Cruise Port Ideas
10-22-2019, 09:08 AM
#21
Admirals Club 
Thread Starter
I just noticed that the port in Belize is actually an island owned by NCL. I believe we will just take an easy day and hang around the pool and beach on the island all day.
10-22-2019, 09:29 AM
#22
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We did the same tour. Roatan was the best place to stick your feet in the fish tank. Unless you go on a dive excursion its useless. Not safe to walk around, so plan a tour. Belize I was looking forward to and it was NCL private island. MIght as well stay on the boat. Another tourist trap. Playa was actually a pretty cool little town just to walk around. a tourist trap but felt a little more authentic than the others. Didn't do a tour.
I've been to Cozumel a few times and there is a ton to do from dive to 4 wheeler. take your pick.
I will never do that cruise again
I've been to Cozumel a few times and there is a ton to do from dive to 4 wheeler. take your pick.
I will never do that cruise again
Last edited by idylmoments; 10-22-2019 at 09:54 AM.
10-22-2019, 09:41 AM
#23
Senior Member
Originally Posted by TooReel
Last cruise we went on stopped at Costa Maya. My recommendation would be to stay on the boat.
great swimming with the dolphins in Cozumel...real experience over an hour with them, decent buffet included.
10-22-2019, 10:00 AM
#24
Senior Member
Originally Posted by cwhite6
I just noticed that the port in Belize is actually an island owned by NCL. I believe we will just take an easy day and hang around the pool and beach on the island all day.
10-22-2019, 10:10 AM
#25
Senior Member
Originally Posted by cwhite6
We were supposed to be going to the Florida Keys for Thanksgiving. Due to some family events, we had to cancel that trip a few weeks back. We just found out we had our schedule clear up again, so we went looking for vacation ideas. Due to airfare and/or driving distance, we opted to not go to the keys. My wife and daughters wanted to go on a cruise, so I booked one yesterday. We are going with Norwegian out of New Orleans for 7 days. It works out perfect because I am a 3 hour drive from the terminal at the port and I do not need to pay for airfare or drive for two days each way. Anyway, I have done one other cruise. It was a Disney Cruise and we hit the Virgin Islands and a couple other places. I enjoyed riding on the boat more than the ports.
This cruise hits Cozumel, Roatan, Harvest Caye in Belize, and Costa Maya in Mexico. The only thing I know I am going to do is go to the LCDH in Cozumel if I can and I am going to do a wall dive in Roatan. The shore excursions are very expensive through NCL ($600 to see the ruins!) and I am not fan of a lot of them. So, I turn to the great THT. Can you give me ideas of things we can do at those ports that are safe and will be enjoyable? It will be my wife and I and our 15 year old and 10 year old daughters. We like to walk around, people watch, eat at cool places, and look around.
This cruise hits Cozumel, Roatan, Harvest Caye in Belize, and Costa Maya in Mexico. The only thing I know I am going to do is go to the LCDH in Cozumel if I can and I am going to do a wall dive in Roatan. The shore excursions are very expensive through NCL ($600 to see the ruins!) and I am not fan of a lot of them. So, I turn to the great THT. Can you give me ideas of things we can do at those ports that are safe and will be enjoyable? It will be my wife and I and our 15 year old and 10 year old daughters. We like to walk around, people watch, eat at cool places, and look around.
Just realized you'll be on the Getaway. Its going to be packed with kids that time of year. My suggestion is for you and your wife to get "Vibe" passes, put your kids in the kid and teen club. You should be getting an email from NCL within the next few days with the option of bidding on cabins above yours. If you can afford it bid on a Haven, if you get in you'll never go back to a regular cabin.
The Haven on the Getaway is similar to the Escape......
Vibe and Spa are identical on the Breakaway and Getaway
10-22-2019, 10:25 AM
#26
Admirals Club
Thread Starter
Those Haven cabins on our cruise more than quadruple the price of the cruise. We have a balcony room and I am fine with that. I did put in to upgrade to the either spa balcony or mini suit. My youngest will have a ball in the kids club. My teen wants nothing to do with the teen club and will hang with us. I am going on the cruise to spend time with my kids and wife.
