NCL & Belize facility deal in works ????

[FIRELT5]

http://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/9672.html

[bguppies]

Hopefully an actual dock and not more 20 minute tender rides...

 

Good news to just get away from Belize City anyway.

 

Bill

[skyfire53]

how far is it from Belize City? Is there an a time frame for it?

[Laszlo]

Hopefully an actual dock and not more 20 minute tender rides...

 

Good news to just get away from Belize City anyway.

 

Bill

 

Nope, Harvest Caye Belize is an island. Doesn't make a lot of sense. You'll still need to tender. Maybe I'm missing something?

 

 

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Harvest+Caye+Belize&ll=16.517404,-88.28373&spn=0.215267,0.303154&num=100&hnear=Harvest+Cay&t=h&z=12

 

Looks like they'll be sharing the small island

 

http://www.saveourpeninsula.org/developments/harvest-caye/harvest-caye.html

[jlacy1987]

Nope, Harvest Caye Belize is an island. Doesn't make a lot of sense. You'll still need to tender. Maybe I'm missing something?

 

 

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Harvest+Caye+Belize&ll=16.517404,-88.28373&spn=0.215267,0.303154&num=100&hnear=Harvest+Cay&t=h&z=12

 

I wonder if it's because Belize City is considered so dangerous? Or at least that's what I've gathered from the Belize Port of Call sub-forum. Maybe Belize is choosing a different port so that the fear of danger doesn't eventually drive NCL away from the country as a whole?

[vols_159]

So would it be like a 2nd private island?

[Laszlo]

So would it be like a 2nd private island?

 

Could be, but if I'm taking a cruise there I want to go to Belize I could care less about a private island.

[skyfire53]

That would make it almost impossible to go to ambergris caye and make it back in time, plus some of the other islands on the north end....I would miss going caye caulker... :(

[bakerintn]

Strange location....about 2 miles or more offshore in a basically shallow area.

 

The government approved a development there in 2009 including an airstrip, but that did not happen. The cay has a large lake in the middle of it that would have to be dealt with. The area is a breeding ground for sea manatees.

 

I just don't see that as a cruise port....maybe another "private island" kind of deal. Maybe they will build a bridge to the mainland and busses could take passengers in??

[kcwingwalker]

http://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/9672.html

 

I usually sail out of New Orleans, prefer NCL but have tried Carnival and Belize is always on the agenda. So a "new" port for Belize might be a nice change.

 

Wonder how long all this will take?

[thescot123]

I hope that this works out as the cruise lines have been wanting a cruise terminal in Belize for a long time. There is a lot of politics/corruption in Belize that has caused issues with a terminal being built in the past.

 

Like other people, I hate the tendering process in Belize which does cause some people to just stay on the ship which is lost revenue to Belize.

[Laszlo]

I hope that this works out as the cruise lines have been wanting a cruise terminal in Belize for a long time. There is a lot of politics/corruption in Belize that has caused issues with a terminal being built in the past.

 

Yea, that an one long very long channel which would need to be dredged. I don't see it happening. I would hope they would dredge and put a dock at GSC before they do anything with Belize

[tallyho8]

It would be nothing but a deserted island with an NCL owned private beach so that NCL gets all the money you spend on the island.

 

Sounds boring to me. I rather go to the mainland.

[rvsullivan]

Sounds to me like it might be closer to the set up at Costa Maya? An NCL dock with a private resort located there. Only 1-2 miles from the mainland for other activities. Small boats for various tours could leave from there similar to the ones that meet the ship now for tours. The tour guide association seems to like the idea and I can't imagine they would be too happy unless they were getting a fair amount of business. Sounds like this would be a 2-3 year project anyway. Not happening to soon.

For the poster mentioning the danger in Belize City, we've been all over that area on several trips no and never felt unsafe. Like any other area, pay attention to where you are.

[GORDONCHICK]

We love Belize the way it is. The reason there are no piers for cruise ships is because of the coral reef system and it's one of the top in the world for diving. They aren't willing to give that ranking up & I don't blame them. I don't think Belize City is dangerous. There are parts I wouldn't go strolling through, but the same could be said for any large city in the US as well.

