undecided cozumel/calica vs bahamas cruise

[swampland]

undecided. i have been to the cozumel/calica ports before and enjoyed the cenotes and snuba. not sure about the bahamas. anyone with advice on why the bahamas (nassau/freeport) would be a better choice? thanks

[Cruzman]

Been there, done that a number of times; really don't care for Nassau or Freeport very much. The water is nice and clear if diving is your thing, but not much else to do in either port. Ok, plenty of shopping in Nassau if that's where your interests lie, but I remember very little in the way of "deals" there. But, 'ya never know if you will like something until you try it.

[firefly333]

Freeport you are about 7 miles from the closest town if you want internet cafe or anything the town might offer, only shops near the port.

 

First time I went to Nassau, I had moved to Florida from hawaii. thought it was so ugly, brown ugly island, but at least there are more shops to walk to. I hoped I would change my mind but still think Nassau is ugly.

[QLUVS2CRUZ]

I haven't been to Calica, so I'm not sure on that, but if I had the choice between Nassau and Cozumel...definitely Cozumel...more to do there, in my opinion.

[lillian marie]

We like both of the choices. Cozumel is better for shopping and if you want to see the ruins.

[Stevesan]

undecided. i have been to the cozumel/calica ports before and enjoyed the cenotes and snuba. not sure about the bahamas. anyone with advice on why the bahamas (nassau/freeport) would be a better choice? thanks

 

Calica with Xcaret andTulum, and Coz for snorkeling and diving are both great. I've returned to Coz numerous times. If you've been to Calica only omce, you likely didn't have time for both Xcaret and Tulum, so that could be worth repeating.

 

However, Stuart's Cove at Nassau offers a truly unique experience: Swimming with the sharks was my number one snorkeling experience:

 

http://www.snorkelbahamas.com/snorkelhome.aspx

 

A brief description:

 

Nassau: “Snorkel Bahamas Adventure” is a 5-½ hour trip operated by Stuart’s Cove. The Stuart’s Cove outing surpassed all of my previous experiences. The boat trip is @ three hours, and visits Schoolhouse Reef, the spectacular Golden Key Reef and finally a “swim with the sharks” at ‘The Wreck of the Bahama Mama’. I have never before witnessed such a number and variety of fish as at Golden Key. There are never-ending fish, large and small, singly and in large schools. The floor is decorated with huge, magnificent coral formations of all shapes and sizes. While there, a shark cruised past our group. He obviously thought this was his ocean and didn’t know, nor care, that we weren’t scheduled for a shark encounter until after Golden Key. Surprisingly, getting in with a dozen or so sharks is not frightening. I suspect we were too caught up with their grace and magnificence to be scared. The fact that the boat captain hadn’t lost a diver in twelve years was also encouraging. This is a five star, gold medallion, prime trip, not to be missed!

[bobobeagle]

Paradise Cove in Freeport is great. You will have to rent a car to get there. It is local snorkel spot. It is an area near Dead Man's Reef. Atlantis is worth a visit if you have never been. There are areas that are free. We walked around the area. Had a snack at drink at the pool and went to the casino. There are lots of shops in the area. The boat trip over to Paradise Island is inexpensive and provides a great view. If you have not been to the Bahamas, it is worth the trip.

[Grits53]

We didn't care for Nassau AT ALL, but we will never grow tired of Cozumel. If I had the option of Calica, I would definitely go to Xcaret for the day. The only problem with Xcaret from Cozumel is the travel time to and from wastes too much of your day. But if you were in Calica, your travel time would be short. So my vote is definitely for Cozumel/Calica. We LOVED the underground river at Xcaret!!! :)