Belize Metropolis is the biggest metropolis in Belize and the principle entry level for cruise passengers seeking to discover this small however picturesque Central American nation.
Belize Cruise Port is a comparatively small tender port, nevertheless it nonetheless welcomes lots of of hundreds of passengers to the nation annually.
This information will clarify the whole lot you might want to know concerning the port and why it’s turning into one of the fascinating locations for Caribbean cruise itineraries.
Belize Cruise Port Location and Tackle
The Belize Cruise Port is positioned in Belize’s former capital, Belize Metropolis. Though Belmopan is now the nation’s capital, Belize Metropolis continues to be the nation’s most populous metropolis, so it’s house to a variety of thrilling facilities that enchantment to visiting vacationers.
Plus, the town is close to a few of Central America’s hottest sights, just like the Xunantunich Mayan ruins, the Hol Chan Marine Reserve, and the Belize Zoo and Tropical Schooling Middle.
Belize Metropolis is roughly 70 miles southeast of the Mexican border and 45 miles northeast of Belmopan. It’s instantly on the waters of the Caribbean Sea, with different common continental cruise ports, like Mexico’s Cozumel Cruise Port and Cancun Cruise Port, to its north. This strategic and handy location partially explains why it’s rising in reputation as a port of name on Western Caribbean cruise itineraries.
Inside Belize Metropolis, Belize Cruise Port sits on the metropolis’s most jap level. As soon as cruise passengers arrive at one of many a number of tender boat docks, they’re greeted by the Belize Fort Avenue Tourism Village, which contains a assortment of memento outlets, eating places, tour operator kiosks, and different facilities which are useful for visiting vacationers.
The Belize Metropolis Cruise Port and the Fort Avenue Tourism Village simply outdoors of it are positioned only a quick distance from the town’s historic middle, which additionally occurs to be one of many most secure neighborhoods.
Belize Cruise Port Tackle
The cruise terminal, in addition to the Belize Tourism Village, are positioned on the following deal with:
Belize Cruise Port, Fort George Jetty, 8 Fort Avenue, Belize Metropolis, Belize
Belize Cruise Port and Terminal
As talked about, Belize Cruise Port is a young port, that means cruise ships don’t dock instantly on the port. As a substitute, cruise ships anchor roughly 2 miles from the mainland, and passengers are tendered from the ship to the smaller tendering docks on the sting of the Fort Avenue Tourism Village with smaller boats.
These smaller tender boats take an common of quarter-hour to journey from the ship to the cruise port.
There are 4 docking factors for tender boats to carry cruise passengers ashore. Because the port has no devoted cruise ship berths, it’s a comparatively small port. That is as a result of easy proven fact that the waters alongside Belize Metropolis’s coast are far too shallow for big vessels.
The tender boat docks converge at a single pier so passengers can shortly stroll to the Fort Avenue Tourism Village and the small terminal constructing.
Belize Cruise Port Facilities and Amenities
Though it’s a lot smaller than lots of the main cruise ports within the Caribbean, Belize Cruise Port and the Tourism Village nonetheless provide lots of the providers and facilities visiting passengers want for a clean and fulfilling go to.
Complimentary Wi-Fi and Sensible App
Whereas the Wi-Fi is considerably spotty, it’s free to make use of. In truth, the Belize Tourism Board presents a complimentary BTB Cruise App, which makes it straightforward to hook up with the Wi-Fi while you’re within the Tourism Village.
It additionally makes it straightforward to view cruise ship data, tender boat departure instances, and taxi contact data. The app additionally supplies a GPS-enabled map and permits visiting passengers to set reminder alarms for when they need to return to the port.
Procuring
The Tourism Village, positioned proper on the fringe of the tendering pier, can be house to the town’s most important procuring space. Over 30 present outlets and vendor stands provide handmade souvenirs, together with scorching sauces, regionally distilled rum, and extra.
There’s additionally a duty-free store, which carries alcohol, fragrance, sun shades, and different designer items, in addition to a global jewellery retailer.
