Lamanai & Riverboat Tour

[Prairie_Gal]

I took the Lamanai tour thru Belizecruiseexcursions last week. I enjoyed it very much, but the timing was nerveracking. There were several of us from the Carnival Legend who rode the bus together.

When we got to the river we were told we would have to wait for another van before heading upriver.

 

The other group was from another ship and they had a later return time than us. Despite our guide's best efforts the other group just insisted on taking their time without any concern for our schedule.

 

We made it back to the Port just a few minutes before the last tender and everyone in our group was frazzled.

 

This tour was not offerred by Carnival.

 

The boat ride was great. Melvis was our guide and he was very informative and took as much time as he could given our schedule. He also gave a great tour of the ruins.

 

Lamanai was the highlight of my entire cruise, despite the anxiety of getting back to the port in time.

 

Can you tell me what time you left and returned? We are in Belize from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. I would really like to go to Lamanai, but not if it is going to cut it as short as you desribed. :eek: I would be a nervous wreck the whole time. I wonder if belizecruiseexcursions has ever missed the ship?

[przyk]

Can you tell me what time you left and returned? We are in Belize from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. I would really like to go to Lamanai, but not if it is going to cut it as short as you desribed. :eek: I would be a nervous wreck the whole time. I wonder if belizecruiseexcursions has ever missed the ship?

 

First of all Belize is on US Central time and ship time was US Eastern time, so there was an hour time difference between ship time and local time.

 

I was on the first tender off the ship, which was just about 8:00 ship time. We met our greeter who took us to the office to pay and we were on our way by 8:40. The last tender was scheduled for 4:00 and we arrived at the pier at about 3:55.

 

I will say there were several busses unloading passengers, returning from Carnival cruise tours, so there had to be at least one more tender after the one I caught. I really can't say how close we were to being left behind, but it was very stressful.

[wdowns9]

First of all Belize is on US Central time and ship time was US Eastern time, so there was an hour time difference between ship time and local time.

 

I was on the first tender off the ship, which was just about 8:00 ship time. We met our greeter who took us to the office to pay and we were on our way by 8:40. The last tender was scheduled for 4:00 and we arrived at the pier at about 3:55.

 

I will say there were several busses unloading passengers, returning from Carnival cruise tours, so there had to be at least one more tender after the one I caught. I really can't say how close we were to being left behind, but it was very stressful.

 

I'm glad to hear you made it back but that is too close to call. Trips like this confirm why I would rather book with the ship. Paying the extra $15pp vice missing the ship or trying to figure out how to get out to her anchor spot makes it worth the extra. There are too many variables that can make a good day turn really bad.

[przyk]

I'm glad to hear you made it back but that is too close to call. Trips like this confirm why I would rather book with the ship. Paying the extra $15pp vice missing the ship or trying to figure out how to get out to her anchor spot makes it worth the extra. There are too many variables that can make a good day turn really bad.

 

The problem is Carnival does not offer an excursion to Lamanai. If Carnival passengers want to visit Lamanai they have to take a private tour.

[tmoret]

We are going to Lamanai on March 12th. With Belizecruiseexcursions. Reading these reviews have helped with anxiety about not getting back in time. When we get back I'll post a review on here.

 

Thank you so much that would be great! I look forward to hearing about it....

[wdowns9]

That too bad that Carnival does not offer that excursion. Do they offer a trip to Xanatunich (sp) as it is a lengthy tour? I'm just trying to rationalize why they do not offer it. We are traveling on NCL and we are going to Lamania this time as we went on the other tour on our last trip. I would opt for belizecruiseexcursions because there are some pretty run down vehicles and I wouldnt want to be trapped.

[dgack1]

First of all Belize is on US Central time and ship time was US Eastern time, so there was an hour time difference between ship time and local time.

 

I was on the first tender off the ship, which was just about 8:00 ship time. We met our greeter who took us to the office to pay and we were on our way by 8:40. The last tender was scheduled for 4:00 and we arrived at the pier at about 3:55.

 

I will say there were several busses unloading passengers, returning from Carnival cruise tours, so there had to be at least one more tender after the one I caught. I really can't say how close we were to being left behind, but it was very stressful.

