AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums Talk Belize Travel Getting to AC from Cruise ship....

A couple years ago, we were hoping to visit with some cruising friends of ours while they were in anchored in Belize. Considering they had all day in port, I assumed they would have plenty of time to fly over to the island and we could enjoy the day with them.

Unfortunately, the passengers who pay for cruise sponsored tours are assigned the first tenders out in the AM and the last tenders back in the PM. This policy left our friends with only 3-4 hours between their assigned tenders and not enough time to enjoy a trip to the island...and the little beach party we had all planned for them

yep, that's the story most of the time or worse.

Wed Nov 16....0800 to 1800

Taking Ruths comments into consideration you might want to make an inquiry of the cruise line about current tender loading policies that would preclude you from that first off last on group.

Personally, and I love AC don't get me wrong, I just dont know that it would be worth the time and money for what might amount to a few hours out of a 10 hour day with a lot of trucking around...that beach side glow might disappear pretty quick in more ways than one.

Get to shore by maybe what? in reality 9:30 or 10:00?, taxi to municipal airport, eh 20-25 minutes maybe more?, 60 minutes to get in past security etc and score and board a flight to SP (considerably less if youre timing is impecable), a 20 minute flight, deplane, walk down and cross the street to say Ramons for shear ease (not my day trip recommendation by any means) 15 - 20 minutes. That's on island at beach beer in hand by about what 12:30pm? maybe later?

Back calculate return with a margin of safety of 5:30 and youre leaving the island by 3:00 to make it back on the tender at 5:30 assuming there IS a tender at 5:30. I just dont know man, and my estimates may be (proabably are) off considerably.

Admire your tenacity though! "GOTTA GET ME SOME BEACH TIME NOW!!"


EDIT: but of course the cruise ship may offer a tour over to the Caye and then you just have to ditch your shipmates and make it back to the AC pickup point on time!

We had some friends do what you are suggesting - they got an early tender (not first but not last) and got the 9.30am flight from Municipal (there is no security etc at Municipal, you just turn up and take the next flight which are on the half hour). We picked them up at the airstrip and were "out and about" by 10am.

Going back they got the 3pm from San Pedro (all flights are on the hour going back) to get their 4pm tender. So it is possible and you would get about 4 hours of "island time".

there you go and from a far better source than me...the key is that tender ride off the boat from the sounds of it. I was off by about an hour, perhaps a bit more. ~ 4 hours, Your call...

I have worked this out on several occasions for both Family and clients. The key is the tender. You have to make sure you get on early so plead beg scream and sulk.

Use Tropic as it is the most reliable travel to and from the Island. What is the worst that can happen? stuck in Belize!

The cruse ships want their guests to book tours they make money on and do not want to cooperate in getting their guest out and back in a situation they aren't making money on, so you will run into attitudes and obstacles on a difficult path that only nets you a very short time on the island, hardly worth it!

We've done the photography for a number of couples who have come to Belize on a cruise ship and gotten married on Ambergris Caye, followed by a lovely meal. While the logistics can be tricky, our couples have managed to have a wonderful and very memorable experience.

Exactly what we did. We ended up on the first tender and easily made it back for the last tender at 3:30pm. We got just over 4 hours of snorkeling and beach time in AC.
Go to Youtube and search "mdrobtx" for videos of our excursion to AC from Carnival Legend.