Can't find a reputable Lamanai cruise excursion

[sculder]

Ok, I've done the research for those of you Carnival shippers that want visit the Lamanai ruins. So far it's a wash. Here's what I've found:

 

- Belizecruiseexcursions.com (Island Marketing) will not be conducting a Lamanai tour on July 9th (the day we make port in Belize).

 

- Belize Tourism Board suggested Cruise Solutions Belize (http://www.shorexbelize.com/). They do not schedule cruise excursions to the ruins because of the time constraints.

 

- Beyond Touring (http://www.beyondtouring.com/) - talked with the owner and sounds more like a scam (plus the fact one user on this forum has been plugging them over 14 times).

 

- Belize in the sun (http://www.belizeinthesun.com/) I heard this was a good touring group from someone on here, but they are the only ones I've heard of that's used them

 

- Action Boys Belize (http://www.****************.com/) I've heard this is an outstanding touring group, but I haven't heard about their tour of Lamanai.

 

 

Can anyone suggest one over the other, or a good touring group I've left out?

 

Thanks.

[Silverscreencruiser]

- Belize in the sun (http://www.belizeinthesun.com/) I heard this was a good touring group from someone on here, but they are the only ones I've heard of that's used them

 

We're the people that used Belize in the Sun last year and I've posted about it several times since then whenever threads like this come up. I can only tell you about my experience, and I was concerned like you because no one had used them. However, when I emailed off to them, I got a phone call from the general manager to go over the details of the trip and how they operated. He was well aware that they had to try a bit harder to establish a reputation since few people had used them. Based on the fact that they were already advertising on Cruise Critic and the way he seemed to know his business, I gave him a chance and I'm glad we did.

 

We've been on five cruises and we've gone on both ship and independent tours and this was by far the best tour we've been on. They were waiting for us at the dock when we arrived holding up a sign with our name. It took ten minutes to get us into the van and on the way and that included paying the rest of the fee and a potty break. All the way there, our guide, Captain Sanchez, told us stories about the country and about his travels in the US. We had a well kept recent model air conditioned van. It was a very entertaining trip and he kept good track of time without rushing us. At one point at the ruins, he had us stand aside and he performed an inpromptu ceremony (he's a local justice of the peace, which apparently is a bit different from JP's in this country) at which he named us "honorary citizens of Belize." It may have been a bit corny, but it was a lot of fun. On the way back, he took us on a tour of the city which wasn't included in the tour description because we had some extra time.

 

I guess it's been a bit frustrating for us, since we had such a wonderful time with them, to keep on reading here post after post about people who used one particular competing tour group and had hit-or-miss experiences involving close calls getting back to the ship and no one is willing to try Belize in the Sun. We had a great time, I'd use them again in a flash if they ran another tour in Belize I wanted to use.

 

Belize in the Sun was a few dollars more than the other group, but not overly expensive. The money was well worth it to us in terms of peace of mind and entertainment value received.

[cruisingforsix]

Ok, I've done the research for those of you Carnival shippers that want visit the Lamanai ruins. So far it's a wash. Here's what I've found:

 

- Belizecruiseexcursions.com (Island Marketing) will not be conducting a Lamanai tour on July 9th (the day we make port in Belize).

 

- Belize Tourism Board suggested Cruise Solutions Belize (http://www.shorexbelize.com/). They do not schedule cruise excursions to the ruins because of the time constraints.

 

- Beyond Touring (http://www.beyondtouring.com/) - talked with the owner and sounds more like a scam (plus the fact one user on this forum has been plugging them over 14 times).

 

- Belize in the sun (http://www.belizeinthesun.com/) I heard this was a good touring group from someone on here, but they are the only ones I've heard of that's used them

 

- Action Boys Belize (http://www.****************.com/) I've heard this is an outstanding touring group, but I haven't heard about their tour of Lamanai.

 

 

Can anyone suggest one over the other, or a good touring group I've left out?

 

Thanks.

