Is the tender trip to Belize City really so bad?

Yes they do anchor well off shore in Belize(I believe it is 4-5 miles). However, the tender trip itself is not 45 minutes, it is about 20-25 minutes one-way. You also have to account for about 5-10 minutes on each end to embark/disembark. So that is where your friend may be getting the 45 minutes.

As for if it is a waste of time. That is all a matter of opinion. If your friend is a "well seasoned" traveler and has been to Belize several times, to them another Tender trip probably isn't worth it. But for you who may have never been to the port, even if it is only a few hours that may be worth it compared to just staying on board ship. Personally though I would not let the length of the Tender Trip keep my from going into port.

Ships stopping in Belize MUST anchor a couple miles from shore and yes it does take a long time to get to shore; about 30 minutes at the least. It will take longer to load and then unload the tender at both ends so it is a long process. Once you get to shore there is a secure shopping area but nothing else to see. There is no beach. Yes there are a couple bars and eating places, but you cannot just walk to a beach or walk around a typical USA town. You CAN take excursions to out islands with nice beaches, or excursions to Mayan ruins. The most popular attraction there is a cave tubing trip which also requires a tour that takes an hour or more to get to the cave to begin the float trip.

When we stopped there we did the Mayan ruins trip which required a bus ride all the way to the other side of the country. But that was good because then we saw the countryside as well as the Mayan ruins which were great. We climbed up and into a pyramid.

The ships anchor out pretty far in Belize. I haven't been there in several years but I remember the tender trip to be pretty long. 45 minutes one way sounds about right. I did a snorkel and beach excursion so I didn't have any time to explore BC, but from what I could see, there were some shops but it didn't look like it took up much space. Not sure what there is to do in the city.

If you go there, do an excursion, that's my advice.

Go ahead and see for yourself. I've been to Belize via cruise twice and I personally had no problem with the tender. If your friend is truly a "well-seasoned" cruiser, he'd understand that this is typical for certain countries. Also, the time you're able to spend varies based on the time it takes to get to the next port. But if you have the opportunity, go out! See for yourself! There were some lovely aspects to Belize city!

I have not been to Belize city, but from experience on many cruises no tender trip takes 45 minutes. Tender trips average 15 minutes. But the best advice I can give you is join cruisecritic. It's free. On that site you can talk to many others who have been there and know far more info. Many will know exactly how long the tender is, what to do in Belize and what not to do.

The ship does anchor pretty far out. But I don't remember the trip ever being longer than maybe 15-20 mins top