Jain Day 6

Dear Blog

Wednesday Nov. 4^th Belize Harvest Caye

At 8 a.m., we pull into Harvest Caye, Belize — NCL’s private island. Yes, it’s technically in Belize, but let’s be honest: this is not the “real” Belize. It’s a purpose‑built, 75‑acre resort designed so cruisers can relax, swim, and eat in a perfectly controlled “bubble”. Or, more accurately, it’s designed so NCL can keep everyone comfortably under its wing and encourage passengers to spend their hard‑earned vacation dollars right here, because everything on this island costs extra — unlike other cruise‑run islands where your ship card magically buys you drinks and lunch.

 

That said, Harvest Caye is undeniably pretty and peaceful. The centerpiece is a massive resort‑style pool that’s roughly the length of a football field and about half as wide, shaped into a very convincing “lake with a swim‑up bar.” It isn’t heated, but in 88‑degree Belize weather, “not heated” translates to “refreshing. There’s also a saltwater lagoon for people who enjoy water sports, and a 7‑acre beach.

Zip lining is available across the island, which for us remains a confident “No”. It is, however, mildly entertaining to point at the people dangling some 130 feet overhead and zipping in air some 3,000 feet in length and say, “Ahh, look at that,”

 

For the adventurous, there’s snorkeling at the Belize Barrier Reef second only to the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. This is, of course, something we also will not be doing. We already have our 20‑year‑old memories of snorkeling the actual Great Barrier Reef, and that’s plenty. At this age, the only thing we’re diving into is a lounge chair, and frankly, we’re quite good at it.

 

We had a perfectly pleasant day. We swam a little, read a little, and then took a short wander through the Wildlife area, gawking at parrots and toucans. We, like most people, like to gawk at them because they are colorful, they talk, pose well for photographs. It feels tropical and gives us that “we’re on vacation” feeling. We stepped into the butterfly enclosure, which was charming enough, and then very intentionally passed the snake pit because it’s an absolutely not.

 

By early afternoon, we were already strolling back to the ship for a free margarita — a choice many others also made, because deciding between a $15 margarita and a free one is not exactly a hard decision.

 

Tonight we were off to the Food Republic, a share everything and tapas style restaurant with fusion style dishes that you order on a tablet and are amazed when they actually show up at your table. Way too much food for such a small table. Maybe we ordered twice the lettuce wraps by mistake.