Questions about Belize??

[mom x4,grandma x4]

I am taking my first cruise on the Glory in June. We are stopping at Belize.

I have read so many mixed stories about it, so please share your expierences with me. Here is what I really want to hear about the most.

 

Rumor or truth??

 

Tender boat is very rough seas, many get ill.

Tender boat has more than one stop according to your excursions, which can mean up to a 45 minute boat ride.

Which excursions have the longer ride??

 

Dangerous to even shop around so be on your guard. Never leave the main streets. ( no alleys for short cuts to other shops)

 

What were the ruins excursions like?? There are a couple but one is 7 hours which seems like a really long day. What was the lunch like you can buy?

Should we be worried about eating there??

 

How safe did you feel while there?

 

Any tips or suggestions for excursion for someone who doesnt swim would be greatly appreciated!!!

I just cant find anything that seems to be good about Belize, so I am really feeling confused about this.

Thanks for your help,

 

mom x4,grandma x4

[AnnieB925]

Post over at the Ports of Call board for more answers. We booked the Belize river and ruins excursion when we were on the Miracle in October. The tour included stopping for lunch where we got a local dish and soda. The tender was not rough and nobody got sick.

 

We never felt in danger at any point. If you are feeling concerned book a Carnival excursion and stay with the group.

[PelicanBill]

Your post will most likely get moved out of Carnival and to the Belize port board.

 

We went on Glory to Belize in January 2005.

 

The tender boat is not "very rough". You are in a sheltered anchorage. Only very unusual conditions could make it rough. The waters could be bouncy, and sensitive people might call that rough. I have not seen reports about many people getting ill unless it was one time of exceptional conditions.

 

"Tender boat has more than one stop according to your excursions, which can mean up to a 45 minute boat ride." I don't recall hearing about this either. Most excursions leave straight from the ship or go to the main Dock where you then board a bus or different boat. The main tenders just go back and forth from ship to dock, about a 15 minute ride.

 

"Which excursions have the longer ride??" Too hard to answer except by personal reports of specific excursions. We tooks the Goff's Caye excursion, which was a 20min ride each way in a smaller boat. Bouncy, yes, but typical 2-4 foot seas.

 

"Dangerous to even shop around so be on your guard. Never leave the main streets." If you do not have experience walking less touristed caribbean ports, then stay in the shopping village at the docks. Perfectly safe there. If you venture out stay in larger groups, do not go off the main streets, use precautions, carry only what you need. Limit the cash and credit cards you carry to those you need. Lots of people visit Belize every week without trouble. But there are always some petty crimes happening here and in every port you visit.

 

"What were the ruins excursions like?? There are a couple but one is 7 hours which seems like a really long day. " Most of these involve long bus rides, as much as 2 hours each way! Can be uncomfortable depending on the bus, and kids get stir crazy.

 

"Should we be worried about eating there??" Only as far as all tropical locations. Don't drink tap water. To be safest, eat cooked foods and drink bottled drinks. I often take a chance on fresh fruit and such, because it's so good. Worst thing is you get traveller's diarrhea. Take medicine with you just in case.

 

"How safe did you feel while there?" When I went ashore I stayed in the shopping village because I was alone.

 

"Any tips or suggestions for excursion for someone who doesnt swim would be greatly appreciated!!! I just cant find anything that seems to be good about Belize" Belize is beautiful and unspoiled. Please go and enjoy it. On the Geoff's Caye tour my wife and daughter stayed on the boat while I snorkeled, and then played in the sand and water at the island while we finished snorkeling. Take one of the shorter bus tours and then do some shopping. The people are very friendly and happy to see you.

[noblepa]

We went to Belize in 2004 on the Glory.

 

The tender ride was the longest I've ever been on, but it was not particularly rough. They don't use the normal ship's tenders. They use large speed boats. This was also the fastest tender I've ever been on. We were doing well over 20 knots, perhaps as much as 30. Still, it took probably 15-20 minutes. As I understand it, the bay is very shallow, which forces the ships to anchor far out to sea. Thus the long tender ride. We made no extra stops.

 

We took the River Wallace/Altun Ha ruins tour. We took a 2 hour boat ride up the river, seeing crocodiles, parrots and monkeys. We got off the boat, had lunch (which my wife refused to eat) and then boarder a former New Jersey Transit bus (complete with bullet holes in the windshield, no kidding) for a short ride to the Mayan ruins at Altun Ha. They were nice, but not nearly as impressive as Chichen Itza, which we also did on that cruise, when we stopped at Progresso, Mexico.

 

About four days after we got home, and a week after we stopped at Belize, I got sick as a dog and stayed sick for a week. I was throwing up, spending a lot of time in the bathroom and generally feeling miserable. My wife insists that it was that lunch in Belize, which was cooked chicken (at least they told us it was chicken), with rice and beans. I figured it was safe, because they brought it to us, still steaming, in a large dutch oven. That kind of cooking should have killed just about anything bad, but who knows. My doctor didn't think it was from that food, either, since it had been about eight days since I had eaten it.

