Long, Long Liberty Review - First Fall Caribbean Sailing Nov. 8 - 13, 2014

[ronandannette]

We (DH and I - both early middle-aged) spent 5 days aboard Liberty of the Seas on it's first Caribbean sailing after returning from the summer season in Europe. First let me say that I believe in general the cruise product is changing so quickly that it is almost impossible to directly compare this trip to previous ones. Prior to this our most recent cruises were in 2012, on Carnival and Princess. It's been 5 years since we sailed RCCL, which seems like practically another lifetime. I'll admit upfront that we are late-adopters of change and have a habit of remembering things as being better than perhaps they actually were. It's also clear that after a dozen cruises, we're a bit jaded - the "wonder" has worn off and our expectations may be unrealistically high. Please remember these things as you read this review. Everybody has different tastes and values different things in a vacation experience. I'm not attempting to sway anybody's opinions - you may dislike what I enjoyed and love what I disliked. I'm using a 1-5 scale for each category. As they say, YMMV.

 

EMBARKATION: 5/5 Boarding was delayed due to a US Coast Guard inspection but we followed the instructions we'd received from RCCL via email and arrived late, around 3:30. We made out very well; the dedicated Gold-level Crown & Anchor line was deserted and we were basically walked straight on. It is our practice anyway to board later rather than earlier to avoid the rush so we were very pleased with how it went but we heard from many people that the terminal had been a mob scene.

 

ACCOMMODATION: 4/5 Our D1 balcony cabin (aft on Deck 7) was ready when we arrived. It was surprisingly roomy and everything was in good repair. It was acceptably clean, but I'm not meticulous by any means. (The bathroom could have used a good scrub though.) The closet was rather small and I found the shelves awkwardly placed behind where the clothes hung. I would have preferred deeper drawers too; they are all in the vanity desk or night stands and quite small. The full- sizes couch was nice but I wish they'd eliminate the coffee table altogether - it's just in the way no matter where you put it. We found the bedding to be very comfortable - the steward had used an "egg crate", and the linens were crisp and lovely. I did find it annoying that it took 2 days to receive the extra pillows we requested. The steward said he "had to ask his supervisor". Really?? We also had to request ice daily and it was early evening some days before we received it. We found it a little odd that there was no card in the room identifying our steward or how to reach him. There was also no stationary of any kind - bring your own pen if you need one. Our A/C went out for 1/2 a day but it wasn't a tragedy as that was a port day and it had been resolved by the time we returned. There were quite a few channels on the TV and pay per view movies, although the prices were ridiculous ($11.99).

 

PUBLIC SPACES: 2/5 In general I found the decor of the interior spaces to be quite understated. Lots of chrome and glass, ubiquitous coral and teal carpets and upholstery looking a little tired, and waaaay too many plastic flowers and plants. It turns out we really don't like the "Promenade" concept around which the larger RCCL ships are designed. Many have likened it to a trip to a local mall and I heartily agree. The traffic congestion is heavy and the space is noisy and dark. We spent no time at all there and didn't even consider attending the events like the parades and Captain's Address. The main pool deck was completely loathsome. Noisy, crowded at all times and just stressful feeling in general. The Solarium was a little better but the noise echoed quite badly. Many of the nicer spots we found were tucked out of the way and sadly under-utilized.

 

ACTIVITIES: 4/5 What can you say about a ship that has everything from a surf park to karaoke recording booths to cake decorating classes? There was plenty to do; too much to ever hope to accomplish with only two sea days. We actually didn't end up doing much at all except "sightseeing" on the decks, hot-tubbing and napping (between meals, of course)! LOL. As mentioned, we avoided the main pool deck, which was chaotic at all times, and the Promenade. We did spend one evening in the casino, which was kept very clean and had quite a relaxed, friendly atmosphere. It undeniably smells like smoke though - no use pretending it doesn't.