Eating places
The colourful Entrance Avenue Tourism Village can be house to quite a lot of bars and eating places, together with the MOHO Chocolate Store and Snack Bar, which presents ice cream, regionally made sweets, and way more.
The 4 devoted native delicacies eating places permit guests to pattern the flavors of Belize with out having to journey into Belize Metropolis itself. There are additionally three everlasting bars, together with one sports activities bar that reveals native and worldwide sporting occasions.
Restrooms and Accessibility
Together with quite a few shaded seating areas for passengers to attend for his or her tender boats, the Tourism Village has loads of clear and trendy restrooms. Though it’s a pretty small and primary cruise port, the entire services, together with the restrooms, had been designed to be wheelchair accessible, making certain all guests can benefit from the expertise.
Safety Workplace
There’s a safety workplace positioned on the foot of the Tourism Village, the place you’ll arrive out of your tender boat. Right here, you can see a tourism data kiosk and a customs and safety workplace. If you’d like a novel reminiscence of your go to to Belize, you’ll be able to even ask for a passport stamp, which is free for visiting cruise passengers.
ATMs and Foreign money Trade Companies
The Tourism Village is house to a number of ATMs, which carry the native forex, the Belize Greenback, in addition to US {dollars}, that are accepted all through the cruise port and past.
Tour Operator Stands
Proper alongside the principle boardwalk of the Tourism Village, you will discover places of work and kiosks for native tourism operators. When you’ve got pre-booked a shore tour, you’ll be able to meet at these factors, or you’ll be able to ebook an thrilling tour proper within the port.
With tour choices together with journeys to the Mayan ruins, jungle excursions, caverns and caves exploration adventures, snorkeling journeys, and way more, it may be one of the thrilling methods to go to Belize.
Cruise Strains That Go to Belize
Although it is just a young port, quite a few main cruise strains embrace a go to to the Belize Cruise Port alongside their Caribbean itineraries. These cruise strains embrace the next:
- Carnival Cruise Line
- Royal Caribbean Worldwide
- Movie star Cruises
- Princess Cruises
- MSC Cruises
It is usually price noting that Norwegian Cruise Line operates a separate, personal cruise port referred to as the Harvest Caye Cruise Port, positioned roughly 115 miles south of Belize Metropolis.
This $50 million cruise port and island journey park is solely owned by Norwegian Cruise Line, so you’ll solely go to in case you are touring on considered one of their cruise ships; in any other case, you’ll virtually actually cross by Belize Cruise Port in Belize Metropolis throughout your cease within the nation.
Parking Belize Cruise Port
In case you plan to drive to Belize Cruise Port from the airport or some place else in Belize Metropolis, you will discover parking choices close to the port. With that stated, passenger parking is restricted, as most guests are inclined to take taxis or shuttle buses to the port, particularly if they’re flying into the nation. In case you are searching for parking close to the tender ports or the Entrance Avenue Tourism Village, you may have the next choices accessible to you:
Official Cruise Port Parking Lot
Sadly, there is no such thing as a devoted in a single day parking zone that providers the cruise terminal, however there’s a drop-off and pickup level, in addition to a one-hour parking zone positioned instantly on the north finish of the Entrance Avenue Tourism Village. The one-hour parking zone is free, however you may be instructed to maneuver your automobile if you happen to keep for too lengthy.
When you’ve got determined to hire a automobile and require long-term parking, you may be significantly better off going with one of many personal tons or paying to make use of one of many garages on the close by lodges.
Personal Parking Heaps
The closest parking zone is the BCU Parking Lot, positioned at 184 North Entrance Avenue, 0.4 miles from the Belize Cruise Port. Charges have to be paid in money, with the Belize Greenback (BZD) being the popular forex. You’ve the choice to pay in US {Dollars} (USD), however the charges are supplied at a 1:1 ratio, so it’s way more inexpensive to make use of the native forex.
