There are two docks or ports on Roatan that your ship will arrive at depending on the cruise ship company and the weather. Both ports are on the south side of the island.

Mahogany Bay

Having taken 2 years to build Carnivals man made port / beach arrived Jan 2010 in Roatan Honduras. Consisting of a beach Mahogany Beach that is over 800 feet long replete with loungers and all you could need. Albeit the services will cost and the locals will not feel this much needed tourist dollar unless they are directly employed. I would have to fear for the crusishipper as a tourist as well they are robbed of the very experience that Roatan can offer. It may be hard also to escape Mahogany Bay for a reasonable sum.

comments “This is indeed somewhat of a shame. I do believe that there is a better balance to strike and so long as the do that then I agree that the cruise-ship companies need to make a ROI for the massive outlay of the ships “

Coxen Hole

This has been for years the more traditional port to all companies of cruiseline visitng Roatan. If the weather isn’t quite right Carnival will dock here as they need the conditions to be normal in order to get into Mahogany Bay.

MUST READ ARTICLE - Tours on Roatan for the Cruise Ship Visitor

Related links

Roatan Cruise Videos
Discuss Roatan Cruising in our Forum

http://www.cruisereviews.com/

Expect to see a new trend in Caribbean cruises over the next few years as cruise lines develop new ports of call. After years following the same itineraries, cruise lines are seeking out newer, less crowded destinations.

“Most Caribbean cruises follow one of two routes,” says Paul Motter, editor of CruiseMates, “The typical Western Caribbean itinerary goes to Jamaica, Grand Cayman and Cozumel; the standard Eastern Caribbean sojourn stops in St Thomas, St Martin and a Bahamian island.”

These itineraries lead to a hoard of travelers descending on the same islands.

“Bigger and bigger ships frequently arrive in the same ports on the same day as they service the same itineraries,” says Motter.

For major stops like Charlotte Amalie on St. Thomas, it is not unusual to have five ships arriving each day during high season, each dropping up to 3,000 passengers on the town.

“Does this make sense?” asks Motter, “Absolutely not.”

To avoid the crowds some cruise lines are seeking out quieter ports of call.

Carnival Cruise Lines recently announced a new itinerary for its ship Carnival Destiny featuring stops at less-visited ports in the Southern Caribbean, including St. Kitts and St. Lucia.

In the Western Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Lines and Holland American feature stops at the Guatemalan port of Santo Tomas, which began receiving cruise ships only four years ago.

But travel experts predict that the next major cruise destination will be the Honduran island of Roatan. Roatan is certainly one of the more unspoilt paradises left on the planet says one scubadiver we spoke to.

In many ways Roatan is an ideal destination for American travellers. The island features tropical scenery, sugar white beaches without the crowds and first rate scuba diving.

Already over a third of visitors to Roatan come via cruise ship. Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Holland American and Norwegian Cruises currently stop at the island as part of their Western Caribbean cruise routes.

But ship traffic is still light by Caribbean standards. Only nineteen cruise ships stopped at the island during January 2008. That may change in the next few years.

The new cruise ship terminal shows a new conviction and confidence in the Island.

Carnival Cruise Lines is spent $50 million on its own port of call called Mahogany Bay, the new port features shops, restaurants and bars and has the capacity to handle up to 7,000 visitors per day.