Shore Excursion - favorites - Roatan and Belize City

Well, we finally booked our trip on the Norwegian Dream, sailing in
Feb.2006. We have never been to Roatan and Belize City. What are some of
your favorite shore excursion / activities to do at these two places?

All input [on topic, of course ;) ] will be greatly appreciated.

>The last three times we went cave tubing. This
>is not to be missed. There is a guy on the
>dock named Reggie who sells private tours,
>and he also has a website. Everybody says
>he's pretty reliable, but we still prefer the ship's
>excursion even though it's a lot more
>expensive. The reason is that if your bus had
>a problem (flat tire, dead battery, engine blows
>up) and you are on a ship's tours, the ship will
>wait for you to get back. If you are on Reggie's
>tour and he has a problem, YOU ARE
>STUCK. There are few flights out of Belize to
>anywhere, and none after dark. And there is
>lots of potential for bus and road problems
>there. After all, there are only TWO paved
>roads in the entire country, and most of the
>busses are at least twenty years old. It's not
>like the driver can call for AAA or anything.
>This is a primitive place.

I should have said the majority on our ship who took excursions went
CAVE tubing, not river tubing as I wrote.

It's not only the bus that might break down. We were wondering if we
would get back to the ship. The motor boat we were on ran out of gas
within sight of the bus back. They had spare gas, but has a fell of a
time getting it started again. We were on a ship tour, so at least we
did not have to worry about the ship leaving without us. (On the day
before, we were one of two ship excursions that got back late to
Cozumel. A member of the cruise director's staff was on our tour and let
everyone know that they did not have to worry about the ship leaving
without us.)

Both Roatan and Belize are top notch venues for snorkeling. We did it
ourselves in Roatan (just Google it for info) and with a cruise-sponsored
excursion in Belize (because the snorkeling excursion boat boarded from the
cruise ship just like a tender).

Diana Ball
near Houston, TX

Based upon the recommendations receive, we are leaning toward the following
tours:

Roatan - Coral Cay Snorkel Experience

Belize City - either the Cave Tubing & Jungle Trek or Lamanai & New River
Safari.

I really like the idea of cave tubing, but don't like the idea of 100 or
more people on it. Plus, the teens would like to see Mayan Ruins and
Lamanai was highly recommended.

Thanks to all who replied and I will be sure to post a trip report as to our
shore excursions when we get back.

Hope when you go to BELIZE you do not hit any rain,when we went they had
a rain storm the night before,and the bus taking us to the ruins parked
in a spot that was nothing but mud,it was up to your ankles,so we opted
to stay on the bus rather than like those that did get off,had to scrape
their feet,and use the drivers paper towels to clean their feet around
their ankles.It was one hell of a mess,and it was a ship's tour, Also
while we sat on the bus,the driver kept the bus doors locked.
surfer e2468

(.a cruise lover.)

"Surfer E2468" <pocomount@> wrote in message
news:9947-43C178F6-24@storefull-3357.bay....
> Hope when you go to BELIZE you do not hit any rain,when we went they had
> a rain storm the night before,and the bus taking us to the ruins parked
> in a spot that was nothing but mud,it was up to your ankles,so we opted
> to stay on the bus rather than like those that did get off,had to scrape
> their feet,and use the drivers paper towels to clean their feet around
> their ankles.It was one hell of a mess,and it was a ship's tour, Also
> while we sat on the bus,the driver kept the bus doors locked.
> surfer e2468
>
But the nice thing about cave tubing is that you can still do it if it
rains. I mean, it just doesn't rain in a cave. And if it rains on you
while making that 45 minute hike to the launch point,......well, you are
going to get wet when you jump in the river, aren't you?

Cave tubing is nice for someone that likes it,but we are way to oldto
participate in that sort of activity

(.a cruise lover.)

Karen Henelde wrote:
> I'm getting ready to purchase online a shore excusion for our Panama Canal
> cruise in Dec. (Brilliance OTS).

Karen, we're taking that same Brilliance cruise in January. I'd love to
hear what you've got planned for your off-ship activities. Haven't been
to Panama or Costa Rica and am now beginning to explore what there is to
see and do.

~ Peri

In article <yi3Bg.106102$IZ2.61454@dukeread07>, Uncle Peter
<radioconnection@cox.net> wrote:

> We did the tour of the Embura (sp??) indian village on our cruise.
> It was very enjoyable.

I heard that one was good. The excursion that I took from Gatun Lake
was the Ocean to Ocean boat trip through the locks and canal to the
Pacific Ocean. That was very good and I recommend it for anyone who
wants to see the canal. I have also taken the Ocean to Ocean train
excursion but I liked the boat excursion a lot better because it goes
through the canal and locks and under the bridge of the America's. You
miss a lot on the train since it is going along side the canal and is
moving too fast to get a very good look at the sights.

--
Charles

Charles,

What size boat served the Ocean to Ocean boat trip?

Diana Ball
near Houston, TX

"Charles" <fort@his.com.remove.invalid> wrote in message
news:050820061212523901%fort@his.com.remove.invali d...
> In article <yi3Bg.106102$IZ2.61454@dukeread07>, Uncle Peter
> <radioconnection@cox.net> wrote:
>
>> We did the tour of the Embura (sp??) indian village on our cruise.
>> It was very enjoyable.
>
> I heard that one was good. The excursion that I took from Gatun Lake
> was the Ocean to Ocean boat trip through the locks and canal to the
> Pacific Ocean. That was very good and I recommend it for anyone who
> wants to see the canal. I have also taken the Ocean to Ocean train
> excursion but I liked the boat excursion a lot better because it goes
> through the canal and locks and under the bridge of the America's. You
> miss a lot on the train since it is going along side the canal and is
> moving too fast to get a very good look at the sights.
>
> --
> Charles