Excursions with a three year old??

[1116lexi]

My husband, son and I will be cruising the Ecstacy in October (our very first cruise!) and I am having a hard time figuring what excursions to pick, it seems we are pretty limited because of my sons age. Our ports will be Cozumel and Progreso. Any suggestions for us would be great!!

[Pudgesmom]

IMHO, the best excursion for a child this age is a beach day. He will not be interested in spending extended time on a bus, will neither appreciate nor understand the ruins, is not interested in shopping, and as you said, is too young for snorkeling, zip lines, scuba, etc.

 

On the other hand, 3 year olds love the beach! Make sure to take a few water and sand toys and lots of sunscreen and have fun.

 

If I were you, I would save my excursion money until my child was older, or I was traveling without him.

 

Beth

[I&MsMom]

Hi! We've been in Cozumel twice recently, once when DD was 2 and again when she was 3. The first time, we just went to Paradise Beach. The second, I took the kids on the Atlantis sub (arranged for before we left, not through the ship) and afterwards we went to Paradise Beach. The sub was great for DS (7 at the time), and DD enjoyed it as it was happening. In retrospect, I think it was a bit pricey considering her age, and I wouldn't do it again.

 

On the other hand, as a previous poster said, you can't go wrong with the beach, and IMHO Paradise Beach is a really great choice for small children.

 

In Progreso, we went to the ruins. They were small enough that she didn't get bored, although she sometimes wondered away (and I with her), so I didn't hear all the guide said. We did this on our own also. After, our taxi driver took us to a restaurant on the beach with a wood playset in the sand 10' from our table. We enjoyed a leisurely lunch while the kids played after their own lunch. We really liked Progreso. Got some terrific straw hats for the kids!

 

I'd be happy to answer any specific questions you have. Whatever you decide, enjoy your cruise!

[Nebr.cruiser]

I agree, with a three-year-old the beach is the best option. I would stay away from sightseeing tours or any tour involving a lot of physical activity, such as snorkeling, hiking etc. We went to Paradise Beach with 4 young kids and they had a great time. Maybe shopping would be ok for a short time if you have a stroller. Spending much time on a bus or van is probably not a good idea.