printingchick

Cozumel Cruise Excursions. They offer a number of options. I was reviewing the private jeep tour.

dot net. Sorry, didn't realize there were two! Highly recommend.

Excited to highly recommend this excursion. We took the private jeep tour. It just my daughter (30s), myself (60s) and our driver, Adriana. The tour was customizable. The company offers a recommended tour itinerary from which you can add or remove activities to suit your preferences. The tour was approximately 5 hours and included lunch. Upon meeting our guide, we were asked what things we specifically wanted to do. Having seen photos of the Jade Cenote, I mentioned that site. Because it's located in El Cedral, which has an admission fee, we had to pay an extra $15/per person. It was WELL worth it! Adriana was incredible. She took us first to the Cenote, where we were the only visitors (others were arriving as we were leaving). What a magical place - my daughter called it other-worldly. I know some people swim in the water, but we didn't. It has sulfur and smells and there are a lot of bat droppings. Not being water we wanted to swim in didn't lessen the fact that it was an incredible sight! Adrianna told us all sorts of history about the location which was very interesting and added to the other-worldly nature of the place. It's a must-see location. Upon leaving the Cenote, we drove to Punta Sur. We climbed the lighthouse, spent some time on the beach, saw the crocodiles, etc. Lovely place. Our time there was la little shorter than it would have been had we not insisted on visiting the Cenote first, but we didn't regret that decision at all. Adriana then drove us to a restaurant that was in a large covered patio, right across from the ocean. The view was breath-taking. The food was delicious. After lunch, we were on to the tequila tasting. My daughter loves tequila, so this was a big highlight for her. Another lovely location and tequila even a non-tequila drinker enjoyed! I VERY HIGHLY recommend this tour. It is a tremendous value for the price. Adriana was an incredible tour guide. We saw parts of the island we'd never seen before and she timed our activities to avoid crowds. It could not have been a better day. Any questions, I will try my best to answer.

OK, thanks. But southern Caribbean cruises out of San Juan would not be part of the "short" cruise announcement. They are 7 days. But I'll just keep checking.

We recently had them deliver just coffee each morning. It was nicer than a wake-up call. We tipped $2 per day.

Sorry if I'm beating a dead horse or if I'm missing something, but according to the newest schedule which appears in post #75, nearly all 2025-2026 sailings should be available...well... now. Am I reading it wrong??

Why would they include SJU departures with the "short Caribbean itinerary" releases? Cruises out of San Juan are typically at least 7 days.

Wondering this myself. And what is showing on the site is ONLY ONE itinerary. No way to book a B2B out of San Juan for the foreseeable future.

A few more tips: Didn’t hear this until it was too late to help us on our rocky Day-One, but we were told that eating green apples helps with sea sickness. I found the cell service to be pretty lacking on the islands. You’re better off saving the money and just finding a place to use wi-fi each day. Most resorts and a lot of the bars in port offer free wi-fi. It’s difficult to avoid, but TRY not to overpack. You won’t use it all and you’ll be holding your breath at the airport while they weigh your 49-pound suitcase. That said, a light rain jacket turned out to be a GREAT idea. It never rained enough to spoil our day, but we had light rain for brief periods in a couple of the ports. And most of all, stay positive. You’re on vacation. No matter what happens, it’s better than being at work. A little rain is better than a foot of snow. If you miss the first tender, you’ll catch the next one. If you dislike your meal, they’ll bring you another one. Enjoy yourself!

A few more random photos

DEBARKATION Super easy. Our lounge was Bolero's where there was coffee and pastries available. After a short wait, our group was called and the line off the ship moved swiftly. Customs was practically non-existent - no forms, no questions - nothing. Funny story: In Bolero's, we ran into a woman who had been in the Flash Mob with us, a quiet and petite older woman who was traveling with her male "companion." I left to go to the restroom, stopping to say hello on the way. When I returned, my daughter told me that the woman had relayed to her friend that I was one of the people from the Flash Mob and that I was traveling with my lesbian partner. I don't believe my daughter and I have ever been mistaken for a couple before. When the woman walked by us moments later, I made a point of introducing her to "MY DAUGHTER." Anyway...cabs were readily available, although it did require a walk down the street. Uber and Lyft availability is closer to the exit. It was a pretty quick ride to the airport.

