Explorer and Ruins Tours

[quiltsnh]

Has anyone done any of the RCCL ruins tours and been aboard the Explorer??? I am wondering what time is required????? And if they found the arrival times and departure times coincide with the arrival times and departure times of the ship???

Thanx

[BobbieSu]

Hi, not sure what you are asking, if you are on a ship excursion then you don't need to worry about the time. We were recently on the Explorer of the Seas and took the ship tour of Lamanai. See review .

 

I would not book this with any independent tour, we were on the first tender out and the second to last tender back. The tour to Xunantunich and Cahel Pech also took the entire day. Altun Ha is closer and so you may be able to do that with an independent tour without the time factor weighing in.

 

Our tour of Lamanai and the new river was the best day of our cruise. Absolutely incredible!

 

Su

[carbon]

Bobbiesu, it seems expensive, we are 4 people. Was it worth it? I am afraid my teens would not enjoy.

[BobbieSu]

Carbon, It was very worth it. It was the best port day for all of us including our 18 year old son. He tried to remain unimpressed, but it didn't last, he loved the wildlife, the jungle and climbing the pyramids.

 

I hesitated with the cost as well, but finally decided that anything we did in Belize was going to cost and this just seemed like the best place to see some ruins. We made up for it by not doing expensive things in other ports.

 

Su

[boatbunny]

We are also on Explorer and have booked the Lamanai trip. We have 2 small children, ages 5 and 8. I reviewed the video of the trip that someone has kindly posted. It seems like it could be a long day for them.

 

Any comments?

 

Did you see a lot of wildlife on the boat ride?

 

We are debating whether we should stick with this or try to go to either Caye Caulker or Rendezvous.

 

Any help appreciated.

[BobbieSu]

There were several young children on the tour with us. I really didn't pay much attention to them. There were probably four or five younger than 10 yrs. I'm sorry I couldn't tell you what their parents thought about the trip. I agree it was probably a long day for them. On the tour through the ruins they were always bringing up the rear. Did they enjoy it? All I can tell you is that there were no screaming kids :) That I would have noticed. The Howler monkeys were definitely a big hit with them. The rest of the wildlife I don't know whether they would have appreciated it much, some was hard to see, being camoflaged in the trees. I'm trying to think whether my boys would have enjoyed it when they were 5/8 and I think they would probably have enjoyed the water better. They enjoyed activities, rather than "learning" which is more what this was. They would have enjoyed climbing the pyramids, but I wouldn't have let them go up alone, so if you are up to climbing them,,,

 

Hope that helps a little. I think a lot of it depends on your kids and what they enjoy.

 

Su

[boatbunny]

Thank you very much for the feedback. Between viewing the video and monitoring the boards, I think we are going to cancel this one. I think it will be too long of a day for the kids, and even though they are very athletic, with the heat, I think they would be exhausted. We'll save the ruins and the history of it until they are a little older.

 

Plus, when I gave them the choice of the ruins or swimming with the sharks and stingrays, well, guess which one won? Although the prospect of seeing the monkey's was a huge attraction, we are going to Xcaret in Cozumel, so I think they will see some there.

 

Thanks very much, I love the feedback on these boards, helps you make your vacation everything it can and should be!

[BobbieSu]

[quote name=boatbunny

Thanks very much, I love the feedback on these boards, helps you make your vacation everything it can and should be![/quote]

 

I agree with you about these boards. They were a life saver for me from the start, and I want to repay the help I received. Hope you have a great time.

 

Su