Tulum with or without Beach Break?

[jldev]

(I have also posted this on the RCCL board)

 

We are doing Freedom of the Seas Western Caribbean departure on 16 October and, when in Cozumel, definitely want to visit Tulum as seeing Mayan ruins is the whole reason we booked a Western Caribbean cruise. Currenly I have booked us on the Tulum Express but I'm really sitting on the fence as to whether we should book the Tulum and Beach Break. We will have our 3 children (ages 13, 10 and 6) with us and, although I know it's probably less than an ideal excursion option for children, I figure that, after two weeks at the theme parks in Orlando for them, this is something they can put up with for us!

 

I have booked the Express at this point based on the fact that it is not such a long day from them, although it does seem quite a drag to have to get ourselves back from Cozumel town to the ship. I was also hoping that, while at the Ruins, I could take the girls down to have a quick swim at that lovely looking beach there. Would this be possible on the Express tour?

 

On the Express, I understand you get a boxed lunch in the bus. On the Beach break tour, is it a lunch in a restaurant at the beach resort? Is it a nice lunch? Also, when you get back in the bus at the Ruins to drive to the beach resort, are you heading back in the direction that you came or are you in fact driving further on? I know there is a lot of driving on these excurions but I wouldn't want to put the girls through anymore driving than necessary.

 

 

I'm just trying to figure out whether we should upgrade to the Tulum with Beach Break tour so any advice, thoughts or shared experiences would be most appreciated :)

[crewsweeper]

Time is your deciding factor. It's easy access to the beach. You have to walk down a ways to one of the restaurant/bars/hotels to eat lunch on the beach, if not provided by the tour, although there are places near the ruins. But if both excursions appear to be the same amount of time, it means a shorter visit to the ruins or less time at the beach. If Beach Break is a ship sponsored tour, book it not the private vendor tour. This will ensure you make it back to the ship in time. Also find out if the beach break includes use of facilities to shower and change, or you'll be in for a hot salty/sandy long ride back to the ship.

[jldev]

Both the Express Tulum and the Tulum with Beach Break are RCCL tours - I would never risk going to the mainland unless on a ship tour. The Express Tour is 6.5 hours long while the one with Beach break is 8 hours I believe.

[crewsweeper]

Do the beach break then. There are many restaurants (good and mediocre) in the town and in the zona hoteleria. Some places on the beach are only open at night. But if you have time go to Zuma's it's on the beach near the turnoff to Coba. Prices are reasonable for the area $8-$12. Menu used to be in pesos but they did exchange 10:1 US. They only take cash.

[jldev]

Yes, I think I will change us onto the Tulum with Beach Break. However, we don't get a choice about where we go. We are driven to a nearby beach resort and get to use the beach and have lunch.