 

We were told, in the ship's pre-visit port lecture, to stay close to the tender dock, in the shopping village, for our own safety. Driving through the city on the bus back from the ruins, I didn't see anything I really wanted to visit, anyway. Belize is a very poor country, and the tourist trade hasn't been developed as much as many other ports that cruise ships visit, so much of the city is still very squalid, by American standards.

 

I understand that the scuba diving there is some of the best in the world. I'm not a diver, so I can't speak from experience.

[KrysyGT]

I loved Belize and cannot wait to go back. The only 45 minute boat ride you will have is if you opt to go to Caye Caulker or some of the snorkeling excursions.

 

The snorkeling is amazing. 2nd to the Great Barrier reef in Aus from what I hear. We had an amazing time/experience in Belize and Caye Caulker. The food was amazing and the people all very friendly.

[Beth]

BE CAREFUL!!!! It is a third world countrty. Book an excursion, to me is my least favorite port. Not into diving and we have done the tubing thing twice.

[sportsterjohn]

I have been to Belize 2x. Once, the weather was kinda rough and the tender ride was definetly an excursion in itself (they ended up not letting any more tenders leave after mine). The other time it was fine. In Belize, the ship anchors a few miles from the pier so the tender ride is longer, as mentioned, the tender boats do haul a** though. When you get off the tender, you will be in a fenced in tourist area which is safe. Belize is less developed than some of the other ports and does have a higher crime rate. Most of the shore excursions are located in the interior of the country and most of the excursions are pretty lengthy. Going on an excursion with a group is pretty safe, we actually had a tourist police officer on our tour bus with us. Do not be afraid of Belize, the ruins and jungle are fantastic and as I mentioned, if you go with a reputable tour operator, you will have a great time.

[thoneycu]

We had a blast in Belize! Definitely the highlight of our cruise. We booked through Coral Breeze Tours and went to Caye Caulker, we opted not to go with the rest of the tour on to the reef to snorkel. We just stayed and hung out on Caye Caulker for the day. It was beautiful! As the above member stated- the Belize Port of Call board will have more information, along with my review of Caye Caulker:D We loved it and we felt very safe the whole time.

[trey420]

this is a cool port though I thought it was fairly safe but I would take a ship excursion. I went to the Ruins not the one with the show and lunch I dont think that would have been much better to have done the show and lunch. The ruins are "cool" :o well they are what they are 4 or so big rock mounds you can climb on top of one and have your pic taken with a kaymen. It takes a while to get there and back on a bus or in a van we were in a bus. Very informative guide gave him a tip in the end. I think if I went there again I would take a jungle tour or something, I hear the ruins in Costa Maya are real big and you can interact more with them.

[mom x4,grandma x4]

Thankyou for all your responses.

I will checkout the ports of call board.

I didnt know it existed.

 

I do appreciate all your opinions and experience you have shared with me.

 

mom x4,grandma x4

[Curtis6978]

A group of us were in Belize in July 06. We were originally supposed to go to Xuntanuich (sp?) for a long mayan ruin tour, but it got cancelled due to flooding. we spent ths day walking around the city and had a decent time considering the misty rain and high humidity. We visited the St Johns cathedrial and it was beautiful in a somewhat spooky sort of way. We had to walk about 1 1/2 miles from the pier to get here, we did have a few people try to be our "tour guide" but we just said no thanks and that was that. All in all we didnt have any trouble. Just like any city, you run a risk of being a victim of crime, just use common sense and dont be an idiot. Some may say it is easy for me to say since I am 6'6" 285lbs and was with two other guys who both measured 6'5 240 and 6'2 230 respectively!

[phlydude]

Went to Belize in May 2004. We did the Altun Ha and city tour. The city tour was pretty much nothing more that driving through the city to get to the road to take us to the ruins. The drive there was over an hour.

 

The ruins were pretty cool and our guide, Wilfredo, was awesome. He had 3 seperate degrees from US universities and was also an archeologist along with being a tour guide.

 

One word of caution, take water with you. It can be very hot and the ruins have very limited facilities (they have drinks and such but not really much else).

 

The city did look a little creepy...including the fire eating man outside the tourist area. The shopping village was quiet and non-eventful (although I did get to try on a $10,000 Breitling in the Diamonds International store).

 

Tenders are nothing to worry about. They are covered boats that move at a good pace. Depending on how early you get off the boat, they may stop at a pier to drop off people for an excursion but for the most part, early on, each tour will have one and then the general depatures to shore will go non-stop.

 

I don't mind it... so much so that I am going back next week and again in Sept.

[dardani]

I was on the Glory last Oct. The cruise tender was not excessively rough and I saw no one get sick or even look woozy. Everything was fine.

 

As far as I know the tender took everyone to the same dock. We booked the River Wallace/Altun Ha tour through Carnival. It was the only cruiseline excursion we booked, mainly becaue I couldn't find any other company who did the River Wallace combo tour any cheaper.

