Princess Excursion OR Mahogany Bay?

[Gabrielle R.]

I did do a bit of looking at what to do in Roatan.. AND YES I did ask the question on the Roatan Port forum. Yes, I want your opinion since I value all of you who have done both OR if you have a story to tell.

 

Here is the question- Princess offers an excursion to Maya Key More reasonable in cost than Little French Key... (I heard pro & con about Little French Key- LFK). Also sounds like both LFK And Maya are similar. I could go with the Princess excursion OR just go with DH to Mahogany Bay for a nice beach day? I like to snorkel, DH does not. We both enjoy being on a beach...... The excursion does have lunch included..... I'm guessing if you want drinks you buy on your own??

 

So... Anybody do one or both? What did you experience? Did you say to yourself... Oh I should've done...... Or wow, was that a rip off... Or I wish I had known before I went...

 

I'm open to ALL ideas/suggestions!! THANKS ahead of time!!!!

Gabrielle

[evandbob]

I did do a bit of looking at what to do in Roatan.. AND YES I did ask the question on the Roatan Port forum. Yes, I want your opinion since I value all of you who have done both OR if you have a story to tell.

 

Here is the question- Princess offers an excursion to Maya Key More reasonable in cost than Little French Key... (I heard pro & con about Little French Key- LFK). Also sounds like both LFK And Maya are similar. I could go with the Princess excursion OR just go with DH to Mahogany Bay for a nice beach day? I like to snorkel, DH does not. We both enjoy being on a beach...... The excursion does have lunch included..... I'm guessing if you want drinks you buy on your own??

 

So... Anybody do one or both? What did you experience? Did you say to yourself... Oh I should've done...... Or wow, was that a rip off... Or I wish I had known before I went...

 

I'm open to ALL ideas/suggestions!! THANKS ahead of time!!!!

Gabrielle

 

I've been to Roatan maybe 10 cruise stops and just stayed for a week along West Bay Beach at the Infinity Bay Hotel. If you don't like LFK, then Maya Cay or Tabyana Beach are your best choices. Mahogany Bay Beach is convenient, but it's a limestone man made artificial beach and not terribly tropical. At Tabyana you can snorkel from the shore and the reef is accessible at the end of the dock at Maya Cay. I'll never do Mahogany Beach again!

Edited July 14, 2014 by evandbob

[OCruisers]

Sort of depends. We've been to Roatan lots of times so seeing the "real Roatan" is not important to us any longer. Mahogany Bay provides a very decent, clean, and safe beach area. Wonder why there is no problem with sand fleas at Mahogany Bay like at many other places? Guess they spray for them. :confused:

LuLu

[Colo Cruiser]

We love MB beach.

Take the chairlift over relax, swim and have some lunch. ;)

[geoherb]

We enjoyed our day at Mahogany Beach. It's actually faster to walk if you're able to rather than using the chairlift. The water was clear and warm. We did not bring our snorkeling equipment, but I don't think there's much there to see. There were plenty of chairs in both sunny and shady areas, depending on your preference. For us, it was like a day at the private island, except without the buffet.

[Colo Cruiser]

We enjoyed our day at Mahogany Beach. It's actually faster to walk if you're able to rather than using the chairlift. The water was clear and warm. We did not bring our snorkeling equipment, but I don't think there's much there to see. There were plenty of chairs in both sunny and shady areas, depending on your preference. For us, it was like a day at the private island, except without the buffet.

 

Who's in a rush?

[geoherb]

I'm not in a rush. I'd just rather walk and burn off a few calories. When we took the cruise that included Roatan, the ship's staff made it sound like the chairlift was the better way to get to the beach and that the walk was too far. I thought it was amusing that the chairlift was so slow that we were passing the people on it.

[lovevacadays]

My two cents is don't do Mahogany Bay which is a man-made beach and experience and don't do an overpriced, overcrowded Princess excursion. Google Victor Bodden tours and book one with him. The person I cruised with back in 2009 and I booked with him and had an amazing time.

[sueandkent]

My two cents is don't do Mahogany Bay which is a man-made beach and experience and don't do an overpriced, overcrowded Princess excursion. Google Victor Bodden tours and book one with him. The person I cruised with back in 2009 and I booked with him and had an amazing time.

 

We've been to Roatan the past two winters. The first time we just stayed at MB and had a nice day. The second time we booked Victor and also had a fun time although the weather was very windy and often wet. If you choose to not stay at MB then I would book Victor over a ships tour.

[Gabrielle R.]

I Am looking at Victor Bodden & Christopher tours too... I don't zip line.... Afraid of heights... So trying to find something without that. ;)

 

I appreciate ALL the advice & ideas!

 

Thinking we might check out MB after we get back from being out & about.....

[lovevacadays]

We've been to Roatan the past two winters. The first time we just stayed at MB and had a nice day. The second time we booked Victor and also had a fun time although the weather was very windy and often wet. If you choose to not stay at MB then I would book Victor over a ships tour.