We never had trouble finding chairs by the pool, even in the Solarium pool. I think it's easier on a smaller ship. Also never had difficulties finding a table in the Windjammer for breakfast or lunch. We nearly always found a spot at a window. The one place we did have difficulty was in the gym on the first sea day. We went up to walk on the treadmills that face the ocean, thinking it would be a cool experience. ALL were taken and there was a line. My daughter ended up just running on the jogging track. There was a speciality coffee bar, Cafe Latte-tudes, on Deck 6. We never got coffee there, so I can't speak to the product itself. Entertainment on the smaller ships is pretty slim. Don't expect Broadway shows or even tribute events like Beatlemania. We had a magician, a tenor, the ship's production show...I think there was one more, but I don't recall. We enjoy the cheesy stuff like the sexiest man contest and the 70s party. My daughter is a singer and the karaoke competition spanned three nights, so that took up some of our time, as did our Flash Mob. I will say that the demographic of this cruise skewed older. Yes, there were 20-somethings and 30-somethings on the ship, but the majority of the cruisers on our ship were closer to my age than my daughter's. My first cruise was years ago on Carnival out of Tampa (a 5-day). It was over Super Bowl weekend and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were IN the Super Bowl that year. EVERYTHING on the ship became about the game. Not being a football fan, I swore I'd never cruise during Super Bowl weekend again. I failed to make the connection when I booked this cruise. While they did make a big deal about the big game that day, it wasn't the same since neither team represented the ship's home port. They still had shows in the theater, for example. On that first cruise, the theater showed the game and box dinners were served in there! Not this time. Fans could watch the game in a few of the bars on board or in their staterooms.

FINAL DAY AT SEA We slept later on our final day, moving our coffee delivery to a later time. (Honestly, using room service coffee in place of a wake-up call is the best!) We had a relatively uneventful morning, doing a final walk around the ship, sitting for a while by the pool, etc. We happened upon Zumba in the Centrum and joined in, which was fun. Our afternoon was pretty packed. It was the final Flash Mob rehearsal. (More on that later.) My daughter had won some Bingo cards, so for the first time in 15 cruises, I actually played Bingo! (We won nothing.) We had to pack for debarkation 😞 I think I mentioned that we sat next to a lovely couple at dinner each night, so we made sure to get photos with them and our waitstaff at dinner the final night. After dinner we dashed to the Parade of Flags in the Centrum. Immediately following that even, while the Centrum was still packed, we performed with the Flash Mob, led by our animated and Uber-energetic cruise director, Eric. Being part of a flash mob has been a dream of mine for years, so it was HUGE! Some folks we met on the cruise kindly video taped it for us, so we have evidence! Following the dance, I ran to the cabin to put our bags outside and my daughter ran to the Spotlight Lounge where she was competing in the Karaoke Superstar contest. SHE WON! Even got a trophy! (Not a key chain!)

MORE Cozumel photos...

COZUMEL If you're a frequent cruiser, you've likely visited Cozumel numerous times, as had we. We decided to book a jeep tour through Cozumel Cruise Excursions.Net. It was a private tour - just my daughter, myself and our driver, Adriana. It was customizable. They have a recommended tour itinerary from which you can add or remove activities to suit your preferences. It was $69/per person for approximately 5 hours and included lunch. Upon arrival, we were asked what things we specifically wanted to do. Having seen photos of the Jade Cenote, I mentioned that site. Because it's located in El Cedral, which has an admission fee, we had to pay an extra $15/per person. It was WELL worth it! I mentioned that Roatan was our favorite island, but Cozumel was a close second - and probably only because, well, holding a sloth is life-changing! 😉 Our guide was incredible. She took us first to the Cenote, where we were the only visitors (others were arriving as we were leaving). What a magical place - my daughter called it other-worldly. I'll post pictures, but they won't do it justice. I know some people swim in the water, but we didn't. It has sulfur and smells and there is a lot of bat droppings. But what an incredible sight. Adrianna told us all sorts of history about the location which was very interesting and added to the other-worldly nature of the place. It's a must see location. After that, we drove to Punta Sur. We climbed the lighthouse, spent some time on the beach, saw the crocodiles, etc. Lovely place. Our time there was less than had we not insisted on visiting the Cenote first, but we didn't regret that decision at all. Adriana then drove us to a restaurant that was in a large covered patio, right across from the ocean. The view was breath-taking. The food was delicious. After lunch, we were on to the tequila tasting. My daughter loves tequila, so this was a big highlight for her. Another lovely location and tequila even a non-tequila drinker enjoyed! I VERY HIGHLY recommend this tour. We ultimately paid $84/per person (including lunch). Adriana was an incredible tour guide. We saw parts of the island we'd never seen before and she timed our activities to avoid crowds. It could not have been a better day.

