Looking for Lamanai "victims"

[Isa65]

My family and I are booked on a Lamanai excursion with Island Marketing in April 2012.

 

Everywhere I search for information people keep saying how amazing this excursion is, but how risky because it is so long and so far. There are some who actually skip this excursion because they're afraid the ship will depart without them.

 

I didn't want to hijack anyone's thread, so I'm starting this one.

 

Have YOU or anyone you know EVER been left behind in Belize after a Lamanai excursion (specifically through Island Marketing)? I know the fear is there, but I'm looking for stories, evidence.

 

Thanks!

[Limeia]

Great thread. I'll be curious to what others have to say. Leaving Sunday and plan on doing the Tour through Island Mrkt.

[Cayoooga]

It is an amazing excursion. I have done the excursion with time to spare. The tour operators do it all the time, so they keep you on schedule. If you are worried just be prepared with passport, credit card, and contact info of the cruise line representative at the port.

 

A story for you. On a past cruise a newlywed couple missed the ferry from Playa Del Carman to Cozumel while returning to the ship. The cruise line picked up the tab to return the couple to the next port to meet the ship.

[Tiggertastic]

A group of 7 of us did this excursion and joined a coach full. We were driven out for about an hour and got to the river where we got on a boat for about 30-45 minutes (don't sit at the back unless you are happy to get wet)

 

We did the lunch when arrived, the full guided your and headed back - with time to spend looking round the shops before we jumped on a tender.

 

There was no issue for us re time

[airlink diva]

I did Lamanai with Island Marketing this past September. The ruins are amazing and the fact that the majority is still under jungle don't tell the full scope!

On my tour it was a very close call for the people on the Legend. Island Marketing had two ships with two departure times on the same tour. I was on the Dream and we got to port a hour after the Legend. They had to wait for people from the Dream to arrive.

We were rushed on eating and viewing the ruins. The guides are aware of the time. However we go back to the port area with less than 30 minutes for the Legend last tender. The people on the bus were getting nervous with the time (esp since close to the port we had to turn around and go another way because of road work that was started after we left the port that morning).

Since Island Marketing stated that it takes at least four people to do the tour and it was more than this on both ships, they should had ran two tours for each ship separate.

I would love to revisit Lamanai again,but not with Island Marketing. I would also double check with any vendor to make sure they don't run it with cruisers from two different ships with two different times. It was not enjoyable from that point.

[marshhawk]

I wonder why Carnival can't get a tour set up through a representative for these particular ruins, so the fear wouldn't be there. Friends of mine did a land vacation in Belize and said these were by far the best ruins they saw.

[Isa65]

I would love to revisit Lamanai again,but not with Island Marketing. I would also double check with any vendor to make sure they don't run it with cruisers from two different ships with two different times. It was not enjoyable from that point.

 

Thank you for sharing your experience. On our particular cruise, there will only be 1 ship in port, so hopefully that will give us more time.

 

After reading the other comments (thanks all), I can conclude that it's a myth... Since no one came forward having actually been left behind.

 

'Cause I was planning to start a new thread afterwards: "What to do on an extra night in Belize"...;)

[airlink diva]

I wonder why Carnival can't get a tour set up through a representative for these particular ruins, so the fear wouldn't be there. Friends of mine did a land vacation in Belize and said these were by far the best ruins they saw.

 

I so agree! Our guide stated he also do the tour for Princess. They are under the Carnival corp. It's about the same lenght of time as some of the other ruins. Who knows why.

[doxiegal]

We booked this same tour about 3 years ago thru Carnival. We went to the ruins, and on the way back to the ship, there was a critical car/bus accident like 10 cars ahead of us, and the entire traffic on both sides of the hwy stopped. They had to call in military to get the people out of the vehicles...All in all, we sat in the bus for a full two hours before it finally moved, and we still had a 40 min. ride back to the boat. Fortunately, we got back to the boat with 10 minutes to spare. Since it was a boat sponsored tour, I am sure they would have waited for us, but it was scary none the less.....I would definitely recommend a ship tour for that far of a excursion..

[serene56]

Thank you for sharing your experience. On our particular cruise, there will only be 1 ship in port, so hopefully that will give us more time.

 

After reading the other comments (thanks all), I can conclude that it's a myth... Since no one came forward having actually been left behind.

 

'Cause I was planning to start a new thread afterwards: "What to do on an extra night in Belize"...;)

 

 

you really cant go by reviews on here. Members represent less then 1% of the cruising public.

 

You also have to find out by the people--- when their ship arrived and when the ship was leaving... some ships are in port til 10pm and the Lamini excursion will be doable.

 

Some ships leave at 4pm...6pm and 8pm.

[crazy1here]

Love the thread, looking to do the same thing in april as well lol. Thanks for all the comments folks, very imformative :).

[seahunters2000]

I wonder why Carnival can't get a tour set up through a representative for these particular ruins, so the fear wouldn't be there. Friends of mine did a land vacation in Belize and said these were by far the best ruins they saw.

 

Premiere used to do this tour before they went out of business. But Norwegian Cruiselines does it, not sure about RCCL though.

