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Thank you! Doesn't look like there are many places to rent anyway. Probably go by taxi. Thanks for the reply.

You could take the bus for $2.50/pp each way. Much cheaper than a cab and super easy.

Thanks for posting. I'm planning to book this for our cruise as an Xmas gift for my husband. This is our 5th trip to Cozumel and the excursion is SO not in my comfort zone. I'm not sure if your review made me more comfortable or more terrified!! BUT our deal is that I do something crazy and out of my comfort zone...and hubby lays on the beach the rest of the time. So after ziplining (with a fear of heights) and snorkeling with sharks and stingrays (with a fear of fish) I think I can do it. Crawling into a cave (with a fear of confined spaces) seems like the next logical step. ;)

Was any part of the cave 'tight' at all, or is it pretty wide open?

How much was the Sandblasters dune buggy tour? It's not listed on their website.

 

Also if you cruised Carnival what's it like leaving the port area past the security gate to meet Sandblasters? This worries me a little even though they say its not a far walk. I just remember last time I was in Roatan there was tons of people waiting for tourist there to try and get them to go on a tour or use their taxi service.

 

Thanks for the advice. I tend to be a worrier......

Leaving the port area is no biggie from Mahogany Bay. The vendors are there to sell their tours, but they all know each other and are very helpful (we can never seem to find our driver).

I would second a bit of an exploration tour via Rony. We loved our day with him. The freestyle tour lets you go where you want. We added ziplining on our first trip to Roatan and spent the latter part of the day on West Bay beach.

Thank you blue_water for the link. We did book this resort from reading reviews on trip advisor.

Would love to hear what you think...after our last stop in Roatan (our 3rd) I think I will stay away from West Bay next time. Love the snorkeling but the vendors were ridiculous. :(

We will be on the Carnival Dream in January and hope to snorkel in Roatan. Would you advise that we book with an operator (Victor Bodden for example?) or could we just hire a taxi and rent equipment on some beach? I don't know how much money we would save by doing that. It would be nice to see other things and wouldn't mind a group excursion, but we don't want to waste any of our time on shopping and want to have plenty of snorkel/beach time. If we took off on our own, what beach would you suggest? What charge should we expect for a taxi. We would need to go where it would be easy to get a taxi back to the ship. We will need to rent snorkel gear. With all those variables should I look into an excursion rather than going on our own?

We normally book through Bananarama directly. They pick you up and drop you off at the port, on your schedule. The fee includes chair, facilities and a welcome drink. You can also add a snorkel rental. We tend to snorkel further up towards Tabyana because there is less boat traffic.

Another option is the freestyle tour through Rony. Then you can decide where you want to go and when, and tack on a bit of an island tour as well.

Any other spots to check out?

If you're heading to Run Point by car then I highly recommend Kaibo Beach Bar. Amazing fish curry.

Along SMB we always beeline for Sunshine Grill at the Sunshine Suites. Amazing burgers and THE best fish tacos.

I've had repeated calls like that from NCL after viewing prices on their site. The woman called my cell several times and then finally emailed saying she was having a hard time getting in touch with me by phone. I emailed her back and told her 1) I was never going to answer her calls since she was calling from the U.S. to my cell phone and it would cost $$$ just to answer and 2) that I was just looking, settle down. ;)

She has respected my request and I haven't heard from her since. I guess you have to be persistent if you want new clients. But still.

It's the only way I can tolerate the coffee too. I really wish they'd change how they make it.

Sometimes the coffee on the cart in the casino is good...but I think it's because it sits so long. Next time I'll bring my own French press for coffee. The Americano @ the coffee bar is okay, but I'd rather not have to pay $2+ for it. Some fresh ground coffee and my press should do the trick. ;)

The coffee is usually so bad at the buffet that this is the only way we can drink it - we get one hot chocolate, pour 1/2 into each of two juice glasses and then fill up with coffee. Yum! :)

I love making mochas on board. Sometimes if there's dessert out with whipped cream I'll scoop that on top. Delicious! It's one of the only ways I can tolerate the coffee on board.

Any updates on someone that has used Christopher Tours for snorkeling? We thought about adding it to private for Bodden! but sounds like it only goes to one site.

We used Christopher Tours in October. We went out in a boat from West End with a young boy (maybe 12) and a young guy (in his 20's). They went to 2 different locations but very close together. We spent a decent amount of time in the water, probably an hour. The guides excellent (and even found my mask that had fallen into the water) and we did see quite a bit. I just don't know that I saw anything I couldn't see by just swimming out the reef from shore.

The other problem we encountered is that we snorkeled first, very early in the day, so there were not a lot of fish out and about. The sun warms the water and brings out the fish, and the guides said there were way more fish to be seen later in the day.

Christopher Tours was great though. Easy to find the driver, Kevin was super nice and informative about the island (although it was our 3rd time there). We met him back at West Bay and he was ready to leave whenever we wanted. Even provided a cooler with beer, water and chips (which were delicious!).

I see 2 water taxi options, Belize and San Pedro water taxi, any preference? Looks like the prices are similar and the only factor is the belize taxi has a 9AM departure from Belize City that San Pedro does not.