BELIZE This was our only tender port. The process was as follows: - Guests pick up tender tickets beginning at 7:30AM at the Schooner Bar. You are to be completely ready to disembark when you get your tickets. If you are not and that tender goes, you have to return to line up again for new tickets. - We picked up our tickets around 8:15 and were able to board the very first tender. I'd been to Belize on 2 previous cruises. I've visited Altun Ha and done the cave tubing. This time, we booked a tour that included the Baboon Sanctuary to see the howler monkeys. (We interacted with a LOT of wildlife on this cruise!) The tour was through Belize Exotic Adventures. I believe the cost was $70/per person. It's a private tour, so it was just my daughter and myself. We had a great day and enjoyed our tour and interacting with the howler monkeys. That said, the tour guide took us to a residence just outside the actual sanctuary, rather than to the sanctuary itself. That means we didn't see the museum or other parts of the sanctuary. I'm sure he was saving the admission fee and we got to see the howlers, but it felt a little like we were short-changed. The guide was SUPER nice and we truly enjoyed the day, so wasn't worth complaining. We enjoyed the local lunch (included in the price) before heading back to the ship. I just realized I didn't provide pricing for the other tours we took: Maya Chan in Costa Maya was $69/per person. I think it may have gone up to $79/per person now. Daniel Johnson's tour in Roatan was $65/per person and worth much more. One of our all-time favorite events on the ship is the 70s Disco Party and it took place on the evening of our Belize day. It was also Round 2 of the Karaoke Superstar Competition. I can't locate my Cruise Compass for that day, so I'm a little fuzzy about the other events on the ship. Dinner theme was casual, but my daughter and I dressed in our 70s outfits for dinner.

Yes, they were adorable. I believe they forgot my daughter was holding "Patricia" and so she got to hold her for an especially long time. Patricia was clearly getting tired and began to fall asleep in my daughter's arms.

ROATAN Roatan was our favorite day. I need to highly recommend tours with Daniel Johnson's. Daniel Johnson's is a monkey and sloth hangout/sanctuary, but they offer tours beyond just visiting their animals. We chose an excursion that included an island tour (rum factory was closed, but we did visit the chocolate factory), the iguana sanctuary, the "Monkey and Sloth Hangout", snorkeling and time at a beach resort. Zoe, one of our favorite cruise staff members, told us that holding a sloth was "life-changing." It is. At the gangway we met a couple who mentioned that they were doing the same tour and had lost their directions, so we became a group of four and spent the entire day together. Our driver took us to the ROATAN sign for a photo op, then on a great island tour. It's such a pretty island. It's minimally developed and many quite poor areas, but lush and gorgeous. The island is only about 4.5 miles wide, so you're nearly always able to see the ocean. Following the tour, we went to Daniel Johnson's to hold the sloths and play with the monkeys. The sloths are amazing. Absolutely as slow moving as you imagine, they have a permanent contented smile on their little faces. They snuggle right into you as if they enjoy being held. What an experience! The monkeys jump all around when people enter their enclosure, landing on the guests' shoulders or heads. They're fun. We also saw the macaws, which were pretty, not cute. Following our time interacting with the animals, our driver took us down the street to an iguana sanctuary, where we got to feed the iguanas. There were a TON of them and they are large, so it was slightly intimidating. Apparently iguanas lay eggs only once a year and both the eggs and baby iguanas are sought after by numerous animals as meals. The sanctuary keeps the eggs and young protected to ensure they make it to adulthood. We returned to Daniel Johnson's and were taken out on a boat for some amazing snorkeling at the world's second largest barrier reef. It was gorgeous. Before this trip, Grand Cayman had been my #1 snorkeling experience. This topped that. After snorkeling, the boat dropped us at a small beach resort, where we bought lunch. There was barely anyone else there, so the four of us had the entire place nearly to ourselves. It was beautiful. Our driver then returned us to the pier, where we had some time to explore a bit before boarding again. Some Tips: Roatan has sand fleas. You may or may not notice them at the time, but you'll notice the bites on your ankles later. Bug spray is recommended. Roatan is an hour behind EST and, if you're using your phone as a watch, it can mess you up. You will struggle to take underwater photos if you are using your cell phone inside a dry bag. We were told it was due to the high salt levels in the water there. The phone didn't recognize being touched under water, which eliminated the ability to take still images. You could take video by starting the video above the water first. Activités on the ship included: Various games and trivia events, and the Dancing Under the Stars party. Dinner theme: White Night