Parking charges are BZD 3 for 1 hour, 5 for BZD half a day, 10 BZD for a full day (7 a.m. to 10 p.m.), and 25 BZD for full in a single day, 24-hour parking.
When accessible, the Fort George Resort & Spa, which is simply 200 toes away from the port, permits long-term parking for non-guests. That stated, paying visitors all the time have precedence to the parking services, so it’s best to ebook forward of time if you happen to plan on parking, however don’t plan on staying within the resort itself. Parking charges on the resort range relying on the season and demand, so you must ask forward of time.
Touring From Close by Airports
For these planning to fly into Belize Metropolis, Philip S.W. Goldson Worldwide Airport (BZE), is the principle airport for worldwide vacationers arriving into the nation.
Not solely does it service extra worldwide flights than every other airport in Belize, it is just positioned 10.6 miles northwest of the Belize Cruise Port within the close by city of Ladyville.
Though Sir Barry Bowen Municipal Airport is far nearer to the port than Philip S.W. Goldson Airport, it solely serves native flights, so only a few cruise ship passengers will really fly in or out of this smaller metropolis airport.
Touring to and From Philip S.W. Goldson Worldwide Airport (BZE)
Because the airport is lower than 11 miles from the port, journey time tends to be between 25 and 35 minutes, though this could improve if you happen to arrive throughout rush hour.
Belize Metropolis might solely have a everlasting inhabitants of simply over 67,000 residents, however it’s a main employment middle for the nation, so visitors into and out of the town might be pretty substantial within the mornings and late afternoons. In case your flight arrives right now, give your self some additional journey time.
Instructions from the Airport
- Comply with Worldwide Airport Highway till you see the turnoff for the Northern Freeway (Philip Goldson Hwy)
- Take Northern Freeway for six.2 miles, then take the exit for North Entrance Avenue
- Comply with N Entrance Avenue for 1.1 miles
- On the roundabout, take the second exit onto Fort Avenue
- Proceed and search for indicators for Belize Cruise Terminal 2
Airport Journey Choices
In case you are planning to fly into or out of Belize Metropolis, you may have the next journey choices accessible to you.
Taxis are by far the most well-liked mode of transportation to and from the airport and all through Belize Metropolis itself. Since comparatively few individuals personal their very own automobiles in Belize, most depend on taxis for on a regular basis life, so they’re available and comparatively low cost.
For transportation to or from the airport, count on to pay between 15 and 30 USD, relying on the time of day and the season if you find yourself in Belize.
Sadly, there aren’t any mandated flat charges, so it’s a good suggestion to inquire about prices earlier than you get right into a cab. There’s a taxi pickup zone outdoors the arrival terminal on the airport and on the Tourism Village, so that you wouldn’t have to fret about reserving one forward of time.
Renting a automobile is one other common choice, particularly for these planning to see a number of the sights Belize presents earlier than they board their cruise ship. To make issues simpler, a number of worldwide automotive rental firms function out of the airport, together with Alamo Hire-A-Automobile, Enterprise, and Thrifty Automobile Leases.
Whereas charges rely upon the time of 12 months and the kind of automobile, a typical rental automotive will run about 45 USD per day. Keep in mind that parking on the cruise port is restricted, so it would be best to plan forward.
Get to Belize Cruise Port
Whether or not you’re coming from the airport, a resort in Belize Metropolis, and even one of many close by cities, attending to and from Belize Cruise Port is pretty simple. The next are the most well-liked choices for transportation throughout the metropolis and to the cruise port itself:
Taxis
As talked about, personal taxis are the commonest and handy type of transportation inside Belize Metropolis. They provide the simplest approach to get to and from the cruise port and different vacationer sights in and round Belize Metropolis.
They’re available on the cruise port and all through the town, particularly close to the most important sights, just like the Museum of Belize and Home of Tradition.
Whereas fares range relying on how far you need to journey, most locations throughout the metropolis will value between 10 and 30 USD for a one-way journey.
Town doesn’t implement flat charges, so it’s all the time a good suggestion to ask about prices forward of time. You also needs to be sure to solely take a registered cab relatively than a taxi that doesn’t have any markings.
