Recommendation for Belize

[DEEPLOU]

If you are are on a NCL ship, they opened up their private island south of Belize City. Not only is there no dive excursion from the ship, they are not near where any dive operation might be

 

[Bison]

There was one company that serviced the cruise ships for many years, but they have stopped doing that. One of the big reasons is distance... the cruise ships anchor near Belize City, all the reefs for diving are over an hour away. So every excursion meant a long boat ride to their shop to fit everyone and get gear, then another long boat ride to the reefs to dive. Then after 2 dives and a surface interval between, it was a long boat ride to dive shop to drop off gear, the a long boat ride back to ships... it was expensive due to fuel costs and a 7-8 hour excursion! Just for 2 dives.

In my opinion.... Roatan and Cozumel will give you better dives, more fishlife, and shorter excursions. Roatan reefs are right up at the island, so literally a 5-10 minute boat ride. Cozumel they are farther down to the south of island from where the cruise ships port, but fabulous reefs and fishlife. Both Roatan and Cozumel are worth doing. Cozumel is drift diving, Roatan is not as there is very little current.

Robin thanks for the information. My wife and I are going to skip trying to dive in Belize. We'll do family time with the kids snorkeling there. We will focus on diving in Grand Cayman, Cozumel and Roatan.

 

[robint]

UPDATE..... looks like Hugh Parkey is back doing cruise ship scuba excursions again in Belize. On the Carnival website, it says it is a 6 hour excursion and goes to Turneffe. Don't know any other details currently, but if someone books and goes, please come back here and report to us!!!

 

[bnholt]

UPDATE..... looks like Hugh Parkey is back doing cruise ship scuba excursions again in Belize. On the Carnival website, it says it is a 6 hour excursion and goes to Turneffe. Don't know any other details currently, but if someone books and goes, please come back here and report to us!!!

Was wondering if it was Hugh Parkey's ? Called Carnival and they wouldn't tell me who the operator was. I am scheduled for November 2017 on the Breeze and also interested about it? Let us all know when someone comes back.

 

[Stoo]

...and she opinion was the diving was better in Cozumel then Belize .I still would like to try Belize one day

She probably meant from a cruise ship... Diving in Belize is extremely varied, but I can tell you with authority (and with 35 years of diving in the Carribbean) that there is no better diving than around the outer Atolls... Turneffe, Lighthouse reef etc. It's remote and pristine diving...

Cozumel was great 20 years ago, but the relentless hordes of divers there have taken a toll. I was last there maybe 7 years ago and was very disappointed.

 

[robint]

Stoo - you would have been there right after hurricane Wilma devistated the reefs. Cozumel took about 5 years to recover, but it is now just as incredible and lush as before, with fishlife better than anywhere else we have been in the Caribbean. Yes, it was bad for a few years, but NOT anymore.

 

[Stoo]

Stoo - you would have been there right after hurricane Wilma devistated the reefs. Cozumel took about 5 years to recover, but it is now just as incredible and lush as before, with fishlife better than anywhere else we have been in the Caribbean. Yes, it was bad for a few years, but NOT anymore.

You might be right, and in fairness, "no place" is as good as it was 20 years ago. Maybe I should visit again... it's certainly a good value!