How rough is the boat ride to snorkel in Belize?

[DEwoman]

I've read these forums until I am dizzy. Am I right that the water is usually rough and currents are strong pretty much everywhere in Belize? We can take a boat ride, but not a choppy bump you up and down one. With 2 bad backs, should we just take the flight through Eco tours to snorkel? Or should we do the Bannister Island and manatee watch with Coral Breeze? What about Sergeants Caye or Turneffe through Carnival? :cool:

[Will in sunny FL]

It depends on what YOU like.

We prefer doing the trip with Coral Breeze with two snorkel spots & lunch on Caye Caulker. The boat ride can be very smooth as it was this past March & it can be rough if the wind is up. Same with the currents, they depend on the weather.

Two times ago there we did the Bannister Island, & being from sunny FL we found that it was not to our liking as our FL beaches are the real deal.

And we are booked again with Coral Breeze for next month for the snorkeling & Caye Caulker.

Bill in FL

[DEwoman]

Thanks! I just don't want DH back to act up on the ride over. Carnival's Turneffe trip had warnings and I can't find any reviews of their trip to Sergeant's Caye anywhere. So the beach at Caye Caulker is nicer? Or the snorkeling is better? We had snow flurries here this morning- enjoy that sunny Weather!

[Will in sunny FL]

The lunch at Caye Caulker & walking around are great but the beach is at the "split" I think it is called, & is a bit of a walk.

The snorkeling with Coral Breeze is among the best in Belize. The best in our opinion.

Have a ball !

Bill in FL

[Arlo60]

Just got back yesterday from our first cruise on the Carnival Legend...I'm hooked, thats for another thread I guess.. anyway we took the Coral Breezes snorkeling tour to Caye Caulker, it was one of the highlights of the trip. The boat ride out was not too bouncy but I will say that the ocean was very rough during our snorkeling outing. The tour guides were great and made sure everyone was together and safe. One of the guides took my 10 year old son and another little girl and held onto the cords on their life vests and took them around the entire time. I do suggest that you wear a life vest even if you are experienced. The current is strong. Caye Caulker was beautiful, I felt like I really was in another world, I wish we could have spent more time there. Snorkeling with the stingrays was also great. I highly recommend Coral Breezes Tour, the guides were all very nice, helpful and experienced. I felt very secure with them.

[DEwoman]

Thanks!!! We must have been on the same cruise- maybe even the same Coral Breeze trip: ) I thought the boat ride was fine- thank God! The currents were strong, I agree. We went to the right.- It was a blast!

[meme2manthajoe]

We just returned from our first cruise. We booked through Shoretrips for snorkeling in Belize. The tour was handeled by Hammerhead Excursions. We had a wonderful time! The people running it were extremely knowledgeable and professional. They were also very friendly. They were patient with our inexperience and made sure we were all safe at all times. We were supposed to have a manatee watch at the end and they really tried but the skies were overcast and we didn't get lucky in that respect. But it was fine as they gave us so much information about the history of the area and the reef. I didn't think the boat ride was rough but I suppose it could be if the seas were rough. I can't say enough about this excursion, we will definitely do it again!