Belize ? Priority tender if booked on Carnival Excursion?

[curlygrljax]

I have yet to book a cruiseline excursion. Can someone please tell me how it works? Do we gather somewhere, then get tender priority to keep the group together into port? Looking at the Ruins or possibly Eco park that you take a bus to. Just really do not want to be left in Belize.....Thanks :)

[kona_wahine]

They will have you go to the main theater room and your group will all be together and travel over on the tender together.

[tjncanada]

It is true that you proceed to the theatre and go to the tender when called. However, the group does have to assemble after you disembark the tender before proceeding to the bus. There is a final restroom opportunity once you're checked in so expect at least another 10-15 minutes before proceeding to the bus. Also expect that with the tender rides, assembling/reassembling, and the bus rides to and from that your excursion will likely take up most of the allotted shore time in Belize.

 

 

Tom

 

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[curlygrljax]

Have been in Belize village before. No need for shopping this trip so limited port time before return tender is fine with us.

[day-day]

I'm not seeing a huge price savings if selecting an independent company over booking via Carnival for the tour I am interested in Belize.

 

Is booking thru Carnival and getting assigned to the tender a "decent" advantage compared to catching a tender over on our own in order to use an independent tour operator?

 

I have a loose idea on how much extra I'm willing to pay to use a Carnival tour but I'm not sure how much value to consider when at a tender port. What do others see as advantages?

[KatieCharlotte]

I usually do not book Carnival excursions, but I was very glad we did in Belize. Because of the length of the tender ride, the number of tender boats available, and the size of the ship I was on (Magic), it would have been challenging and stressful to get on an early tender without priority. It was very different than our tender experience in Grand Cayman, where you basically walk out the door and onto a tender. I would also have worried about getting back to the ship on time if I was on a private excursion, considering that our tour group ended up on the last tender back.

Edited March 24, 2015 by KatieCharlotte

[BigRed93]

I see the advantage as the ships knows where you are. We took the ships tour to Xunantunich. It is a couple hours drive from port. On the way back we had an injury to a passenger than required a stop at the pharmacy for some first aid supplies, forms to be filled out,etc. then we had a run in with some schools kids horsing around and the kid ride his bike right into the side of the bus while we were stopped at an intersection. Kid was fine, his friends were laughing, but his bike tire was bent. The driver, after scolding the boy, helped him try to fix his wheel. Another report to fill out.

We got back to the dock just when we should have been pulling up anchor. They had held a tender for us, and that was the fastest, craziest tender ride ever!

I know independent tour guides keep contact with the port authorities as well, but going that far from port, I want that extra security.

We witnessed the same thing in Cozumel last summer when the ferry used to take the tours to the mainland pulled up at 5:10, when we should have left at 5.

 

 

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