?'s re: shore excursions; how many?

[ttoad]

Ok, I know this is probably a stupid question, but as we are first time cruisers, we are wondering if there is time in port to schedule more than one excursion. We are namely looking at Cozumel and trying to get in the Sea Trek Helmet Diving, and maybe booking an all-inclusive Resort Day pass or doing a dolphin swim, etc. There is just too much to choose from and we are having trouble making up our minds. We are in our mid 40's and want some beach time as well as some fun!

Has anyone had any experience doing the Grand Cayman Wave Runner Sting Ray City Adventure?

 

Thanks for the help!

 

TT

[Travel Angel]

Ok, I know this is probably a stupid question, but as we are first time cruisers, we are wondering if there is time in port to schedule more than one excursion. We are namely looking at Cozumel and trying to get in the Sea Trek Helmet Diving, and maybe booking an all-inclusive Resort Day pass or doing a dolphin swim, etc. There is just too much to choose from and we are having trouble making up our minds. We are in our mid 40's and want some beach time as well as some fun!

Has anyone had any experience doing the Grand Cayman Wave Runner Sting Ray City Adventure?

 

Thanks for the help!

 

TT

 

Depends on what time your ship arrives and how long your ship is in port....If you can catch an early Helmet Dive tour, and your ship is in port till 6 or later,,,, should be plenty of time for both.

[CruiseLiz]

You may have time for both, but why rush your day in Cozumel? After your excursion you can hit the beach (just take a taxi), check out some Mayan ruins (also by taxi) or do some shopping in the town.

 

Relax and don't pack too much into your days or else you might get stressed trying to do everything. ;)

 

You're going to love cruising. Have a wonderful time. :)

[Travel Angel]

And being a first time cruiser... there is no way you can see it all or do it all.....so just another excuse to book that next cruise and return to go over what you may have missed :D

[ttoad]

That's what I'm thinking!!

[ttoad]

And being a first time cruiser... there is no way you can see it all or do it all.....so just another excuse to book that next cruise and return to go over what you may have missed :D

That's what I'm thinking!!

[queenanneitis]

And being a first time cruiser... there is no way you can see it all or do it all.....so just another excuse to book that next cruise and return to go over what you may have missed :D

 

I agree with this statement!

 

Also remember that when you're a first time cruiser give yourself a little time to breathe. Most people really push themself during their first cruise. They are getting up early, packing in as many events onboard the ship as they can, staying up late, doing port activities all in the Caribbean sun often. Eventually you're gonna hit a day when you're a little more tired so don't pack in so much that by the time you'd get around to the second excursion you may not enjoy it as much as you could.

[OhioCutie]

I imagine that quite a bit depends on location and duration of the helmet dive as to whether you could pull it off. Another consideration is if you don't mind hopping in a cab for a beach break after getting wet from the excursion.

 

I can't remember the exact timing, but it was fairly easy to do two activities in Cozumel. We booked an early Snuba excursion through the cruise line, then went back to the ship to dry off and eat an early lunch. We caught a cab to Playa Mia for the remainder of the day. Snuba was done from shore at a location within walking distance back to the the ship - which definitely made it easier on us. We weren't expecting to be so "close to home", so the beach break was somewhat of an added bonus.

 

As some others have mentioned, it can (and does!) get a bit exhausting when you try to do too much. We crammed in as much as we could at every port, and it definitely took a toll by the last stop! We realized afterward that we didn't really experience the ports because we were so busy running from activity to activity. For the lack of a better cliche -- sometimes it IS about taking time to stop and smell the roses. :)

[DreamTeam]

We are first time cruisers, heading to Alaska in September.

 

For one of our stops (Ketchikan) we have booked a city duck tour as well as a Misty Fjords Floatplane tour. Both booked on the Carnival website.

 

Cheers

Col & Sue

[BBigfoot613]

And being a first time cruiser... there is no way you can see it all or do it all.....so just another excuse to book that next cruise and return to go over what you may have missed :D

 

That's what I'm thinking!!

 

You, being a first time cruiser, don't realize yet just how true this statement is. On the drive home from our cruise to nassau and freeport we discussed our next cruise. That's right....we weren't even home yet. After checking some other cruises with ports close to home (Northern Pa), we started the debate on things that got "missed" the first time! Looks like we'll be heading back to the bahamas. heehee

[flowerchild]

I agree with the others about not cramming so much in your few hours in port. A lot of people feel compelled to book an excursion in each and every port and many times you miss out on some of the simpler stuff to do; shopping, beaches, or just a simple ride around the island. We usually pick one excursion that we all agree on, whatever the cost, and do our own thing at the other ports. We've taken city buses, rented our own car, did historic sighseeing walking tours, dicovered secluded beaches, all at our own pace. I hate large crowds and that cattle call feeling of ship sponsored excursions.

 

But since your question is whether you can do both excursions in one day, remember to take into account that you have to be on the ship at least 30 minutes before it is time to leave. And if you are on a different part of the island, also make sure to take into account traffic (it can be bad on some islands) and how long it will take you to get back to the piers.