[pliskin]

I just took the Lamanai tour last week and I booked via NCL. For me, it was not worth it. Here is a brief rundown of our experience:

 

We were a group of 11. We were among the last to get on the tender and had to split up to find seats and this is where the problem started. We made our way over to where the busses pick you up and the tour leaders were shoving everyone on board. I told him we needed to wait for the rest of our group and they said 'don't worry, the busses are all going to the same place.' So our group ended up on three different busses. What they don't tell you is whatever bus you get on is your tour group for the entire day. Once we got to the boat area, each bus was assigned to a single boat. We tried to regroup here but best we could do was get on two boats. Our boat docked first at the ruin and we waited for the other boat with the rest of our group. And waited. Turns out, there was another boat dock farther up and the rest of our group was standing there looking for us! Once we eventually got connected, we started the tour. The guide would go very fast up these paths and wait at the next spot for everyone to catch up. There were several folks in this tour group that needed some extra time and by the time they caught up, the tour guide and others were almost glaring. That could have been handled so much better by stopping repeatedly to keep the group together while talking about the Mayan culture. We got to see two temples then back to the boats. Having been to Tikal, Lamanai wasn't anywhere close. Jumped back on the boats and headed to the boat area for lunch. By now, it was 2:45 and the last meal we ate was at 7AM in order to muster in the theater by 7:45. We were famished. When we got off the boat, there were no seats in the dining area available and a very long line at the buffet lunch. The couple in front of us commented that this was their third trip to the buffet. By the time we got to the buffet itself, there were only a few pieces of chicken left.

 

Depending on what time you have to be back at the boat, I wouldn't take this excursion again. Its too rushed and way too long to go without food, especially since we had a few small kids. Our group paid $1100 and no way did we get 1/4 that in value. The nature-filled boat ride is really a high speed race down a river and if they see something, they'll stop and let you take a picture, then its blasting off again. The ruins are tiny. And if you do go and are in a group, make sure you all get on the same bus even if they are trying to drag you onto one.

[Isa65]

Wow, what an experience! Sure gave me something to think about....

[crazy1here]

Wow, what an experience! Sure gave me something to think about....

 

 

When are you suppsed to dock in belize? Im looking at cruisett and not seeing the liberty at all.

[monicajay]

I just took the Lamanai tour last week and I booked via NCL. For me, it was not worth it. Here is a brief rundown of our experience:

 

We were a group of 11. We were among the last to get on the tender and had to split up to find seats and this is where the problem started. We made our way over to where the busses pick you up and the tour leaders were shoving everyone on board. I told him we needed to wait for the rest of our group and they said 'don't worry, the busses are all going to the same place.' So our group ended up on three different busses. What they don't tell you is whatever bus you get on is your tour group for the entire day. Once we got to the boat area, each bus was assigned to a single boat. We tried to regroup here but best we could do was get on two boats. Our boat docked first at the ruin and we waited for the other boat with the rest of our group. And waited. Turns out, there was another boat dock farther up and the rest of our group was standing there looking for us! Once we eventually got connected, we started the tour. The guide would go very fast up these paths and wait at the next spot for everyone to catch up. There were several folks in this tour group that needed some extra time and by the time they caught up, the tour guide and others were almost glaring. That could have been handled so much better by stopping repeatedly to keep the group together while talking about the Mayan culture. We got to see two temples then back to the boats. Having been to Tikal, Lamanai wasn't anywhere close. Jumped back on the boats and headed to the boat area for lunch. By now, it was 2:45 and the last meal we ate was at 7AM in order to muster in the theater by 7:45. We were famished. When we got off the boat, there were no seats in the dining area available and a very long line at the buffet lunch. The couple in front of us commented that this was their third trip to the buffet. By the time we got to the buffet itself, there were only a few pieces of chicken left.

 

Depending on what time you have to be back at the boat, I wouldn't take this excursion again. Its too rushed and way too long to go without food, especially since we had a few small kids. Our group paid $1100 and no way did we get 1/4 that in value. The nature-filled boat ride is really a high speed race down a river and if they see something, they'll stop and let you take a picture, then its blasting off again. The ruins are tiny. And if you do go and are in a group, make sure you all get on the same bus even if they are trying to drag you onto one.

 

 

Thank-you for taking the time to post about the NCL trip to the ruins. I was considering booking this trip but based on your review, I think I'll pass.

[Traveling Library]

We did the NCL trip to Lamanai a few years ago. We had lunch before we went to the ruins. I found the site fascinating. It is still in the jungle and largely untouched. I would happily do this trip again. We ran into a lot of traffic in Belize City. The tender ride was very very wet (I was dripping by the time we got on the ship). It is a long day and since it involves bus and river boat ride I'd only take the ships tour.

[Isa65]

When are you suppsed to dock in belize? Im looking at cruisett and not seeing the liberty at all.

 

We'll be there on April 10th and according to older info on cruisett, there will be one other ship with us in port that day....

 

The Liberty is indeed not showing now on cruisett, weird...

[crazy1here]

We'll be there on April 10th and according to older info on cruisett, there will be one other ship with us in port that day....

 

The Liberty is indeed not showing now on cruisett, weird...

 

I'll be there on the 4th. Still not certain if Im doing the lamanai ruins yet tho... want to, but Im still skeptical :s