Belize City is a tender port — but that short boat ride unlocks the second-largest barrier reef on Earth, ancient Mayan cities, and jungle cave tubing. Book early: these excursions sell fast.
Belize City is a tender port — all cruise lines use ship-operated tenders to reach the Fort Street Tourism Village pier.
💡 Pro move: The tender schedule can back up in busy season — if you have a ship-booked excursion, priority tender boarding is usually provided.
Belize City is a tender-only port; ships anchor in the harbor and run tenders to Fort Street Tourism Village.
| Cruise Line | Typical Berth / Arrival | Dock or Tender |
|---|---|---|
| Most major cruise lines (Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, MSC, Princess) | Fort Street Tourism Village, Belize City📍 | Tendered |
| Norwegian (NCL) also calls Harvest Caye (separate port, south of Placencia) | Harvest Caye, Belize📍 | Docked |
Belize punches above its weight for shore excursions — reef, ruins, and jungle are all within day-trip range.
Float through ancient Mayan ceremonial caves on an inner tube, lights strapped to your helmet, jungle canopy above. Add zip-lining for a full adventure day.
Find cave tubing tours →Snorkel the protected Hol Chan cut in the barrier reef, then drift over Shark Ray Alley where nurse sharks and southern stingrays gather in calm, shallow water.
Find reef snorkeling tours →Altun Ha is Belize's most visited Mayan site — a 45-minute drive from the pier. Climb the Temple of the Masonry Altars and see the jade head of Kinich Ahau, the Sun God.
Find Altun Ha tours →A 1.5-hour motorboat ride up the New River past a bird sanctuary leads to Lamanai, one of Belize's largest Mayan complexes, occupied continuously from 1500 BC. Spectacular.
Find Lamanai river tours →The Community Baboon Sanctuary is a grassroots reserve for the endangered black howler monkey. Combine with a stop at the Belize Zoo for tapirs, jaguars, and harpy eagles.
Find wildlife sanctuary tours →Water taxi to laid-back Caye Caulker — no cars, sandy lanes, Go Slow signs everywhere. Snorkel off the Split, eat fresh fish tacos, and decompress.
Find Caye Caulker day trips →Downtown Belize City is walkable from the pier — the Swing Bridge and seafront are worth 45 minutes on foot before heading out to excursions.
A flat waterfront walk from the Tourism Village pier south along the harbor esplanade to the Baron Bliss Lighthouse and Memorial Park — a pleasant intro to the seafront.
🗺️ See full route in Maps →Walk north from the pier into the historic downtown. Pass the Swing Bridge (the oldest manually operated swing bridge in the Americas and one of the last hand-cranked swing bridges still in use), browse the downtown market near Albert Street, and see St. John's Cathedral, the oldest Anglican church in Central America.
Climate normals for Belize City, Belize District, Belize (2014–2023 averages). Pack for the month you sail — highs, lows, and how many rainy days to expect.
| Month | Avg High | Avg Low | Rainy Days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 79°F / 26°C | 72°F / 22°C | 17 |
| Feb | 80°F / 27°C | 74°F / 23°C | 14 |
| Mar | 82°F / 28°C | 76°F / 24°C | 15 |
| Apr | 84°F / 29°C | 78°F / 26°C | 10 |
| May | 85°F / 29°C | 79°F / 26°C | 20 |
| Jun | 85°F / 29°C | 79°F / 26°C | 24 |
| Jul | 85°F / 29°C | 79°F / 26°C | 24 |
| Aug | 85°F / 29°C | 79°F / 26°C | 26 |
| Sep | 85°F / 29°C | 78°F / 26°C | 28 |
| Oct | 84°F / 29°C | 76°F / 24°C | 24 |
| Nov | 81°F / 27°C | 74°F / 23°C | 22 |
| Dec | 80°F / 27°C | 73°F / 23°C | 21 |
Source: Open-Meteo ERA5 (10-yr daily averages)
Upcoming cruises that call at Belize City, Belize District, Belize. Dates, prices, and ports of call change — always confirm with the cruise line before booking.
Itineraries and prices change — always confirm with the cruise line before booking. Some links are affiliate links that may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you.