 

ENTERTAINMENT: 5/5 This is one element of a cruise that is very important to our enjoyment and the LOS delivered! There were main showroom productions nightly that we loved; the welcome aboard variety show, a cirque-type aerial show, an impressionist, a head-liner comedian and of course the main event - Saturday Night Fever. We found it equal in quality to several Broadway Touring companies that we have seen in our home city. The iconic RCCL ice show was also excellent and we loved the addition of the outdoor movie screen although the commotion of the pool deck mostly kept us away. We also really enjoyed the 3-D movies (we saw Mr. Peabody & Sherman). The showings were scheduled at very odd times though, like 10:30 at night, which would not have been convenient for children. I must comment here on how shockingly low the attendance was at practically every show. I guess the typical RCCL cruiser prefers to be at the pool or in the bars; these areas were always busy especially when one of the many bands were playing. But I hope "Corporate" doesn't notice and start to cut back on the shows.

 

MDR: 3/5 We were initially very disappointed to have not been assigned a traditional dining time. I must admit that MTD worked out very well for us although we did miss having table-mates. We requested to share each time but there was never anyone to share with so we ended up at 2-tops. (There are many of these and they are nicely placed for privacy, not all lined up one next to another.) We ate at different times each night, albeit always with a reservation, so there was never a wait. The menu selections, quality and presentation are light years worse than they once were. We've been cruising for 10 years and have adjusted our expectations accordingly. We had very good luck with our dinner selections and were very satisfied each evening. Breakfast was a different matter. The service was very poor; confused, slow and incapable of getting the orders right. There was a modest buffet set up and if you need your food hot and fast, use this option. I wish we had. (One thing to note - there have been CC posts listing the usual order of the dinner menus. I used this information to plan our specialty dining reservations. The information was wrong and we ended up in the MDR on nights we would have rather been elsewhere and vice versa. If this matters to you, wait until you see the menu order on board to make your plans.)

 

WINDJAMMER BUFFET: 1/5 The food here was, in our opinion, really horrible. Stick to cheese, bread and fruit if you must eat here. Prepared dishes at both breakfast and lunch were just bad. The atmosphere was really chaotic and crowded every time we were there. The venue is so spread out it's quite a chore to explore all the stations let alone find a table. You will not be assisted with your plates or seating but occasional drink servers do come around with refills. Speaking of drinks, there are no self-serve cold drink stations on the Liberty. Juice, water and tea (at lunch & dinner only) are pre-poured. I hated this. Tepid juice? Disgusting. Sure, you could ask for a glass if ice and try to cool it but I found the extra effort needed annoying. I also LOVE unsweetened tea and missed having easy access to it while spending time on deck.

 

SPECIALTY DINING: 2/5 Sadly, I must say our love affair with Chops is over and I wish we hadn't gone. The new menu is much less indulgent than the old one and the meat quality is moderate at best. We "upgraded" to the porterhouse for DH and I had the lobster. All in (without wine) we spent over $100 on a dinner that would have been more lavish and less expensive on land. We won't be going back. Portofino, on the other hand, was simply lovely. The service and ambience were impeccable, the menu selections were very appealing and the food met all expectations. At a modest $20/pp it was an excellent value and it's very regrettable that it will soon be replaced by Geovanni's. LOS has the last remaining Portofino in the fleet and I'm grateful we got to experience it, perhaps for the last time. Johnny Rockets wasn't great; the music indoors was super-loud and the service was impersonal. The milkshakes and fries were great but the burgers and rings weren't. It's also starting to cost more than it's worth - even with a 2-4-1 on the shakes the bill was $20. We'd likely pass on it in future.

