Cozumel - Excursion questions

[bizzylady]

Hi - going on Carnival Elation to Cozumel in November. Question about excursions.

 

1) When the excursion mentions a restaurant or food, is it automatically FREE, since you pay for the excursion? and if not, then HOW do you know when food is included? And if you see a restaurant or food on your excursion, do you have to ASK if the food is free w/excursion? I just want to make sure.

 

2) Trying to decide between these two -- any recommendations on which is best? or are both pretty good? *Chankanaab Day Pass & Discover Mexico* and *Clear Kayak & Snorkel at Chankanaab National Park*

 

3) When they list how many hours the excursions are, how do you know what time they start and finish? I assume they tell you this on the ship? I don't see it on Carnival's site.

 

4) Can anyone tell me the approx time You exit the ship in Cozumel and approx time to be back?

 

5) Room service - I saw people say that you can order room service for breakfast. Is that food you order free? I guess you have to tip for room service, but I mean the food? I know most of the food on the ship is included so just checking? (hope this is not a silly question, just want to be sure!)

 

6) any OTHER excursion tips or suggestions, when trying to pick and plan? I really only want to do two, and I think the other one we will do is Passion Island. Any suggestions/tips appreciated and thanks!

[Cruise Cat]

On Question #1, there should be a little symbol like a knife and fork on the page for that excursion showing that a meal is included. Otherwise, they usually will say, "food for purchase"

[firefly333]

If a meal is included, it usually says included. If it mentions there are shops and restaurants, then that food wouldnt be. I can tell by how it reads.

 

Room service is free, just tip a couple bucks. continental door hanger for breakfast you just fill out the time and check the boxes and hang on your door for breakfast. the other times the menu is somewhere in the pile of stuff on your desk.

 

Every ships has different times scheduled in Cozumel, and it should show it on the schedule. Look on a TA site at the itinerary, it will have times in port listed.

 

My excursions I bought onboard always had a time listed .. but I cant remember how I knew.

[beachbum6264]

You can see the times for the excursions if you do a 'fake' booking on the Carnival site - log in and go to the manage your cruise page, click on plan activities, find the one you want and go through the booking process (just stop before you enter your credit card #!!). On the page where you add people it gives the times.

Are you going to try to do 2 excursions in Cozumel? I would think your times would over-lap for the ones you have mentioned, they usually last most of the day.

Not sure how long you'll be in Coz, we seem to be pulling into port while we are eating breakfast most times, and you'll have to be back on board at least 30 minutes before sail time. Go up on top deck and watch for runners!

Enjoy!

[bizzylady]

Thanks for the replies so far. I did see some food symbols, but I see what you mean now, that if there is no food symbol and just the mention of a restaurant, then you'll have to pay for that.

 

THanks for all the good info!

 

ALso - I was thinking I'd have time for two excursions, but maybe I better go back and check on the times, and stuff. Plus I wanted to have time to walk around and do our own thing too. I better try to figure this out.. lol. thanks

[Cruise Cat]

You might pick a longer excursion in the morning and leave time in the afternoon to shop. If you are docking at the port with all the shops, you can do the shopping there. Some excursions might let people off Downtown to shop and find their own transportation back.

[mzloolue]

OP, I don't know if you have ever been to Cozumel, but you can get a taxi at the port and go to Chankanaab on your own.

Chankanaab has some little shops and a little restaurant.

The little shops sell soft drinks and snacks inexpensively.

There is also a waiter who will walk down the beach and take drink orders.

 

You can rent snorkle gear there or take your own.

 

I have never been to Discover Mexico, but I have seen it and

I would rather spend my time on the beach.

 

Taxi fares in Cozumel are preset and to Chankanaab is $10 for up to four people.

There are always taxis lined up and waiting to take people back to the ship.

Oh, and there are vans for larger parties, but I'm not sure how much those are.

There is also a coupon available online for $2 off each person's entry ticket.

I don't remember what the entry fee is now, but it is $20 or $25.

[golfadj]

You might want to go to port of call pages for more info on what people will do in Cozumel.

[Kandie12]

We did the Twister to Pasion Island in Cozumel & it was awesome! So much fun! The island had a buffet & free soda & one type of beer & a couple of mixed drinks included (frozen for a charge). You got a tour guide & she explained it all upfront. Kayaks, paddle boats & water "toys" like trampoline included. They also play a fun balloon toss game. We got to Cozumel (on the Ecstasy) at 8 AM & excursion started at 8:30 & we were back at 1 PM with plenty of time to shop. We left Coz at 4 PM & we left the dock exactly at 4 PM (so did the Legend beside us).

[bizzylady]

thank you all for these great replies. I really appreciate it. It is my first cruise so I am still learning. thanks

[dude_hdt]

We've got little kids so formal excursion is not always a good idea. We take a taxi to "Mr Sancho" beach and have a casual time. The place has grown quite a bit from our first time there and the crowd is getting bigger but not too crowded...yet. Last year they did "require" that we order food/drink to use the lounge chairs where as before they didn't seem to care. I just hope they don't grow to the point of wanting ticket for entry.

 

Then again my kids are getting bigger now so may try other excursions when we sail there again in 2 weeks!!!