 

I am sure MB can be a very nice day. Perhaps if I just wanted to get off the ship for a couple of hours and not really get to know this island I might do MB. Me, I like to get to know an island.

 

I Am looking at Victor Bodden & Christopher tours too... I don't zip line.... Afraid of heights... So trying to find something without that. ;)

 

I appreciate ALL the advice & ideas!

 

Thinking we might check out MB after we get back from being out & about.....

 

FYI, you can book Victor Bodden without having to do the zip line or his monkey excursion. His tours our custom made by you! Plus, you can ask your tour guide for suggestions on the day you tour. We booked a tour that was just a "do what you want tour" for $40pp. We played it by ear and had an amazing experience. Let me know if you want me to post what we did.

 

I agree that you should get out and about and see this beautiful island. Then, if you have some time for the man-made beach and shops at MB I see no reason not to spend a little time there.

 

I definitely understand why these man-made areas are popular and necessary as many cruisers just do not feel comfortable with anything else.

 

I hope you have an amazing day in one of my favorite ports.

[cdngrl]

I chose a princess tour for my first time in roatan.

I traveled on my own and it was a quiet roll call, so for my comfort level I did a ship's tour. like michelle, I also wanted to venture out a little further than next to the ship.

[Gabrielle R.]

Michelle, I'd love to hear what you did!!

 

Victor is looking like who we will go with!

 

Just trying to decide what to do... So hearing what you did would be great!!!!

 

ANYONE else have information- that would be great too!!!! I like to get information...

[loma linda ca a & j]

the other 2 times in roatan we went to tabyana w/ the princess bus -

dropped us off about 10 and then we could return anytime during afternoon

 

this time we are taking excursion RTB125A Gumbalimba Preservation

Nature Park & Tabyana - departs at 930 - to give us a little diversion in the morning -

we shall still have plenty of time at the beach & drink a few beers

 

it is 99 each - worth it to us be with princess :D

Edited July 16, 2014 by loma linda ca a & j

[philv]

I did do a bit of looking at what to do in Roatan.. AND YES I did ask the question on the Roatan Port forum. Yes, I want your opinion since I value all of you who have done both OR if you have a story to tell.

 

Here is the question- Princess offers an excursion to Maya Key More reasonable in cost than Little French Key... (I heard pro & con about Little French Key- LFK). Also sounds like both LFK And Maya are similar. I could go with the Princess excursion OR just go with DH to Mahogany Bay for a nice beach day? I like to snorkel, DH does not. We both enjoy being on a beach...... The excursion does have lunch included..... I'm guessing if you want drinks you buy on your own??

 

So... Anybody do one or both? What did you experience? Did you say to yourself... Oh I should've done...... Or wow, was that a rip off... Or I wish I had known before I went...

 

I'm open to ALL ideas/suggestions!! THANKS ahead of time!!!!

Gabrielle

 

We took a Princess excursion to Tabyana Beach on Roatan. Fantastic day. When we arrived we were shown to private area with beach chairs. Received wrist braclet for free drink. Security guy greeted us and said he'd watch our stuff. Some of the best snorkeling right from the beach I've ever had. Go all the way down to the left facing the water. Great reef coral and fish. Great beach strolling and people watching. Lots of bars and stuff along beach. The locals are a little agressive in hawking their wares but I found a firm and polite not thanks and they moved on. One of the finest beach days we've had.

[Gabrielle R.]

the other 2 times in roatan we went to tabyana w/ the princess bus -

dropped us off about 10 and then we could return anytime during afternoon

 

this time we are taking excursion RTB125A Gumbalimba Preservation

Nature Park & Tabyana - departs at 930 - to give us a little diversion in the morning -

we shall still have plenty of time at the beach & drink a few beers

 

it is 99 each - worth it to us be with princess :D

 

I saw that excursion & wondered if it was worthwhile. Thanks for the information!

[Gabrielle R.]

We took a Princess excursion to Tabyana Beach on Roatan. Fantastic day. When we arrived we were shown to private area with beach chairs. Received wrist braclet for free drink. Security guy greeted us and said he'd watch our stuff. Some of the best snorkeling right from the beach I've ever had. Go all the way down to the left facing the water. Great reef coral and fish. Great beach strolling and people watching. Lots of bars and stuff along beach. The locals are a little agressive in hawking their wares but I found a firm and polite not thanks and they moved on. One of the finest beach days we've had.

 

I had read about Tabyana Beach.... also read about the Hawkers... good to know that a no thank you works. I wondered what came with this excursion... DH likes to have a local beer... I'm guessing that would be found somewhere along the beach too? Thank you for the information!

[philv]

I had read about Tabyana Beach.... also read about the Hawkers... good to know that a no thank you works. I wondered what came with this excursion... DH likes to have a local beer... I'm guessing that would be found somewhere along the beach too? Thank you for the information!

 

I think the excursion we did just came with free drink. Not sure if Princess does one with lunch too. I forget what the local beer was in Roatan but I'm always looking for the local beer on the islands. ;)