Anyone golfed at Caye Chapel?

[izzypooch]

Hi All,

My husband and I will be on Carnvial Dream in October and he and another guy cruising with us wants to golf at Caye Chapel on the day we are in Belize.

 

I understand that Carnival used to offer this excursion, but to the best of my knowledge that is no longer the case. I do not see it on their website list of excursions.

 

So, being the organizer/worrier in the family I would dearly love to hear from anyone who has done this ON THEIR OWN.

 

My first concern is safety. So many comments have been posted about it being ill advised to venture out in Belize on your own that I really worry that these guys are making a mistake not doing a Carnival excursions. So, if you've done it -- or any other Belize excursion -- on your own, please give me your honest opinion. Crazy to do it or just use caution and go for it?

 

My second concern is time. We will be in Belize from 8 am to 6 pm. That sounds like plenty of time, but I'm trying to pin down how much time it takes to tender to Belize City. How much time it takes to get the water taxi in Belize City then on to Caye Chapel etc. I think the guys need to factor in 5 hours for their golf round.

 

I understand there is also the option of getting to Caye Chapel via air so does anyone have any idea about where that airport is located in Belize City and if that would be the route to go to save time even though it is more expensive.

 

If anyone has actually golfed at Caye Chapel recently on their own while crusing, I'd love to hear about your experiences. The island and golf course sound and look fantastic so I know the guys will thoroughly enjoy it, but like I said I'm the worrier in the family.

 

Thanks!

[crewsweeper]

Hi All,

My husband and I will be on Carnvial Dream in October and he and another guy cruising with us wants to golf at Caye Chapel on the day we are in Belize.

 

I understand that Carnival used to offer this excursion, but to the best of my knowledge that is no longer the case. I do not see it on their website list of excursions.

 

So, being the organizer/worrier in the family I would dearly love to hear from anyone who has done this ON THEIR OWN.

 

My first concern is safety. So many comments have been posted about it being ill advised to venture out in Belize on your own that I really worry that these guys are making a mistake not doing a Carnival excursions. So, if you've done it -- or any other Belize excursion -- on your own, please give me your honest opinion. Crazy to do it or just use caution and go for it?

 

My second concern is time. We will be in Belize from 8 am to 6 pm. That sounds like plenty of time, but I'm trying to pin down how much time it takes to tender to Belize City. How much time it takes to get the water taxi in Belize City then on to Caye Chapel etc. I think the guys need to factor in 5 hours for their golf round.

 

I understand there is also the option of getting to Caye Chapel via air so does anyone have any idea about where that airport is located in Belize City and if that would be the route to go to save time even though it is more expensive.

 

If anyone has actually golfed at Caye Chapel recently on their own while crusing, I'd love to hear about your experiences. The island and golf course sound and look fantastic so I know the guys will thoroughly enjoy it, but like I said I'm the worrier in the family.

 

Thanks!

I beleive the only way there is via airplane at around $100-$120 RT. And you contact the resort and they'll arrange the flight. Earliest tender is around 8:30 but there'll be several soon after. The tender ride is about 20 minutes to the Tourism Village and a cab to the ariport is about another 25 minutes. You'll be on Central time so one hour behind ship's time So say 8:30-8:45 A (Belize) at the airport. Bu this means the last tender back for the Dream is at 5 PM ship time (4 PM Belize time). So they'll need to be back at Belize airport by 3 PM Belize time. It's doable but they'll have to make the arrangements and get the times down. Probably means a shortened round of golf.

 

 

I'm not sure where you're hearing the safety issues in Belize. Some cruisers get paranoid at the aggressive vendors directly out side the Tourism village but they're not dangerous.

[ohsirjasper]

Izzypooch,

 

The resort and golf course on Caye Chapel is 100% closed. It has been for the best part of a year now, so there is no possibility of you being able to play there at all. The course is still maintained to a reasonable standard but is not open to the public, whether with the cruise ship crowd or not.

 

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news. :eek:

[crewsweeper]

izzypooch, Your DH may know this already, but Caye Chapel is the only full 18 holes course in Belize. But there is a 9 hole simpler course near the capital Belmopan. It's about about a 1/2 hour flight from the Belize City Municipal airport. RT costs would be around $80 Belizean. They could probably get there by 10:30 A Belize time but would have to leave on the 1:20 P plane in order to get back to the tender pier.

 

Here's the link. http://www.belizegolf.net/

 

Dangriga is where the airport for Belmopan is located.