I have not finished unpacking. I may have some of the printed Cruise Compasses, but I know I don't have all of them.

AT SEA: We enjoyed the pools and great pool-side band. Participated in our first flash mob rehearsal. We were entertained by the "Sexiest Man" competition poolside. It was the first "Dress to Impress" night in the dining room. Other big activities on this day included Zumba in the Centrum, a belly dance class, "The Perfect Couple" game show, the headliner show and a Latin Fiesta in the late evening in the Centrum. COSTA MAYA: We booked the day at Maya Chan resort well in advance (it's quite popular). Guests are assigned private pergolas, each offering covering from the sun, a hammock, a beach bed, chairs and tables for food. Guacamole and chips, along with a "Welcome" rum punch, are delivered to guests shortly after arrival. The guac is delicious. Advise you to cover your chips if you step away from them, as the birds will happily steal them. We enjoyed the all-inclusive resort with all you can eat Mexican food and all you can drink cocktails. We purchased the $25, 30-minute massage, which was great. It's in a private hut, away from the beach. There's an observation tower, a small swimming pool, corn hole games, rafts, snorkel gear, etc. for use. We returned to port in time to do a little walking around (HUGE port area!) before returning to the ship. It was a GREAT way to ease into our vacation with a totally relaxing day. Major events on the ship included: Production Show ("Can't Stop the Rock"), Round One of the Karaoke Superstar competition, "Friendly Feud" game show, and a Caribbean Dance Party in the Centrum. Dinner theme was "Tropical."

A few more photos.

It was a compilation that included parts of a number of songs, all up-beat. So much fun! Entire thing was only a little over three minutes. Life-changing event for me! Fulfilled a dream!

A few more random tips: - Bring an outlet extender. There are a total of two outlets in an OV cabin. Just 2. - We had two separate beds. There is a switch on the wall at the head of the bed on the right side (while looking at the window) that will turn ON or OFF all the room lights. That comes in handy. (No such switch on the left side.) - Even though they only service the cabins once a day, we STILL got towel animals most nights. 🙂 - We brought a small white noise machine. Made it hard to hear room service knocking in the morning (they are very quiet so as not to disturb other guests). However it was otherwise hugely helpful for drowning out other sounds. (Didn't help the first night, when 45-mile per hour winds had the ship rocking so badly the drawers kept opening and closing themselves.) - If you have MyTime Dining, you can go earlier than your assigned time. If you're really nice to the maitre'd and offer to wait, you'll likely get seated earlier. We were unofficially shifted from 6:45 to 6:15 and assigned to the same table nightly. Loved it. - Even your really big suitcases fit comfortably under the bed. - Magnets are great for posting things on the cabin wall. - If you're platinum or above, remember to request robes. They are nice to toss on when opening the door for room service in the morning.

