Roatán Shore Excursion FAQ
Whether you are here for the day from a cruise ship or staying a week at a resort, these are the questions our Roatán shore excursion guests ask most — about your cruise port, your pickup, getting back to your ship, and what to bring. If you do not find your answer here, call or email us and a real person will reply.
Frequently Asked Questions
General
Are there any hidden costs or fees?
NO — none whatsoever. The price you pay at booking is the full price of your excursion. No surcharges, no port fees, no extras sprung on you on the day. Gratuities aren’t included and are entirely at your discretion, and you may want a little cash for incidentals like drinks or souvenirs. Everything else — including our cancellation terms — is laid out in the booking policy you agree to at checkout.
Do I have to pay for my booking in advance?
YES. Full payment is required at the time of booking to confirm your reservation — boat charters are the one exception. We accept credit cards and bank transfers, and all prices are in US Dollars. If you’re booking from outside Honduras, credit card is the only option.
What payment methods do you accept?
Credit cards and bank transfers. All pricing is in US Dollars. International bookings must be paid by credit card. Any exchange-rate differences or foreign transaction fees your bank applies are outside our control, so it’s worth checking with them first.
Do I need to provide proof of booking?
YES. Print the first page of your paid booking invoice, or have it ready on your phone. Your driver or guide will ask for it at pickup, along with a valid photo ID. Both are quick checks — they exist so we can confirm we’re handing your day to the right party.
Do you have a refund and cancellation policy?
YES, and it’s tied to how much notice you give us:
- 72 hours or more — 100% refund, minus the 4% transaction fee
- 48 to 72 hours — 50% refund, minus the 4% transaction fee
- Under 48 hours — no refund
- No-show — no refund
Full terms are on our booking policy.
How do I cancel or request a refund?
In writing, by email. Send your request to accounting@discoverroatan.net with your booking or order number and the word “cancellation” or “refund” in the subject line. Replies to automated booking emails and verbal cancellations aren’t processed. The timestamp on your email sets your refund tier — all times are local Honduran time (UTC-6).
Can I transfer my booking to another tour or another person?
YES, with at least 48 hours’ written notice. Your booking credit can move to a different Discover Roatan™ service or to another person. If the new service costs less than the original, the difference isn’t refunded.
Do the driver and tour guide speak English?
YES. Every one of our drivers and guides is fluent in both English and Spanish. You will never be handed to someone you can’t have a real conversation with — which matters more than it sounds when you’re asking about your return time.
Does the driver or guide carry change?
NO. Company policy prohibits our drivers and guides from carrying change. Bring small bills if you’re planning to tip or buy anything along the way. Torn or heavily worn twenty-dollar bills are often refused island-wide, so check what your bank hands you before you travel.
Are gratuities included, and how much should I tip?
NO — and they’re never expected. Tips aren’t included in your excursion price and the amount is entirely up to you. If your guide made the day, small US bills are easiest, since our staff don’t carry change.
Are you a registered tour operator?
YES. Discover Roatan™ Excursions & Tours is a registered tour operator, locally owned and running excursions on this island since 2013. One thing worth knowing: we don’t provide personal travel insurance for guests. We strongly recommend travelling with your own medical and trip-cancellation cover — see section 12 of our booking policy.
Do you pick up from resorts, hotels and vacation rentals?
YES — wherever you’re staying on the island. We collect guests for excursions from every resort, hotel, vacation rental, Airbnb and private home on Roatán. Your pickup details and instructions are emailed to you as soon as you book. You don’t need to be a cruise passenger to travel with us — it’s the same vehicles, the same guides, and the same island.
Preparation
What should I wear?
Comfortable and light. Swimsuit under your clothes, shorts or a sundress, a t-shirt or tank top, and sandals or trainers. Roatán is warm and humid year-round, so natural fabrics beat anything heavy. If you’re ziplining or riding an ATV, closed-toe shoes are a good idea.
What should I bring?
Sun protection, a towel, and a camera. We recommend a hat, sunglasses, reef-safe sunscreen, a beach towel, and insect repellent. Add anything specific to your excursion that isn’t provided — your booking confirmation lists what’s included.
