Belize

[ricruise]

Has anyone heard of the issues in Belize and that Carnival is not stopping there?

 

I heard that NCL may also avoid this port?

[debnjoe1438]

Has anyone heard of the issues in Belize and that Carnival is not stopping there?

 

I heard that NCL may also avoid this port?

 

 

Where did you get your information?:confused: I was in Belize this past December. No issues.

[ricruise]

I read on the Carnival board. I'm going in two weeks on NCL and my BFF is going on Carnival in 4 weeks so I was checking it out for her and read that they are having a disagreement over tender fares.

 

I just hope we make that stop.

[big green]

do a google search on belize cruise ship news and you find the news associated with the tender association have ing issues with providing suitable tenders.

 

BG

[mctennismom]

Interesting, since on our Carnival "Dream" vacation Belize and Cozumel were the only ports we were able to get into! They canceled Roatan and Costa Maya! Very disappointing:( Attached is something that was sent to me from a local in Roatan, pretty sad if you ask me. I guess the almighty dollar trumps our eco-system!

 

 

The property there is owned by our previous Congressman who made a sweetheart deal with Carnival Cruises to lease his land for 20 years. In doing so they both knew the reef in the mouth of the harbor would need to be destroyed to gain passage into the bay, which is illegal but using his influence was able to get permission to do so. They brought in engineers to study and oversee the design but also failed to consult with the locals around there who intimately know the characteristics of the harbor. Had they done so they would have learned the bay fills up with silt and that in certain winds is very difficult to get in to.

 

In November of 2009 the facility was opened but they could not use it until February of 2010 because all the dredging they did to provide depth for the ships just kept filling back in. Then as soon as they began bringing in ships they realized the channel they created by removing reef was not wide enough to allow the ships safe passage while backing either in or out. They can go forward through the channel just fine but will need to back at some point and that it where the issue is. They do not have the same control over the vessel when backing as moving forward. One ship that came in forward last year had to stay the night and let the winds die down so he could back out the following morning.

 

The solution of course, is to blow up more reef to allow the ships safe passage. They will shortly have permission to do so and it will likely solve the issue at the cost of our ecosystem.

 

Prior to 2010 they docked at Coxen Hole where there are no issues with docking and several other cruise lines continue to use that facility.