What to do, who to do it with?

[irenen]

I am looking for some advice to save me days of research. First time Caribbean cruise in January 2012 ( Celebrity Solstice) for DH and I, and although I have read the whole brochure about excursions, I am still not sure what to choose.

 

DH ( aged 62) and I (60) are both in excellent health. I'd love to hear from anyone who has taken a tour which they LOVED and would recommend. Did you do it with the ship's tour or an independent operator? We don't want to do diving, or anything too strenuous such as very difficult hiking but small hills are OK. Not interested in golf or pirates. Also don't want to spend a whole day lying on a beach but would prefer something where we see/learn something new and memorable.

 

I will be posting this same question on 3 other destination pages so apologies if you come across my post more than once.

 

Thanks so much in advance for your wealth of experience.

[Laughing Angel]

irenen, here's a suggestion. Why don't you plan a tour of the island? My family did this the last time we were in Cozumel, and we had a blast. We hired a driver for the day, and planned our route: first a visit to San Gervasio (a small, minor ruin site inland), then on to the east side. It is beautiful! Breathtaking, wild and primitive, and not crowded. We hit some of the select spots (Chen Rio, Mezcalito's, Coconuts, Señor Iguana's) for a little beach time, food and drinks, then took the opportunity for some photo ops as we made our way south to Rasta Bar. We camped out at Paradise Beach for a while before heading back downtown for some shopping, then back to the ship. You can also view the lighthouse, learn about the Turtle Salvation Program, and see the most awe inspiring views from the east side.

 

The great thing about touring the island is that you can make it as active or as laid back as you want. You can hire a driver and design your own itinerary, or you can rent a car and make stops at your leisure, or take the Cozumel Bus Bar Hop (great tour that takes you to all those stops on the east side--I'm planning that for my next cruise, possibly in April). There are several other options as well.

 

Here are some links from this forum:

 

Hiring a driver for the day

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=545681

 

The other side of Cozumel island

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1505618

 

Cozumel Bus Bar Hop

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=853383

 

Renting a car in Cozumel

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=144533

 

Whatever you decide, have fun!

[irenen]

Wow! What great information. Thank you so much Laughing Angel for taking the time to compile all this information. Much appreciated. I will check it all out.