Should I bring identification?
YES. Every participant must present valid government-issued photo ID at pickup, alongside your booking confirmation. This is a requirement, not a suggestion — undisclosed or unidentified participants may be denied service without refund.
Do I need my passport to leave the ship in Roatán?
NO. Your passport isn’t required to come ashore in Roatán — most guests leave it in the cabin safe. Bring your ship’s sea card and some valid form of photo ID: the sea card is what gets you back aboard, and your guide will ask for identification at pickup alongside your booking confirmation.
Should I print my port exit and meet-up instructions?
YES. Print them, and watch the video — the map matters more than you’d think on a busy arrival day. A copy on your phone works too, provided your battery holds up. These instructions are sent to you in advance and they explain exactly where to go and who to look for.
Do I need to sign a waiver?
YES — every participant, no exceptions. A signed Release & Waiver of Liability is required before any excursion begins, and it must be signed as presented. You can complete it in advance at our waiver form. Please disclose any medical conditions or physical limitations honestly — it’s there for your safety, and non-disclosure means removal from the tour without refund.
Should I bring cash, a credit card, or both?
Both. US Dollars are accepted island-wide, as is the Honduran Lempira, but some smaller establishments are cash-only. Bring small bills — torn or damaged twenty-dollar notes are frequently refused. Cash for tips and incidentals, card for anything larger.
Should I notify my bank before I travel?
YES, if you plan to use your card outside your home country. A quick travel notice prevents your bank from flagging a Honduran transaction as fraud and freezing the card — which is a miserable way to spend a port day.
Will I have WiFi?
Usually — and at most day-pass venues, free. The majority of the resorts and beach clubs we visit provide complimentary WiFi to day-pass guests, and each day pass listing tells you which. At other locations WiFi may be available either complimentary or for a fee. If you need to reach us at any point during your day, our team is on WhatsApp at +504-9885-6554, 24/7.
Can I bring a wheelchair or mobility scooter?
YES, provided it folds or collapses, and you tell us in advance so we can send the right vehicle. Be aware that not every island attraction is fully wheelchair accessible — contact us before booking and we’ll tell you honestly which excursions will work for you and which won’t.
Can I bring or use non-prescribed drugs or medication?
NO. Possession or use of any non-prescribed drug or medication is strictly prohibited on all our excursions and tours. This isn’t negotiable and applies regardless of what’s legal where you live. Bring prescription medication in its labelled container.
Which Port & Getting Ashore
Which port will my ship dock at?
Roatán has two cruise ports, and your cruise line decides which one you use. Carnival Corporation ships — Carnival, Princess, Holland America, Costa, Cunard, AIDA — dock at Isla Tropicale. Other lines, including Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Celebrity, MSC, Virgin and Disney, generally dock at Port of Roatán in Coxen Hole. Look up your exact ship and date on our Port of Roatán schedule or Isla Tropicale schedule — and your cruise line confirms your berth before arrival.
What happened to Mahogany Bay?
It was renamed. Mahogany Bay Cruise Center officially became Isla Tropicale on 22 April 2026 — same port, same location, new name. If your cruise documents still say Mahogany Bay, that’s where you’re going, and Carnival’s own site now lists it as “Isla Tropicale (Mahogany Bay)”. Everything you need is on our Isla Tropicale port guide.
Does my ship dock or tender?
At Isla Tropicale, you always walk straight off. The port has two piers and does not permit tendering — every ship berths alongside. Port of Roatán also has two piers, but does allow tendering, so on busy days some ships anchor and bring guests ashore by tender instead. Your cruise line confirms which before you arrive. If you’re tendering, allow extra time getting ashore — and let us know, because we’ll build your day around it.
How do I find my driver at the port?
Follow the port exit and meet-up instructions we send you in advance. Our representatives wear branded Discover Roatan™ clothing and carry signage with your details — look for the name, not a face. Arrival mornings are busy, with thousands of guests coming ashore at once, so please allow 10–15 minutes past your pickup time before you start to worry. We will be there.
What if my ship never makes it to Roatán?