 

MISCELLANEOUS DINING: 2.5/5 Shrek Breakfast They simply have to re-think this event. Having it in a corner of the MDR during regular breakfast hours was a problem waiting to happen. There were lots of children from the other tables who, understandably, tried to see the characters. I felt sorry for them (and their parents) as they were quite aggressively rebuffed by the staff. Many of them left crying and the whole scene was just uncomfortable. At $10/pp the price is outrageous. The food was The same quality as one would have found in the WJ. The service was good and the character interaction was roughly on par with a Disney character meal. Promenade Cafe was our go-to for coffee and we did a light lunch here one day and breakfast before disembarkation. It was generally busy but not mobbed and we liked the food and beverages well enough. Room Servicewas simply too slow to be bothered with. We ordered via TV 3 times; each time we got a phone call informing us it would be a 90 minute wait. We only went ahead once and it was a simple order - coffee, cold tea, cheese and fruit. When it finally arrived it was intact and of acceptable quality. Poolside BBQ was served on the final sea day. It smelled better than it tasted. The salads were tepid and the meats were dry and charred. They were also super-challenged to try and keep up with the crowds.

 

SERVICE: 3/5 It's hard to express an accurate reflection of what the service was like. The best I can manage is to say that the service was very good but there just simply wasn't enough of it. There are not enough crew members on the LOS to provide the timely, attentive service we have come to expect as part of a cruise experience. Our cabin was attended twice daily but we barely saw the steward and had to hunt for him to make any requests. (There were no towel animals at all.) Drink servers on the pool deck were extremely scarce and the bars were busy. We actually would have drank more if drinks had been easier to come by. While all the work seemed to get done, it was rare to notice crew members around doing it. It was often tricky to find someone to ask questions or make requests. On several occasions people we did approach gave incorrect information or just couldn't communicate in English well enough to answer at all. In the end, perhaps this is the "new normal" for cruising and our expectations will have to be adjusted accordingly. I wouldn't complain about the crew themselves though - everyone was very polite and hospitable and as friendly as time allowed. They seem to be happy to be back in the Caribbean after the summer in Europe.

 

ITINERARY: 4/5 We LOVED the pace of this cruise and the port stops. 2 sea days and visits to Belize City and Cozumel was an excellent balance. We have been to Cozumel before and spent our day renting a jeep and driving to the east coast for lunch with a stop at Mr. Sancho's for beach time in the afternoon. In Belize we went cave tubing privately through cavetubing.bz and can't say enough about how wonderful this company was. (I've done a more extensive review on tripadvisor if anyone is interested.) MAJOR WARNING - if you book independent excursions in Belize be aware that you may not get to shore before noon. LOS tenders at this port, which is INSANE for a ship this size. Ship tours go first and it literally takes hours to move everyone.

 

DISEMBARKATION: 2/5 This was not a smooth operation. The most frustrating part was the inability to get accurate information. We had signed up for Luggage Valet and an excursion (Everglades Air Boat Tour) with transfer to FLL. It turned out that they were unable to process us for Valet because of our Canadian passports. We only discovered this on the last night when the luggage tags were delivered and trying to get it sorted out and obtain the correct tags for our tour was like a "Who's on First" comedy routine. It was also almost funny how confused the information about the I-94 security forms was. ATTENTION ALL CANADIANS: You MUST fill out these forms, 1 per person, no matter what they say. There was an error made in off-loading the luggage and our tour group waited in the terminal for 40 minutes before we could proceed to customs. All in all though, we would never try to get off a ship this size without booking an excursion. We were escorted past the other 3,900 other passengers and it was already starting to get ugly by that point 7:30 am.

 

RANDOM FINAL THOUGHTS: LOS is the largest, most "spectacular" ship we've ever sailed on and we greatly looked forward to it. We loved the idea of all the WOW-factor features but as it turned out, we didn't really use many of them. For our personal cruise style I think we'd actually have enjoyed one of the older ship slightly more. As smokers, we spent very little time on our balcony due to the new policy and realize that we could happily do without one. The passengers on this cruise were possibly the calmest, most patient and polite we've ever experienced. I can't think of one unpleasant incident from the whole trip. The weather was ideal for us but cooler than perhaps many would have preferred. It would have been super-hard to get a well placed deck chair on the pool deck (we never tried) - the chogging was extreme. It really bugged me that there was only one towel station ever open. Who's idea was it to put those stupid revolving doors on Deck 11? At one point both of them were out of order at the same time. The wait for elevators was not near as bad as it could have been.

