Any update on Harvest Caye, Belize?

We are sailing November 2015, and we are scheduled to go to NCL's new Harvest Caye, Belize...was just wondering if there are any updates on the construction of the new port?

They do have the excursions posted and they look great, IMO:

http://es.ncl.com/port/harvest-caye-belize/excursions

I think this is the most recent update but there'll be more when the launch date gets closer. We're on the Star TA in Oct. 2015, and the first cruise following the TA is the 1st to Harvest Caye.

http://www.cruiselawnews.com/2014/07/articles/caribbean-islands/belize-tourism-industry-association-sues-ncl-to-block-mega-cruise-harvest-caye-development-in-belize/

I've been watching it as well wondering if we should add this 6 day cruise to our 25 day cruise on the Star. :eek:

Hope this helps..

Cheers

I'm on the Star this November and just just spoke to the cruise planner about Harvest Caye. She stated the first ship will visit October 13th (tentative) and that the island would be similar in concept to Great Styrp Cay with a vibe its own. Excursions should be on the website in may.

If the island is not ready Belize City is the first alternative if there port can accept the ship. She said she didn't have info on a second alternative.

Hope this helps.

I'm on the Star this November and just just spoke to the cruise planner about Harvest Caye. She stated the first ship will visit October 13th (tentative) and that the island would be similar in concept to Great Styrp Cay with a vibe its own. Excursions should be on the website in may.

 

If the island is not ready Belize City is the first alternative if there port can accept the ship. She said she didn't have info on a second alternative.

 

Hope this helps.

Some ships have been going there for a month or two now. Not much feedback yet.

Just trying to bump this up, going in Nov.2015.

Some ships have been going there for a month or two now. Not much feedback yet.

I think you're confusing Trujillo Honduras as an alternate for Roatan. Harvest Caye, Belize is still under construction and will hopefully be ready this fall....

I did not find any tours etc on Norwegian website. It is near the small village of Placentia. Many in Belize tried to stop it including Belize Tourism Industry. In March the Belize environmental office issued a stop order for destroying too much coral reef. This caye was also home to 300 or so manatee.

Latest aerial photo I could find shows ongoing construction.

Will it be ready for fall cruise season ?

If one can't do mainland travel/tours from there ? I have no use for it. Take me to Belize City and I can find some place to go on my own !

Just a dollar hungry corp messing up the Placentia area. There goes that eco-tour friendly motto of Belize.

I checked a blog monitoring Harvest Caye in Belize and NCL should be ashamed of themselves for the destruction they're causing in the area. On the little island they bought is one thing but coral protects the country of Belize from rough seas caused by hurricanes. Dumping rocks haphazardly on the coral and pouring concrete to make a man-made beach for cruise guests isn't such a smart idea. :mad:

It seems like the government is finally starting to crack down on it all:

http://ambergriscaye.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/497138/2.html

I wonder if anyone has aerials of what Great Stirrup Cay looked like before it was developed? I believe a lot of greenery was removed from the island the last time they did construction. :cool:

I checked a blog monitoring Harvest Caye in Belize and NCL should be ashamed of themselves for the destruction they're causing in the area. On the little island they bought is one thing but coral protects the country of Belize from rough seas caused by hurricanes. Dumping rocks haphazardly on the coral and pouring concrete to make a man-made beach for cruise guests isn't such a smart idea. :mad:

 

It seems like the government is finally starting to crack down on it all:

http://ambergriscaye.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/497138/2.html

 

I wonder if anyone has aerials of what Great Stirrup Cay looked like before it was developed? I believe a lot of greenery was removed from the island the last time they did construction. :cool:

Yeah, I think the biggest difference between the private Bahamian cays and Belize is that changes to the "private" Bahamian cays usually only affect the cay itself, whereas in Belize it actually affects the coral and mainland as well. So, yes, I'm rather disappointed NCL is going full-blown ham-fisted on this.

So that I better understand, NCL is banning food takeout from buffets and dining rooms as to enhance the overall experience (no dishes in the hallways), but they are destroying local habitats in Belize for the sake of an additional port. I would not call myself an environmentalist, but it would seem NCL's priorities are misguided.

