young woman w/ 2 small kids, safe at the zoo???

[SandySeas]

3/28/10 Carnival VaLoR

My family and I have been cruising for years, but this is our first time making it to Belize. I'm 22 years old and will be traveling with my 4.5 year old and 1 year old. The rest of my family members are going to do the cave tubing and zip line tour. I'm content to stay on the boat all day, but I'd prefer to see a little of Belize while I'm there. I want to book the Belize Zoo excursion through the ship. Everyone in our family has different opinions as to whether it's safe or not. If we book through the ship, we'll be with our cruise group the whole time, correct? What's Belize like? We've been to all the Eastern islands and all of most of the Western islands. What island is Belize comparable to? I remember Honduras was very intimidating, and I'd never go off by myself. Has anyone ever been to the zoo? Are there a lot of island natives pressuring you to buy souvenirs? Last year in the Bahamas I remember a man actually touching my arms, while I was holding my daughter! Any advice would be great!

[bqkali]

We were in Belize in December and felt entirely comfortable. The people in Belize were very friendly and not intimidating at all. On a ship tour (or any other tour highly recommended on Cruise Critic), you will have guides with you the entire time. You will not go to "bad" areas and you will always have someone with you as long as you don't wander off on your own.

 

There is also shopping at the port area and that is very safe - there are guards checking ship cards to make sure only cruisers & registered merchants are in that area. Mostly jewelry and souvenir type shops, similar to Cozumel. There is cheaper shopping outside the gated port area and we felt perfectly safe there, too but if you are concerned the gated area will be 100% safe.

[CCParrott]

We are going 5/10 on the Legend to Belize. We are taking our 2 yo and we are interested in the zoo also.

I found this tour group that offers an excursion to the zoo and swimming area /w lunch included. Children under 3 are free!

 

http://www.coralbreezetours.com/Belize/Zoo/wildlife/current_category.15/Product.155/tours_add.html?t_product=155

 

Has anyone used this tour group before? I have read many positive reviews on them for other types of excursions but nothing on the zoo trip.

Thanks

[kenspen2]

We have been to Belize twice. The first time we hired a driver from the shopping area of town, we did not have an excursion previously reserved. It was quite a drive away from town. The zoo was small with many animals, small wire fences, very unlike US zoos. It was a nice day and tour of the city upon return. I do not think I would have done the tour without husband...too far and roads were rough. If you are confident and experienced, go for it. Belize is a port where you must have "something" scheduled to do. Our second time to Belize we went through the cruise line to private island beach day. Expensive, but nice.

[lindseesmom]

We were not impressed w/ Belize at all and next time, we would stay on the ship. For all the money that Carnival has, they should have better tenders to get you to Belize!! These little boats that could have sunk, look very good ( I would think not) to take you 5 miles to Belize. I was green or so they told me when I got off the tender. Then when you get to town, the shops are dumpy and not worth the trip over. Stay on the boat and you will be a lot happier as my Mom and daughter were!!

[GOLDENBONNY]

3/28/10 Carnival VaLoR

My family and I have been cruising for years, but this is our first time making it to Belize. I'm 22 years old and will be traveling with my 4.5 year old and 1 year old. The rest of my family members are going to do the cave tubing and zip line tour. I'm content to stay on the boat all day, but I'd prefer to see a little of Belize while I'm there. I want to book the Belize Zoo excursion through the ship. Everyone in our family has different opinions as to whether it's safe or not. If we book through the ship, we'll be with our cruise group the whole time, correct? What's Belize like? We've been to all the Eastern islands and all of most of the Western islands. What island is Belize comparable to? I remember Honduras was very intimidating, and I'd never go off by myself. Has anyone ever been to the zoo? Are there a lot of island natives pressuring you to buy souvenirs? Last year in the Bahamas I remember a man actually touching my arms, while I was holding my daughter! Any advice would be great!

 

 

I have a bad news for you. You will not be able to book this form ship min age must be 3 years old:mad: I could not book it from Belizeadventure tours as well,because they ask for 4 people min:mad: so we droped the idia and we just will go on shore and grab some cab to see city or carriage ride

[crewsweeper]

Sandy Seas,

 

One reason for the age limit is that the zoo is more like a game preserve than the zoo you may be used to at home. It's difficult for toddlers to get around even if you have a stroller. I know some crusiers aren't impressed with Belize and the port because it doesn't fit the tourist mind set like Grand Cayman or Cancun. If it's just you and your children and you can't leave the toddler under the care of either the ship or a relative staying on th eship, you might also just want to stay on the ship. Sorry. :( Next cruise when the toddler is older perhaps you can explore more.

[SingingPixie]

While I'd agree that the zoo is difficult to navigate with a stroller, I think you could manage it if you carried your toddler in a sling. It's not very big, so the walking would be completely do-able for your older child. On an organized trip (either through the ship or an organization like Coral Breezes or Shoretrips) I wouldn't hesitate to do it as a young woman w/ two kids. The zoo is small and there aren't aggressive vendors there (or within the tendering area, where your trip would depart from). It's outside of town, so the only people there are the people who work at the zoo and other tourists and Belizian zoo visitors. Everyone inside the zoo was incredibly nice and helpful as well. Don't let the other posters scare you off. I wouldn't hop in a taxi and go by myself, but if I was able to pre-arrange an organized tour, I think it would be absolutely fine.

[jkjmt]

We took our daughter when she was 8 to the Belize Zoo through Carnival and we loved it. She was studying rainforest animals in school and we took pictures of many different rainforest animals that you don't see in the US.

 

At Belize I would definately take a Carnival excursion because the roads are terrible in Belize. We saw two different taxis broken down on the side of the road with tourist in them, and we thought...OMG, I hope they don't have to get back to the ship. If you take a Carnival excursion, you'll be safe and won't have to worry about missing the ship. We've been to Belize three times, this year will be our fourth. One year we used an outside vendor and we worried the whole time about missing the ship. We wanted to do the cave tubing and zip lining in one excursion and the cruise only offered them separately. It is quite a distance from the port and we made it (with no shopping time at all) and on the last tendor. By yourself and with two small children, I wouldn't want to be in that situation.....book through Carnival.