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We already planned our Lamanai trip around the schedule for the cruise ships. Now I read (in another thread) that they also impact snorkeling. Is it accurate that the ships are in port Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday? Is it safest to plan to avoid the most popular activities on those days? Am I worrying unnecessarily about the cruise ship tourists? If not, any suggestions for avoiding the problem?

Well don't worry too much. For the snorkeling just go in the afternoons. Most of the Cruise ship people have to be back on board by 3:30 and the afternoon snorkel goes out at 2:00 No trouble there. Also go to Mexico rocks lots of fun and usually no crowds. For Lamania if you can't avoid the days then just do it by air. It takes only half a day you still get the cool river ride and you are the first to arrive at the site. That means you get to see evreything without anyone else around. It is nice to be able to take a picture of the Temple without anyone on it. If going by boat try Tanisha Searious or Seaduced my favorite operators.

Have Fun

Always best to avoid the cruise ship raids. They are affecting everything here; not only Shark Ray Alley, but also the Manatees, and don't go cave tubing when they are there. TravelinMan gave some good advice!

Last summer I unknowingly (and unfortunately) picked cruise ship days for a cave tubing trip and an Altun Ha trip. The parking lots were filled with buses, stirring up dust and filling the air with diesel fumes. Then there were the crowds. This really detracted from the experience. Next time I will try to avoid the cruise ship days.

when you get to the island, talk to the guides. they can tell you the best days to go to avoid the cruise ship situation.

does anyone remember the good old days in cozumel when we would plan around the cruise ship DAY??? now there are several ships everyday.
is that what the future holds in store for belize?? god i hope not. i know all of you people supporting this board are saying
$$$ ching ching $$$ YES.
but personally i hope it doesn't happen.
gay

We were in Cozumel over the Xmas to New Years Week. Actually flew in on the 25th.

Taxi driver said 12 cruise ships in that day!

I've read that Cozumel is expecting 1.9 MILLION Cruise visiters this year. A new building/plaza area was built right by the pier. Its got all the chain resturants any Good American venturing into foreign lands needs to feel comfortable... TGI Fridays, etc etc.

The old main square was empty at night. We drove by on the way to our dive shop during the day and its jam packed with cruissters.

If it wasn't for the currents, I suspect the reefs would be feeling the pain of all that trash and waste that the ships flush out of thier systems.

remember when chakanaub was just a dead end road in the middle of no where???
remember when there was no kentucky fried chicken???
i will be there in march for a wedding (omg spring breakers vommiting everywhere) so i bet i will see even more changes. it has been 3 years i think since i have been there.
better buy some cruise clothes so i fit in
gay

cruise ships suck

I don't hink there are many people who go $$$ ching ching $$$ YES, Gay because the cruise ship tourguides make sure their pigeons spent it where they want them to; there are really very little people here who profit from them.

The only thing I know is that they trample nature here (San Pedro tourguides say there are less and less Manatees since the cruise ships have been coming), leave their trash everywhere (at Jaguar Paw they have a special clean-up team for the river banks after cruise ship day) and the Belize nature is very fragile; not suitable for mass tourism. You should see'em on Geoff's caye, sometimes with 120 or more.

I think the majority of local businesses prefer to see them leave rather than come.