 

We dock at 8AM ship time (7AM Belize time). So we should easily make the 9AM Belize-time taxi if not the 8AM Belize-time taxi.

 

The 3:30PM Belize-time return taxi will get us back to port around 4:15 Belize time and 5:15 ship time which is too late. So we'd have to take the 1:30PM Belize-time return from Caye Caulker which would get us back to port by 2:15 Belize-time or 3:15 ship time.

 

Hope I have that right? :eek:

We used San Pedro Belize Express. This is the office right next to the port area that I described above. The other one is a bit further of a walk and we wanted to play it safe (given some of the feedback about the safety outside the outrush village).

Sounds like your times are similar to ours. We also had to take the 1:30 return water taxi (Belize time). The winds were really bad and we were delayed by over an hour getting off the ship (even with FTTF). We took the 9am (Belize time) taxi because we missed the 8am one. Just be flexible on your departure time, which it seems you are. We still felt like we had a good amount of time on the island. Definitely someplace I'd like to go back to. Maybe a split trip between Caye Caulker and Ambergris Caye.

Just note that is this is your schedule then don't count on being able to do a trip out to Shark/Ray alley unless you hire a private boat or can find a tour that matches your timing. On our trip we couldn't find a tour that matched our times (which seem similar to yours).

Cruise stop from 8AM - 6PM, considering taking a water taxi from port to Caye Caulker for most of our day but have questions for anyone who has done this before. It looks like we could walk and see some of the island and have lunch, is there a nice beach we would have access to for a bit? Any other recommendations? We're not interested in the shark/ray excursion or snorkeling but would like a day that includes a beach and a beach bar if available, and a stroll through town with lunch.

 

From what I can tell the ferry schedule would give us 4.5 or 6 hrs on CC depending on whether we make the 9AM or 10:30AM ferry from Belize City and take the 3:30PM return. I assume the 3:30 return give us plenty of time to get back to the tender dock in plenty of time for the tender.

We took the water taxi last month to Caye Caulker. The water taxi can be seen from the tourism area, literally on the other side of the gate to your far left when you exit the tenders. Just walk out of the tourism gates, turn left, turn left again and the office is at the end of the plaza on the right. We never felt unsafe during our short walk. One person approached us about a tour and we said 'No thank you, we're heading to the water taxi' and they told us to enjoy our day.

There is no 'beach' at the Split, but there's a huge dock that you can lay out on, just on the other side of the Lazy Lizard. Access to the water there. Hubby snorkeled a bit in and around the split. We had a great day and met some nice people from all over the world while hanging out on the dock.

The taxi ride is 45 minutes, just remember the time difference. I assume you'll need to be back on the ship by 5pm.

Wow, that's good to hear that you liked it that much. There's just something about the way it look that appeals to me. I don't know what the draw is. :) Maybe the big rocks sticking up like that or something. It's just neat and not your typical flat type beach.

It sure is fun to go back and see these old posts. In May 2012 we returned to Smith Cove (which had remained one of my favourite spots) and the snorkeling boyfriend I mentioned proposed there. We went back in November 2012 to elope ... at Smith Cove of course. Obviously it's kept a special place in our hearts, and we were just there again in October of this year. Still absolutely love that spot.

The big rocks made for some great photos ... even if the ironshore DID rip my wedding dress. :(

I can only comment on our Bar Hop experience ...

The organization, staff and transportation are top notch. The beach bars are GORGEOUS and it was really nice to see that side of the island.

That said, the Bar Hope didn't live up to MY expectations ...

1) I prefer to spend the whole day in the port, getting the most out of my time. The hop didn't start until noon, and our ship got to port at 9am. So I felt like I had wasted the morning. I know I could have gone somwehere in the morning (we've been to Cozumel several times) but it just seemed like a hassle to go somewhere for a few hours and then have either come back to the ship to change or take ANOTHER cab downtown.

2) In hindsight, I wished that I'd selected something where I had more control over how long we stayed. I enjoyed some of the bars more than others (Punta Morena and Coconuts) and would have liked to split the time differently. We also passed a bar that I would have loved to stop at because the beach/swimming area looked gorgeous.

3) I was under the impression that that side of the island would be "cheaper" than the port side, but it was not.

4) The Bar Hop site said "The tour includes a free shot at every bar". We got a shot at every bar, but it was a shot of a mixed drink. So essentially 1/10 of a drink. We were expecting shots of alcohol, not shots of rum punch.

I considered cancelling our reservation and booking with a tour company that offered private jeep tours (to essentially wherever we wanted) for only a bit more $$$ (which included beer and lunch) and would have filled our day and gave me more control over where we went and for how long. I wish I'd made the switch.

Hope that helps.

Amazing, thanks! I really have NO desire to do anything in Jamaica, so I'm really glad I came across this info.

Thanks for the info (and pics!) Lisa.

When we were in Ocho Rios last year, we booked with Jamaica for a Day (which is also Resort for a Day) and went to Sunset Grande. They are located right there basically down the road from the port. The ship will be right in front of you when you are there.

