o-state girl

We were in Costa Maya a couple of weeks ago. If you want to escape the port for a little while, you can take a $3 tram from the port into the town of Mahahual. We reserved chairs ahead of time at the Tropicante (no charge, just order a little food or a couple of drinks). There was an employee waiting for us at the tram stop to show us to the beach (maybe 100 yards away) and our chairs, and they escorted us back to the main road and got us a taxi back to port. The taxi is $2 per person and less than a 10 minute ride. I would not be concerned at all with missing the ship by doing this....unless you get so relaxed on the beach that you fall asleep;p

Literally LOL'd at the comment about the cruise director. You could not have picked a more accurate description.

We did a private tour provided by Rony's Tours the last time we were in Roatan. I checked their current price listings, and it looks for 4 or more the base price would be $25 per person with children under 5 free. They will let you create your own itinerary. We started our day at West Bay (rented chairs at Paradise for $10), and then walked a little down the beach to snorkel the reef in front of Infinity Bay resort (excellent shore snorkeling). We then had the driver/guide take us to the West End for lunch at Creole's (you could do a little shopping here). They then took us to an area near Coxen Hole to drop off some school supplies/gifts that we had packed for some of the neighborhood kids, and afterwards we went to the local supermarket to look around before heading back to the port. They have several other options you can choose from such as the cameo factory, scenic overlook, monkeys/sloths, etc. We had a wonderful day and it was so nice to have a guide that could give us info on the local facts and culture while making us feel well cared for and comfortable (she even watched our stuff on the beach while we snorkeled).

I would probably eliminate snorkeling from your options in Progreso. The water is not the crystal blue/green of Cozumel. The water is often cloudy and more greenish. There are several restaurants across the street from the beach on the malecon that have beachside chairs and tables. They will send a waiter to take care of you. There are also several canopies/tents along the beachfront that you can get a massage in. I don't know what the current going rate is, but in the past, I've gotten a 50 minute massage for around $30. It seems that the prices get a little cheaper the farther you walk down the beach. Progreso is a great location from which to go see the Mayan ruins. If you are interested in seeing more of a Spanish colonial type city, Merida is not far by bus and is relatively cheap to take an excursion to.

A bag is a good idea. Sometimes they tear apart the cardboard 12 packs to make sure that nobody is trying to smuggle beer in the middle of the sodas. A bag will help contain the loose sodas after they tear up the original box.

You might try Dollar. Do a one way rental with pick up at the airport and drop off at the port. The "port" drop-off consists of driving the car back to the airport and catching their shuttle from there. The rates I found during my cruise dates were better than other agencies.

If you are open to alternative accommodations, we have always stayed at Betty's Place booked through the Miami Guest House website. You have a private room and bath and share a kitchenette with one other bedroom. We rent a car from Dollar at the Miami airport and return it to the "Cruise port," which consists of dropping it back off at the airport and having their shuttle drop us off at the cruise terminal.

I converted to My Time Dining about 7 cruises ago. You get the chance to sit with or near other people, and if you don't like your tablemates the chances are good you won't have to sit with them the next day. If you do like them, you just pick a time to meet up the next day and go into the dining room as one group. I love the flexibility.

I was wondering if anyone had any experience using a Waterpik on the cruise ship. I didn't know if the shaver outlet in the bathroom would provide enough power to use one, or if it would blow the fuse in the outlet. It seems like such a pain to have to bring an extension cord just to be able to power the Waterpik up in the sink area. Any advice or ideas?

If your ship has a Cherry on Top shop, they sometimes have Carnival gift cards for sale. I would just purchase one with some of your OBC and then use it to pay for another cruise.

Thank you! I look forward to hearing your opinion.

Has anyone done the flamingo excursion? What was your experience, and would you recommend it? I've already done Dzibilchaltun, Merida, and the double-decker bus around Progreso so I am looking for something new.

We used Cosol tours in St. Lucia. It was pretty much an all-day tour, and if you tend to get carsick take Dramamine before you leave (some of the mountain roads were a little curvy). We went snorkeling between the Pitons, went to the volcano and mudbaths, sampled some local snacks (included in price), and saw some beautiful scenery. We thought it was well worth the money.

We also used Thenford Grey in St. Kitts. I second the opinion that he was a kind and informative gentleman,and we enjoyed his tour very much.

I had non-refundable OBC left once, so I went to the Cherry on Top candy shop. They had gift cards, and I was able to charge one to my onboard account for the exact amount that I had remaining in my account.

Dollar should have a shuttle which will take you from the Port of Miami to the MIA airport to pick up the car. We booked it for the end of this month.

I don't know if this is an option for your group, but I usually drop off all of the checked luggage with the porters. I then let all of the passengers out with their carry-ons, have them find a comfy place to wait while I park the car and walk back to meet them. It is usually not more than 15 minutes between from the time I drop them off until we are reunited.

Has anyone hired a private driver or tour guide for the ruins at Uxmal? What was your experience with it and do you have any recommendations?

Steve Cassel has my vote! He is a very personable individual, and his juggling and fiddle/violin skills are pretty solid:)

There was a water trampoline when I was there in November 2010.