 

The tour did last a long while, but we were sitting and relaxing most of the time. I went with my two kids, 12 and 7 at the time. Most of the people on this tour, however, were older (I'm 38) with the majority being seniors. The only time I was nervous was when the boat engine stalled on the River Wallace. The tour was informative. We stopped for lunch after the river tour but before the ruins tour. I think lunch ran about $8 (American) per person...very simple, nothing to brag about but not bad, either.

 

The river tour takes you through the rainforest and you see a lot of wildlife. I have some awesome pictures. The bus ride was not horrible, but was rough in some spots, as their roads are not maintained like ours. I don't think I would venture through the city on my own, but I would not do that in any foreign country and in parts of my own.

 

I was told by a couple at our dinner table that the snorkeling in Belize was good. Just FYI.

 

Anyway, hope this helps. I can't concur with any of the horror stories you've been told. Have fun!

[Lard Greystoke]

I just got off the Glory earlier today and Belize was a highlight. I booked a private excursion to the Lamanai ruins along with a boat ride along the New River. The excursion was safe, interesting and professionally run. I did not walk in the city but two middle-aged ladies did and they were fine. The tender ride was definitely fast but moderately interesting in its own right. I would definitely research Belize and get out and do something.

[mom x4,grandma x4]

Thanks for all your input.

we are definately going to take an excursion through the ship since it is our first time there, just not sure which one yet. I have narrowed it down after all the input from you great people!!

 

My daughter and her family are thinking about the cave tubing. I think they will have a blast!! I dont snorkel, so we will do a land excursion.

 

Thanks again, if anyone thinks of any other tips, please let me know!!

 

Kathy

[Warmer Climes]

Hi Kathy,

We cruised on the Dream in February and loved Belize- we'd definitely go back. We did the cave tubing and I would recommend that if your daughter decideds to do that she go through cave-tubingdotcom. Their website has videos of people tubing so you can check it out. It costs half what the ship charges. On our next trip to Belize we are going to do something with Smugglers Run. I have also heard that the snorkeling is fabulous. I found the people very friendly and not as "in your face" as at some ports we have done. That said, I wouldn't go wandering around Belize City. The port area is very secured and no problem and you can sit at any of half a dozen bars and have a cold drink and look at the GORGEOUS scenery. Today it is 1 degree in NH with 30 mph winds coming straight from the Arctic and I would give quite a bit to be in Belize.

 

Barb

[mom x4,grandma x4]

Thanks Barb, I will pass along the web site to her.

 

Kathy

[Zeno]

I am taking my first cruise on the Glory in June. We are stopping at Belize.

I have read so many mixed stories about it, so please share your expierences with me. Here is what I really want to hear about the most.

 

Rumor or truth??

 

Tender boat is very rough seas, many get ill.

Tender boat has more than one stop according to your excursions, which can mean up to a 45 minute boat ride.

I have been to Belize twice and have never seen anyone getting ill on the tender ride. I did not find it rough. My friend who was with us on our 2nd Belize trip is extremely susceptable to motion sickness and she only found it a little bumpy. The seas are seldom rough because you are inside the barrier reef. The tenders take you directly to the port docks. The length of the ride varies depending on the type of tender. I would say 15-30 minutes.

Which excursions have the longer ride??

Don't know.

Dangerous to even shop around so be on your guard. Never leave the main streets. ( no alleys for short cuts to other shops)

You are perfectly safe in the port area and on excursions. I would not wonder around the back allies of ANY 3rd world port.

What were the ruins excursions like?? There are a couple but one is 7 hours which seems like a really long day. What was the lunch like you can buy?

Should we be worried about eating there??

We loved our excursion to Lamanai - it is probably the 7 hour one. It is a long day and I would not recommend it for small children. The bus ride was about 1 hour each way, followed by a boat ride on the river. On our excursion, lunch was included. It was simple but good (chicken, rice etc). I would not worry about eating any lunch provided by an excursion or at the restaurants actually in the port area. I would NEVER eat "street" food in a 3rd world country and I am always careful about which restaurants I eat in. ALWAYS drink only bottled water.

How safe did you feel while there?

Very - but I also did not do anything foolish like wander the back streets of tyhe city on my own.

Any tips or suggestions for excursion for someone who doesnt swim would be greatly appreciated!!!

Consider going to one of the ruins if you have any interest in history

I just cant find anything that seems to be good about Belize, so I am really feeling confused about this.

Belize if a very interesting country with lots to see and do. The wildlife and ruins are wonderful. Unless one behaves foolishly, there is no reason not to enjoy it. Frankly I much prefer it to over-developed ports that only offer one opportunities to drink and shop.

[mom x4,grandma x4]

Thankyou,

I have been reading some great reports the last few days and I am very excited to go. Just cant decide on which excursions to take.

 

kathy

[sweet angel]

Has anyone done any of the land sightseeing tours right around the port. There's some sort of little train that looks like an amusement park train? A horse-drawn carriage ride, etc...that I could book thru RCI. Other than that, nothing really seems appealing.