Palancar Beach charging noe or scam?

[jmsnyc]

2 drivers both said they started charging recently, looks like 20 a person entrance

 

Is this true or is driver taking us to beach club, not free Beach?

Edited December 20, 2023 by jmsnyc

[crewsweeper]

Playa Palancar does charge $20 entrance fee. I don't recall any access to any free beach. The road off the main highway only goes to Playa..  There is a small turnoff Just south of Iberostar that leads to some condos.  and empty beach to the south, But there'd be no facilities.

[c-leg5]

42 minutes ago, crewsweeper said:

Playa Palancar does charge $20 entrance fee. I don't recall any access to any free beach. The road off the main highway only goes to Playa..  There is a small turnoff Just south of Iberostar that leads to some condos.  and empty beach to the south, But there'd be no facilities.

I have never paid an entrance to Palancar. They charge for loungers but we have never stayed long and just use a table for free with consumption. 

 

I don’t know if this has changed as we haven’t been in quite a while because quiet restful days there became a thing of the past. Good for them - not so good for us.
 

They have seriously revamped there website they maybe just falling into the trend of price increases but I see they have added fancy beds and their website states an entrance fee (so doesn’t sound like a scam). I don’t know if you can still eat and drink without paying that though.

 

Beach Club Entrance Fee

 

Access to Playa Palancar Beach Club costs $20 USD, (payment includes access to beach chairs, showers, bathrooms and changing room. We are waiting for you in the true natural paradise. Order the delicious dishes and cold drinks from our restaurant and bar. We also have  services with extra cost:  Bali beds, massages, towel rental, lockers, photography service, snorkeling tours and more.

Open every day from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

 

There was a VIP  section that opened for a while that did seem like a scam or certainly not good reviews but haven’t heard anything about it in a few years.

 

[blue_water]

We were so saddened on return to Playa Palancar 20 years later…came over from the Peninsula on a small cruise ship port day and the beach was now lined with many more palapas, all being used…That was once the last real choice…

[c-leg5]

41 minutes ago, blue_water said:

We were so saddened on return to Playa Palancar 20 years later…came over from the Peninsula on a small cruise ship port day and the beach was now lined with many more palapas, all being used…That was once the last real choice…

We used to enjoy too but last time was so busy and food wasn’t that great. It’s been a few years now.

 

I guess OP, @jmsnyc has been (or not) now hopefully they will report back.

[Loucat]

It-is-disappointing-to-constantly-read-replies-from-the-same-posters-on-several-of-these-threads!

No-current-information-is-provided,along-with-reporting-on-older-experiences.

I-do-do-reply-on-these-boards-that-are-constantly-covered-by-the-same-cc-posters.

Hoping-with-all-the-volume-of-cruisers-through-these-ports-we-can-benefit-from-more-recent/current-information. These-are-exciting-ports!!

Let's-hear-from-CC-recent-western-Caribbean-cruisers!

[bguppies]

On 12/29/2023 at 10:06 PM, Loucat said:

It-is-disappointing-to-constantly-read-replies-from-the-same-posters-on-several-of-these-threads!

No-current-information-is-provided,along-with-reporting-on-older-experiences.

I-do-do-reply-on-these-boards-that-are-constantly-covered-by-the-same-cc-posters.

Hoping-with-all-the-volume-of-cruisers-through-these-ports-we-can-benefit-from-more-recent/current-information. These-are-exciting-ports!!

Let's-hear-from-CC-recent-western-Caribbean-cruisers!

Unfortunately, I think alot of the posters have moved on to other social sites for info swapping. (I prefer the set up in here, but there is a thousand times the engagement elsewhere)

I posted over on the Grand Cayman board to get some up to date info since we haven't been there in almost a decade, and crickets over there. 

At least a few people try to help people with whatever limited info they have.

[c-leg5]

On 12/29/2023 at 9:06 PM, Loucat said:

It-is-disappointing-to-constantly-read-replies-from-the-same-posters-on-several-of-these-threads!

No-current-information-is-provided,along-with-reporting-on-older-experiences.

I-do-do-reply-on-these-boards-that-are-constantly-covered-by-the-same-cc-posters.

Hoping-with-all-the-volume-of-cruisers-through-these-ports-we-can-benefit-from-more-recent/current-information. These-are-exciting-ports!!

Let's-hear-from-CC-recent-western-Caribbean-cruisers!

 

Interesting post format! 

 

I am sorry you find the information posted to be disappointing. I think most posters are only trying to help as @bguppies said.

 

The OP  asked about admission to Palancar. My above post was a quote directly from Palancar Beach Club’s current website (which is considerably updated from years gone by, incidentally) and answers their question specifically. It didn’t really need a recent visitor to answer. I presumed the poster was in port at the time and unaware of the website otherwise they would have seen the information for themselves. I consider the answer was relevant to the question asked and hopefully was useful either to the OP, or a subsequent visitor considering this location.

 

I agree it would have been nice if @jmsnyc  had reported back on their recent experience having asked the question. I am not sure if they were confused about where they were actually trying to go?

 

I also agree that there are a lot of the same questions that are asked repeatedly on these frequently visited ports the answer to which could easily be found by 5 minutes effort browsing the forum or using the search engine, hence the repetitive answers from the same regular posters.

 

If you are looking for recent reviews of specific locations I generally find reviews on TA are usually more up to date. However, as with all things on the internet you will need to determine if they are legitimate. In addition, the local Cozumel forum on TA is very “anti-cruisers”and often contains misleading and erroneous information, in my experience.

 

Unfortunately CC is not the popular resource that it once was. Many new and regular old cruisers share information elsewhere. Do you have a particular location that you are interested in?

