Why does Grand Princess go to Belize?

[magnumcoog]

I am just wondering why Grand Princess goes to Belize? You basically only have about 3-4 hours in Belize after tendering time taken out and this is only if the ship is ontime. I emailed one tour operator in Belize and they will only do inland tours for passengers coming off the Grand.

[rsjc]

I would just rather have another sea day. I don't plan on getting off the ship. Look at it this way, a day to enjoy the pools less crowded. The Grand has four port days. Three is enough for me.

[kkorman]

I love Belize and there are tours through Princess that will take you to the Cayes. If you want to get out of the mainland, book through Princess.

[Pam in CA]

I love Belize and there are tours through Princess that will take you to the Cayes. If you want to get out of the mainland, book through Princess.

I agree completely. We had a wonderful time there last year and there are some interesting and varied tours available through Princess. If you don't get off, I think you're missing a nice port.

[LEtue]

I just did the Miracle in November and I enjoyed Belize more than the other ports! We did a ship's tour that included Mayan ruins and a river boat ride. We saw bats, wild monkeys, crocodiles, iguanas, dolphin and manatees on the river portion of the trip. It was a great day :D

[Susie]

On the Thanksgiving cruise, we had the Princess tour to Caye Caulker booked but it was canceled by the tour operator. Then we booked a tour to the ruins and it was canceled because we did not arrive in Belize in time. It was dark within 2 hours of our arrival. What would have been a great day turned out to be a complete bust. Why Princess has this as the first stop boggles my mind! Why go to the furthest point first for an arrival time of 1:30 p.m. in the winter? Princess should really rethink this one. It was a waste. I would have preferred a full day at sea myself.

[kkorman]

I am sure that docking rights and distances have play a big factor in determining when the Grand docks at which port. Personally, I like late starts to the day. You get to sleep in and see the arrival at the ports.

 

Susie, yous is the exception. THere were other reasons why you got to Belizer late. If you get to Belize at 1, sunset is at 5:45 or so in December. That is nearly 5 hous of sunlight.

[KaC-Cruiser]

Susie, yous is the exception. THere were other reasons why you got to Belizer late. If you get to Belize at 1, sunset is at 5:45 or so in December. That is nearly 5 hours of sunlight.

In Susie's defense (I was on her cruise as well), we dropped anchor & were cleared around 2:00 p.m. Sunset was listed at about 5:10 pm, or so.The Princess excursions (those that didn't get cancelled!) were taken off the ship first. By the time the non-excursion passengers actually made it into Belize they were lucky to have around 2 hours of light left. I was one of the lucky ones whose excursion did not get cancelled - although it was close. We made it by a 15 minute window, and even so, our second dive at Turneffe Atoll was virtually a night dive. I had heard the cruise before us arrived late as well, and the cruise I took last year was several hours late to Belize. It seems more the norm than the exception to not arrive on time in Belize.

 

I enjoyed having 4 ports, I just wish they could arrange them so we get better time while in port.

[kkorman]

In Susie's defense (I was on her cruise as well), we dropped anchor & were cleared around 2:00 p.m. Sunset was listed at about 5:10 pm, or so.The Princess excursions (those that didn't get cancelled!) were taken off the ship first. By the time the non-excursion passengers actually made it into Belize they were lucky to have around 2 hours of light left. I was one of the lucky ones whose excursion did not get cancelled - although it was close. We made it by a 15 minute window, and even so, our second dive at Turneffe Atoll was virtually a night dive. I had heard the cruise before us arrived late as well, and the cruise I took last year was several hours late to Belize. It seems more the norm than the exception to not arrive on time in Belize.

 

I enjoyed having 4 ports, I just wish they could arrange them so we get better time while in port.

 

I never questioned it, I was just saying that if arriving on time, there is ample oppurtunity to do things. It seemed the biggest complaint was that original poster was upset with the fact that independent tour operators would not book tours and there for she could not do anything. This overlooks the fact that there are ample tours offered by Princess.

[Stevesan]

This overlooks the fact that there are ample tours offered by Princess.

Very true. For example, you can book Cave Tubing thru Princess for $99 instead of the same excursion thru Ecotours for $60!

[PINEVIEW01]

I would just rather have another sea day. I don't plan on getting off the ship. Look at it this way, a day to enjoy the pools less crowded. The Grand has four port days. Three is enough for me.

That was my attitude on the Inspiration 11/03 cruise. I'd do the same again. Best "sea" day we had:D

[KaC-Cruiser]

I never questioned it, I was just saying that if arriving on time, there is ample oppurtunity to do things. It seemed the biggest complaint was that original poster was upset with the fact that independent tour operators would not book tours and there for she could not do anything. This overlooks the fact that there are ample tours offered by Princess.

Even many of the Princess excursions were cancelled on our cruise. Some the day before we got there, and others that day due to the late arrival. So I can understand the local operators not wanting to take the risk in advance. I guess it all goes back to timing and scheduling ..... Belize should not be the first stop. But I'm sure port scheduling is it's own nightmare, especially with Grand Cayman being closed to ships for a while. I love the idea of 4 ports rather than 3, but not if it ends up limiting many of the ports to short days to try to get from place to place.

[kkorman]

Very true. For example, you can book Cave Tubing thru Princess for $99 instead of the same excursion thru Ecotours for $60!

 

 

You are given the option of doing the tours... if you think it is worth it, then you will pay. If not, then you will not. I book mine through Princess in Belize because I like to go to the Cayes. When you do it through Princess, they pick you up at the ship and you do not have to head into Belize City.

 

The bottom line is that if you want to treat this as a sea day, you are given that option. Stay on the ship. I love Belize and so I'll get off. Just because a few people did not want to go into shore does not mean that everyon ewill not. It is part of your personal choice cruising!

[kkorman]

Even many of the Princess excursions were cancelled on our cruise. Some the day before we got there, and others that day due to the late arrival. So I can understand the local operators not wanting to take the risk in advance. I guess it all goes back to timing and scheduling ..... Belize should not be the first stop. But I'm sure port scheduling is it's own nightmare, especially with Grand Cayman being closed to ships for a while. I love the idea of 4 ports rather than 3, but not if it ends up limiting many of the ports to short days to try to get from place to place.

 

 

Ther bottom line has to be that there were extraordinary circumstances that did not let the Grand get to BBelize on time. A normal weekly schedule would not have this affect.

[KaC-Cruiser]

Ther bottom line has to be that there were extraordinary circumstances that did not let the Grand get to BBelize on time. A normal weekly schedule would not have this affect.

I don't think arriving late was due to anything extraordinary happening .... I think it's just too tight scheduling. The Grand has not yet made it to Belize on time for it's first 2 runs from Galveston, and it has not yet managed to depart from Galveston on time. Stands to reason, you leave late, you arrive late. There is only so much time they can make up, and to get to Belize you must take a very specific route to avoid the shallows in the area. It looks like the Grand may have actually departed on time today, so hopefully this group will make it to Belize on time. I guess we'll find out when they get back next week, and we see the reviews.