Caribbean Cruise: Mayan Ruin Excursions Compared

[cruisedray]

My husband and I will be cruising with some friends this Thanksgiving on the Carnival Glory and we haven't ever been to the Caribbean before, so I did quite a bit of research on the various Mayan Ruin excursions available in the area.

 

I thought it might be useful to other people planning their trips and interested in seeing historical ruins, so I wrote this article comparing them. If any of you have experiences with these excursions that contradict what I've written, I hope you'll let me know in this thread!

[2112]

I read your discriptions, and most are ok. However, your description of

Tulum makes it sound like it is a major ruin comparible to Chitzen Itza. It is not. Tulum is very small and can be seen in less than an hour. Tulum is nice because of its beautiful setting on the Carribean, but it is by no means a large or impressive ruin when compared to Chitzen Itza, Tikal, and others. To see all of Tulum takes only an hour, compare to half a day at the other major ruins.

 

Also, Xunantunich is very nice, but most would say that Caracol is by far the most impressive ruin in Belize. However, it is too far from Belize to see on a cruise ship day.

 

One other ruin in Belize you could see on a cruise ship day is Cahal Pech. It is not far from Xunantunich and could be seen on the same trip if you set up your own private guide and if you are in port long enough. The nice thing about Cahal Pech is that it is in a nice wooded setting and you will likely be the only ones there. Really, if you go to Altun Ha on a day when a cruise ship is in, the place will be crowded and much of the ruins are covered by tarps. You will certainly have a much more rewarding experience at Cahal Pech where you can wonder around in peace and quit.

 

I have photos of many of these ruins on my website at http://www.pbase.com/2112