I have never been to Belize and Honduras. We will be going in December on the Triumph out of New Orleans.  There are five of us from 16 - 63....we are not big excursion people as we prefer to just get off the boat and see what there is to see.  What is there to do at the two ports if you don't do an excursion??

Tabayana Beach is nice to visit while in Roatan Honduras. The excurston through Carnival is not too $$$$. You could get a cab but make sure they will come back to get you. Check out (www.boddentours.com) for other tours of te island and they are not too $$$$. Victor Bodden is the owner and his site has the prices of the different tours offered.

I have never been to Belize or Honduras either, but my husband and I will be taking our first cruise on the Triumph out of New Orleans in February.  We will be going to Belize and Honduras as well.  I have heard that in those two ports, it may be better to plan an excursion as there are not alot of things to do there otherwise.  We would prefer to explore as well, though, and not spend all of our time there on excursions.  I am excited to hear what others recommend to do in these two ports.  Our cruise is still a long ways off, and I am already preparing.  I am too excited and can hardly wait!!

Debbie:

What is there to do at the two ports if you don't do an excursion?

There are any number of independent excursion outfits who can and will tailor a day's worth of exploration for you on Roatan.  As suggested: BoddenTours is one. 

We attempted to do the same sorta thing with another outfit and were turned away from Tabyana beach because -- apparently -- when Carnival is in town no one else as allowed to have access to that beach unless they are on the Carnival excursion.  We parked in a construction zone and walked to Tabyana through the second phase of a condo development to get there.  How pretty that was!

So beware.  You might want to ask about that.

In Belize, the tourist zone is fenced off from the rest of Belize City.  And while Belize City is not the safest place to be wandering by yourself, the main problem is that you'll be pestered to distraction by locals wanting to sell you everything and braid your hair. 

We just got back from Belize.  We were told that you should book an excursion in Belize, because visiting the area on your own isn't really safe and all there is a shopping village at the port.  We took that advice and went on the Altun Ha and River Wallace tour.  It was great (very hot), but great!  We aren't really big excursion people either, but I heard that an excursion is advised in Belize.  We took one, and I'm glad we did.  I think we would have been pretty bored just shopping at the port.

Thank you everyone for your thoughts on both ports.  I did look at Bodden and it looks like a good way to go.  Just got to check with the rest of my group and go from there.  I don't mind if we get off and just walk a little and see what there is to see. 

We were in Belize and Roatan exactly a year ago this week .... sigh.  You can enjoy Belize without doing an excursion but will be limited to the shopping area as you step off the tender -- very pretty and there were a few small restaurants.  I took a bus tour via Carnival, don't believe it was much $, and got to see the area and learn about the history, people and way of life.  Carnival stressed not venturing outside the fenced area on your own. 

Roatan was awesome -- they was construction of all kinds of buildings right there where the ship docks but we were able to see alot of hand carved mahogany items for sale under large tents a short walk from the ship (again, Carnival asked everyone to stay in the fenced area).  I do recommend Tabyana Beach as we spent a good part of the afternoon there after doing a dolphin encounter at Anthony's Key Resort.  Certainly hope to return there someday.  

Have a wonderful time!!!  What a terrific time to cruise!     

Thank you for the info JMC.