Throughout the Caribbean – there’s no cruise destination like Belize.
and while the cruise lines with their bad ways like to dispute it,
there’s no other destination that can take a visitor from reef to
rainforest to ruin in less than an hour – and all in the company
guides who speak English as a first language.
Still, those cruise lines like to complain about Belize city, that it is dirty, and run down, and its vendors, rapacious.
But we know what we know about the destination called Belize and
that’s why we take their slights with a grain of salt, and their
gestures of goodwill, with measured thanks, ‘cause after all, what
they give us hardly compares to what we give them.
And they did their part today as one cruise line held its annual
Christmas party. 7 news was there.
Jacqueline Godwin, Reporting
“I do not know just how many children will be receiving toys through the various donation drives scheduled for the next three weeks but these happy little faces you see here are the first group of boys and girls to get their gifts.”
These young men and women are employees of the Norwegian Sun Cruise ship that docked in Belize to bring thousands of tourists ashore, along with this precious cargo, bags and boxes of toys.
The holiday gift project is one of the biggest activities held at this time of the year to bring some of the season’s spirit to Belizean children.
It is the fourth time the Belize Tourism Board and the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association have worked together to make it all possible.
Keesha Young, Product Development Officer, BTB
“They are responsible for bringing the cruise ships to Belize and they have programmes such as these to try and give back to the communities that they service and so we work along with them every year to pull this off.”
“The FCCA goes all out and they do the shopping in Miami of course and they send them, they’re really, really good toys. When I looked at the inventory? Definitely good toys that they will be getting today.”
BTB’s Product Development Officer Keesha Young says the number of the children has increased by 150, making it one of the largest events so far.
The kids who are from one to twelve years old come from the city’s early childhood and primary educational institutions.
Keesha Young, Product Development Officer, BTB
“There are about 350 this year, Jackie. We had a little bit more in the budget, so we decided every year there are like all the people who come want to know why other kids can’t receive. So we decided to stretch the budget a little more and invite a few more kids.”
Carlos Abella, Asst Hotel Director, Norwegian Sun
“In fact we are very proud to be participating in this event and it’s not always possible to do community service and its very fortunate that we are part of this and we are very glad that they have chosen us.”
Keesha Young, Product Development Officer, BTB
“When I look at the faces who came this morning I can tell that the faces are different. We try to cater to a different group every year as a matter of fact we ask that they try to send different kids so that each of these kids get the experience year after year.”
And while Ozzie the clown was there to entertain the young guests. Santa Claus was nowhere to be found. He had to remain onboard the ship to rehearse for a scheduled show. His helpers however made sure the children had a great time. The boys and girls seem to have liked the gifts they received but not all received what they had hoped for
Jacqueline Godwin
“Paula, do you believe in Santa Claus?
Paula Jex - 10 years old
“Yes.”
Jacqueline Godwin
“Why, why do you believe in Santa Claus?”
Paula Jex
“Because he brings gifts to us.”
Jacqueline Godwin
“And have you been a good little girl?”
Paula Jex
“Yes.”
Jacqueline Godwin
“What is this that you got from the volunteers from off the cruiseship?”
Paula Jex
“Hannah Montana.”
Jacqueline Godwin
“Is this something that you wanted?”
Paula Jex
“No.”
Jacqueline Godwin
What do you like about Christmas?
Camryn Usher - 9 years old
“The gifts. Only the gifts.”
Jacqueline Godwin
“Only the gifts you like for Christmas?”
Camryn Usher
“Yes.”
Jacqueline Godwin
“How about that turkey dinner?”
Camryn Usher
“Oh and the food, yes, the food and the soft drinks. Everything.”
Jacqueline Godwin
“You believe in Santa Claus?”
(girl shakes head)
Jacqueline Godwin
“Who is your Santa Claus?”
Camryn Usher
“My mommy, my parents.”
Jacqueline Godwin
“You ever caught them sneaking into the house, putting gifts under the Christmas tree?”
(girl shakes her head)
Jacqueline Godwin
“So why do you believe your parents are your Santa Claus?”
Camryn Usher
“Because the morning you wake up and you see the gifts under the Christmas tree.”
Jacqueline Godwin
“But it could have been Santa who came in the night?”
Camryn Usher
“No, because I ask my mommy if it was Santa Claus and she said no it was she.”
_But on this day it was the spirit of the season and not the sight of Santa Claus that gave the event that Christmas feeling.
Before anchoring in Belize, the Norwegian Sun cruise ship was in Roatan, Honduras where a similar activity took place on Monday.