 

If you've read this far, thank you. Please let me know if there are any questions I can answer. Unfortunately we didn't keep the Compasses, and my efforts to include photos was an epic fail.

Edited November 14, 2014 by ronandannette

[AeroBaldness]

Excellent write up. I appreciate the depth and detail as we sail in LOS in a month. I kind of like the chaos of the pool, but my wife does not. We booked an inside cabin (our first without a balcony on Royal) as we wanted to try and keep this trip as inexpensive as possible, but you have me rethinking things and possibly surprising my wife with a balcony as an Xmas gift.

[FortWayneCruiser]

Under Public Spaces you mention that "Many of the nicer spots we found were tucked out of the way and sadly under-utilized." Can you give a couple of examples? Thanks!

[ronandannette]

Excellent write up. I appreciate the depth and detail as we sail in LOS in a month. I kind of like the chaos of the pool, but my wife does not. We booked an inside cabin (our first without a balcony on Royal) as we wanted to try and keep this trip as inexpensive as possible, but you have me rethinking things and possibly surprising my wife with a balcony as an Xmas gift.

 

We actually ended up with our D1 as a straight-across trade for a Promenade room after a price drop. In past, we have always enjoyed having the balcony but given that we had limited time on the ship and spent a certain amount of it topside in the smoking area, we felt we under-utilized it. I must say the balcony on LOS was extremely roomy - lots of space out there for loungers if you could get your steward to bring them. Have a good trip!

[njmomof2]

Our first cruise with our kids was on Liberty and that started my boys' love affair with the Freedom class ships. I'm sorry that you had so many items that you simply didn't enjoy as much as you expected to but it sounds like overall you enjoyed the cruise.

 

We are ones who love the Promenade area; we know it can get crowded and usually spend our time there when it's less so. We also use so many of those "Wow" attractions like the rock wall, ice skating rink and flowrider so we get the most out of this class of ship.

 

We were on Freedom in August and until their upcoming dry dock, they still have Portofino's. We ate in Chops this last trip, after some years away, and thoroughly enjoyed it. I agree it's definitely not what it used to be, but with a BOGO Diamond + coupon for my mom and older son, and the $8 charge for my 12 yo, it was a good value for us and we enjoyed it. Next trip, younger son will be 13 and age out of the reduced cost, so we'll have to think long and hard before we do specialty again.

 

I've heard so many good reports about this company for cave tubing in Belize that if we ever get there, we'll definitely give them a try.

 

Thanks for writing.

[ronandannette]

Under Public Spaces you mention that "Many of the nicer spots we found were tucked out of the way and sadly under-utilized." Can you give a couple of examples? Thanks!

 

As many have said before me, the Viking Crown would be the best example. It's simply lovely up there but there's really no reason to go up there for most people. There are also nice little spaces (visible from the elevators) on Decks 6 (business services), 7 (library) and 8 (internet center) that were virtually deserted at all times. Very few people must have know about access to the helipad as well because we never encountered another living soul out there. The Connoisseur Club (for cigar smoking) rarely had anyone in it and although loathsome to non-smokers, it is actually a very nicely themed space with it's own bar.

[ronandannette]

Our first cruise with our kids was on Liberty and that started my boys' love affair with the Freedom class ships. I'm sorry that you had so many items that you simply didn't enjoy as much as you expected to but it sounds like overall you enjoyed the cruise.

 

We are ones who love the Promenade area; we know it can get crowded and usually spend our time there when it's less so. We also use so many of those "Wow" attractions like the rock wall, ice skating rink and flowrider so we get the most out of this class of ship.