 

 

We are also going on this tour....How did you get out on the first tender? What time/place did show up to get an early tender?

 

thanks

Denise

[przyk]

We are also going on this tour....How did you get out on the first tender? What time/place did show up to get an early tender?

 

thanks

Denise

 

I asked the cruise director and she said to go to the Follies showroom a few minutes before 8:00 to get a tender sticker. I told them I had a long tour and they gave me a # 1 sticker, so I was in the first group off the ship.

 

I am not sure that all ships will treat you so kindly if you are taking a private tour, but kudos to Jen and the staff of the Carnival Legend for being so kind.

 

There were about a dozen people from my ship on the tour and they all got off early, so it was not too difficult for us anyway on that day.

[dgack1]

I asked the cruise director and she said to go to the Follies showroom a few minutes before 8:00 to get a tender sticker. I told them I had a long tour and they gave me a # 1 sticker, so I was in the first group off the ship.

 

I am not sure that all ships will treat you so kindly if you are taking a private tour, but kudos to Jen and the staff of the Carnival Legend for being so kind.

 

There were about a dozen people from my ship on the tour and they all got off early, so it was not too difficult for us anyway on that day.

 

Thanks....

 

Yes, every ship seems to be different. When we were on the Valor they were GREAT....no problem..But the Miracle, BIG PAIN...we got the "Carnival tours first speech" but after my firm (yet polite) response, we did get on the first tender. So thanks for the heads up!!!! Knowing what to expect is half of the battle;)

[framerman]

Thanks....

 

Yes, every ship seems to be different. When we were on the Valor they were GREAT....no problem..But the Miracle, BIG PAIN...we got the "Carnival tours first speech" but after my firm (yet polite) response, we did get on the first tender. So thanks for the heads up!!!! Knowing what to expect is half of the battle;)

Who did you end up having to talk to in order to get an early tender ticket?

We are on the Miracle out of FLL on March 6th. Belize on the 12th. Hope it's not going to be a big hassle to get early ticket. Can you describe your firm(but polite) response?

[framerman]

Lamanai, March 12th w/ Belizecruiseexcursions(BCE)

 

We are just back from our cruise on the Carnival Miracle. Like everyone has said Carnival does not offer the excursion to Lamanai so we booked it on our own w/ BCE. We definitely were a little anxious about doing this tour because of the length and multiple means of travel to and from the site.

 

At the beginning of the tour I asked our guide about what time he had as the ship and Belize are on different time zones. He satisfied me with his answers and I told him I would'nt bring it up again as he said 'don't worry I'll get you back in time'.

 

Lamanai is a long tour and you should not expect to have a bunch of time left after the tour. We arrived back at the tender dock w/ 15 minutes to spare before the last tender left.

 

This excursion is a must do for us. We completely enjoyed the whole experience, Although we would of liked more time at the site and less time searching for Crocadiles and birds on the boat ride to the site. We saw at least 15 species of birds and at least a dozen crocs anywhere from 2-7 feet.

 

The Lamanai site is in a dense jungle area so its difficult to get the feeling of how the site would have looked and functioned at the height of the classic period of the Maya. It's not a ceremonial site like Chitchen Itza. It was more of a residential area. There still are pyramids to climb!! And did I mention steep? Very steep steps! But beautiful view from the top.

 

It got to be 2 hours before the last tender was scheduled to leave when I broke my silence and said to the guide that we needed to get going. He again assured me we were right on schedule. Boat ride back is 45 minutes and van ride is is about 55 minutes on the way back. There are no speed limits in Belize. Hold on! At 25 miles out from the tenders the BCE office called our guide just to check on where we were at and how long it would be before we arrived at the tenders. Pretty much the guides are in touch via cell phone in case anything happened.

 

We were the only two people on our tour. So we ended up with a private tour! Guide spoke excellent English and was very knowledgable about the site. I can't say enough about this tour. We highly recomend it.

