Calica, Mexico

[momrek06]

HELLO ALL: DH & I are cruising on the FASCINATION 01/30/2006(WC) out of Miami. I just now got word that we are being re-routed to CALICA, MEXICO. Cozumel was hit bad by Hurricane Wilma so they are not stopping in Cozumel. As far as I read the BULLETIN from Carnival they will not be going to Cozumel on any cruises through April 2006. ANYWAY, I would like to know if any of you out there has been to Calica before and what can we expect. Carnival has informed us that we may cancel without any penalties and book later it Cozumel is what we really want....should I cancel or continue on to Calica??? momrek06:confused:

[Cotton]

Calica is where the ships port for Playa del Carmen. Calica itself is nothing but a working rock quarry. There are a few tent vendors there and a huge line of cabs and busses to take passengers elsewhere.

 

Playa del Carmen is about a 10 min cab ride - $10 bucks total per cab, not per person. Hang on - a wild and dusty ride!:D PdC is a nice little town/village with a small beach, lots of restaurants on Avenue 5, and tons of shopping.

 

You can also take a tour to one of the Mayan ruins, have to check that out, I don't remember which.

 

So sorry y'all will be missing Cozumel, but maybe you can go there another time. I LOVE Coz.

[hilltopfamily]

They mayan ruins that are not too far would be the ruins at Tulum. We docked at Calica in March of '04 and rented a car, then drove ourselves to Tulum. Fabulous ruins set right by the sea, actually up on cliffs overlooking the sea and very, very picturesque. Highly recommend this! You can book a ships tour for this I believe, but depending on how many are going, you may save $$ by doing the rental car. I'm pretty sure we paid $50-60 for it and we had 5 going, so doing it this way saved us bunches of $$. You can do a search or look back a bit on the Playa del Carmen/Calica port of call board and get lots of info on this, if you're interested. I believe some people have even taken the public bus to/from those ruins and saved a ton of money. That would be a bit too adventurous for me, but others have posted that it worked out great for them. Best luck to you....I hear just going to Playa del Carmen itself is quite nice.

[Bonnie J.]

Years ago on Commodore's Carib, we docked at end of pier right on the beach in Playa Del Carmen. This may be where ferry from Cozumel docks now. Had fantastic ship's picnic on beach, all food barbequed there, beautiful swim in clear water. Then took cab to Xhal - not spelling it right, pronounced shell'ha- a hair raising cab ride there. But this is a fantastic park for snorkling or just watching all the fish swimming by, under little bridges, etc. Don't pay cabbie until you're back at ship! Other passengers lucked out. They snorkle and found a cab driver who also snorkled, his gear in his trunk. He took them to his spots, snorkled with them, no one else there and fantastic snorkling. Hope to be able to do that some day!