I am glad some others searched for stories on NCL and Harvest Caye. I had found the Ambergris Caye blog myself. Also numerous news stories in Belize on the subject. I have been to Belize at least 6 times. I have visited several of the beautiful Cayes. Just leave them alone, and as close to natural as possible.

NCL bought Harvest Caye from a British firm. They had done some limited brush cleanup, and that was about it. It seems that no one knows exactly what deal was done with Gov officials to transfer the property avoiding local taxes.

Yes big difference ecologically comparing Bahamas to Belize. Belize and Harvest Caye have an active coral reef system.

Well I am not an eco activist, but I will write NCL Miami a letter on this matter.

I see from the blog, that they found the same story I had found from the local Belize City news.

Here's another blog post by an expat that shows the destruction...

http://www.sanpedroscoop.com/2013/08/ncl-cruise-ship-harvest-caye-placencia-belize.html

Spasibo russianmom

So that I better understand, NCL is banning food takeout from buffets and dining rooms as to enhance the overall experience (no dishes in the hallways), but they are destroying local habitats in Belize for the sake of an additional port. I would not call myself an environmentalist, but it would seem NCL's priorities are misguided.

Good point! Priorities?!

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Spasibo russianmom

I'm New England born and breed. My son is adopted from Russia.:D

A family here adopted a Russian boy about 6 years ago. He goes by Nicky. He is a teenager now. Must be some of last Russian adoptions, as a chill now exists.

Wow I found some NCL tours from Harvest Caye I did not find last night.

http://www.ncl.com/excursions/search?qs=N%3D4294934686%2B4294909380%26Ne%3D8057%26Nr%3DAND%2528p_Record_Type%253ASF%252Cp_Shorex_Status%253AAVL%2529%26Nu%3Dp_Shorex_Package_Id

Here's the email address where you should send your concerns. If you do, please be polite as the people reading your email likely having nothing to do with the executive decisions, much less with what they are doing in Harvest Cay

publicrelations@ncl.com

I was advised last night (5-29-15) that my cruise on the Dawn on Nov. 29, 2015 will not be going to Haevest Caye. :(

Yep, leaving Houston Nov 14 to Feb 6 go to Belize City now. NCL not done with construction on Harvest Caye. Calls to Harvest Caye will now begin Feb 15, 2016.

Yep, leaving Houston Nov 14 to Feb 6 go to Belize City now. NCL not done with construction on Harvest Caye. Calls to Harvest Caye will now begin Feb 15, 2016.

This is good news, actually. I called and wrote with my concenrs. They responded within couple days. They said they've taken a lot of feedback in regards the environmental impact of construction of Harvest Caye and they are taking all that into serious consideration.

They were going to blast through the coral reef, potentially causing irreparable harm to the marine ecosystem surrounding the area. My hope is they will still build it up the Cay itself, but with respect to the marine life and Belize itself.

I was advised last night (5-29-15) that my cruise on the Dawn on Nov. 29, 2015 will not be going to Haevest Caye. :(

It sounds like a bummer but they'll probably dock in mainland Belize which is the exact same for all intents and purposes. The rush build-up of Harvest Caye was potentially going to cause a lot of environmental harm. I think ultimately they are going to build it up slower and more carefully, at least that's the sense I got from their call.

I wrote to them on the matter, and no response yet.

We are scheduled to go to Harvest Caye, Belize in March, 2016. Has there been an update on it? I will not be sad if we have to go to the mainland of Belize instead.

We are scheduled to go to Harvest Caye, Belize in March, 2016. Has there been an update on it? I will not be sad if we have to go to the mainland of Belize instead.

NCL plans on going to Harvest Caye starting mid February. I will be on cruise to Belize City Jan 23. I have an early April booked, but I will be cancelling it. A possibility I might do late April just better timing for me. If I decide to go. Still not completely well from food poisoning June 2 on NCL. It has really screwed my system.

Thank you TexasReb for your prompt response. And I am so sorry to hear of your food poisoning.

What seems curious to me is that there is only two excursions listed for Harvest Caye, Belize when we cruise. I am used to seeing many more options for excursions. I did go ahead and book one of the excursions and originally it was priced around $56.00 each. However, the website now shows that excursion but the price is listed as $0.00. These two things are what made me wonder if maybe NCL is behind schedule again and won't be ready with the island in February.

If anyone hears of anything, please post.