 

It's a HUGE resort with a beach and A LOT of different pools, different beach areas, snorkeling, water slides and food and drinks are included. If we go back we would go there again.

We are considering the Sunset Grande for our stop in April, so thanks for your review! We generally seem to look for the same things based on what I've read, so I was glad to see you'd been before. When I told my husband "If this mitsugirly chick likes it then we'll probably be fine" he laughed out loud saying "Sure, a random stranger says it's good, it MUST be good". He just doesn't GET Cruise Critic. ;)

So I have a couple of questions ...

1) Did lounge chairs open up throughout the day, or were they always taken by resort guests? I don't mind laying on the beach, but would prefer a chair. Especially since I plan on lying motionless for hours (aside from lifting a drink to my mouth). And my husband prefers a lounge chair for sure.

2) How exactly do I find the area you mentioned you saw people snorkeling, the spot you'd wished you'd noticed earlier in the day? If I'm at the water slide for instance, which way?

3) Was the food/drink good? Lots of choices?

4) The site says that you're taken back to the ship 2 hours before your ship is scheduled to depart. You mentioned that they asked when you wanted to go back. Do you think we would have the opportunity to go back to ship LATER than advertised?

Thanks in advance for your input!

I think we'll be booking the Jolly Pirates afternoon tour for our stop in Aruba in April. Our time will be tight since we port at 1pm and the website says the tour starts at 2pm. I've emailed them to confirm if we can make it.

I'm wondering about the beach snorkel stops ... are you OFF the beach or do you have the opportunity to actually GO to the beach? Both stops are beaches I wanted to visit. Trying to find a happy medium between hubby's desire to snorkel and my desire to lie motionless on a beach. ;)

Also, what is the visibility like at the Antilla? Are there good sights to see from the surface?

Thanks!

if you can get 2485 would be amazing, that is deluxe ocean view on dream we have it booked for new years! it looks larger than the suite we had in June as its two rooms joined with some space missing for stairway

 

there are some images on cruise line rooms dot com choose carnival dream then 2485 huge

That DOES look like a nice room, sadly it's not available. :(

I have a few choices for booking, wondering if anyone has experiences on Main, forward or aft. One section would be below the theatre, one section below the dining room. We can choose from cabin 2420, 2428, 2436, 2453, 2461 OR 2238, 2240, 2255, 2259. Anyone have feedback on these locations? Is one area quieter than the other? Thanks!

The description on the resortforaday site says their day pass included 1hr snorkel gear. So they definitely have it available, I just don't know if it's an add-on for the resortforaday package, or included with their standard day pass.

The Park Royal day pass includes snorkel gear, according to posts I've read.

I'm about to book a room on Carnival Dream, and am considering bringing my son. Last time we had an interior room with a bunk, but he was 10. Now he's 16 and while he says he's fine with the bunk, I'm not sure I like the thought of him sleeping above me (or falling on me).

My first thought was to book an oceanview room, so that we'd have the sofa bed for him. BUT, I've told him that he can only join us if he keeps his grades up. If he doesn't end up coming with us, my hubby and I don't really need an OV room (but can't "downgrade" our room once booked).

So my question is, are there any interior rooms on Carnival Dream where the bunk is NOT over the lower bed?

We also have an odd port time, 1pm - 10pm. Just starting to look at what to do during our time. It looks like the sunset is around 6:45 when we're there. If we took the bus to Boca Catalina/Catalina Cove/Arashi for an afternoon beach day, would there be some shade there?

I'm really torn because I would like to get to see the island some more (anticipating a return trip for longer than a day) but just love vegging on the beach. All of the tours I've looked at so far seem to do one or the other.

Salt water taffy is a fave. We rarely bring back souvenirs, but I do like to bring home a burger from Sunshine Grill (in ma belly). :)

Hi

Am arriving next month on a cruise & want to do some snorkelling but do not want to do Stingray city etc. Have done some research & think Cemetery Beach may be good. Can anyone tell me how to get there from the cruise terminal & rough costs? If anyone knows of somewhere else that doesn't involve too much effort to get there I would appreciate suggestions.

Thanks

The bus will get you there. #1 or #2. Tell the driver where you want to stop. We walked up to Cemetery Beach from our condo while on our honeymoon in GC. It wasn't great, not likely somewhere I'd specially head for. We didn't enjoy the snorkeling here.

Close to port you can head to the right to Eden Rock/Devil's Grotto (as previously mentioned) or walk up to the left to Rackham's (or the dive shop just before it) and head into the water there to the Wreck of the Cali. Watch for boat traffic! Stick with the snorkel boats that are there. There's also a reef further up behind the Burger King, called Cheeseburger Reef.

We enjoy walking right from the pier to Sunset House. It's about a 20 minute walk. Road is narrow, watch for traffic. You can snorkel from the shore and they make a mean Conch Fritter. Another 10 minutes up you'll find Smith Cove. Usually only 10 or so people there, good snorkeling around the ironshore and a gorgeous beach. (I got engaged AND married there, so in probably biased).