On my last cruise aboard the Norwegian Breakaway, my husband and I had the opportunity to stop in some exciting ports. Our cruise was 7 nights long, and we docked in 4 ports total. The ports we saw are very common for Western Caribbean cruise itineraries, so I wanted to share our experience to help other cruisers plan their trips and excursions.
Port 1: Cozumel, Mexico
We started our cruise with sunny Cozumel, Mexico. We had an excursion booked through our cruise line that would take us to a resort called Passion Island for a beach day. My husband and I were up bright and early to meet our tour guides, just at the end of the dock from our cruise ship. Shortly after, we were ushered on a boat for a scenic ride to Passion Island.
After arriving on Passion Island, we quickly settled into some beach loungers and ate fish tacos and tortilla chips while sipping on margaritas. Lunch was complimentary with our excursion ticket, which was a great bonus. We had a gorgeous view of turquoise blue water from our chairs and loved the relaxing feel of the resort. The beach never felt crowded, even with multiple tours coming and going throughout the day.
After it was time to go back to the ship, our tour guides carefully counted us to make sure we all got back on the boat, and we were dropped right back off where we started. My husband and I were impressed how organized the tour was. The tour guides did a great job making sure everyone was taken care of and was having a good time. If I went back to Cozumel, I would absolutely go on this excursion again. It is great for families, couples, and friends alike.
Port 2: Roatán, Honduras
For our second port, we stopped in Roatán, Honduras. We had a planned excursion that we booked through the cruise line to go on the Jolly Roger catamaran snorkeling excursion. Once again, we had to get up early to find our way to the tour meeting place. After getting through the crowds of cruise passengers to find our tour group, we boarded a bus that took us to the catamaran.
The bus ride was fairly short and we were soon greeted by the Jolly Roger crew that helped us board the spacious catamaran. The boat ride to the snorkel spot was about 30 minutes long and gave us time to take in the views of Roatán and the sparkling water. The crew handed out our flippers, life vest, and snorkel mask, before carefully helping us into the warm water. Coral and colorful fish were everywhere covering the ocean bottom.
After an hour of snorkeling everyone got back on the catamaran hungry for lunch, which was included in our ticket. Overall, my husband and I loved how we had complete freedom to swim around and snorkel where we wanted to near the boat, while still under the watchful eye of the crew. The crew even gave us Honduran currency as a souvenir to take home! This was easily our favorite excursion, and we would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys snorkeling.
Port 3: Harvest Caye, Belize
Harvest Caye is Norwegian Cruise line’s private island in Belize, and we didn’t have anything planned for that day. After two busy port days catching timed excursions early in the morning, we were happy to just relax and not do anything on a schedule.
Harvest Caye boasted a beach, giant pool, wildlife attraction, watersports, shopping, and more. We first headed to the wildlife experience, which had a beautiful butterfly garden. The butterfly garden was full of Blue Morpho butterflies, which were the most beautiful butterflies I’ve ever seen. I could have spent so much more time there!
From there, we headed straight to the pool. Although the beach on the island was well maintained and had plenty of beach chairs, we felt as if we just wanted to relax by the huge pool on the island instead. We enjoyed sipping a cocktail by the pool for a little bit, before doing some shopping, and heading back to the cruise ship.
While this was an enjoyable port day, we wished we had gone to see more of Belize than a private island. If I were to go back, I would have taken the ferry to the nearby town of Placencia to see more of what Belize has to offer. Still, for families needing a relaxing pool/beach day, this port is a perfect choice.
Port 4: Costa Maya, Mexico
Costa Maya was our fourth and final port on this cruise. Like Harvest Caye, we did not have anything planned for this day and planned on walking around the port as our activity. The port had tons of shopping, food, and even a pool, but it was raining so we did not stick around long. We only spent 30 minutes on land before deciding to spend the rest of the day in the spa aboard the ship.
If it had been nicer out, it would be easy to grab a taxi to the nearby village of Mahahual, which has plenty of spots to relax on a beach. We enjoyed the beach in Mahahual on a past trip, and it also had plenty of food, drinks, and shopping available. Even with the rain, we still had a fun day. The moral of the story is to not feel pressured to book an excursion or go somewhere every port day on your cruise. You can still have tons of fun and not even leave the ship!
We truly had an amazing experience on our cruise and were very happy with our itinerary. While we loved our snorkeling experience in Roatán the most, cruises offer endless excursions that appeal to every interest and every family member. With careful research, you can ensure that every day in port is a memorable one. Hiring a travel agent can help significantly in picking a cruise itinerary and excursions that are right for you and your travel party. It’s safe to say I would happily go on this cruise and visit these wonderful places again!