Automobile Leases
Whether or not you’re touring from the airport otherwise you need to have the liberty to discover the town and surrounding space with your personal automobile, automotive leases generally is a sensible answer.
Parking might be a problem within the metropolis, however most sights have free parking tons. In case you plan to remain in Belize Metropolis in a single day, most lodges additionally present visitors with complimentary parking.
Automobile rental charges range, however you must anticipate day by day rental charges of round 40 USD if you happen to hire inside Belize Metropolis itself. Remember that a number of the extra distant vacationer sights contain driving on unpaved roads, so renting a automobile with four-wheel drive is advisable.
Public Buses
In Belize Metropolis, public buses provide extra inexpensive transportation than taxis, nonetheless, they are typically very packed, scorching, and fairly sluggish. The sluggish velocity is partially as a result of vital variety of stops. They’re additionally not the most secure type of transportation.
It may be a method to economize and expertise extra of the native tradition however don’t be shocked if a few of your fellow vacationers carry stay chickens and different sights which may seem odd to vacationers. One-way journey prices lower than 1 USD, however be sure to are cautious and all the time hold your luggage inside eyesight.
Water Taxis
Water taxis are one other inexpensive approach to journey, particularly if you happen to plan to go to common island locations like Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker.
The San Pedro Specific Water Taxi Firm is considered one of two water taxi firms working out of the harbor, and we might all the time suggest shopping for a round-trip ticket for roughly 15 USD to save lots of almost 10 USD.
Personal Shuttles
One other straightforward and comfy approach to get round Belize Metropolis and the encircling areas is to ebook a non-public shuttle or switch. You possibly can normally organize your itinerary forward of time so a driver will choose you up after which proceed to take you to the precise sights you and your group want to see. Some may even take you so far as San Pedro.
Belize Paradise Shuttles and MC Shuttles & Excursions are amongst essentially the most inexpensive choices, and you may organize to have a bus or van choose you up instantly on the airport or the cruise port.
Once more, charges will rely upon the place you’re touring to and the way sophisticated your itinerary might be, however you’ll be able to inquire about prices over e mail. Anticipate to pay nearer to 120 USD, however these charges might be a lot greater if you happen to go far past the town’s borders.
Seashores Close to Belize Cruise Port
Although Belize is much extra well-known for its scuba diving and snorkeling, this small nation can be house to some really beautiful seashores. Sadly, not one of the seashores inside Belize Metropolis are actually price visiting, however if you wish to spend a while unwinding on the sand earlier than it’s a must to head again to your cruise ship, there are a number of island seashores which are straightforward to go to.
Seashores on Caye Caulker
Caye Caulker is a fairly small limestone island positioned roughly 21 miles away from Belize Cruise Port. Regardless of its small measurement, this island is lined with white sand seashores that result in crystal-clear Caribbean waters.
The seashores have a relaxed environment, making them good for enjoyable and swimming. The encompassing reef system can be teeming with marine life, together with sea turtles, nurse sharks, manta rays, and tropical fish, so it’s a common diving location.
Plus, the island is house to loads of beachside bars and eating places, so it’s nicely well worth the scenic water taxi journey from Belize Metropolis, which solely takes about half-hour.
Seashores on Ambergris Caye
At roughly 35 miles from the Belize Cruise Port, attending to Ambergris Caye will take just a little extra time, however it’s nonetheless accessible by way of water taxi. It additionally occurs to be the biggest island off the coast of mainland Belize, and its seashores are a number of the greatest you’ll discover wherever within the nation.
With that signature powdery white sand that you just discover alongside the most effective Caribbean seashores, in addition to palm timber and beautiful turquoise waters, it’s the best vacation spot for relaxation and rest. A water taxi from Belize Metropolis will take about an hour and a half, so be sure to give your self loads of journey time.
The island can be house to an unimaginable array of marine and rainforest wildlife, together with howler monkeys, iguanas, toucans, and way more.
