Delighted with Suite - A First-Class Cruise - Western Caribbean "Ports" Review by savvypueblochick

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Home > Member Reviews > savvypueblochick's Port Reviews of Costa Maya, Belize City, Roatan, Cozumel

savvypueblochick's Port Reviews of Costa Maya, Belize City, Roatan, Cozumel
Norwegian Star cruise in January 2013

Member Name:	savvypueblochick
Cruise Date:	January 2013
Embarkation:	New Orleans
Destination:	Western Caribbean
Member Review:	savvypueblochick's Norwegian Star Review

	Costa Maya Beach Break Rating: In Costa Maya we went on an excursion to Maya Chan. The ride was long and bumpy but scenic. The resort was idyllic: palm trees, palapas, soft sand, clean, small, and intimate, excellent service! Not a good place to swim though, the rocky/silty sand has a peanut butter-like consistency and feels really icky especially when you start sinking.
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	Belize City Port Rating: Belize City (English speaking port)- If you want a "proper" beach you will need to take a boat ride to one of the nearby Cays. Belize City is a tender port, so you will need to calculate about 25 minutes ship-to-shore. I hired a taxi to take me to Cucumber Beach, which really isn't a proper sandy beach, but rocky instead. They have a man-made lagoon (which doesn't connect to the ocean) for swimming, a restaurant, and palapas. Entrance was $10/head. I collected shells at the beach (big ones too!), had lunch at the restaurant (excellent rice and beans), and read a Roslund Hellstom novel. I took a taxi tour thru town and landed back at the port shopping district which is brimming with designer knock-offs (LV, Coach, Burberry, you name it). Total cost $40 taxi (including tip), beach $20, lunch $9.
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	Roatan Port Rating: Not Rated Our day at Roatan included an excursion to Parrot Tree Plantation. The port area was very clean/quaint albeit small. The locals speak English since it is taught in schools, so getting around should be quite easy. Our excursion to Parrot Tree Plantation started in a crammed-like-sardines bus ride (seats made for emaciated Ethopians not fat Americans) and took about 45 minutes. The ride was worth it though, Parrot Tree Plantation was absolutely breathtakingly beautiful. It's a little "contrived" with the blue lagoon, but finally- here are the warm turquoise waters at long last! The included meal was pretty good, buffet style: pasta salad, chicken, veggies, rice n beans, etc...
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	Cozumel Beach Break Rating: Cozumel- The comedian on the Norwegian Star's funniest joke is this: T-shirt in Mayan is Cozumel. That pretty much sums up this port. We went to Playa Mia which was a little "theme park" like, very clean, but for the cost ($80 head) they don't explain much. You have to "learn" what's included and what's not. First of all, mixed drinks are free, you will need to go to the umbrella hut to get an umbrella (FREE) but tip the dude who installs it, and lunch is a open time free-for-all. The lunch was surprisingly tasty with dozens of choices, fish, chicken, rice, tacos, salads, etc... The swimming area here was the best on the trip thus far, deep blue warm water, however there are some big rocks, so I recommend swim shoes. This is more resort-style with all of the chaise lounges stacked arm-to-arm.
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