Chichen Itza excursion

[High-n-LowTide]

Sailing on the Celebrity Beyond June 2025 and considering a Celebrity excursion to Chichen Itza.  We are at port 9 hours and the excursion takes the entire time (6 hours of which is travel).  My husband is a history teacher and really wants to do it.  Has anyone done this excursion from Cozumel?  He says it could be a once in a lifetime opportunity, but I don’t want him to be disappointed.  I can’t find reviews on this experience and would appreciate any input.  Thanks in advance!

[crewsweeper]

From Coz, doing it via ship sponsored excursion is way to go.  Yes those ruins are very nice and well preserved. But that's just too long of a day.

[High-n-LowTide]

5 hours ago, crewsweeper said:

From Coz, doing it via ship sponsored excursion is way to go.  Yes those ruins are very nice and well preserved. But that's just too long of a day.

This is what I’m worried about.  It’s the second of 4 port days and I don’t want to be burned out.  Does anyone know what port of call would be closest for a shorter travel time?  This is only our second cruise, so we are still figuring things out.  Thank you.

[c-leg5]

6 hours ago, High-n-LowTide said:

This is what I’m worried about.  It’s the second of 4 port days and I don’t want to be burned out.  Does anyone know what port of call would be closest for a shorter travel time?  This is only our second cruise, so we are still figuring things out.  Thank you.

Progreso.

 

Or you can take a private charter flight from Cozumel, if they have restarted, for quicker transport and more time at the ruins. 
 

personally it is another excursion I would save for a mainland vacation. Most of the mainland excursions do not offer good value with regards “time at the location” when visited from a cruise ship docking in Cozumel.

 

Depending on your itinerary there are other “worthwhile” ruins to visit from other ports although obviously they don’t have the same status as Chichén Itzá.

[aborgman]

Even if flying from Cozumel to Chichen Itza - it's a LONG excursion, and not one I would be inclined to do on a day stop on the island.

[serene56]

the only way I would do this excursion is through a cruise line.   You spend quite a bit of time on transportation-   bus to ferry     45 min ferry ride to Playa-    2 hour bus ride to Chitzen itches.  You spend more time on the transportation then you do at the ruins itself.     So factor that into his decision    

 

[Arzeena]

On one of our sailings the cruise line flew the excursion group in a small plane. We thought we would never see that group again, but we did and they said it was great but a very very short excursion.
 

[Cruise-a-Hallic]

Yes, it is a very long day!  Have not done as a cruise excursion, but as a private tour when staying in Cancun.  It’s about 3 hours inland.  We had booked a private car and tour guide through our resort.  Chichen Itza is an amazing place and definitely worth a visit, especially during the winter solistice.  I don’t know about on a tour bus packed with 50 other people and limited time actually there.  It’s a lot to see, spread over a massive area.  Oh, and HOT!  I mean 15-20+ degrees F hotter than the coastal area. It was 117 degree F when we were there in June few years ago.  Maybe best to save for a vacation while staying in Cancun/Riviera Maya area, when time is not an issue.