Some pics from September 7

[zydecocruiser]

http://www.zydecocruiser.com/valor_06/BE/BE_icu.htm

[MsMiMi]

Wow! What great pictures!!!! Thanks for posting them... came back from Belize in July and they brought back some great memories.

The underwater pictures are amazing!!!

[Ctrain246]

Zydecocruiser,

 

I agree wholeheartedly with MSMiMi, those were exceptional pictures.

 

I am in a group of 22 people who will be on the Carnival Legend out of Ft Lauderdale on 11/16. One of our stops is in Belize, and I am extremely grateful for the pictures you took of the different tours that are offered. Several of the ones you displayed we have not heard of, and I am going to check them out for availability. Your pictures gave a depiction of Belize that was plesantly different than what I imagined.

[sbpat]

WOW!!! I can't wait to show these pics to our daughters as this will be their first cruise. (All three are under the age of 10!) I got chills just looking at the underwater shots. CAN"T WAIT!!!!

[zydecocruiser]

Thank you.

 

Here are pics from a different cruise, a different tour...

 

http://www.zydecocruiser.com/belize_dec_27_05.htm

[Dee1161]

Zydecocruiser - Great pictures from the Grand Princess!

We are taking this cruise in December - it looks like you did the cruise last December. How was the weather? How was the ship?

This is our 1st cruise on Princess, would love to hear more about your experience.

 

Thanks for the pictures!

[zydecocruiser]

Zydecocruiser - Great pictures from the Grand Princess!

We are taking this cruise in December - it looks like you did the cruise last December. How was the weather? How was the ship?

This is our 1st cruise on Princess, would love to hear more about your experience.

 

Thanks for the pictures!

 

Weather was great. Ship was great until they developed an electrical problem, but that was on the way back, so all it did was extend our cruise by a few hours. :D Haven't heard of any problems recently, so I wouldn't worry about that.

 

Here was a living review of sorts:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=269752

[sbpat]

Showed them to our kids and now we have a question for you as very INEXPERIENCED snorkelers. Did you have to go down very deep to get the pictures of the coral and fish? Were the waves big or manageable for young swimmers? We are excited, but now a bit nervous. Thanks

[zydecocruiser]

Showed them to our kids and now we have a question for you as very INEXPERIENCED snorkelers. Did you have to go down very deep to get the pictures of the coral and fish? Were the waves big or manageable for young swimmers? We are excited, but now a bit nervous. Thanks

 

Water conditions can vary, but it it was really rough, the tour would be cancelled. In both tours pictured, the waves were a non-event, but great weather can't be guaranteed.

 

I'd say this was typical from the December trip:

http://www.zydecocruiser.com/belize_12_05/of1OdAPfSNMgHndWJ9CEAk41goCBUE5W0300.jpg

 

Sometimes I dive down some, other times I'm a little concerned about scraping my belly :o. This was especially true at Goff's when puttering around near the shore. you can see the water conditions at Goff's that day in this pic:

http://www.zydecocruiser.com/valor_06/BE/pics/IMG_9429.JPG

You can see a snorkeler right on top of the reef just to the left of the sign. As the sign says, just off the shore the reef in a couple of directions varies from 0.6 to 3 meters deep.

 

At Goff's, you can snorkel from the boat or snorkle from the shore and I actually think the shore snorkel was better, although I did on my own. Not sure what the guide shows on that one.

 

I found the water clarity better at Horseshoe Reef, but that is a little deeper. Also depends on water conitions. Think I prefer the snorkeling at Horseshoe. That excursion cost more and included a stop to play with stingrays and maybe catch a glimpse of a nurse shark.

 

In either case, snorkel vests are available and for Horseshoe Reef mandatory, which I don't like and they weren't needed, but...

 

Swimming in salt water is very much different than in fresh water like a pool. Salt water is much denser so it is really trivial to just float along.

[Lindypc]

Weather was great. Ship was great until they developed an electrical problem, but that was on the way back, so all it did was extend our cruise by a few hours. :D Haven't heard of any problems recently, so I wouldn't worry about that.

Here was a living review of sorts:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=269752

Zydeco--just sat here and read every posting and looked at every photo from your "almost live" forum; what a treat! Brought back wonderful memories when we went in Jan 05. What kind of cell phone do you have and how do you connect your computer to it?:confused:

[zydecocruiser]

Zydeco--just sat here and read every posting and looked at every photo from your "almost live" forum; what a treat! Brought back wonderful memories when we went in Jan 05. What kind of cell phone do you have and how do you connect your computer to it?:confused:

 

Dunno if you can still get, but I'm on an old Sprint PCS plan with unlimited Internet access, although they will drop you if you stay connected 24x7. Have to make sure you have a phone where modem access hasn't been disabled - it has been on many of the newer phones. Once my current contract is up, think I will drop one of my phones and get one of their PC cards and and unlimited plan and drop my voice plan minutes way down. It will cost more, but will also be much faster.

 

I don't think you need any special software other than a USB driver for you phone (which you can download for free) - but companies will sell you lots of stuff.

 

Here is an example of one:

http://www.futuredial.com/Products/snapdialer/P_SD.aspx

I see a number of phones are no longer listed as having Internet access supported, but some still are.

 

Want to make sure your provide has an unlimited data plan or a per kilobyte charge that you can live with.

[shorties]

Great pictures!! I'm doing this cruise in February. Can't wait after seeing your pictures.:D

[Lindypc]

I don't think you need any special software other than a USB driver for you phone (which you can download for free) - but companies will sell you lots of stuff.

 

Thank-you so much for your answer; my cell w/ all the bells & whistles doesn't support internet, but that is something to look for next time.

[POOHISME2]

http://www.zydecocruiser.com/valor_06/BE/BE_icu.htm

Thanks for sharing:D What excursion was this? What kind of camera did you use? Your underwater pictures are great.

[GeekyMom]

Wow, what a view!

 

We had considered a Belize cruise but the dates did not work with our arrangements. Hubby really liked the ports. :)

[zydecocruiser]

Thanks for sharing:D What excursion was this? What kind of camera did you use? Your underwater pictures are great.

 

You're welcome.

 

Goff's Caye excursion is the Valor excursion.

 

The Grand Princess one was Horseshoe Reef and Sting Ray Village combo.

 

Camera is Canon s1 is with waterproof case and photoshop elements.