[Loucat]

DH-and-I-have-been-to-the-Western-Caribbean-ports-more-than-18-times-since-2004-(first-cruise)-so-I-have-no-interest-in-a-particular-location.

To-clarify-I-am-not "disappointed"-in-the-content-of-posts.

My-point-was-to-encourage-more-than-a-few-to-post.

When-you-consider-the-volume-of-those-sailing-to-W.Caribbean-how-can-others-be-enouraged-to-post? Why-d-others-not post?

When-I-read-these-boards-despite-many-trips-to-the-area-I-see-replies-from-a-few-and-I-am-not-posting.

I-do-not-see-this-on-other-ports-to-the-degree-it-is-seen-here.

Just-my-opinion!

[jmsnyc]

1 hour ago, c-leg5 said:

 

Interesting post format! 

 

I am sorry you find the information posted to be disappointing. I think most posters are only trying to help as @bguppies said.

 

The OP  asked about admission to Palancar. My above post was a quote directly from Palancar Beach Club’s current website (which is considerably updated from years gone by, incidentally) and answers their question specifically. It didn’t really need a recent visitor to answer. I presumed the poster was in port at the time and unaware of the website otherwise they would have seen the information for themselves. I consider the answer was relevant to the question asked and hopefully was useful either to the OP, or a subsequent visitor considering this location.

 

I agree it would have been nice if @jmsnyc  had reported back on their recent experience having asked the question. I am not sure if they were confused about where they were actually trying to go?

 

I also agree that there are a lot of the same questions that are asked repeatedly on these frequently visited ports the answer to which could easily be found by 5 minutes effort browsing the forum or using the search engine, hence the repetitive answers from the same regular posters.

 

If you are looking for recent reviews of specific locations I generally find reviews on TA are usually more up to date. However, as with all things on the internet you will need to determine if they are legitimate. In addition, the local Cozumel forum on TA is very “anti-cruisers”and often contains misleading and erroneous information, in my experience.

 

Unfortunately CC is not the popular resource that it once was. Many new and regular old cruisers share information elsewhere. Do you have a particular location that you are interested in?

Multiple cab drivers instead there was only one Palancar were they took us to a mediocre beach in a private club with $20 free. There was a $45 fee that included 2 drinks and a meal.  The food was mediocre.  There were raccoons all over going on the dirty tables wave begging the waiters for food.  I would not recommend it 

[c-leg5]

2 hours ago, Loucat said:

DH-and-I-have-been-to-the-Western-Caribbean-ports-more-than-18-times-since-2004-(first-cruise)-so-I-have-no-interest-in-a-particular-location.

To-clarify-I-am-not "disappointed"-in-the-content-of-posts.

My-point-was-to-encourage-more-than-a-few-to-post.

When-you-consider-the-volume-of-those-sailing-to-W.Caribbean-how-can-others-be-enouraged-to-post? Why-d-others-not post?

When-I-read-these-boards-despite-many-trips-to-the-area-I-see-replies-from-a-few-and-I-am-not-posting.

I-do-not-see-this-on-other-ports-to-the-degree-it-is-seen-here.

Just-my-opinion!

Thanks seems like we may have misunderstood your post. 
 

I think it remains as stated that many regular posters have moved on. CC is no longer the source of information that it once was for you, @bguppies and myself. It looks like we all started on CC around the same time and certainly it was a valuable source of information at that time.

[Loucat]

So-what-are-the-newer-information-sources?Facebook?

 

[c-leg5]

1 hour ago, jmsnyc said:

Multiple cab drivers instead there was only one Palancar were they took us to a mediocre beach in a private club with $20 free. There was a $45 fee that included 2 drinks and a meal.  The food was mediocre.  There were raccoons all over going on the dirty tables wave begging the waiters for food.  I would not recommend it 

I am sorry you were disappointed. It doesn’t sound like Palancar Beach Club that I went to several years ago and  I do understand things change. 
 

Here is the website 

https://playapalancar.com.mx/language/en/servicios-ingles/

 

I don’t see anything about packages. As I said above there was a secondary beach club, Maya Palancar VIP, for a while that didn’t get good reviews,  but I thought it had closed.

[jmsnyc]

29 minutes ago, c-leg5 said:

I am sorry you were disappointed. It doesn’t sound like Palancar Beach Club that I went to several years ago and  I do understand things change. 
 

Here is the website 

https://playapalancar.com.mx/language/en/servicios-ingles/

 

I don’t see anything about packages. As I said above there was a secondary beach club, Maya Palancar VIP, for a while that didn’t get good reviews,  but I thought it had closed.

That could have been it. They even have a pic of one of the raccoons .It was also $36 taxi from Langosta cruise port for 1 to 4 people. It was not free to enter though the price did include chair and umbrella 

Edited January 6 by jmsnyc

[lifes-a-beach]

On 1/5/2024 at 6:31 PM, Loucat said:

DH-and-I-have-been-to-the-Western-Caribbean-ports-more-than-18-times-since-2004-(first-cruise)-so-I-have-no-interest-in-a-particular-location.

To-clarify-I-am-not "disappointed"-in-the-content-of-posts.

My-point-was-to-encourage-more-than-a-few-to-post.

When-you-consider-the-volume-of-those-sailing-to-W.Caribbean-how-can-others-be-enouraged-to-post? Why-d-others-not post?

When-I-read-these-boards-despite-many-trips-to-the-area-I-see-replies-from-a-few-and-I-am-not-posting.

I-do-not-see-this-on-other-ports-to-the-degree-it-is-seen-here.

Just-my-opinion!

I’m curious why you type like that.  With a dash between every word.  

[Loucat]

4 hours ago, lifes-a-beach said:

I’m curious why you type like that.  With a dash between every word.  

My-space-bar-needs-repair.