As happens with many wonderful and beautiful destinations, cruise ships are both a blessing and a curse. Cruise ships bring visitors, money, and a boost to the local economy but the extra people often ruin exactly what made the place special to begin with.
Examples of this are everywhere. I’ve noticed this especially in Cozumel. You know when the cruise ships are in even if you didn’t see them. Cruise ship tourists are typically of the hit and run mentality. They have a very fixed and often very short stop and they try to pack as much of whatever it is they came to do as possible. Some shop and the stores suddenly are overwhelmed with tourists. Dive sites are suddenly overrun with divers. Bars and restaurants are overflowing.
And then suddenly . . . they all disappear.
Belize is starting to get a taste of the cruise ship tourist and people are having mixed feelings.