Cruising Puerto Cost Maya, Belize City, Cozumel & Georgetown
 

My husband and I are going on a cruise with Royal Caribbean March 7 - 14. Our ports of call are noted above. We already have something planned in Cozumel, so we won't be making any other plans for that stop.

I have a few questions that I hope you seasoned travellers can help me with: 1) We want to go snorkeling at least once - any opinions on which is the best place. One note - we don't care to snorkel with the stingrays. We were thinking Belize City or Georgetown. 2) I know that the cruise lines like you to link up with their excursion groups, but what if you just want to walk around and explore on your own? 3) How feasible is it to make your own way to a beach? Or is it just better to pay for the excursion because by the time you pay to get there (if you can't walk), pay for a chair, etc. you may as well have paid for the excursion?

I have read that Belize City isn't the place to walk around much on your own, which is why we were thinking that's maybe where we'd go snorkeling. There's a catamaran snorkel that ends up on the beach where you can kayak or use beach floats, plus they include beverages.

What about 7 Mile Beach in Georgetown? Would that be easy to make your own way to from where the cruise ships dock / tender? What about renting bicycles and touring around the towns? Advisable?

Again, any ideas are welcome. And thank you!

Tori

2) Any time you want to go off on your own, feel free to do that! Or take a non-cruise tour. Just keep in mind - they might let off first people who bought cruise ship tours, so plan accordingly.

In Belize, we took a horse carriage ride when we walk off the tender, I think I read about this on CruiseCritic, $15 per person - lets you safely see the area, and then you can walk around looking at the souvenirs, or go to other places (church, museum)

The tender boat was approx. 20' ride, plus getting on and off - about 1/2 hour each way.

Costa Maya - walk to the tourist village if you wish, don't wait for the shuttle, it's not far. Try to get off the ship early and bring pool towels - there is a large pool with loungers around.

There is NO beach in Belize city at all. If you want a beach or snorkeling there you must take a water taxi to an island. Caulker Caye had lousy snorkeling but Amburgis Caye is supposed to be good for that. But this is the one port I'd take a ship's tour for snorkeling. It will be very good. We like to do the Cave tubing here with Reggie. Email me for info & contacting Reggie at [email protected]., subject Belize.
In Costa Maya there is a beach that is treacherous to get in the water but once there the water is beautiful - but no fish for sorkeling. Costa Maya was built just for ships. The tram into the shops is free and worth it if you don't like walking a distance to get there.
In Cayman you tender in. If you walk about two blocks to the left you will come to Eden Rock. There is good free snorkeling here, you can rent gear and the reef is right off the shore. There is no sand beach, just flat, dead coral which is where we leave out stuff. Cemetary Beach is a deserted beach but few fish here also. We take the local bus there - $1.25 vs.$6 each for cab.
You said you were set for Cozumel but Money Bar Beach has great snorkeling.
Have fun!

Thanks for the comments. I appreciate them.

Tori

I will take you up on your generous offer, bonniejns, and send you and email with endless questions....... :0