Carnival ships not stopping at Belize News release

[katiecat]

http://www.7newsbelize.com/

Read the bottom of this page.

[crewsweeper]

Sad to hear. Thanks Katiecat for posting.

 

Just another reason to head for Plancencia.

 

http://www.placencia.com/

[murphfam4]

"and while all this swirls in the world of "neither here nor there," two Carnival cruise ships' calls on Belize have been cancelled. The Carnival Triumph was cancelled on Tuesday, and 7news has learned that the Carnival Legend has been cancelled for tomorrow, while another, the Valor may also be cancelled tomorrow."

 

So what about the Dream, will it go to Belize????

[katiecat]

I've been tracking the legend it seems to be pulling in Cozumel a day early.

[airwick]

how do you track the legend?

[murphfam4]

John Heald just added this to his Face Splat thingy...

 

so here is the official word regarding Belize. We have problems with the local tender operators and can only call on Belize with access to tenders that meet the requirements of our operation, in terms of safe, comfortable and efficient transport of our guests to/from shore, at competitive rates.

 

The local tender operators are in disarray and refuse to meet those requirements (which they can meet with the local tenders), so we are forced to cancel the call. In instances where we are unable to call in Belize, we will make every effort to substitute another Western Caribbean port

 

[2112]

John Heald just added this to his Face Splat thingy...

 

so here is the official word regarding Belize. We have problems with the local tender operators and can only call on Belize with access to tenders that meet the requirements of our operation, in terms of safe, comfortable and efficient transport of our guests to/from shore, at competitive rates.

 

The local tender operators are in disarray and refuse to meet those requirements (which they can meet with the local tenders), so we are forced to cancel the call. In instances where we are unable to call in Belize, we will make every effort to substitute another Western Caribbean port

 

 

Sounds like Carnival is using safety as an excuse, but of course if their price is met then it will be safe again.

[World Gallery]

It may be safety. We had a situation on a tender in Belize. We were sitting with the "opening" in front of us (there was not door to close). There was some kind of shutter door (not sure exactly what is was or the purpose) and it flow off in mid route as we were going pretty fast. It almost came inside the boat and if it would have, it truly could have killed someone. I understand that this is just one incident but it was scarey.

[katiecat]

Tracking ships http://www.marinetraffic.com/ais/default.aspx?level0=100#

 

Legend went to cozumel today and on its way to Costa Maya for tomorrow. The strange thing is Valor went to Belize today!

[sunfuncruser]

I hope this is all resolved by March 5th when I sail on the Dream. All I want to do is cave tubing. :confused:

[hkolln]

I was under the impression it was because they are wanting to charge 7.00pp for the tenders now and Carnival doesn't want to pay that.

[2112]

I was under the impression it was because they are wanting to charge 7.00pp for the tenders now and Carnival doesn't want to pay that.

 

That is exactly it. I would be pretty angry if my ship skipped Belize over $2.00.

[zoiesmom]

has this been going on for a while? I am new to cruising and Belize was the spot I most wanted to go to. I am so discouraged now. I am to cruise in March on the Valor, do these sort of things happen from time to time and then work themselves out or is this a new thing?

[zstell]

$2 doesn't sound like much to a person, but to a corporation with thousands of passengers, it is ALOT. I have been to Belize many times and I don't think they are in a position to become greedy. Carnival is not the only cruiseline refusing the price increase.

 

I would do the same thing if my company was providing them with the amount of tourists supporting their economy. I definitely would not stand for a price increase such as this. There are so many other options as ports that Belize, Costa Maya is a great alternative.

 

I do think that since the lines have taken swift action, Belize will reconsider and things will be back to "normal" soon. Otherwise, I think Belize will be removed completely as a port of call. I am supposed to be there in April, but won't be terribly disappointed if it changes. My oldest son hasn't been cave tubing yet, but he'll find something fun to do wherever we go!

[wdowns9]

Price increase is most likely related to the hight price of fuel. I just called down there and fuel is over $5+ gallon and the government promised to help control the increase but has failed to do anything. Many of the excursion companies are looking at ways to combat these prices.. If the tender increase is related to this (which we do not really know) what are we going to day when the fuel surcharge comes back. (dang I didnt say that) forgive me.

