Coral Sands Beach Resort - disappointed!

[Greenapple]

We sailed on the NCL sea, departing from Houston on Jan 1/05. We stopped in Belize on Jan 5/05. We had booked the Belizian Beach Day excursion through NCL, which according to the excursion booklet involved going to the Coral Sands Beach Resort for snorkelling and relaxation. The booklet said that "full snorkelling equipment, full lunch and one complimentary tropical soft drink are included." The cost of the excursion was $55.

 

So, our tender leaves the ship at 8 am, with 40 NCL guests on board, all headed to the CSBR. It was about a 15-20 minute tender ride, through beautiful turquoise waters. Pulling up to the CSBR you are very impressed.... a very long beach, palm trees, and straw cabanas to sit under. The CSBR is very new - the only buildings are a covered bar, a covered eating area, and washrooms. Apparently there will be a hotel built in the next year or so. Once the hotel is built it will be quite a nice place. The sand is rough - with lots of chipped up sea shells mixed in. You definitely can't walk barefoot here.

 

We found some lounge chairs, and about 5 minutes later a waitress informed us that there was 'free' rum punch until 11 am. We got some rum punches, which tasted ok. You could actually taste the liquor, which was impressive. 10 minutes after this, the same waitress comes around to see if we were wanting to go snorkelling. The cost was $15. WAIT.... didn't the brochure say that snorkelling was included?? Well, of course I didn't have my excursion booklet with me, but I thought it was included. We really wanted to do the snorkelling, so paid our $15 and went to this cool sandbar out in the ocean. We jumped off the boat and snorkelled for about 45 minutes. We saw some really cool fish. Our guide speared a lobster under a rock! The water was so warm and clear. It was beautiful.

 

We then went back to the resort, and were told that we could purchase a lunch for $10. WAIT.....wasn't a lunch included? Anyways, without our booklet we couldn't remember if it was included or not. My husband bought a lunch (I didn't), which consisted of a piece of chicken (thigh), some rice, coleslaw and a banana.

 

We then were told that our boat to take us back to the ship would be leaving at 1:30. We thought that was pretty early, considering the ship didn't set sail until 4:30 pm. We inquired with the resort 'manager', and he told us that the resort made a deal with NCL, and the reason for taking us back at 1:30 is to allow us time to take a tender into Belize if we wanted to. The excursion sheet we got at the excursion desk on the ship indicated the duration of the excursion was to be 7 hours. Including our travel time, we were gone for only 6.

 

So, all in all, we felt really ripped off. I filled out a 'complaint' form at the excursion desk on the ship, but now that I got home and saw exactly what was printed in the excursion booklet (which confirmed what I had thought was to be included), I will be writing a letter to NCL to complain.

 

So, a word to the wise.

[cosmo1027]

Thanks for posting your experience. Sorry to hear that it was disappointing. I have been trying to learn more about this excursion since we are looking for something easy to do with our 5 year old when we sail on the NCL Sun in two weeks. I liked that they take you directly from the ship to Coral Sands. But the more I learn the less impressed I am with this excursion.

 

If you are on any other line than Norwegian, you can book directly with Coral Sands. For $47 lunch is included (and kids under 12 are free). Granted you have to tender in and then get the boat to Coral Sands, so this is less convenient. However, it's a shorter distance for Coral Sands to transport from the ship to their resort than from the Toursit Village, so I cannont understand why it's $55 for adults and $39 for kids and there is absolutely nothing included.

 

To make matters more confusing, it appears that even the shore excursion brochure that I received from NCL with my cruise docs isn't clear on what's included. I have the brochure in front of me, and this is exactly what it says:

 

Belizean Beach Day

Duration Varies

Come explore Belize's hidden treasures at Sargents Caye on the barrier reef. Swim alongside southern rays, nurse sharks and other tropical rarities in the morning or afternoon while enjoying the other half of your day on the beach at Coral Sands Beach Resort. Each tour provides ample time to have a swim and lounge in a hammock. Enjoy a delicious beach BBQ lunch available at an additional cost.

Note: Full snorkeling equipment, full lunch and one complimentary tropical soft drink are included. (the Note is in bold type)

 

So, right in the description there is contradictory information on whether the lunch is included. Also, this differs from Greenapple's account since I would read this as being there longer than until 1:30 if they are saying spend half you day snorkeling and half your day on the beach.

 

I am having second thoughts about doing this excursion. If nothing is included, it sounds like a rip-off for $55/$39, especially when the resort offeres a package for $47/free (<12 y.o.) that includes transportation to the resort and lunch -- and you can spend more time there.

[Greenapple]

Yep - we felt the 'day' was a rip off. Like you said, the description in the excursion booklet says 'spend half a day snorkelling, and the other half a day at the resort'. Very misleading. We were actually at the resort from about 8:30 am until 1:30 pm. The snorkelling took about 2 hrs, from the time we gathered at the dock to get fitted for snorkel gear, to the time we returned. But we were only actually snorkelling for about 45 minutes.

 

It was a lovely beach, don't get me wrong - it is postcard perfect. BUT, a rip off for $55. If the snorkelling was included, it wouldn't be SO much of a rip off, but to spend an additional $15 to snorkel, that is a RIP off.