 

The problem is people walk outside the port area and expect it to be like Grand Cayman or something. It's not. Belize is still a developing 3rd world country and the only democracy in Central America. And as far as corrupt - it's not anywhere near what Jamaica is! The government in Jamaica makes ours look almost downright angelic.

[mitsugirly]

Well this is interesting. I'm subscribing in case everyone keeps this updated.

[Richie2pies]

Belize must give the ships a good deal. Everyone seems to go there. I stay on the ship. Nothing in Belize turns me on.

[mdvlprof]

Belize is still a developing 3rd world country and the only democracy in Central America.

English-speaking, yes. Democracy - well - you'd get a lot of argument that it isn't the only one.

 

But I've always felt safe when going to Belize. Use common sense, and you'll be fine.

[decemberpsyche]

This is quite the topic on the Norwegian facebook page. It's actually quite irritating.

[rmandmm]

 

Like other people, I hate the tendering process in Belize which does cause some people to just stay on the ship which is lost revenue to Belize.

 

I promise I'm not flaming, and this is an honest question. Why is the tender process in Belize such a pain? We tendered all over Europe last year on another line and I didn't consider to be that bad for the payoff of visiting the ports. Is it particularly more painful in Belize or are you (and other posters) saying all NCL tenders are terrible? Going to Belize in November and SUPER excited about it, so I'm just wondering if we'll have a huge problem to make sure we're prepared for. Thanks!:o

[time2cruise1]

I promise I'm not flaming, and this is an honest question. Why is the tender process in Belize such a pain? We tendered all over Europe last year on another line and I didn't consider to be that bad for the payoff of visiting the ports. Is it particularly more painful in Belize or are you (and other posters) saying all NCL tenders are terrible? Going to Belize in November and SUPER excited about it, so I'm just wondering if we'll have a huge problem to make sure we're prepared for. Thanks!:o

 

The tender process in Belize is great. Yes the ships have to anchor far out but the boats they use are fast. Not the usual lifeboat tender process.

[vols_159]

I promise I'm not flaming, and this is an honest question. Why is the tender process in Belize such a pain? We tendered all over Europe last year on another line and I didn't consider to be that bad for the payoff of visiting the ports. Is it particularly more painful in Belize or are you (and other posters) saying all NCL tenders are terrible? Going to Belize in November and SUPER excited about it, so I'm just wondering if we'll have a huge problem to make sure we're prepared for. Thanks!:o

 

Ncl doesn't do the tenders per say. Contractors from the shore do.. But it's a long tender like 20 minutes

[rvsullivan]

Ships anchor out about 3-5 miles. Other than the crowds trying to be first, the process is fine. They fill the tenders pretty fast and the boats are pretty quick. As others have said, they are power boats that are supplied by locals. Each boat carries about 150-200. On a warm day it can get hot, but only last about 15-20 minutes. If your willing to wait a little and let the crush get off, it is no problem. And we never wait for one of the last boats of the day for the same reason.

The boat owners get paid by the passenger, so they will fill the boats and you better like you neighbor!!

[thescot123]

I promise I'm not flaming, and this is an honest question. Why is the tender process in Belize such a pain? We tendered all over Europe last year on another line and I didn't consider to be that bad for the payoff of visiting the ports. Is it particularly more painful in Belize or are you (and other posters) saying all NCL tenders are terrible? Going to Belize in November and SUPER excited about it, so I'm just wondering if we'll have a huge problem to make sure we're prepared for. Thanks!:o

 

Basically, the tender process is a pain when you have a private tour that says leaves at 10am. NCL gives priority to people who booked a NCL excursion. To me it adds a layer of stress trying to get off the boat early enough to meet your private tour. To get tender tickets you have to get to a tender meeting point like one of the lounges to line up for tickets. On previous cruises this would mean lining up at 7am.

 

Won't be a problem thus time as I have booked thru the ship.

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[Cruzn Bills Fan]

Went to the NCL FB page and was shocked at how testy this topic is. The locals want nothing to do with NCL doing this.