Caye Caulker help needed

[topspin1267]

We are looking in to doing Coral Breezes or Star Tours. We have 2 that want to snorkel, 4 that want to get a golf cart and tool around caye caulker for a few hours. Coral Breezes is $254.00 plus golf cart rental, star tours is $165 including 2 hours of golf cart.

 

Problem is Star uses the water taxi system Coral Breezes uses their own boat. How dependable are the water taxis? We are on Legend and arrive at 8am ship time and depart at 5 ship time. Any suggestions or comparisons?

 

thanks

[kujobie]

We are looking in to doing Coral Breezes or Star Tours. We have 2 that want to snorkel, 4 that want to get a golf cart and tool around caye caulker for a few hours. Coral Breezes is $254.00 plus golf cart rental, star tours is $165 including 2 hours of golf cart.

 

Problem is Star uses the water taxi system Coral Breezes uses their own boat. How dependable are the water taxis? We are on Legend and arrive at 8am ship time and depart at 5 ship time. Any suggestions or comparisons?

 

thanks

 

Have a Plan B. I booked with Coral Breeze for the snorkle/Caye Caulker tour and got an email today that it was cancelled because they only had 5 people booked for it.. We're gonna be there next week. That's why I'm here on the Belize board, looking for my Plan B..

[WendyCC]

From my experiences, the Water Taxis are very reliable. They stick to their schedule...they run like your local bus company....people use them to go to and from work and school...so they are very reliable.

 

You can save yourself a lot of cash by taking the water taxi and exploring caye caulker yourself...the island is only 1 mile by 4 miles...and you can rent bikes for US$10!!!

 

Have a great vacation!

Wendy

[pmeem]

Have a Plan B. I booked with Coral Breeze for the snorkle/Caye Caulker tour and got an email today that it was cancelled because they only had 5 people booked for it.. We're gonna be there next week. That's why I'm here on the Belize board, looking for my Plan B..

 

are you going there on carnival glory arrival 10/6?

[ncboys]

are you going there on carnival glory arrival 10/6?

 

I agree with the previous poster. The water taxis are VERY reliable and almoat always run on time. they're also A LOT cheaper($12 USD round trip). Once you get to the island, just ask anyone and they'll quickly direct you to someone to take your whole group for $20 per person.

 

I've used Coral Breeze many times before and they run a good service. My only complaint is that you'll waste an hour at the dock waiting for everyone to get there. If you catch the first water taxi out, you'll get an extra hour on the island.

 

I'll be there on the Glory on Oct 6th. We're taking the 7:30 Water Taxi and returning on the 12:00. I've done this trip SEVERAl times. If you're there on the 6th. You can just tag along with us. We've been to Caye Caulker so many times, the locals know us by name. Heh!

 

Just my 2 cents worth...

[SillySally13]

I agree with the previous poster. The water taxis are VERY reliable and almoat always run on time. they're also A LOT cheaper($12 USD round trip). Once you get to the island, just ask anyone and they'll quickly direct you to someone to take your whole group for $20 per person.

 

I've used Coral Breeze many times before and they run a good service. My only complaint is that you'll waste an hour at the dock waiting for everyone to get there. If you catch the first water taxi out, you'll get an extra hour on the island.

 

I'll be there on the Glory on Oct 6th. We're taking the 7:30 Water Taxi and returning on the 12:00. I've done this trip SEVERAl times. If you're there on the 6th. You can just tag along with us. We've been to Caye Caulker so many times, the locals know us by name. Heh!

 

Just my 2 cents worth...

 

Greetings

I have also taken the water taxi to Cay Caulker and will do it again in mid October.

We just strolled around the island.

My question is this.

When you get off the water taxi which way do you go if you want to walk over to the split and the Lazy Lizzard? And is the water and beach any cleaner their than at the dock?

Thanks for any and all replys in advance:)I cant get a map pulled up

[SillySally13]

:eek:

sorry for doubling up

Now they are both gone so here goes one more time.

ncboys-

I found your post in another thread and thanks for all the info - ok here goes,,,,,,,

[WendyCC]

When you come off of the Water Taxi dock...take a right and walk up the beach....you are heading north.

 

Walk along the beach until the beach connects back to the road and then follow the road to the end...that is the Split and the Lazy Lizard.

 

There used to be a sea wall at the split...and some hurricanes have pretty much destroyed it...but it has made a nice swimming spot. Yes, the water at the split is definitely better than the main dock.

 

Wendy

[cruiselvr04]

I have booked with Coral Breezes but will use the water taxi as a back up. My big concern is getting confused on the time change. If our last tender leaves at 4pm ship time which is really 2pm Belize time then do we need to take the noon ferry back? Does this make sense?

[ncboys]

Here's a map of caye Caulker with some of my favorite spots.