 

Yes, there is some inherent risk involved because of the distance, van and boat travel but the reward is great. I believe that BCE guides have this down to a science and They would not be able to exist if they were unable to get people back in time for the last tender. Just think of this website alone and how these boards would chatter with bad reviews if someone didn't get back in time. Go to Lamanai and enjoy the longest occupied site of the Maya.

 

If you have any questions e-mail me at framart@bellsouth.net

[framerman]

[quote=

 

Also, we had no trouble getting an early tender ticket off the boat. Go to the meeting place and tell the staff your on a separate tour (take your confirmation from the excursion company as proof) and they will give you a #1 ticket

[NEW 2 CRUISIN]

Great to read your review FRAMERMAN!

 

We will be in Lamanai in 2 weeks and CANNOT WAIT!

 

Glad you had a good trip!

 

:)

[Garn]

For those of you who have taken this excursion... we're going there on the Norwegian Sun the first week in April... what sort of clothes are appropriate? I know we need bug spray, but are shorts or light long pants more appropriate? How about footwear? I'm assuming we want sneakers for climbing, but do you get wet at all?

 

Thanks!

[driftwood]

Wear shorts (if you are not a naturist). Load on the sun block and wear a hat of some sort--red baseball caps are popular. In Belize they all seem to prefer to wear them with the bill forward, but that may just be because of the BRILLIANT sunlight. Then remember to spray lightly a coat of insect repellent: on the whole river trip and at Lamanai there is open space, where you WILL get sunburned if you aren't protected; and jungle, where you WILL get mosquito-bitten, if you aren't protected. There are other insects available as well. A LOT of sunblock will not go a long enough way; a little Deep Woods Off! will be enough.

 

We were there in January 2008 and the temperatures never fell below 84º F. In the open it is murder: and you know you must climb at least one pyramid. Well, if you are as dumb as I am, anyway! And you will find the sun (a/k/a Kinich Ahau) is up there waiting for you--if you make it all the way up! :rolleyes: You must constantly drink water all day--it is not an option. In the shade it is often quite humid. Mosquitoes love it! DW's hair curled--she wanted me to photograph it, because no one who knows her here would ever believe it.

 

Lamanai is a great adventure--and probably the most exhausting! You SHOULD love it! Best wishes! ;)

 

Oh--yes, any of the new walking shoes or lightweight hiking shoes or anything with a good tread works well--flat tennis shoes not a hot idea, particularly if you think you are going to climb at all--Vibram works very well for sole material--the paths can be a bit strenuous, but mostly because steps are high and steep. You won't get wet unless you go out of your way to do so.

[Garn]

Thanks for the advice... one more question... just how strenuous is this for those with the sense to stay off the ruins? My group ranges in age from 7 to 73... are the older and youngest folks going to have problems?

 

Thanks!

[nasvhillecruise]

To me, it was not a very strenuous walk (& I'm 40 & more than 40 lbs overweight). My 5-yr old had NO problems, AND he climbed the pyramid. I don't think the older people will have a problem. The walk is not paved, and there are a few roots/rocks to climb over on the trail, but overall, it is not very hilly & it's pretty smooth. The walk itself is probably not more than 45 minutes or so (although due to time constraints, we did not see the whole park). We stopped for about 15 minutes at the 1st site, 30 minutes at the 2nd, & 15 at the final one we visited.

[driftwood]

. . . was what I was thinking of--the rises are higher than most steps in the United States, and of course you are moving up from the river level to the raised level of the bases of the temples and pyramids. But there are a number of shady places in addition to the dining shelter to sit down, there is a small museum (which we did not enter during our tour), and once past the entrance walk I think most of the site is fairly free of challenges. It is certainly worth seeing! I think if you help each other along a little you won't have any real problems. When I was waiting for my DW in the shelter there was an elderly woman who had essentially come on the tour just to see the many, many birds along the New River; and she sat transcribing the names of birds she had newly seen to her Life List, while her husband, who was in somewhat better physical condition, toured the Lamanai site with their group. I think they both got what they had come for, and were quite content! :D

[Garn]

Sounds perfect- thanks for the reassurance.