You get your money back automatically. If your ship fails to dock in Roatán, a full refund minus the 4% processing fee is processed without you needing to ask. Itineraries change and weather happens — you’re not penalised for something entirely outside your control.
Port Arrival
Is there a time difference between ship time and local time?
YES — and this is the one thing worth getting right. Roatán is on Central Standard Time (UTC-6) and does not observe Daylight Saving, while cruise ship time is usually set to the ship’s port of origin — typically one to two hours ahead.
Every Discover Roatan™ excursion runs on local Roatán time. Check your watch against a clock ashore before you do anything else.
What time is my pickup?
It’s on your booking confirmation. Your pickup time is stated on your receipt and in the port exit instructions we email you. Please allow an extra 10–15 minutes past that time to actually meet your driver — disembarkation is rarely as quick as the ship suggests. If your plans change, contact us before your excursion start time.
Can I request a specific pickup time?
YES. Request it during booking and we’ll accommodate it wherever we can. The only limit is that it has to work with your transport, your excursion’s duration, and your ship’s all-aboard — we won’t agree to a time that puts your return at risk.
What if we arrive early?
Meet your driver at the time on your booking. A Discover Roatan™ representative will be waiting for your party at the designated time and place. If you’re ashore early, the port’s shops and bars are right there — enjoy them, then head to the meeting point.
What if the ship arrives late?
Don’t worry — we track your ship. Disembark as soon as you can and follow your port exit instructions. We monitor arrival times in real time and adjust pickups to match, so a late ship doesn’t cost you your excursion. Your day gets shorter; it doesn’t get cancelled.
What if my ship changes its arrival date?
Your excursion moves with it. Cruise lines occasionally shuffle itineraries — we track the change and your booking follows the ship. Just follow your port exit and meet-up instructions on the day you actually arrive. Nothing is required from you.
Port Departure
When do we return to port?
When your excursion is finished, or at a time you agree with your driver on the day. Most guests set their return with their driver at pickup, so everyone’s working from the same plan. Whatever you agree, it will always leave you back at the pier at least one hour before your ship’s scheduled departure.
Will I make it back in time for departure?
Always. We are cruise-ship specialists, and every itinerary we build has you back at the pier a minimum of one hour before departure. In 13 years and more than 24,000 guests, our Back to Ship Guarantee has never been invoked. Not once.
What’s the latest we’ll be back in port?
One hour before your ship’s scheduled departure — no exceptions. Discover Roatan™ Excursions & Tours treats that buffer as a hard safety rule, not a target, and our dispatch watches road and port conditions all day to protect it. If a route is running slow, we reroute or start back early rather than cut it fine. More detail on our Back to Ship Guarantee.
Do I walk into the terminal on my return?
NO. You’ll be dropped curbside inside the cruise terminal itself — not at a gate, not down the road, not a walk away with your bags. You step out of the vehicle and you’re at the port.
Can I explore the port shops before boarding?
YES, and there’s usually time. Because we build in an hour’s buffer, most guests come back with time to browse the duty-free, grab a drink, or pick up a last souvenir. That hour is yours to spend.
Will my driver know my departure time?
YES. We verify departure times before your ship arrives and confirm them again with the port authority after docking. We also ask every guest to confirm their own all-aboard time when leaving the ship — it’s the one number your whole day is built around, and two sources beat one.
Safety & Weather
Is Roatán safe for cruise passengers?
YES — and there’s independent data, not just our opinion. A January 2025 study by travel insurer InsureMyTrip ranked Roatán the #3 safest cruise port destination out of 52 worldwide, behind only Dubai and Phuket. The island scored the highest-rated hospitals of all 52 destinations, with six safety-related incidents recorded between December 2023 and November 2024. Roatán’s economy runs entirely on tourism, and we’ve operated here since 2013. Read the full breakdown.
What about the U.S. State Department travel advisory for Honduras?