 

[ncboys]

I have booked with Coral Breezes but will use the water taxi as a back up. My big concern is getting confused on the time change. If our last tender leaves at 4pm ship time which is really 2pm Belize time then do we need to take the noon ferry back? Does this make sense?

 

First of all, Coral Breeze is top notch. They do ship tours every day(and have been doing so for years). They are aware of the time, and will make sure you get back to the ship on time. That should be the least of your worries.

 

If you want to venture out on your own, then you are correct about the time change. You need to know that depending what time of year that you go, there may be a one or two hour time difference between Belize local time and ship time(because Belize does not observe daylight savings time). This is of course assuming your ship time is Eastern Standard Time. If you go before the first Sunday in November then there is a two hour difference. If you go after the 1st Saunday in November then there is only a one hour difference.

 

In reference to your post, you are correct, you will need to leave on the 12 noon(Belize time) water taxi from Caye Caulker to Belize City. That will put you back in the port village by 2:45pm ship time(30 minutes before the last tender).

 

Enjoy Caye Caulker..... it's the most incredible place on the planet.

[ncboys]

sorry bout that... bad link ...this should work

[belkin]

ncboys just wondering if you can confirm that I have the timing right.

Glory arrives in Belize at 8am so will it be 6am in Belize? I see you plan on taking the 12noon water taxi back which will really be 2pm ship time and the ride is 45 minutes so would be back to port by 2:45pm.

 

Think I want to do the same time schedule as you. Catch the 7:30 water taxi out and come back on the 12noon taxi.

 

Can you tell me where to catch the water taxi once we are off the ship? I read that it is at Marine Terminal next to the swing brigde but that doesnt really mean anything to me. Will there be signs? Thanks!!

[ncboys]

ncboys just wondering if you can confirm that I have the timing right.

Glory arrives in Belize at 8am so will it be 6am in Belize? I see you plan on taking the 12noon water taxi back which will really be 2pm ship time and the ride is 45 minutes so would be back to port by 2:45pm.

 

Think I want to do the same time schedule as you. Catch the 7:30 water taxi out and come back on the 12noon taxi.

 

Can you tell me where to catch the water taxi once we are off the ship? I read that it is at Marine Terminal next to the swing brigde but that doesnt really mean anything to me. Will there be signs? Thanks!!

 

Yep... we're on Glory next week also. Your timing is correct. We'll probally cya on the water taxi. Here's a map:

 

[phl2azo]

I see this is an older thread....but can anyone tell me if this distance between the ship dock and the marine terminal in Belize City is walk-able? And is it a safe walk?

 

Thanks!

[crewsweeper]

I see this is an older thread....but can anyone tell me if this distance between the ship dock and the marine terminal in Belize City is walk-able? And is it a safe walk?

 

Thanks!

To the San Pedro terminal, it's less than 5 minutes. To the Caye Caulker terminal it's under 10. Yes, despite all the grumbling you hear on these boards, it's relatively safe. You have to go past a lot of vendors hawking their wares or trying to get you to take their tours. But as long as you're not flashing your expensive jewelery or loosely holding your camera bag or purse (i.e., don't call attention to yourself or act stupid), you just say "NO!" to each and keep walking purposely, they'll leave you alone. They're only in front of the Tourist Village and once you're past those confines, 2-3 minutes, they aren't around. Go out of the Tourist Village from where the tender drops you off and hang a left. Don't cross the street. Both terminals are on your left. By the time you reach Queen Street and the swing bridge, you've gone a few steps too far for Caye Caulker.

[phl2azo]

Thank you very much!! :)

[LynneL]

How is purchasing of ferry tickets handled? Is there a ticket booth that opens early & then people line up? Do you know what time ticket sales start at for the first ferry? Also with heading back, must you line up early before the noon time ferry to assure you'll get on that one? Thanks for any help.

[mountainmare]

We took the first tender and arrived in Belize City by 8:30 (about). We walked through the gates and basically said no thank you to the tour sellers saying--we were just taking the water taxi. Someone came up and said "San Pedro Express?" and we said--yes, just the water taxi.

He pointed to the ticket office, which is easy to find. We bought our tickets for the 9:15 taxi, making sure that we bought tickets for Caye Caulker--not San Pedro. So be clear about where you are going.

When we bought our ticket the ticket agent told us to be sure we were at the return dock 15min before the taxi time. At the end of the San Pedro express dock on Caye Caulker there is a little cafe under the trees that says--wait for your water taxi here.

We enjoyed a beer while we waited. The other taxi came a little before ours--you can see them coming across the water. When we spotted our taxi coming across the water we just walked out to the dock and got on.

Be aware that at Caye Caulker they load and go, so do be in the area where you can see the taxi coming 15 min early, they will not wait for stragglers.

This was much easier than I thought it would be, just do your homework--google evrything you can about Belize, water taxis to the Cayes and we even looked at youtube to see what things look like.

If you pick up a snorkel tour be sure they know you are a cruise ship passengers and what time your return taxi is.