Belize New River and Lamanai

[caribophile]

On the Belize Cruise Excursions website, I have found a tour (Lamanai Mayan Ruins Belize) that seems to be identical to the ship's tour, which is a 7 hour experience including a boat ride up the river and 1.5 hours at the ruins, including a buffet lunch. The ship's tour is $29 more! I'd appreciate hearing about other people's experience with either of these. Thanks in advance.

[Traveling Library]

We took this as the ship's tour. It was WONDERFUL! Our guide was Peter and he was so proud of his country that we all were grinning by the end of the trip. Lamanai is relatively untouched so you really do know you are in the jungle. Well worth the trip.

The buffet lunch is pretty basic (chicken and rice if I recall correctly) and then we walked the site for an hour or two. It rained while we were at the site and on the river. At the boat landing was the gift shop. I bought a T-shirt which I wore back on the bus (I was the only one who was dry) and I proudly wear to this day. I can't compare the ship's tour to the private tour. Personally I'd go with the ship just in case you are delayed. The traffic in Belize City was bad and you need to tender back to the ship. I'd hate to see the ship sail away.

[GoldenRose]

We booked it as a ship's excursion a few years ago. It was a wonderful excursion, one of the best we've ever done. It's a long enough day that I would book it through the ship, because you don't want to risk it running long and the ship leaving without you. But that's generally my philosophy on long excursions. It's worth it to me to pay the extra money so that the ship will wait. (I'd have been left on more than one long excursion if I hadn't booked through the ship.)

 

It's a wonderful tour. We loved it so much we're considering doing it again on our next trip to Belize.

[STARFISH*4]

did this thru a ships tour...it is a very long day and lots of places to be delayed and its a tender port so definitely would not take the chance on a tour that wasnt thru the ship.

[vermonter16]

Being on Carnival - we are not given the opportunity to book this excursion as they don't offer it. We will be in Belize in mid November and have booked this tour through eco-tours Belize as I just was not happy with Island Marketing and the varied responses of availability DH and I received. I also have read so many mixed reviews that I figured - maybe I'll go with a smaller outfit. We had to pay $15 more per person but I think we made the right decision for us....that being said - I'll let you know after we get back!

[Six_pack]

I'm going to agree with most of the others that have posted. We did this excursion a few years ago. Wonderful excursion!! One of the best we have done. But, it's an all-day long excusion, lots of things that could delay your return time. I wouldn't want to book outside the ship on this one.

[Cayoooga]

Did this one with a private tour and loved it. We were the only ones from our ship and another family from another ship. No crowds. Fantastic time. I have not ever heard of anyone making it back to the ship. Although I have seen speed boats bring passengers to the ship after it has already departed :p