Belize City Tender

[will76rocks]

This our first family cruise, I think we picked a good ship for our busy family(Carnival Breeze). Lots of stuff to do on board. While this isn't our first cruise, it is the first cruise that has a tender port. Does anyone have any tips or advice on tender boats? We are not booking a "carnival excursion" in Belize city. My wife is a little concerned with getting to and from the ship. Thank you in advance

[nybumpkin]

I think it depends on what you plan to do in Belize. Carnival uses a tender ticket system to board the tenders, with early preference being given to Carnival excursions. People taking other excursions or just getting off the ship will be given instructions on when and where to get tender tickets. If you just plan to get off the ship and walk around the port area, get a tender ticket when you're ready. However, if you're planning an independent tour, your tour operator likely will want you on one of the early tenders, so you'll want to be in line for a tender ticket when they're first available.

 

Just a note on Belize City: most people will recommend that you not try to go on your own outside the port area, aside from maybe visiting some of the vendors set up just outside. It's a fairly rough neighborhood.

[will76rocks]

Great Information, thank you. We are planning a cave tubing/zipline tour with the outfit that actually does carnival excursions. We went direct with them saved about half by doing so (there are 5 of us so it added up). I guess I must weigh my options stand in line or save a couple hundred...LOL We've been told about the "tourist compound" in Belize City. Thank you again!!!

[nybumpkin]

We did cave tubing with an independent operator. It's a lot of fun, but it is a long day. We were asked to get on the earliest possible tender - I think we wound up on the second or third. At any rate, we were ashore in plenty of time for the tour. Have a great time!

[bakersdozen12]

Just an FYI: if this company is truly giving you the exact same excursion that you can book through Carnival, then you can book the Carnival excursion and then price match to the independent price. Then you will not only have priority tendering, but also the guarantee that the ship will wait for you, should there be delays with getting back.

 

 

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[Banditswife]

This our first family cruise, I think we picked a good ship for our busy family(Carnival Breeze). Lots of stuff to do on board. While this isn't our first cruise, it is the first cruise that has a tender port. Does anyone have any tips or advice on tender boats? We are not booking a "carnival excursion" in Belize city. My wife is a little concerned with getting to and from the ship. Thank you in advance

If you have FTTF, you will be given priority to board tenders. But all cabins must have FTTF. This may be a port where you want to book a Carnival tour because of the tenders. They are larger boats in Belize, so hold many guests, but it does take a while to get to shore. We've used "cavetubingrus" in Belize city- very reliable & inexpensive. They have other tours besides cavetubing- but that would be fun for a large group.

[Eleteace]

Tendering is fun! (Well I think so, although I do get a little sea sick) I used to love it as a child.

 

I've written a post here: http://cruisingisntjustforoldpeople.co.uk/2016/10/05/what-is-cruise-ship-tendering/ which takes you through what happens at the tendering, I would definitely recommend you don't try to leave too early and wait for the rush to die down. Oh and leave plenty of time to get back!

 

The photo on that post is of a tender into Belize, I did it last year :) have a fabulous time!

 

 

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[crewsweeper]

Just a note on Belize City: most people will recommend that you not try to go on your own outside the port area, aside from maybe visiting some of the vendors set up just outside. It's a fairly rough neighborhood.

 

Having walked around that "fairly rough neighborhood" with DW and SIL many times and crossed the swing bridge and had lunch at several places that serve 'real' local cuisine, not "Americanized" local cuisine, and having always found any locals met or passé don't he street to be very friendly and engaging, I have to respectfully disagree. The sole exception is the somewhat aggressive excursion jaladores/ hawkers trying to get you to take a tour. But they are only around the cruise port and disappear a block away, and usually leave you alone with a polite "No Thank You." There are 2-3 4and5star hotels just around the corner from the Tourism village where tenders dock that continually have A-D list celebrities and 1%ers staying there. Consulate compounds are also in the area.

 

Now as you venture out toward cavetubing along the Western Highway or Altun Ha and Ladyville along the Northern Highway, you will pass through the poorer portions of Belize City. But you are in a vehicle and you are not stopping.

[jsglow]

As long as you get down to the designated area early (in our case it was the Comedy venue on Freedom), you can get an early tender ticket. We got tender #1 simply by being prompt. Enjoy.

[CRocks]

As with all tender ports, high seas can cause delays or even missing a port. We've been delayed in Belize, but never missed. The first time we were there, tendering was an EXPERIENCE! Everything that floated was sent out to the ship. Last time there, they had several larger actual tender vessels instead of the local fishin boats. :rolleyes:

[coevan]

Just an FYI: if this company is truly giving you the exact same excursion that you can book through Carnival, then you can book the Carnival excursion and then price match to the independent price. Then you will not only have priority tendering, but also the guarantee that the ship will wait for you, should there be delays with getting back.

 

 

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bull poopy, this is what they do for a living. I am platinum and get priority. Price match rarely works. don't let CCL scare you into thinking you will miss the ship, you wont. Did I say this is their only income and they telephone, VHFs and they WILL get you back to the ship on time.

[Budget Queen]

IF you have a tour and have to be off the ship early, you really need to be in the tender ticket line prior to the posted time. I have personally seen it take 2 hours for people to get on tenders, more common with later port arrival times. If you have an 8am port arrival time, vs eg 10a, then the flow is usually better. Later arrivals- means more people ready and want off the ship.

 

Just off a 5 week sailing with 8 tender ports- ran the whole gamete from hours of wait to none.

[will76rocks]

Thank you everyone for your replies! We are super excited, only 109 days left!!!Y'all have helped set our minds at ease. We will certainly be prompt to get a ticket. I am personally looking forward to a speedy tender(I have speed boat in my mind, don't ruin it...haha) April 30th 2017 Carnival Breeze woohoo!

[cruisinqt]

The tenders they use hold 300 passengers and take about 20 minutes to get there. And they have them running back and forth constantly. On our last cruise to Belize after an hour and a half or so they no longer even used the tender tickets. You could just walk onto the tenders. :) On some rare occasions there are multiple ships arriving simultaneously which puts a strain on the tendering process and slows you down significantly. But we've only had that happen once and it was a good few years back. There's a website you can use to check how many cruise ships will be at your port that day but I don't remember the name. I'm sure a google search will find it pretty quickly. ;) I think they've gotten wise and staggered their cruise ship arrivals so the tendering process is a quicker and more positive experience. They want happy cruisers sharing their positive experiences so people keep coming back and spending more money.

You should be okay. Just get on the earliest tender possible. We've done multiple excursions through outside tour operators there and they've always been great experiences. And the tour operators know the tendering process and about how long it will take for your group to arrive on the island. All of this is factored into the times they give you.

[James in SA]

Done this a few times. Just find out the night before what time they will begin giving out tender tickets and be there early with all your group ready to go. Remember that everyone else on the tour you are going on will be in the same situation, so as long as you are in line early and ready to leave you will be fine.

[crusinpsychRN]

bull poopy, this is what they do for a living. I am platinum and get priority. Price match rarely works. don't let CCL scare you into thinking you will miss the ship, you wont. Did I say this is their only income and they telephone, VHFs and they WILL get you back to the ship on time.

 

I came very close to missing the last tender in Belize. The driver said "don't worry, the captain is my cousin." There was a girl, Kelly, who had been badly injured on a horseback riding incident when a monkey attacked her. She was bloody from head to toe. They thought I was her mother and ran to the van to get us past over 200 people waiting for the tender to get to her. I told them over and over I wasn't her mother but I was able to help calm her. 7 months after the incident she still couldn't walk due to tendon damage.