Roatan with kids/babies

[decisionduck]

Hi,

 

We are visiting Roatan on RCCL in Feb.  We have cruised several times before but this is the first time with any kids.  When it is just ourselves we were fairly carefree and would wing it, but with kids I am less inclined to do so.

 

The goal is to have a relaxing beach day with the two kids (3 and 1), let them splash at the water's edge, with us to be able to sit in some lounge chairs nearby.  At lunch we'd like to go to a local bar/restaurant that is immediately adjacent to beach.

 

What are your recommendations for:

- Port to beach and back transportation?  Get off the ship and find a taxi?  Book a shuttle thru a local company?

- Which beach to go to?  (Tabyana?)

- Which bar/restaurant for lunch?  (Have heard good things about Sundowners?)

 

The RCCL excursion seems overpriced... especially with kids so young.

[crewsweeper]

Google Bananarama or Beaches and check their prices for day passes with transportation. West Bay beach  shallow water, wave are small, good snorkeling from beach, restaurant, outdoor showers.

Also, and need someone else to chime in on this, there is supposed to be a new place very close to the pier in Coxen Hole, where you'll dock, with a chair lift or zip in from the dock to the facility.  Also easy walking distance.. I have not been there nor seen reviews so have no idea what it is like.

[#1TravelMom]

I highly recommend Ronystours.com.  We have known Rony for many years.  He has nice vehicles and will make sure you have a fabulous day!

[Dan83]

We did this very thing last October.  First cruise after kids.  We took our 4 and 1 year olds.  Roatan was the best stop.  Victor Bodden's private tour.  Kids were free so it only costs us $80 total for all day driver.  Another $10 for the monkey/sloth/petting zoo which was totally worth it.   Joanne was our driver and was great with the kids.  She kept us away from the crowds.  We got a lot of activities in.  Swimming/snorkeling/beach.  Yes we put life jackets on the kids and snorkeled with them in tow.  Worked out great, they loved it.  We got off the ship early and our driver took us through the west end area before the ship crowds got there, Chocolate factory, etc. Did some sight seeing, met a local beekeeper and we exchanged bottles of honey, iguana farm, had lunch.  We saw a lot of the island and kept busy,  we really maximized our time.  Got back to the ship with 15 minutes to spare.  Our friends thought we were crazy taking young kids on a cruise but it worked out great.  Everyone had fun.  I don't remember the name of the beach we went to. Our driver recommended it and it worked out good.  Didn't eat lunch anyplace fancy either.  We wanted to keep moving so we got baleadas at a gas station.  Fed all of us including the driver and some cold bottled water for the road for $6.  Next time we'll find a nicer place to sit and have lunch if the kids are behaved well enough.  We booked the same ship again and are going back to Roatan in March.  Already requested our driver Joanne with Bodden's tours.