 

We were on Freedom in August and until their upcoming dry dock, they still have Portofino's. We ate in Chops this last trip, after some years away, and thoroughly enjoyed it. I agree it's definitely not what it used to be, but with a BOGO Diamond + coupon for my mom and older son, and the $8 charge for my 12 yo, it was a good value for us and we enjoyed it. Next trip, younger son will be 13 and age out of the reduced cost, so we'll have to think long and hard before we do specialty again.

 

I've heard so many good reports about this company for cave tubing in Belize that if we ever get there, we'll definitely give them a try.

 

Thanks for writing.

 

No need to be sorry - we certainly did have a wonderful time. We're pretty "go with the flow" people and don't expect to have everything to our liking at all times. I struggled a little with how to give honest opinions without sounding too critical. We'd definitely recommend LOS to specific cruisers with specific needs - it's got a lot to offer. Please do check out cavetubing.bz - it's a family run business and they took wonderful care of us.

[FortWayneCruiser]

As many have said before me, the Viking Crown would be the best example. It's simply lovely up there but there's really no reason to go up there for most people. There are also nice little spaces (visible from the elevators) on Decks 6 (business services), 7 (library) and 8 (internet center) that were virtually deserted at all times. Very few people must have know about access to the helipad as well because we never encountered another living soul out there. The Connoisseur Club (for cigar smoking) rarely had anyone in it and although loathsome to non-smokers, it is actually a very nicely themed space with it's own bar.

 

Thanks for the info!

[ronandannette]

oops - double post.

Edited November 14, 2014 by ronandannette

[Bobal]

This is a really good review - we were on the same cruise and agree with much of what you say. Entertainment was top notch and particularly for only 5 days. We had sailed on the Transatlantic prior to this cruise so didn't go to see the ice show or the aerial show or Saturday Night Fever again but to have had 2 excellent comedians and the singer/impersonator together with those 3 options on a 5 day cruise would have been fantastic.

 

The Windjammer was bad, the worst we've ever had, the lunchtime choices were poor, I don't eat eggs but my DH loves them at breakfast and never get close to having any as the one line for eggs was always so long. Real evidence of cost-cutting here too, with the same salads and menu items repeated over and over. This ship really needs a Park Cafe as an alternative for breakfast and lunch.

 

Others have already commented on other threads about the MDR being good - we found it average on this ship compared to our recent RC sailings. Very hit and miss.

 

We had a wonderful experience at Chops on our first cruise but poor on this 5 day. Very very slow service and when my tuna arrived it was cold in the middle. They brought another but I was past eating by then. To be fair they did comp the meal, without us asking. Portofino was fantastic and I don't understand why they are replacing it with Giovannis which is just OK in our opinion.

 

I would say that there were always many empty loungers on the deck above the pool deck so could never understand why everyone feels the need to be all crammed in together.

 

This was a VERY different cruise to the TA - much more of a party crowd and the bars were busy busy busy - which is why the bar staff are happy to be back in the Caribbean. :D

 

Very well observed review :)

[ronandannette]

This is a really good review - we were on the same cruise and agree with much of what you say. Entertainment was top notch and particularly for only 5 days. We had sailed on the Transatlantic prior to this cruise so didn't go to see the ice show or the aerial show or Saturday Night Fever again but to have had 2 excellent comedians and the singer/impersonator together with those 3 options on a 5 day cruise would have been fantastic.

 

The Windjammer was bad, the worst we've ever had, the lunchtime choices were poor, I don't eat eggs but my DH loves them at breakfast and never get close to having any as the one line for eggs was always so long. Real evidence of cost-cutting here too, with the same salads and menu items repeated over and over. This ship really needs a Park Cafe as an alternative for breakfast and lunch.

 

Others have already commented on other threads about the MDR being good - we found it average on this ship compared to our recent RC sailings. Very hit and miss.

