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Belize time: 10:14 pm
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Home > Tour Packages > Cruise Ship Tours
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Dive the second-longest barrier reef in the world and witness first hand why Belize is known as the "Jewel of the Caribbean". Although we cater to cruise ship passengers on a tight schedule, you'll come away from your two-tank dive trip with a full day's worth of underwater sights. Your tour package includes tanks, weights, belts, BCDs, regulators, fins, purified water, fresh fruit, and snacks, as well as a beach break on secluded Bannister Island. There's plenty of fun for non-divers as well.
Our regular dive spot is an ideal location for divers of all skill levels. Less than half an hour from the Tourism Village in Belize City, the waters off Gallows Point are a world away in terms of undersea life. The topography of the area ranges from shallow coral gardens to impressive dropoffs. You'll find an abundance of hard and soft corals, as well as a stunning array of marine life. Some of the area's most notable residents include hawksbill turtles, nurse sharks, eagle rays, and giant groupers.
For divers in the know, the ecosystem off the shores of Belize has long been a special location. The Belize Barrier Reef is considered by oceanographers to be the most well-defined section of the Great Western Caribbean Reef that extends from Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula to Nicaragua. (Only the Great Barrier Reef off Australia is larger.) Because of its central position and the influence of the easterly tradewinds, the Belize Barrier Reef is visited by nearly every species of marine life found in the Caribbean.
Your tour begins at the Belize Tourism Village, the site at which all cruise ship tenders drop off their passengers. A few steps from your tender, you will meet our team at the Wet Lizard Restaurant and Bar and board our dive boat for the scenic 20-minute ride to Bannister Island. There, you'll be fitted for your dive gear and receive a briefing on safety instructions. (Although we provide all of the equipment you will need, you are certainly welcome to bring your own gear. Wetsuits are also available for rental.)
From Bannister Island, our dive site near Gallows Point is only five minutes away. You will participate in two dives, each lasting 40 to 50 minutes, depending on your rate of air consumption. During our surface interval, you'll be treated to onboard snacks and some of the best snorkeling in Belize.
The members of our dive crew are PADI-certified professionals. Each guide is trained in emergency first-response procedures and assigned to supervise no more than six divers. Our dive boats fully comply with PADI safety standards and are equipped with first-aid kits and emergency oxygen units. (A recompression chamber is available in San Pedro, about 20 minutes away by helicopter.)
We've been operating in the Gallows Point area since the mid-1990s, far longer than any other dive operation in Belize. Our safety record is unblemished and our local knowledge is unmatched.
After the dives are completed, you will head back to Bannister Island. The private island nestled amid mangrove cayes not only offers tropical beauty, but also showers and changing areas, beach lounge chairs, and a thatched-roof restaurant and bar. If you'd like to do more than relax on the powdery white sand of the beach, you can swim in the warm Caribbean and wade out 150 feet before the water reaches beyond your shoulders. On most days, the beach scene includes a live band playing Caribbean music.
Tour Observer or Beach Break Option (non-divers)
Are there non-divers in your group? No problem. They're welcome to join you on your tour. During the dive time, non-divers can soak in the beach fun on Bannister Island, snorkel from the shore (we'll supply the gear), or accommpany you on the dive boat out to Gallows Point. In addition, there's an option for snorkelers who wish to join our snorkel tour off Bannister Island. In any case, everyone will have time at the end of the tour to enjoy Bannister Island together.
Discover Scuba Option
Discover Scuba is intended for people who have never tried scuba diving or have not begun working on their certification. (Discover Scuba is also known as the "resort course".) Your instructor will review the fundamentals of scuba diving, beginning with an introduction to the equipment. We will then take you along the barrier reef to an area that is about 10-feet deep. There, your course will follow the PADI standards to ensure that you learn everything you need to know to safely and comfortably enjoy Discover Scuba. If all goes well, we'll try a second dive down to about 40 feet.
Open Water Referral Dives Option
Our referral dives option enables you to work on the diving portion of your PADI certification program by exploring the Barrier Reef off the coast of Belize. In other words, you can take care of the classroom and swimming pool instruction at home and then join us for two dives in the warm waters of the Western Caribbean. Please be sure to bring your certification paperwork so that we can credit you for your dives. We are happy to accept referrals from other agencies.
Note: Before reserving the referral dives option, please check with us about the availability of our dive instructor.
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| Tour Options (Prices in US Dollars) |
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| | $125 | | 2-Tank Dive |
| | $150 | | Open Water Referral Dives |
| | $133 | | Discover Scuba course |
| | $60 | | Tour Observer or Beach Break with snorkeling |
| | $50 | | Tour Observer or Beach Break without snorkeling |
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Infants under three years of age are free.
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| Money-Saving Discounts |
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Group Discount Special:
Reserve a group of 6 or more and get a 10 percent discount on your total price.
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| More Information |
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| Length of Tour: 4 hours, 30 minutes We're flexible! We adjust the length of our tours to fit the schedules of our guests. |
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Location of Tour Departure:
This tour departs from the Tourism Village in Belize City (the dock area where the cruise ship tender boats drop off their passengers). Our meeting point is the Wet Lizard Bar & Restaurant, which is located between terminals 3 and 4. You will be met by a representative of Hammerhead Water Sports, our operations partner.
Our tours are scheduled to fit within the port time of the cruise ships arriving in Belize City. We monitor the cruise ship tender schedules and plan our tour itineraries to give you plenty of time to return back to your ship. |
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What to Bring:
All dive gear is included for this tour. You are welcome to bring any of your own equipment as well.
Sunscreen, a beach towel, and bug spray are also recommended additions. |
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Level of Physical Exertion:
Divers must hold a valid, up-to-date certificate from a reputable scuba diving training agency and sign a medical waiver verifying their fitness to dive. The minimum age for diving is 12 years old. For the Discover Scuba (Resort Course), participants must also be at least 12 years old. |
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Refunds and Balance Payments:
Your deposit is fully refundable if you cancel your reservation at least 3 days before your tour. In addition, you will receive a full refund if your cruise ship does not stop in Belize for any reason, or if weather conditions or other factors force us to cancel your reservation. Balance payments in Belize must be paid in cash with U.S. dollars or travelers checks. If you wish to pay your balance in advance by credit card, a surcharge of 4 percent of the payment amount will be charged to your credit card. |
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Questions? Find your answer in our Frequently Asked Questions.
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