the ship an hour late (fortunately we booked a ship tour so they waited). That was a long day.

There are no ruins on Roatan, but it is a truly beautiful place.

Costa Maya has ruins but, for my money, go to Belize. We were rained out of Xunatunich because of high water. but we were rebooked for a tour of Altun HA.

This is only about 30 miles from the port and it is a good ruin. They let you climb on the temples. The guides there really know their stuff and it is an amazing place.

If I were going to see ruins on one day, that is where I would go.

When I saw the title of this thread, my first thought was, "Wow. :eek: Is a cruise ling stopping in Detroit?"

If there is only a $20 difference, I would definately go with the cruise line's tour.

If you go to You Tube, you'll see the majority of the people who miss the ship, are on a Carnival - Funny videos, but not if you're THAT guy.