 

We had a wonderful experience at Chops on our first cruise but poor on this 5 day. Very very slow service and when my tuna arrived it was cold in the middle. They brought another but I was past eating by then. To be fair they did comp the meal, without us asking. Portofino was fantastic and I don't understand why they are replacing it with Giovannis which is just OK in our opinion.

 

I would say that there were always many empty loungers on the deck above the pool deck so could never understand why everyone feels the need to be all crammed in together.

 

This was a VERY different cruise to the TA - much more of a party crowd and the bars were busy busy busy - which is why the bar staff are happy to be back in the Caribbean. :D

 

Very well observed review :)

 

Small world...pretty sure we were seated next to you at dinner on Tuesday night! :D Weren't you the couple chatting up the servers? Sorry, we couldn't help but overhear...thank you for your comments.

[Bobal]

Small world...pretty sure we were seated next to you at dinner on Tuesday night! :D Weren't you the couple chatting up the servers? Sorry, we couldn't help but overhear...thank you for your comments.

 

Hahaha that's probably us - it was our first time back in the restaurant after the B2B and they all came over to see us. I have to say the MDR service was really good - different waiter and assistant on each cruise but all excellent.

[pasodancer]

Thank you so much for taking the time to share.............enjoyed every word you wrote.

[ronandannette]

Thank you so much for taking the time to share.............enjoyed every word you wrote.

 

Thanks for saying so - I'm :( that I couldn't get my pictures to work. I've done it before but just couldn't seem to get it right this time. I guess I really need to cruise (for review purposes only of course ;)) more often to keep these skills current!

[msweezie]

Thanks for the review. My boyfriend and I said on December 1st on LOS. This is going to be my biggest ship, and I was looking forward to it. This is his first cruise! I have been on Enchantment and Majesty of the Seas. I also sailed on Carnival's Victory. We are "people" people and won't mind the crowd at the pool. Just not fond of chair hogs:mad:

[TravelinfromMaine]

We are going on same cruise Nov 22 with same ports and number of days and have also book same port excursions! Thank you for your thorough review. Since we are sailing about the same time frame, what do you suggest for clothing this time of the year to pack? You mentioned it was cooler than most expected and would like to be pack as little as possible. Thanks again!!

[05mak05]

" First let me say that I believe in general the cruise product is changing so quickly that it is almost impossible to directly compare this trip to previous ones." ... That hit home, and you are so right. Your review is excellent.

[ronandannette]

We are going on same cruise Nov 22 with same ports and number of days and have also book same port excursions! Thank you for your thorough review. Since we are sailing about the same time frame, what do you suggest for clothing this time of the year to pack? You mentioned it was cooler than most expected and would like to be pack as little as possible. Thanks again!!

 

Well, considering we are from northern Canada and already in "hard winter", you may be asking the wrong person - LOL. Our port days were both about 80F, sunny but not blazing sun like during a Caribbean summer (the humidity was also blessedly low - we find high humidity hard to take). We wore shorts and t-shirts (bathing suits underneath) in Belize. (Word to the wise: Use bug spray in Belize. I got bitten something fierce!) The river water was not warm - not unbearable, but cool initially. Unless you have a wetsuit, there's not much you can do about that. In Cozumel we found the ocean to be a bit bracing, again not unbearable but enough to take your breath the first time you went in chest deep. We got used to it quickly though and spent an hour or so playing in the surf.

 

Sea days were sunny but breezy, we were lucky not to have any rain at all. Again we wore light summer clothes around the ship but if you're a bit more "delicate" I'd suggest maybe capris and/or jeans and a hoodie for the evening. We didn't go in either of the pools but did spend lots of time in the hot tubs - they were nice and warm and the ones in the Solarium are out of the direct sun. This is the first cruise I've taken that I didn't come home with a sunburn. Have a great trip!

