Need Some Excursion Help :)

[4olivers]

We will be in Cozumel for 9 hours in April while on the Carnival Magic. We are a family of 4, ages 13, 16, 43, 44 - love the beach and snorkeling and are looking into excursions here. This is what we know we want in Cozumel...some shopping, eat great local food/drinks - we'd also like to relax on the beach and maybe get in some snorkeling here.

 

Since we will be also in Belize, Roatan and Costa Maya - we are trying to decide which port (s) we will do an actual excursion for snorkeling and we know at least one of those will be Belize or Roatan.

 

We have read about the Money Bar? free snorkeling??

 

There are 5 excursions through Carnival we are looking at:

Adventure Jeep and Snorkel at Punta Sur (5 hours)

VIP Luxury Champagne and Catamaran Sail and Snorkel (4 hours)

Deluxe Beach, Catamaran and Snorkel (4 hours)

Beach Buggy and Snorkel (4 hours)

Three Reef Snorkel by Boat (3.5 hours)

 

We have also read about Mr. Sancho's all inclusive day pass.

 

Those who have done Cozumel in a day, taking into consideration our main interests, what is your suggestion? Should we save a snorkel excursion for another stop and do the "free snorkeling" where offered? HELP!

[JohninDC]

I would save the excursion for another port - Cozumel is easy to do on your own. Money bar offers good snorkeling form the shore and no admission fee (it is polite to purchase some food/drinks) plus great facilities and the cab fare is only about $11 from the piers.

 

MB does not have a sandy beach - you enter the water via steps. if you want a sandy beach, but no good snorkeling, try Paradise Beach - $3 admission/chair rental, nice beach, great facilities, HUGE pool, plus water toys to tire your teens out. Taxi will be about $17 from the piers.

 

You could even stop at MB and snorkel for an hour or two, then head to PB for a few hours of beach time, then head downtown for shopping and food/drinks before returning to your ship (sounds like a full day! ;) ).

 

Good luck!

[jas283a]

Mr. Sanchos was great, can go all inclusive or do a la carte if you don't plan on eating or drinking a lot. Have a shopping area as well. $17 taxi each way (for 4). Also heard great things about Paraside Beach (right next door same taxi price). I would also agree on doing excursions in another port. We did monkeys/sloths/island tour with Victor Bodden on Roatan, amazing! And Mayan ruins through Native Choice in Costa Maya was fantastic!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Sky616]

Mr. Sanchos was great, can go all inclusive or do a la carte if you don't plan on eating or drinking a lot. Have a shopping area as well. $17 taxi each way (for 4). Also heard great things about Paraside Beach (right next door same taxi price). I would also agree on doing excursions in another port. We did monkeys/sloths/island tour with Victor Bodden on Roatan, amazing! And Mayan ruins through Native Choice in Costa Maya was fantastic!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Wow sounds like what we're doing next year in April. We are going to Mr.Sanchos and doing the same Bodden tour in Roatan and doing a Native Choice ruin tour in Costa Maya. We haven't decided which one yet. Which one did you do? We are thinking of doing the one you can climb up but that one is so far away, about a two hour drive each way from the pier.

[jas283a]

Wow sounds like what we're doing next year in April. We are going to Mr.Sanchos and doing the same Bodden tour in Roatan and doing a Native Choice ruin tour in Costa Maya. We haven't decided which one yet. Which one did you do? We are thinking of doing the one you can climb up but that one is so far away, about a two hour drive each way from the pier.

 

 

 

We did the closer one because we had a 7 year old with us and that extra drive sounded like too much for her. Honestly what we saw was pretty neat and it's also nice to get back to port with time to look around and shop (port area was decent, I would say). But if it was just my wife and I, I might have done the farther away one. You so get to climb around quite a bit, just not to the top of the big temples. They're pretty good so I wouldn't worry about getting back on time. I think it mostly depends on what else you may or may not want to do.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Sky616]

We did the closer one because we had a 7 year old with us and that extra drive sounded like too much for her. Honestly what we saw was pretty neat and it's also nice to get back to port with time to look around and shop (port area was decent, I would say). But if it was just my wife and I, I might have done the farther away one. You so get to climb around quite a bit, just not to the top of the big temples. They're pretty good so I wouldn't worry about getting back on time. I think it mostly depends on what else you may or may not want to do.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Thanks so much for your quick response. Yes we will have a 9 year old and he hates to be in a car that long or bus probably in this case. He drives us nuts driving to his grandparents and that is an hour away. It would be nice to see but we may do the shorter excursion.

[grantbob]

Last year in Cozumel we did a Catamaran 2 Reef snorkel tour through Shore Excursioneer that was a lot of fun. The whole experience with the boat ride, snacks and drinks, and snorkeling was definitely worth it.

 

That said, a couple of days later in Roatan we booked a tour through Bodden and after seeing some of the Island we spent the bulk of the day at Paradise Beach club (West Bay-Tabyana area). It was by far the best shore snorkeling I've ever experienced as far as variety of wildlife and things to see. It would be my top choice for snorkeling.

 

Twice previously in Cozumel we really enjoyed our time at Playa Uvas. $12/person get you admission, one drink (soda or alcohol) and one hour snorkel tour. They have a larger sandy area than Money Bar but less reef than Money Bar. It's very laid back - has a pool and lots of loungers, hammocks and beach chairs with umbrellas. The food in the restaurant is tasty too. It's a good inexpensive option.

[gamecockinnc]

We will be in Cozumel on Christmas Day. I had thought we would take a taxi to Chakanab until I realized it was Christmas day. I am trying to find out if they are open.

The last few times we have been in Cozumel we have done the the Fury Catamaran excursion. There are five of us. My husband, myself, our 19 year son, 16 year son and our youngest son turns 7 in December.

I noticed the Fury catamaran doesn't allow snorkeling for kids under 8!

That blows my mind as our sons have been snorkeling since they could swim.

We could still take the excursion and see how it goes and the inflatable toys are always a big hit. But for $400 for the 5 of us I am sure I can find something else. IF Paradise Beach is open on Christmas or another do it on our own beach type of excursion.

 

Any suggestions and advice would be greatly appreciated!!!

Thank you!

TA

PS: we are also looking for Costa Maya suggestions.

[JohninDC]

Check with Eagle Ray - we used them for snorkeling a couple of years ago and were happy. I would also investigate the other popular beach clubs (Nachi Cocom, Paradise Beach, Playa Mia, etc.) but Christmas day could be very quiet.