Eating Close to Belize Cruise Port
Whether or not you need to keep on with the Vacationer Village or don’t thoughts wandering into Belize Metropolis for a chunk to eat, visiting Belize Cruise Port is an incredible alternative to pattern some really memorable delicacies.
Listed below are just some of the choices close to the cruise port that we suggest:
The Treehouse Restaurant Belize
Positioned simply 0.2 miles from the terminal, you’ll be able to stroll to the Treehouse Restaurant Belize in 5 minutes. The restaurant is positioned within the foyer of the Fort George Resort and Spa, however it’s open to most of the people.
Take pleasure in an unimaginable island environment, made much more memorable by the large skylights and open-air design. The menu boasts a variety of native flavors and worldwide dishes, and each merchandise on the menu is made with the freshest native elements.
The Movie star Restaurant & Bar
Movie star Restaurant & Bar Belize serves a novel mixture of native, Mexican, and Turkish dishes. It is a superb choice for these with extra adventurous palates and people with extra primary tastes.
Additionally they have a full breakfast menu for early risers. Provided that the restaurant is simply 0.4 miles north of the cruise port, you’ll be able to simply stroll alongside Marine Parade Boulevard and discover your method there in lower than 10 minutes.
Ms. Patty’s Belizean Meals
You possibly can’t miss a go to to Ms. Patty’s Belizean Meals for an genuine style of the native delicacies. It’s simply 0.3 miles northeast of the cruise port on Eyre Avenue, so it’s very straightforward to search out.
If you arrive, you’ll shortly discover that the whole lot on the menu is cooked in-house, and this small, family-owned restaurant is among the greatest locations within the nation to strive native dishes, like fried lobster, crimson beans, and rice, fried plantains, Belizean-style grilled hen, and extra.
Take note it is a very informal roadside restaurant, so you’ll most definitely eat your meal on one of many picnic tables, however the meals is extremely common with locals and vacationers alike. Plus, you may even get to fulfill the well-known Ms. Patty herself!
Eating on the Tourism Village
As talked about, there are many eating choices at or close to the Fort Avenue Tourism Village. Some highlights embrace Martha’s Café, which serves regionally grown espresso, and The Moist Lizard, which has a menu stuffed with scrumptious fried seafood and sides. Because the Tourism Village is simply steps away from the tender dock, it’s one of the handy areas to seize an informal meal or chilly drink.
Procuring is pretty restricted in Belize Metropolis, particularly in comparison with a number of the extra well-established procuring hubs discovered elsewhere within the Caribbean, however the Fort Avenue Tourism Village greater than makes up for the shortage of shops within the metropolis itself.
As talked about, the Tourism Village is house to a duty-free store the place cruise passengers should purchase souvenirs and duty-free items like liquor, designer items, and jewellery. All the tourism complicated can be plagued by native vendor stands and kiosks the place you should buy locally-made objects.
The Baron Bliss Lighthouse Market is an alternative choice. Because the title implies, it’s positioned close to the well-known Baron Bliss Lighthouse, roughly 1 / 4 of a mile from the port. Just like the tourism village, it presents quite a lot of handmade items, together with work, carvings, and extra. Simply just remember to carry money, as only a few distributors will settle for bank cards.
The Finest Time to Go to Belize
Belize Metropolis is perhaps a year-round vacationer vacation spot, however the cruise season sometimes runs from early November to late April.
This era additionally aligns with Belize’s dry season, the place guests can count on temperatures to vary between 75° and 85° F. Due to the nice temperatures, decreased humidity, and restricted rainfall, that is usually thought of the most effective time to go to Belize.
Learn Additionally: What Are the Worst Months to Cruise the Caribbean?
Anticipate crowds if you happen to plan on visiting Belize Metropolis throughout the peak of the cruise season, normally between late December and February.
In case you journey there outdoors of the standard cruise season, you must count on a major quantity of rain, particularly throughout late summer time, when Belize can expertise the consequences of hurricanes and tropical storms.
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