I hope you find one. we went to Lamanai with island marketing twice and had two totally differrent experiences. the first was with just our family (7) and we had a wonderful relaxed informative and fun trip. howler monkeys birds and even a croc in the water. loved the tour guide. went back two years later with sis bil and it was like a cattle drive ,same guide .distracted trying to keep traack of everyone and everything was rushed. we asked him about a certain thing we had seen before and he said not enough time. make sure it is a small group.hope you get to go . it's unbelizeable

[jtmalt]

We were just in Belize on the 26th. We had booked a tour to Lamanai through belizecruiseexcursions (Island Marketing) who subcontracts to X-Stream. Our tour was supposed to meet at 7:20 for a 7:30 departure (local time, which was 2 hours earlier than ship time). It was pouring rain and the ship was having trouble getting tenders tied up, so the tendering process was running slowly, but we got up early and were on the first tender over, and met the representative at 9:15.

 

We waited at the X-Stream booth while they got their various cave tubing tours organized, enjoying the fumes from the fleet of buses parked in front of us. As 9:30 came and went, we were still waiting. We grabbed Richard Arnold, who appeared to be the head honcho there, and asked him what was going on. "We're waiting for two people" he said. "We'll be leaving in a few minutes".

 

At 10am, we stumbled across another couple who was also waiting. I asked Richard again what was going on. "We're still waiting for 14 people." he said. "I'm going to call a van and get you out there right now. We'll have them join up with you later."

 

At 10:30 he led us out of the gates, talking on his cell and constantly looking at his watch. He led us out of the cruise complex and around to a back gate, where he had us stand on the street. "The van will be here in a minute, it's on the way". He scooted through the gate and left us standing on the street.

 

Five minutes later, he came back, and ushered us through the security gate, saying "You can't wait here, you have to come inside." The security guard on duty was none too pleased, and started arguing with him, but inside this back area of the port we stayed.

 

He received another phone call. We heard his end of the conversation and realized that the van he had called for was not going to arrive...it had been stopped at a checkpoint somewhere.

 

At almost 11am, a troupe of 14 passengers joined us. I'd like to take a moment to acknowledge this inconsiderate bunch who couldn't be bothered to get up early enough to be on the first three tenders:mad:. In fact, they all had stickers for tender 11 stuck to their shirts. Thanks guys!!

 

Now, Richard started scrambling to arrange a bus that would fit us all. My confidence in Richard's ability to get us there and back again was starting to become a little wobbly.

 

I expressed my concerns...we were now leaving at least an hour and a half later than we had contracted, and some of the passengers were from another ship that was leaving far earlier than we were. I could not see how we could possibly take the two hour trip to Lamanai, include the 1/2 hour for lunch, and the return trip, and still have a reasonable amount of time at the ruins. We demanded our money back, and received it, along with another couple. When we left them, the remaining 14 latecomers (thanks again, guys:mad:) were still waiting for a bus to arrive.

 

I don't know if I'm more furious at the 14 lazy jerks or Richard for waiting on them, but either way this would have turned out to be a very stressful day if we had gone ahead and taken the tour after already having lost so much time. To his credit, Richard gave us our money back without (much of) an argument, but we should have departed on time. I guess he couldn't face the prospect of losing 14 fares.

 

As much as I'm an advocate of independent tours, I don't think I would attempt Lamanai again unless it is either offered as a ship's tour or as a completely private excursion. I certainly don't think that X-Stream handled this properly at all.

[GalleyWench]

The 26th of May? That hasn't happened yet.

[jtmalt]

The 26th of May? That hasn't happened yet.

 

Whoops, my mistake. See that? One week on a cruise and you forget what day it is! That's a good thing, right?;)

 

It was actually the 16th, on Carnival Dream. I looked at the wrong week on the calendar.

[Lard Greystoke]

I don't know if I'm more furious at the 14 lazy jerks or Richard for waiting on them...I guess he couldn't face the prospect of losing 14 fares.

 

That's a pretty good guess. The tradeoff of 14 potential fares versus losing 4 fares puts him in a bad situation. Since he did lose those fares, he was also a loser in the transaction. He might have been trying to put 10 lbs of potatoes into a 5 pound sack, but I don't know.

 

My experience was the reverse. I tagged along with 4 other people who along with myself arrived early. It made things easier for everyone.

 

For others planning this trip, it's well worth it but there are several possible complicating factors, including the other passengers. The best way around this might be to organize your own group and chastise them to get out there on time. Find out if flogging is still allowed aboard ship.