[Cruiser from MS]

has this been going on for a while? I am new to cruising and Belize was the spot I most wanted to go to. I am so discouraged now. I am to cruise in March on the Valor, do these sort of things happen from time to time and then work themselves out or is this a new thing?

 

It has only happened to us once, and that was on our cruise to Hawaii. When you have a tendering port a lot of things can factor into whether or not you stop at that port, weather being a major cause for not going. Always remember that the cruise line is really looking out for your safety. They depend on you coming back to cruise again. If we do not go to Belize I know Carnival has our best interest in mind.

[2 cruzen]

That is exactly it. I would be pretty angry if my ship skipped Belize over $2.00.

 

We have 11 people in our group going - spending thousands of $$$ on this trip - here's my extra $22.00 - now let's go to Belize!!!

[Crusin' Momma]

Yeah I agree $2 isn't much to the average person but lets say you have 2000+ passengers using the tenders from each ship and there are maybe 5 ships going there each once a week... do the math... 10,000passengers/week that would be a $20,000 a week more than they are paying now... Granted the government should offset the cost of the fuel going up like they said they would (don't get me started on oil companies! I live in Houston so I get to hear a lot about the chemical industry) but a lot of the local's are loosing money in the touring business so hopefully the problem will be resolved asap. We are planning a trip in December and I am really looking forward to stopping in Belize!

[belizeinsider]

The problem is multi leveled. Both the local tenders and carnival are to blame. The truth is they do need larger tenders, to offload more and safer. The local tenders have been providing this service for years and have invested millions in the service. Now that the business has grown to what it is Carnival is not giving the local tenders the time to increase to larger vessels, instead they are using that they are small tenders and safety as the vehicle to replace the local tenders with their own operator.

 

Carnival needs to remember one thing, while we appreciate their business and love the tourists who come to Belize, the country was doing fine without them.

 

Carnival is flexing its corporate mussel at the poor little country and only hurts the small operators as well as the guests who are deprived of knowing the beautiful jewel.

 

I will be keeping everyone in touch with all local occurrences on this matter.

[wadethegringo]

Cancellation of Cruise Calls Left, Right And Center! 10K Will Not Come This Week!

 

And while the Butane shutdown may well not proceed, the tourism industry is going through its own kind of mini-shutdown, courtesy Carnival cruise line.

Carnival has cancelled calls to Belize by three ships that were scheduled to arrive in the coming week. Those ships are the Glory, the Legend, and the Valor, with a combined passenger count of 9,600.

That's almost ten thousand cruise passengers who won't be coming, in just a week! And add to that the cancellation of the Braemar, which is a smaller ship with 950 passengers and you've got more than ten thousand cancelled!

Only the Carnival Dream with 3646 passengers will arrive as scheduled tomorrow.

We were unable to reach the Tourism Board for comment, but it is widely known that Carnival is making the cancellations because it cannot work out suitable tendering arrangements. We can't even say where that is because the situation continues to be fluid and indeterminate…. Channel 7

 

 

http://ambergriscaye.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/398461/Re_Cancellation_of_Cruise_Call.html#Post398461

[mousecrazy]

Any word if this will affect NCL? Specifically the Sun scheduled to call on Belize City on February 9.

[pitterpattershoppe]

So, what do you all think? Will the problem be resolved by early March? I don't even feel like researching excursions, if there's a good possibility we won't be porting.

 

-pitterpattershoppe

[mctennismom]

We were on the Dream (1/8-1/15) we just loved our excursion in Belize and it is ashame that people have to miss this port, again because of money issues with Carnival. If this would have happen a week earlier we would really have been screwed, since on our cruise both Roatan and Costa Maya were canceled!! I sure hope they can resolve this issue so people can enjoy this wonderful place.

[yocruise]

Just curious..we are going on the Dream in April.

[Snorkel2Much]

Just curious..we are going on the Dream in April.

Very high winds made it too dangerous to dock those days