10-22-2019, 10:28 AM
#27
Senior Member
Originally Posted by cwhite6
Those Haven cabins on our cruise more than quadruple the price of the cruise. We have a balcony room and I am fine with that. I did put in to upgrade to the either spa balcony or mini suit. My youngest will have a ball in the kids club. My teen wants nothing to do with the teen club and will hang with us. I am going on the cruise to spend time with my kids and wife.
Hope you get the mini suite, the cabin is basically the same size of a regular cabin but the bathroom is larger.
10-22-2019, 10:55 AM
#28
Admirals Club
I have done the 7 day western car. cruise multiple times . Routan was the best snorkeling I have done in my life but getting to the destination was sketchy as it gets ... Very sad actually tons of poverty every turn . Last cruise that stopped in Belize actually went to the city and the wife and I got off the boat had drinks and food at a local little bar , did some dancing and got back on board . The machine gun armed guards on busses and shuttles were a bit to intimidating for me . Don't sleep on costa maya . We did a four wheeler/beach snorkel excursion thru Norwegian and it was really fun ! four wheelered to complete muddy mess , took a outdoor shower then went down to the beach for a couple cocktails and a quick snorkel . Cozumel the options are ENDLESS and I would listen to Skibums advice there ! Have a GREAT trip I just got back yesterday from a cruise with my wife and 3 kids to Bahamas and we had a blast . Family memories for life 
10-22-2019, 03:19 PM
#29
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Originally Posted by cwhite6
I just noticed that the port in Belize is actually an island owned by NCL. I believe we will just take an easy day and hang around the pool and beach on the island all day.
https://www.cruisecritic.com/ports/newport.cfm?ID=8216
in part ....
" To be clear, Harvest Caye is not a private island in the same way that Great Stirrup Cay is (or Labadee for Royal Caribbean or Half Moon Cay for Holland America). Though owned by a subsidiary of Norwegian -- and so far only a port of call on the itineraries of ships operated by Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings' three brands -- Harvest Caye is a completely separate entity. All on-island venues are staffed by locals and all food and drinks have to be paid for in cash or with a credit card."
Our last Norwegian cruise a month ago we were supposed to stop at Great Stirrup Cay but the seas were too rough to tender in.
RCCL has Coco Cay right next to GSC. We have been there twice and never have we seen a ship at Great Stirrup Cay. Not that you are going there.
See if you have to tender into the one on your itinerary.
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10-22-2019, 03:58 PM
#30
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harvest caye is not a tender port there is a dock
and there are multiple ferries out of there
you can buy tix in advance for the ferries, and I would do so
they have "semi fixed" times for you on the ferry . . .
and there are multiple ferries out of there
you can buy tix in advance for the ferries, and I would do so
they have "semi fixed" times for you on the ferry . . .
10-22-2019, 05:09 PM
#31
Senior Member
Just remember, when you book through the cruise line, you have protection. Especially if something delays getting back to ship on time! On your own, the ship will leave without you, but booked through cruise line, they will wait for you.
We did the ruins and the cave tubing. Both were very cool.
We did the ruins and the cave tubing. Both were very cool.
10-22-2019, 07:20 PM
#32
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Originally Posted by cwhite6
Any recommendations for a good dive operation in Roatan?
Just came from there. Banarama beach resort has a great beach and public access on West Bay. About 20 min drive or so from the Ship.
They have a dive shop. One of the divemaster's is a local girl that was awesome. The whole crew was great and very helpful. Its on West Bay which is generally the calm end of the Island since it faces west.
Home - Bananarama Dive & Beach Resort, Roatan
Have been 5 times. Its a great place and cheap. Great food and the West End and Bay is beautiful and safe.
10-22-2019, 09:33 PM
#33
We are very experienced cruisers, and have been on so many cruises we've lost count. We've been to virtually every island in the Caribbean, even islands sine people have never heard of.
