Xunantunich ruins - ship or private tour?

[Zada]

A group of 10 of us will be visiting Belize via the Carnival Conquest at the end of January and we'd like to visit the ruins at Xunantunich. We will be in port from 8am to 5pm.

 

We are trying to decide between booking this through the ship or through a private company? Is this tour doable with a private company (websites say this tour last 6 hours to get from port and back again)?

 

If this is doable with a private company, what ones do you recommend?

[Chooch72]

I was looking to do a private tour here but saw how close the schedule is and didn't want any unexpected surprises (flat tire; vehicle trouble) to stop us from returning on time. I booked thru Carnival so I was guaranteed they would wait for me if anything happened... You need to weigh what risks you are willing to take I think and make your decision from there...

[urbanhawk]

A group of 10 of us will be visiting Belize via the Carnival Conquest at the end of January and we'd like to visit the ruins at Xunantunich. We will be in port from 8am to 5pm.

 

We are trying to decide between booking this through the ship or through a private company? Is this tour doable with a private company (websites say this tour last 6 hours to get from port and back again)?

 

If this is doable with a private company, what ones do you recommend?

 

I did this tour, which I booked thru Carnival, in Nov 2011-it was GREAT! The pyramids and the jungle setting are very impressive. It is an all day tour, as Belize is a tender port, which takes time. Even though a private tour company may be cheaper, my recommendation, for what it's worth, would be to book through Carnival-especially in Belize-a lot of travel time involved, and Carnival will not leave without you, if you are booked with them. What ever you decide to do, enjoy!:cool:

[Jen1000]

I booked with Carnival last year and it was a full day, returning right at the last tender time. I would only book with the cruise line for that excursion because it is so far. You tender in (about 30 minutes) and Carnival will get their tours on the first tenders, independent people will go after. You will probably be to shore about 9 and last tender may be 4 or 4:15, personally I think it is too close to do on your own. The roads in Belize are basically 2 lanes and not in the best shape, if there is an accident blocking the road or the bus brakes down, you will have a hard time getting back.

 

A group of 10 of us will be visiting Belize via the Carnival Conquest at the end of January and we'd like to visit the ruins at Xunantunich. We will be in port from 8am to 5pm.

 

We are trying to decide between booking this through the ship or through a private company? Is this tour doable with a private company (websites say this tour last 6 hours to get from port and back again)?

 

If this is doable with a private company, what ones do you recommend?

[robtx100]

I almost always book tours on my own, but our last cruise to Belize we didn't plan anything for that port and thought about just staying on the ship since we have done tubing twice before. We saw Xunantunich tour and talked to our friends and decided we would book it through the ship. 8 of us total in our group. There were four buses waiting to take us and everyone else who booked to the ruins. I picked our bus with the same luck I have at picking the fastest grocery store line. Our bus was the last to leave because we had to wait for two more cruisers.

It happened to be Belize Independence Day and every little town we went through to the ruins had a school parade on the main road. Apparently, the three other buses made it through prior to the parades starting. We finally made it to the ruins a little after noon. The other three buses were finished their tour and were leaving.

The ruins were great. I climbed all the way to the top and you can see Guatamala. I also saw an approaching rain storm. The tour guides suggested we start walking back to the covered shelter where the vans were waiting. The howler monkeys were going nuts in the trees above because of the rain. We didn't make it back to the shelter before the torrential rains came. It was fun, no one complained. The vans took us back to the river where the bus was waiting for us on the other side but the river was now flowing too swift for the hand cranked ferry to take us at that moment, so we waited.

Lunch is included in the tour, so we made our way out of the city and to a restaurant on the way back. The other three buses were long gone. Everyone ate very quickly and got back on the bus, no time to look at the wares being sold by the locals. We hit Belize City and traffic was absolutely crazy, their rush hour probably. We made it back to the port at 7pm, and luckily the Magic was still waiting for us. A few ships crew got us on the tender and we were back on the ship by 7:30pm.

 

In short, in Belize to Xunantunich, take a ships tour so the ship will wait for you. It won't wait if you are on your own excursion. Luckily for us, this was one time I booked through the ship.

[Lukehead]

1) Do Xunantunich tour - it's superb.

 

2) Do it through the cruise line! It's a long, filled day. Too many things can go awry (mentioned in earlier posts) and if you're on a ship sponsored excursion, they wait for you. Important - Hard to run for the ship in a tendered port.

[mericker]

We just did this excursion 1/23/14. It was great. Bus ride was long but the guide kept us entertained with lots of information on Belize. Got to climb the ruins. Lunch was good and so was the beer. Didn't care for the cashew wine. Carnival Guarantees the lowest price so if you find the excursion somewhere else cheaper let them know. Can do price guarantee on ship. We didn't know that until we were on the ship. Had a little time to shop at ruins at lunch and before last tender.

[jackg962]

The tour is awesome. But I would definetly stick with the cruise line excursion. You will be 2 hours away from port and if you on a private excursion, no guarantee the ship will wait for you. The ruins are awesome

[wantocruisemore]

Honestly, go through the cruise line. It's a tender port so a private operator is going to wait for ones to get off before leaving. With carnival you meet in the showroom and all go down to tender together.

 

It's a long way to the ruins and the roads in Belize are not good. With the excursion guarantee you can get it essentially for the same price.

[CruiseGirlKS]

I was looking to do a private tour here but saw how close the schedule is and didn't want any unexpected surprises (flat tire; vehicle trouble) to stop us from returning on time. I booked thru Carnival so I was guaranteed they would wait for me if anything happened... You need to weigh what risks you are willing to take I think and make your decision from there...

 

Thats one reason we always do ship tours. I am always so paranoid about being left behind.

[crusinpsychRN]

With a 2 hour bus ride, do they make a bathroom stop?

[CDNJehn]

Agree with previous posters,

Definitely book the cruise excision. It's not worth saving a few bucks. This is the one and only excursion I have booked through the ship and I was glad I did.

 

They stopped on the way back for lunch (bathroom break) but I don't think we stopped on the way THERE.

 

The tour was great and they filled the drive with interesting information about the country. Highly recommend.

 

 

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[bguppies]

With a 2 hour bus ride, do they make a bathroom stop?

 

Bring a bottle...;)

 

Seriously.

The busses aren't driving through the suburbs, once you leave Belize City.

 

Have to admit, I would love to try Lamanai or Altun Ha, but the trip to get there worries me, because of bathroom availability. (I could deal with it 5 years ago going to Uxmal. But my bladder is the size of a pea anymore.)

Edited February 23, 2014 by bguppies

[Miaangel2000]

Ship. We did the on 2/19 and it's a long trek. I would hate to get stuck in the middle of Belize on a private tour. If you don't make it back to the ship they won't wait for you. It was worth the bus ride. Plan in being gone all day. Our tour went 1 hour longer then anticipated due to extra time at the ruins (great guides) and traffic in Belize City.

 

 

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[Miaangel2000]

With a 2 hour bus ride, do they make a bathroom stop?

 

 

Our bus included a bathroom. No need to stop. The bus was clean, several people used the bathroom on the bus. I did not. Very clean bathrooms at the ruins.

 

 

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