Question about Dzibilchaltun Ruins

[EastTexans2]

I've read the "search" info, but am hoping that someone can fill in the blanks. The cruise excursion is 4 hours and I'm wondering if this includes a "guide" or are you on your own when you get to the ruin? Also, does the excursion take you from the ship to the ruins and bring you back to the ship?

[drk]

We did an excursion like this on a Celebrity ship several years ago so I'll try to answer your questions. The tour did include round trip transportation. We had a nice air conditioned bus and a talkative guide while on the bus. We just walked around the ruins on our own but I think that you could have stayed with the guide. We enjoyed the trip and thought it was worthwhile.

[DeckTime]

We did this excursion through Carnival in November 2005. It picks you up at the pier with a guide. Its only about a 20 minute bus ride and your guide takes you through the ruins and then you are on your own for about 30 minutes to an hour before the bus returns you to the pier.

 

Its a nice alternative to the 2 hour bus ride to the more popular ruins. It's smaller, but less crowded. We enjoyed it.

[Mrsg324]

We took a cab to Dzibilchatun It was quite a bit less than what the ship provided & we were on our own. I was glad because it was extremely hot & I am glad I didn't have to wait for a group when we were ready to go. Our driver waited at the ruins for us.

 

It was about 50 or 60.00 for 4 of us, a 20-30 minute cab ride if I remember correctly. I think it was around 12-13 for an entry fee to the ruins & we paid a guide 5 each to tell us about the ruins when we got there.

[Wennfred]

Ruin Excursions usually include a guide. I remember we had one back in 1985 and we paid $88.00 pp for it, I kept wondering to my self, whats the big deal, we got ruins back in Brooklyn and I see them for free. lol

 

 

 

 

Fred

[DreDay]

We did this excursion November 2006. Our ports were changed from Cozumel to Progresso at the last minute so we did not know what we were going to do once we got off the ship. At the pier there were lots of vendors offering excursions. We paid for ours and were given some lanyards for the excursion. An a/c bus took us to a small market place where we were transferred to a nice a/c van. We drove about 20-25 minutes to the ruins.

 

At that time you could climb the ruins. There is also an open air cenote on site, so if you have time you must visit there. It's wonderful. Just a note, it was a long walk from the entrance of the ruins to the ruins themselves, probably a 10 minute walk, at it's HOT!!! Bring something for your head and some water.

[EastTexans2]

Thank you for all of your responses. Now we have to decide whether to do the "ship excursion" or go on our own. This board is wonderful for giving out the facts!

[lisaland15]

Here's some pictures from our tour (through Carnival):

 

http://travel.webshots.com/photo/1232325233061183369RJmbIJ

http://travel.webshots.com/photo/1232325112061183369JWRuzo

 

Cenote:

http://travel.webshots.com/photo/1232325415061183369KGllqf

[checklady724]

I will be on the Holiday late September and we lost Costa Maya due to Dean which is sad but we may be going to Progresso which I have never been to before. This ruin looks like a good place to visit so we would have time to explore other things too. I have been to Tulum and to a ruin from Costa Maya, Both were fab and in good shape. This one I notice has had some wear. I have been in touch with some of my fellow cruisers and some wish to do a ruins tour. This may be just what the doctor ordered. Thanks again for posting your PICs. Great shots.

[cheshyrkat]

We want to go to thedr ruins but I was wondering what the pros and cons of trying to arrange a tour locally as opposed to taking a ship sponsored excursion were. Aside from the possibility of being late and getting left by the ship I mean. I already know there is that possibility when you book a private tour.

 

What is the going rate for the local tours? Do the provide basically the same services as the ship's tour would?

 

Thanks in advance!!

[checklady724]

My PVP told me not to book anything till we know for sure where we are going and which day.:( From what I have read on these boards...a poster had the excursion list from Carnival and the ruis were not so pricey as in other ports. 69.00 and 55.00. I did contact a privite tour place on line and the cost was kinda high, if you have a lot of people in your group the price comes down. 480.00 for 10 min. works out 48.00 a person. If only a 2 or 3 people it's just under 300.00 or 100.00 a person (3)to 150.00 a person (2). Thought this was a bit steep for me.

[clackey]

My PVP told me not to book anything till we know for sure where we are going and which day.:( From what I have read on these boards...a poster had the excursion list from Carnival and the ruis were not so pricey as in other ports. 69.00 and 55.00. I did contact a privite tour place on line and the cost was kinda high, if you have a lot of people in your group the price comes down. 480.00 for 10 min. works out 48.00 a person. If only a 2 or 3 people it's just under 300.00 or 100.00 a person (3)to 150.00 a person (2). Thought this was a bit steep for me.

That does sound steep. I looked on some 2005 pricelist from Carnival that has the Dzib. tour priced at $51 pp. I would guess that they run around $60 now. Normally the local companies run 20% to 40% cheaper than the ship. You should be able to book in town at the bus stop if you don't book through Carnival.

[checklady724]

Carnival price for this was 55.00, uxmal and chichen itza was 69.00 on the Carnival shore excursion list according to the poster.

[checklady724]

Is this the bus stop at the end of the pier? We may have to do this anyway because we still don't know for sure where we will be going. I will be sailing on Holiday 9-29-07 and who knows. My PVP has no idea either.

[checklady724]

Still waiting for a little more info about tours not from the ship. I find the ships tours a little pricey and would like to see some ruins withour breaking the bank. Are these tours at the end of the pier easy to find?

[cheshyrkat]

We are in the middle of our back to backs and I saw your question. We have been to Progreso and here is the price list for non ship sponsored tours through Autoprogreso. Prices are per person: Merida city tour $25. Dzibichaltun $29 Resort/Ruins all you can eat/drink for $45 Flamingo tours $18 All tours include a/c busses English speaking guide entrance fees and insurance. http://www.autoprogreso.com they will give you flyers if you go to the shuttle into town. They will book the tours both at the pier and when you get dropped off at the market. We did Merida and had a great guide and driver. They are a quality outfit and I am planning to use them next trip.

[checklady724]

Thank you so much for posting. I went to this website and checked it out. It's good to know that other alternatives will be in place. So far Carnival has no ruin tours posted yet on my sailing but it does have a lot of other stuff there. The lowest price was 55.00 for the shopping tour :eek: . I do shopping on my own. But ruins are different and it's just something you don't see everyday where I live. Thanks again.

[cheshyrkat]

I'm looking at my Capers from Wednesday...I keep everything! LOL for ruins Carnival offers from Progreso there is Chichen Itza $69 pp, Dzibilchaltun $55 pp for the ruins only. Uxmal is $69pp. We are going to try Dzib this next leg with Autoprogreso. The only drawback is that the tours might be a little shorter depending in whath ships are in port with you. We were there with Ecstasy and they left an hour ahead of us so the tour operator wanted them not to miss their ship so we could have stayed longer in Merida but some of the ecstasy's pax had to get back. It was plenty long for us though!

[checklady724]

Thank you for the wealth of information. (I save all my Capers too.) I had heard of the tours through the ship on a different post and the prices were the same as yours. Glad to have confirmation on that. I will check out which ships if any are in the same ports as mine. This will help a lot in deciding what to do. I think a privite tour is the way to go in Progresso if they can get me back to the ship on time. ;)