My wife continues to find Western Caribbean trips that are so cheap she cannot refuse to go. But she takes her daughter or a travel friend because I care nothing about going back to Mexico or Belize or any of those Banana Republics. My cruises are now repositioning cruises to Europe in the Spring, to Greece or to Scandinavia.
I have taken shore excursions with scuba diving out of Cozumel, and they just took us on a couple of close by shore dives. We didn't go 10 miles out where the great dives are. We once rented a car in Cozumel and went to the east side of the island. We never passed a Tiki Bar we didn't stop and get a margarita at--all the way around the island. It was a memorable day. Many travelers to Cozumel just catch a cab at the port and go south to one of the cabana/beach clubs on the western side of the island. It makes for a nice day--with good drinks and food.
We're also happy many days to just walk around the port and spend most of our days on the ship partaking of free drinks provided by Norwegian. They've had some great incentive programs recently.
My wife continues to find Western Caribbean trips that are so cheap she cannot refuse to go. But she takes her daughter or a travel friend because I care nothing about going back to Mexico or Belize or any of those Banana Republics. My cruises are now repositioning cruises to Europe in the Spring, to Greece or to Scandinavia.
I have taken shore excursions with scuba diving out of Cozumel, and they just took us on a couple of close by shore dives. We didn't go 10 miles out where the great dives are. We once rented a car in Cozumel and went to the east side of the island. We never passed a Tiki Bar we didn't stop and get a margarita at--all the way around the island. It was a memorable day. Many travelers to Cozumel just catch a cab at the port and go south to one of the cabana/beach clubs on the western side of the island. It makes for a nice day--with good drinks and food.
We're also happy many days to just walk around the port and spend most of our days on the ship partaking of free drinks provided by Norwegian. They've had some great incentive programs recently.
12-05-2019, 04:49 PM
#34
Admirals Club
Thread Starter
As an update, we did the following:
Cozumel we walked around, got a couple stogies at the LCDH that I smoked over the course of the day, and ate at Dick’s Dive which was recommended by Ski Bum. Overall, had a nice time there and got back on the boat.
Roatan we took a private tour with Borden Tours that was awesome! Our driver Issac was wonderful. We saw most of the west end of the island. We went to the monkey business place which was a hoot. The girls loved the sloths and mommies.
Harvest Caye Belize we hung out on the beach, daughter went zip lining, and had a nice lunch.
Costa Maya we made one quick lap around the market and got on the boat. If we go there again I won’t even get off of the boat.
We are planning a return Trip to Roatan in the future.
Cozumel we walked around, got a couple stogies at the LCDH that I smoked over the course of the day, and ate at Dick’s Dive which was recommended by Ski Bum. Overall, had a nice time there and got back on the boat.
Roatan we took a private tour with Borden Tours that was awesome! Our driver Issac was wonderful. We saw most of the west end of the island. We went to the monkey business place which was a hoot. The girls loved the sloths and mommies.
Harvest Caye Belize we hung out on the beach, daughter went zip lining, and had a nice lunch.
Costa Maya we made one quick lap around the market and got on the boat. If we go there again I won’t even get off of the boat.
We are planning a return Trip to Roatan in the future.
12-05-2019, 05:44 PM
#35
Senior Member
Originally Posted by cwhite6
That is what I am leaning towards. Probably get off the boat and walk around for a little while and then get back on the boat. It would be a good time to play in the water park.
its true the entire town is a wave pool, senior frog and tourist trap. The real town is third world
BUT!!! Do your self a favor and google maya Chan day resort. Family owned Limits to 30 people a day. You have your own cabana. Please consider. You won’t regret.
Others are right on Cozumel. Rent mopeds or car if little ones. And get thee to the other side of the island. We had been multiple times. Coconuts is great. Lots of great other little chill dives. If need activities google non cruise boat excursions
above all NEVER attend a boat led excursion always google, use places like THT and go
your own path with small local operators.