THE APP Not the best. Yes,it was free and valuable in some ways. Great to have our SetSail docs on our phones rather than printed out. Great doing things like the safety drill and health questionnaire on the app. Handy to be able to check the nightly MDR menus on the phone. We prefer the printed Cruise Compass, but found that the printed and app versions didn't always match. The app would sometimes lose connection and fail to operate. The message feature was fairly worthless. Even when it worked, it didn't notify the recipient of the message receipt. We wish we'd figured out sooner that expanding an activity in the schedule of events allowed us to ADD that event to our personal calendars. VERY handy. Highly recommend that feature. ACTIVITIES IN WHICH WE TOOK PART: - 70s Party: Great as always. Activities Director, JayJay, as well as our Cruise Director, Eric, had energy to spare! Zoe, from England, who also led the line dancing, was such a joy. - Royal Mystery Game: Being mystery buffs, I talked my daughter into playing. Even though we grew to LOVE the host, Zoe, the game itself was a dud. Not what we expected and - in the end - all teams were just guessing wildly. Very complicated and essentially impossible. - Bingo: This was my 15th cruise and I've NEVER played, but my daughter won some tickets so we went. We won absolutely nothing. -Karaoke Superstar Competition: Two qualifying rounds (judges were other passengers), followed by a finale pitting qualifying contestants against each other. Some great talent and a lot of fun. - Sexiest Man Competition: (Previously sexy legs contest) Always fun. - Flash Mob: This was a HUGE highlight for me. I've had a bucket-list dream to be part of a flash mob dance, something I NEVER thought I'd do. There were 2 rehearsals to learn the steps, then we performed on the last night following a big event in the Centrum that provided us a ready-made crowd of spectators. What a hoot! Bucket list item checked off! - Quest: We very regrettably missed. I had a migraine and we just went to bed early that night. JayJay was leading and I'm sure it was lots of fun. - Belly-Flop Contest: We also missed this as it was during one of our flash mob rehearsals. We went to the gym on the first sea day and it was PACKED! After that, my daughter just opted to run on the jogging track above the pool.

THE SHIP One of the things I noticed in those video tours by recent passengers was the big screen over the pool was in sorry shape, with huge areas of the screen non-operational. It practically screamed to passengers, "Observe how little we care about maintaining this ship!" The screen is so non-essential. My opinion was that they should either fix it or take it down. Leaving it so clearly and horribly broken gives a really awful impression. For our cruise, it was covered by a large fabric sign bearing the Royal Caribbean logo. MUCH better than the broken screen! I mentioned that we like the smaller ships - Radiance Class being a favorite - so we were happy with the size of Enchantment. It has a really lovely Centrum area, where most activities take place. The pool area is huge, a result of the 2005 stretching of the ship, where the vessel was cut in half to add a 73-foot-long section in the middle. It added about 150 new cabins and expanded the pool deck. While the ship is elegant and surprisingly well-maintained for her age, there are few bells and whistles. While we aren't mega-ship cruisers, we did miss basics like mini-golf. The Windjammer was well-run with lots of choices for breakfast and lunch. Custom-made omelets required very little waiting and patrons were handed a buzzer to let them know when their food was ready. This allowed guests to gather other food items or beverages while their omelets were being made. We had all our dinners in the main dining room. We opted for MyTime Dining, although we were disappointed that it doesn't begin until 6:45. We generally opt for 6:00 or 6:15. I heard that going early often resulted in being able to be seated early. We did so the first night and were seated immediately. We liked the serving staff and requested to be seated in that section for the rest of the cruise. We got an unofficial 6:15 reservation time and ate at the same table nightly. We made great friends with the couple at the neighboring table, which was an added bonus. Food is subjective, but we loved everything we ordered. We found the food quality to be excellent. No complaints. We prefer the more reasonably sized portions they provide these days and the staff has no problem with people ordering extra. Our waiter would often bring us extra starters or desserts just because he thought we might like them. I had the New York Strip steak twice - medium rare - and it was outstanding. Everything we ordered was outstanding. Our waiter was Uragil from Indonesia. Our assistant waiter was Shanna from Jamaica. The maitre'd was Baldwin from the Philippines, and he was an absolute joy.