Roatan Honduras Cruise Tours from the Port
Almost every tour on Roatan begins at a cruise port. Roatan Honduras cruise tours meet you outside the gate, not on the pier, and the walk out is different at each port. Here is how to leave yours, when the guide expects you, and how the Roatan Honduras guided tours get you back.
The two ports
- Port of Roatan (Coxen Hole)
- In the island's main town, on the south coast. Managed by Royal Caribbean Group, with two berths. Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Norwegian, MSC, Virgin and Oceania call here.
- Mahogany Bay (Isla Tropicale)
- At Dixon Cove, about 5 km east. Owned by Carnival, and used by Carnival, Princess and Holland America. The operators now write both names.
- Between them
- A short drive. Most tours collect at either port, so you book the same tour whichever one your ship uses.
Your ship docks at the Port of Roatan in Coxen Hole or at Mahogany Bay, now also called Isla Tropicale, in Dixon Cove. Your cruise line decides which. Check your itinerary before you book, because the meeting instructions differ.
Leaving the Port of Roatan
At the Port of Roatan, the tour guides wait outside the security gate into town. The hydrobike operator gives the clearest directions:
- Walk into the port past the shops, with the artificial rocks and wall paintings on your right.
- Turn right at the Piraña Joe shop, then right again before the Tucan gift shop.
- Follow the signs for Port Offices, Taxi and Exit under the covered walkway.
- Walk straight through the covered pavilion, where the stalls sell tours.
- Leave by security gate 1. Your guide holds the company's sign.
Not every operator uses gate 1. The Breakaway days meet at gate 2, and the kayak trip at gate 2 or 3. The Zip-n-Dip checks you in at kiosk 1 in the independent tours area. Read your confirmation for the gate.
Leaving Mahogany Bay (Isla Tropicale)
Mahogany Bay does not let independent operators inside, one sanctuary operator explains. So you walk out to meet them:
- Walk up through the shopping plaza.
- Go out through the covered gangway, where the Carnival taxis and buses wait.
- At the road, turn left and walk up the hill to the security gate.
- Walk down the small hill on the other side. Your guide waits at the bottom with a sign.
The walk is about a quarter of a mile, with a short climb. Two operators suggest a US$2 taxi instead. One offers it for guests who use a wheelchair or a scooter.
When the guide meets you
| When the guide meets you | Which tour says so |
|---|---|
| 20 minutes after your ship arrives | The shared sloths, chocolate and rum sampler |
| 30 minutes after the ship doors open | The 3-stop hopping trip and the kayaks |
| 30 to 60 minutes after arrival | The reef snorkel |
| One hour after docking | The Tucan, 2K's and Breakaway private days, the Zip-n-Dip and most sanctuary days |
| 90 minutes after docking | The zipline, ATV buggy and beach day |
| 8:00am | The two scuba dives, as you leave the ship |
| Whenever you are ready | The customizable best-of-Roatan day |
An hour after docking is the common rule, because the ship needs time to clear and let people off. If your ship is late, the Tucan listings keep the meeting at one hour after you arrive. The Breakaway listings say their team waits up to three hours after your scheduled docking.
Ship time and island time
Roatan keeps Central Standard Time, six hours behind UTC. Honduras's weather service prints its Roatan tide tables in CST in January and in June alike. Your ship may run on a different clock, set by its home port.
Several operators warn that ship time and local time may differ. The Tucan listings say they adjust the meeting time for it. Before you go ashore, check which clock your confirmation uses, and set your watch to the ship's all-aboard time.
How far the tours drive
Roatan is long and narrow, so most drives are short. The reef snorkel is 15 to 20 minutes from the port to its dock. The Tucan beach day reaches West Bay in about 20 minutes. The 3-stop shipwreck trip drives 30 to 40 minutes to Big Bight, further east.
Factor the drive in both ways. A five-hour tour is five hours from the gate and back, not five hours at the stops.
Getting back before all aboard
The operators time the return to your ship, and some write down a promise. The hydrobike operator says it returns you at least two hours before the ship sails. The Family Tours listing promises a "guaranteed on-time return". The Tucan snorkel day says it returns you with plenty of time before your scheduled departure.
These are the operators' own promises, not your cruise line's. Your cruise line holds the ship only for its own excursions.
If your ship changes port or day
Message the operator straight away with the new port and times. Most tours collect at both ports, so a switch between them rarely matters. Two collect only at the Port of Roatan: the VIP private island day and the family day.
If your ship skips Roatan or changes the date, cancel. Every fare here refunds you in full up to 24 hours before the start.
Frequently asked questions
Which cruise port will I arrive at in Roatan Honduras?
Where do I meet a tour at the Port of Roatan?
Where do I meet an independent tour at Mahogany Bay?
When will my guide meet me?
What time zone is Roatan in?
Will I get back to the ship on time?
What if my ship changes its day or port?
Where these facts come from
The two ports' owners, berths, lines and distance are from the Wikipedia article on Roatan, checked 21 September 2026. The time zone is on the tide tables of Honduras's Servicio Meteorológico Nacional. Every gate, walk, meeting time, drive and return promise comes from the operator's own listing.
- Roatán (Wikipedia)
- Tide tables for Isla de Roatán, January to June 2016 (Servicio Meteorológico Nacional), archived copy
Next: see the ports and docks on the map, read the visitor guide, or compare every tour on Roatan Honduras Tours.