[luvmykidsluv2cruise]

I was on this cruise as well and was not entirely happy with a lot of things either. This is my 3rd time on Liberty and was my least favourite. We cruise this class of ship because my husband is a flowrider addict. We were really disappointed in how little time they allocated for stand up surfing. We stayed on the ship in Belize because he wanted to surf and there was only 1 hour and 15 minutes allotted that day. I agree the tender process is brutal for Belize. First you had to wait in line for tender ticket and then had to wait for your allotted time. Half the day is gone by the time most got off.

The demographic on this cruise was certainly different than any Royal cruise I have been on. I assume because its only 5 days there are younger people trying it plus a lot of kids. Generally the theatre shows are packed which was not the case with this crowd. And your right that the pool deck was hopping.

Some positives were that the hot tubs were the perfect temperature and some of the activities took place a bit earlier than normal. Sometimes the clubs and games don't start till 11pm.

Some negatives are that there was no Quest and no love and marriage show. There is no longer shrimp on the salad bar in the dining room and the windjammer food was pretty crummy. Sounds petty but these are some of the reasons I cruise Royal and convince friends to come with us.

 

Anyways those are just a few of my thoughts on this cruise. Maybe try a 7 day next time and you might find things to be completely different.

 

Triena

[Griswolds]

We are on LOS December 15 and I was really looking forward to Quest. Does anyone know if they usually do it on the 5 night and maybe they just didnt on the most recent "change over" sailing?

[Freedom2014]

Did they add the freestyle machines yet?

[Friend100]

Thanks for the review.

 

We were on the same cruise. MDR lunch and our hump JS were the highlight for us. We also spent lots of time inside the promenade and also used the gym and sauna a lot.

[AeroBaldness]

We are on LOS December 15 and I was really looking forward to Quest. Does anyone know if they usually do it on the 5 night and maybe they just didnt on the most recent "change over" sailing?

 

Agreed, we are on the same 12/15 sailing and I will be very disappointed if there is no Quest. That space is so perfect for The Quest, having done one on Freedom.

[canuckcruiselover]

ITINERARY: 4/5 We LOVED the pace of this cruise and the port stops. 2 sea days and visits to Belize City and Cozumel was an excellent balance. We have been to Cozumel before and spent our day renting a jeep and driving to the east coast for lunch with a stop at Mr. Sancho's for beach time in the afternoon. In Belize we went cave tubing privately through cavetubing.bz and can't say enough about how wonderful this company was. (I've done a more extensive review on tripadvisor if anyone is interested.) MAJOR WARNING - if you book independent excursions in Belize be aware that you may not get to shore before noon. LOS tenders at this port, which is INSANE for a ship this size. Ship tours go first and it literally takes hours to move everyone.

 

We'll be on LOS on the December 6 sailing. We've been to Cozumel several times and while I love walking around the town and shopping, the jeep ride sounds like fun. We rented a jeep in Playa Del Carmen one time (land vacation) and drove to Tulum. Wondering, whether you rented the jeep ahead of time or just went to a place close to the port? Is there much to see on the east coast?

[ronandannette]

 

We'll be on LOS on the December 6 sailing. We've been to Cozumel several times and while I love walking around the town and shopping, the jeep ride sounds like fun. We rented a jeep in Playa Del Carmen one time (land vacation) and drove to Tulum. Wondering, whether you rented the jeep ahead of time or just went to a place close to the port? Is there much to see on the east coast?

 

You will find the rental car agencies inside the port shopping complex. You don't need a reservation but try to get there early for the best selection of vehicles. There is only one road that runs around Cozumel; it's only about 40 km or so around the entire peninsula and an easy drive. As you head south along the west coast that's where you'll find all the beach clubs and dolphin discovery. Keep going and you come up the the east coast, which is quite undeveloped. There are a few small palapa bars/restaurants and miles of pristine beaches. If you continue on up the coast you'll come to the San Gervasio ruins if you're into that. The road carries on in a loop that ends up back on the main street by the port. Have a good trip!