[VirginiaCanuck]

We did the Lamani excursion with the Norwegian Sun a week ago. During the return trip from Lamaini our speedboat broke down – both engines. We were literaly up river without a paddle, or water or food. We were with another boat and in communications with the tour operator so we were never in any real danger. We ended up bobbing around on the river for about two hours waiting for the “rescue” boat. Tour guide and boat driver were professional throughout. Got to see a lot of birds and observe the river environment for an extended period. As we had booked the excursion through NCL, the Sun delayed its sailing by about 90 min in order to await for us. The next day we received a letter from NCL notifying us that the cost of the tour was being refunded. Well done!

Lesson Learned – Things can and do go wrong whenever people or mechanical devices are involved. We were fortunate that we had booked through NCL so everything worked out well for us.

[Toyz711]

on the NCL spirit's tour, i was worrying about the bus...the engine seemed fine, but the way the inside looked, i was worried about it breaking down. plus, on the way out of town, i saw a bus broken down.

the boats were great, our boat was excellent...but with those, as long and fast as they run them..breaking down can happen any time.

glad it was at the end of the tour, at least you didn't miss lamanai!!

even without breaking down, our tour guide said our tour was the 1st one to make it (back) on time in some time. we got back 1/2 hr before the last tender. it's a long day's tour, but so worth it.

glad things worked out for you.

[driftwood]

. . . and I don't think they are too particular at maintaining their engines; but there are a number of boats, and they are undoubtedly used to sending "relief boats" out to "rescue" stranded vessels. Most of the boats each have two rather large (125-200 hp) outboard engines, so that if one breaks down--as one of ours did, perhaps terminally--the remaining engine can enable the boat to limp back, even fully loaded, to the boat docking area. But a fully loaded boat--which I imagine they all are on cruiseship days--limps very slowly indeed; and unfortunately it seems that the engines cannot be individually stepped, so that the one live engine has to drag the other engine through the water as well. Not the best system, perhaps. But the delay is factored in to the schedules: so that even though we got back to the dock over a half-hour late, all the buses still had plenty of time to get passengers back to their cruise ship tenders.

 

The ride down the New River is designed to take an hour and a half, and the return ride is designed to take an hour or slightly less, when everything is running full out. I estimate that the return trip could take two or even two-and-a-half hours, and still not cause anyone to miss his ship. As I have said elsewhere, I believe everyone in Belize--and certainly everyone having to do with tourism--has at least one cellphone, and usually two, so everyone--including your ship--is in constant and instant communication with each other. Cellphone reception from end to end of Belize is always at four bars (if you have four bars on your phone). I doubt there is any country as safe for tourism as Belize, although of course there are infinite ways to injure yourself if you are incautious. For example, a young woman in the boat ahead of ours--which had taken off passengers who had to catch the last plane of the day to Ambergris Caye from our disabled vessel--in her haste to get ashore and catch her plane, unfortunately missed her footing climbing onto the concrete dock, and landed face first on solid concrete. Most people who were still on the dock when our boat arrived were still in shock over her injuries. Major Tom had been there waiting for us, and he coordinated her initial first aid and had her shipped off to the hospital before our boat docked: but of course it was only luck that he was there with his enormous presence of mind, leadership experience and first aid experience to be able to assist her. So DO WATCH YOUR STEP! Major Tom may be at the other end of the country cave tubing with his eldest son and the rest of the passengers from your ship when YOU go to Lamanai! ;)

[framerman]

To me, it was not a very strenuous walk (& I'm 40 & more than 40 lbs overweight). My 5-yr old had NO problems, AND he climbed the pyramid. I don't think the older people will have a problem. The walk is not paved, and there are a few roots/rocks to climb over on the trail, but overall, it is not very hilly & it's pretty smooth. The walk itself is probably not more than 45 minutes or so (although due to time constraints, we did not see the whole park). We stopped for about 15 minutes at the 1st site, 30 minutes at the 2nd, & 15 at the final one we visited.

We did'nt really find the trip overly strenuous. Climb of the temple was very steep but there is a rope to help. Coming down either sit on your butt and lower yourselfdown each step or walk down by zig zagging your way across and down the steps.

 

Sneakers seemed very adequate. No way to get wet unless it rains or you fall out of the boat.