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Belize River Front Real Estate and Investment Properties
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Caribbean Cruises
Almost one million Caribbean Cruise tourism visitors are projected for 2005. If
only 80% of this projection realistically occurs, cruise visitors
triple the size of Belize's population. This has resulted in a
dramatic makeover in the heart of the country's commercial and
downtown center, whose flagship since the turn of the millennium has
been the Belize Tourism Village, now called the Fort Street Tourism
Village, or locally, just the Tourism Village. Certain cruise lines
arrange to have tender boats pick up passengers directly from the
anchored cruise ship in either Belize City or the Dangriga port of
call and take them directly to snorkeling or diving trips at Goff's
Caye, Hol Chan Marine Reserve, the Turneffe Islands, Half Moon Caye
at Lighthouse Reef and other locations on the Belize Barrier Reef
for either full or half-day excursions.
Seventeen cruise lines now grace her waterways. It's Belize - the latest buzz
word in Caribbean Cruise tourism. This multicultural, ecotourism and
linguistic bridge between the Caribbean and Central America is now a
fixture on the international Caribbean travel map. Both Royal
Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Lines have Belize as a permanent port
of call. The 401 stops scheduled for the 2004 calendar involve some
thirty different cruise ships, with exotic names like "Norwegian
Dream", "Elation", "Inspiration", "Paradise" and "Enchantment of the
Seas". These cruise ships range in size from smaller ships like the
"Polar Star" which brings 105 passengers, to the much larger
"Carnival Glory" which brings 3,500 persons. Cruise ships in Belize
operate through Port Agents such as Eurocaribe Shipping Services
Ltd, Marine and Services Ltd., and Caribbean Shipping Agencies Ltd.
The industry is promoted by the Belize Tourism Board, which also
involves itself with the training of local tour guides, licensing of
ships and other sustainable approaches to development of this
industry.
Belize City, is the primary port of call for most cruise
lines. It is home to about 60,000 residents. Once the cruise
ship anchors, a tendered boat ride averaging 20-minutes or so brings
visitors to shore at the Tourism Village. The Tourism Village offers
a comfortable, colorful and scenic platform for stepping on shore.
Port agents and tour operators greet caribbean cruise visitors upon
arrival and are willing to answer questions whether or not shore
visitors have a pre-arranged tour. An information desk sits in the
main concourse and is a must-stop for independent travelers who may
not want to be a part of a packaged tour.
The Tourism Village and its immediate surrounds offer refreshment opportunities
and exciting and varied shopping options. The Village has three
terminals, with courtyards that house over fifty stores and
businesses. Restaurants, snack shops, handicraft stores and
duty-free shops offer a mix of air-conditioned and open air
settings. On cruise ship days, Belizean cultural music, like the
famous Punta, Brokdong or Marimba can generally be heard. The
Village also has other amenities, such as an Internet Café. Belizean
tour operators and licensed tour guides stationed at the Village
offer customized tours of the city. Beyond the city, pre-arranged
tours disembark either from the Village or, particularly in the case
of pre-arranged snorkeling and diving tours, directly from the
anchored cruise ship. Many passengers take the opportunity to extend
their Caribbean vacation by transferring to a Belize Hotel, then
catching the cruise ship back on its return trip.
Caribbean cruise lines offer tour itineraries and options and can arrange for
inland or marine tours that can all be accomplished within your
visit. Daily tours are arranged to fit comfortably within the six or
so hours generally available for exploration before re-boarding and
sailing off again. Some of the popular daily treks from the Tourism
Village by tour bus or van include the rainforest Mayan ruins of
Altun Ha and Lamanai; canoe, kayak or tubing Belize's rivers and
caves; visits to nationals parks and wildlife protected areas such
as the Belize Zoo, Crooked tree Wildlife Sanctuary, and the
Community Baboon Sanctuary. Enthusiasts of Nature Walks and Birding
will particularly enjoy these inland day trips, which often have
built-in stops at local restaurants that serve up delicious Belizean
cuisine as well as European and American food dishes.
If one's pleasure is marine, then Belize's world-famous Barrier Reef is
readily accessed for several pleasant hours of snorkeling, fishing,
diving, windsurfing or just swimming in this slice of the
Caribbean's crystal clear seas. Frequently visited offshore islands,
called cayes, include Goff's Caye, Caye Caulker and San Pedro, with
the Hol Chan Marine Reserve which offers visitors a chance to swim
with nurse sharks and bottle-nosed dolphins, as well as with large,
docile stingrays and eagle rays.
Dangriga, located in the southern Belize district of Stann Creek, is also a port of call for
a few of the smaller cruise ships
Ecotourists will particularly enjoy quick access to real
jungle in a half-day tour, with time to relax before re-boarding.
Popular tourist stops from the Dangriga port of call include the
inland Blue Hole and St. Herman's Cave - for those with a full day
to spare, a tour to the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, with its
150 km protected jungle home of the jaguar, is a must. While
Dangriga is the entry to all ecotourism activity in the south of the
country, the town itself pulses with the rich Garifuna language and
culture which is a part of daily life here, particularly in nearby
Hopkins village. Local radio stations often call this area "the
cultural capital of Belize." For marine lovers, the nearby beaches
of Placencia and Hopkins are available for a few hours of Belizean
sea and fun, while the southern Belizean Barrier Reef provides
turquoise waters with pristine cayes that, best of all, have with
quick access from the mainland of Dangriga or directly from certain
cruise ships. Some popular offshore cayes include Laughing Bird
Caye, Coco Plum Caye, Tobacco Caye and Man-o-War Caye.
ABOVE: The Nordic Empress.
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