Tampa airport was very easy to navigate. We easily got a taxi at the airport. It's a fixed rate of $25 and we shared a cab van with another couple we met in line at the taxi stand also going to the ship, which brought our cost down to $15 for the ride.

We booked a day at a private island at www.littlefrenchkey.com. It was not crowded that day which really made it a private island. The people were friendly, the rescued animals in their zoo looked well cared for. They let you get up close to a lion that they rescued from a traveling circus. Great photo ops with their monkeys and two other young lions. $88pp for the day included kayaking/paddleboards, swimming, a great lunch of grilled lobster, shrimp and chicken with rice and yucca chips plus 2 drinks from the bar. Swinging from a rope 30 feet into the water was a blast. Plenty of secluded beach chairs and hammocks available. Even some chairs in the water. Other packages they offer include a reef snorkeling excursion and/or horseback riding in the water. The 20 minute ride from the port to the site was enjoyable to see some of the island. Highly recommended.

Last time in Belize we booked an independent Cave Tubing excursion online and loved it. This time, we booked a tour of the Mayan Ruins at Lamanai at www.lamanaibelizetours.com. Elio answered all of our emails in a timely manner. We met the van at the port, then drove about 45 minutes to their location where we would later enjoy a great local lunch. We boarded a speed boat which was a lot of fun. We sat in the front of the boat which offered great views and kept us from getting wet on the turns :) The 25 mile trip on the river took about an hour and offered an opportunity to enjoy many birds including egrets, herons and others species along the bank and in the air. Once at Lamanai, our guide Roberto allowed us about 5-10 minutes to see some Mayan artifacts in a small "museum". He provided information at each of the sites, including Jaguar Temple, residences along the the plaza, a ballcourt, the High Temple (which you could climb and offered views obove the trees of the jungle and the river) and the very cool Masks Temple. As always on these tours, we would have preferred to have more time at each site, but it provided enough time to see, learn and get some photos. The jungle setting was nice, and we saw (and heard) a howler monkey up in one of the trees. The boat ride back was similar to the way there, except they stopped a couple of times to point out some small crocodiles along the river bank. Back at their location, a BBQ lunch of chicken, rice, fried plantains, spicy pico de gallo, slaw and watermelon was provided with a bottle of water or soda. Then the van ride back to port. $75pp was a great value for a fun and informative day at Lamanai

We booked a tour of the Mayan Ruins at Chacchoben with a company called The Native Choice Tours. www.thenativechoice.com They came highly recommended and did not disappoint. $55pp was a great value for a very good tour. They emailed us detailed instructions of how to walk about 10 minutes from the port to their offices about 4 blocks away. We felt very safe taking this walk. They provided us bottles water at the office (and throughout the day). On the bus ride, our tour guide Ivan, gave us information/history about Costa Maya as well as Aztec and Mayan culture. Once at the ruins, he provided a lot of information while we looked at each site along the path. I ventured away from the "talks" quite a bit, while my wife chose to listen. I took photos and video and walked all around the structures. We spent more time at these ruins than we had at Tulum in Mexico and Lamanai in Belize. Did not feel rushed, although we could have stayed there all day if the let us.

Went into this day with no plans. Got off the ship, walked through the port with people selling their knick knacks with each of them asking you to look at their shop, which sold the same stuff as the 50 other shops that you will pass on your way out to the street. You can easily get a taxi and plan a fun day right there on the spot. We walked about a mile and a half along the water to "downtown". There is a wonderful little beach just outside of the port where you can rent chairs and swim in pools with views of the ocean and the ship. On the way back from "downtown" we walked at low tide on some rocks/sea bed and put down the towels we brought from the ship, and some enjoyed some fruit that we brought from the buffet. There were dogs sniffing our bags for fruit as we exited the ship, but I had some kiwi, apples and bananas wrapped in our towels and were not stopped. We enjoyed tidal pools with hermit crabs and small fish. After sitting there for an hour, we walked the rocky coast back to the road and then back to the ship. Saw some cool birds and about 10 iguanas during the walk.