The advisory is country-wide — and the State Department itself singles out Roatán as better policed. The current advisory asks travellers to reconsider travel to Honduras due to crime, and it applies nationally rather than to specific regions. But it says this, verbatim, about where you’re going: “Around resort areas in the Bay Islands, which include Roatan, Utila, and Guanaja, there is a concentration of resources, and these areas are better policed.” The only do not travel zone is Gracias a Dios — 6–8 hours from Roatán by land, air or ferry, and unreachable on a port day. Cruise lines have drawn their own conclusion: arrivals are at record levels. More here.
What happens if it rains?
Your excursion goes ahead. Roatán is tropical — brief showers pass through and rarely affect anything. Standard rain and drizzle aren’t grounds for cancellation under our booking policy. If conditions ever become genuinely unsafe, we may cancel the excursion ourselves, in writing, and you receive a full refund. Where weather does affect your day, our first priority is getting you back to the pier with time to spare.
Is it safe to explore on my own?
The port areas and main tourist corridors are busy, well-patrolled and fine to walk. If you’re booked on one of our excursions, though, please use only the transport we’ve arranged for you. Our booking policy is blunt about why: unauthorised transport voids your booking and puts your return to the ship on somebody else’s schedule. If you’d like free time to wander, tell us and we’ll build it into your day.
Excursion Specifics
Are there age limits on your excursions?
It varies by excursion, and the booking page tells you. Every excursion prices an adult from age 12, with a child rate below that — but the child band differs by activity, and its lower age is the minimum age. Our Extreme Zipline starts at 5; the Dolphin Encounter and Daniel Johnson’s Monkey & Sloth Hangout start at 3; Infinity Bay and the Taste of Roatán Tour start at 4. Check the rates on the excursion you’re booking — the age bands are listed right on the page.
Do children get a discount?
YES, on most excursions — and infants are often free. Adult pricing starts at 12. Children below that pay a reduced rate on most excursions, and on many, under-3s or under-4s travel complimentary. A few excursions, like the Dolphin Encounter, charge one rate for everyone. The exact bands are on each excursion’s booking page.
Can I book if I’m pregnant?
Most of our excursions, yes. Beach resort day passes, island tours and the animal parks are all fine during pregnancy. Ziplines and ATVs are not — those are prohibited, without exception. If you’re expecting, please tell us at booking so we can steer you to the right excursion. Our booking policy requires guests to disclose medical conditions, and non-disclosure means removal from the tour without a refund — so this is a conversation worth having before you pay, not at the trailhead.
Is food and drink included?
It depends on the excursion — check the listing before you book. Every excursion page states exactly what’s included, food and drink among it. Some are fully inclusive; on others you’ll want cash or a card for the venue. Bring some small bills either way, since our drivers and guides don’t carry change.
What kind of vehicle will I be in?
Clean, air-conditioned, and sized to your party. Our fleet runs from four-seater vehicles up to 30-seat buses, and every one of them is air-conditioned — which you’ll appreciate roughly four minutes into a Roatán afternoon. Standard packages share a transfer with other guests; add the Private Transportation upgrade at booking if you’d rather have the vehicle to yourselves.
Is snorkel gear provided?
You can rent it when you book, or bring your own. On the excursions where you’ll want gear, snorkel equipment is available to add during the booking process. If you’d rather use your own mask and fins, bring them — plenty of guests do. The excursion listing tells you what’s available for that specific trip.
Are your tours private or shared?
Both — it depends on what you book. Standard packages travel on a shared island transfer with other guests, usually from your own ship. If you’d rather have the vehicle to yourselves, add the Private Transportation upgrade at booking. Either way, your booking is transmitted in advance to your driver, our driver coordinator, and the venue.
Can I combine two excursions in one day?
YES — it’s one of the things we’re best at. Many of our most popular bookings are combinations: a beach break with a monkey and sloth park, ziplines with a beach day. See our Combination excursions. We build the timings around your ship’s all-aboard, so the whole day still lands inside the one-hour buffer.
Will I definitely see the animals?
Almost always — but no honest operator will promise it. Animals in secured environments are reliably available. Animals that aren’t confined may or may not be around on the day, so neither the park nor we can guarantee a specific interaction. Please follow your guide’s instructions at all times: approaching an animal recklessly can get you withdrawn from the activity, and provoked incidents carry wildlife fines.
