I'm planning a trip to see whale sharks

[Kharon]

Kharon, if your looking at Southwest, and you should if it's an option from where you live, ...

If you're looking your WS package for next year, maybe I'll see you in the big blue water! I'm hoping to do WS next season as well.

Nope. Every try tells me that flights are not available (looking at this April just to check). Apparently, even though they service both Albany, NY and Belize City, Belize ne'r the twain shall meet on SouthWest.

From checking flights for April 25 - May 2 this year: SW (no flights), United (24 hour return), American (24 hour both ways), Jet Blue (no service to Belize) - it looks like Delta is my only choice. Round trip with a single stop is $583. 7hrs 12min going - 9½ hrs return with one stop. Stop is in Atlanta and gives me 4 hours to clear customs. Doesn't sound too bad to me.

I'm going to be going for the full moon in April 2019 - it's friday April 19. Hoping to get there on April 16-17 to get settled and get in some diving with Splash before WS diving. Might plan for 10 days instead of just 7 to get in some jungle & Mayan ruins. Maybe I'll see you there.

 

[Caye Caulker Diver B]

I wasn't sure where you were travelling from. We moved here from CT and were ecstatic when we found out Southwest was opening flight to Belize City a month prior to our planned move date. We fly out of Newark through Ft. Lauderdale and can usually get round trip tickets for around $400/person (if you stay away from holidays and Spring Break!).

I just checked Albany (since that seems to be your "home" airport) to Newark is about 2.5 hour drive (I've driven it in less LOL). The flight from Newark to Ft. Lauderdale departs around 5:30am - 6:00am, so we always stay at one of the Marriott chain hotels just off site from the airport (free shuttle in the AM). It might be worth your while to book out of Newark, stay the night before and check to see if the hotel will let you keep your car in their lot while gone, likely they will. Might be cheaper in the long run (Southwest is the only airline that still permits 2 checked bags FREE!)

FYI, I just found round trip tickets for my son out of Hartford thru Ft. Lauderdale June 15 (6hrs 45 min travel time) - 19 (7 hrs 35 min travel time) for $391.41.

Word on the street is that Jetblue will be opening routes to Belize City within the next 6 months or so. If they do, fares should come down as options increase.

Just a thought and you've got nothing but time, might behoove you to wait until SW calendar opens up and see if JB starts flying here. April is when I would plan my WS trip as well, so maybe, just maybe!

 

[Ralph Capeling]

Whale shark dates 2019

March 20 to 31 (not recommended due low successful encounter rate)

April 19 to 30

May 18 to 29

June 17 to 28

Good Friday April 19

 

[Caye Caulker Diver B]

Thanks Ralph, starting to save my pennies....you know, fixed income & such

 

[Ralph Capeling]

Ralph, I just sent the price list you sent me. Check line 8 of teh spreadsheet..

Thank you. I had forgotten we had added that caveat - although today we sent a trip to Glove's with 3 guests who had booked a package with us so felt we needed to get them out there event though our out of pocket cost exceeded the revenue.

Regards
Ralph

 

[Kharon]

I just checked Albany (since that seems to be your "home" airport) to Newark is about 2.5 hour drive ... The flight from Newark to Ft. Lauderdale departs around 5:30am - 6:00am, so we always stay at one of the Marriott chain hotels just off site from the airport (free shuttle in the AM). It might be worth your while to book out of Newark, stay the night before and check to see if the hotel will let you keep your car in their lot while gone, likely they will.

Been there, done that. Flying from NYC or Newark costs at least as much as the $130 fare difference - hotel, tolls, gas, etc. And the drive is 3-4 hours from my house (I don't live at the Albany airport) - and doing it that way sux.

Hartford saves a half hour going and 2 hours returning. But my travel time to and from Hartford is longer. I'd be kinda dumb to add to my travel time just to sit on a plane a bit shorter. And agin there is the issue of gas, tolls, hotel costs, and convienence. Nah!!!

At my age, I'm going to treat myself and worry more about convienence, not money. This is a "bucket list" trip. Considering the total cost of the trip saving a couple bucks is the least of my worries. If Jet Blue or Southwest opens up flights by the time I can book on Delta I'll take a look. Otherwise, I'm booking at my first opportunity.

 

[Caye Caulker Diver B]

Go for it. Makes sense.