Anybody back yet?

[Gaynors]

Ok, the first ship arrivals were at the end of October.... where is everyone????

 

We sail in 13 days :D and will be in Costa Maya in 16 days :eek:

 

Still looking for some reviews or info from those that have just been since the ships have started returning. :)

[mustangjoe]

We will be there in April. Does anyone know if you can still rent golf carts?:D

[SharonCruise]

We were there on the Legend last week. I did see Golf Carts but we got a taxi into Majahaul ($4 per person) where there are restaurants and beach facilities. No charge for the chairs and loungers but you are expected to drink and eat. Massages were also offered for $50 for 1/2 hour and $70 for an hour, I think. The return taxi was $2 total. The area around the port is very nice with lots of shops, pool with a swim up bar, nice little beach area with loungers.

 

We enjoyed our stop in Costa Maya.

 

Sharon

[98Charlie]

Sharoncruise: thank you for giving us info on Costa Maya and Majuahal. DH & I will be there on Dec. 2 and have anxiously awaited info. Have been to Costa Maya twice before and loved the serenity of the beaches at Majuahal. Good to hear things are back to normal post hurricane.

 

Dianne

[SharonCruise]

Your welcome Dianne. I had nothing to compare to since we had never been to Costa Maya before but it was very nice and you could tell the locals were very glad to have tourist back.

 

Enjoy your visit!

 

Sharon

[2-laner]

Hey Sharon. A quick question for you, since you were just there. I want to take my 2 kids (11 and 13) over to Majahaul and just hang out at the beach for awhile. Would you recommend one beach/bar/resturant area over the next. I would like to find myself a lounge chair, shade and something to drink(not necessarily all alcoholic) while watching the kids play in the ocean. But I would like the area we are at to not be an environment full of over-done drinkers. More family oriented if possible. Do you have any recommendations? Thanks:)

[SharonCruise]

No worries. I think anywhere you park your family will be just fine. When the taxi dropped us off we walked the new boardwalk to decide where we wanted to go and actually went back to the 1st place we came to (can't remember the name). It was very tame. For awhile we were the only ones there but around noon the area filled up with families everywhere. The water is very calm and safe for children.

 

The atmosphere isn't like Carlos and Charlies or Senor Frog's at all. You will be approached by everyone trying to get you to sit in their chairs, get their massage, buy their things etc. but a simple no thank you worked well for us.

 

Hope this helped.

 

Sharon

[nolaAlive]

The massages seem to have doubled in price!

[swampfox28]

The massages seem to have doubled in price!

 

 

I thought that, too!

 

I really want to treat my Mom and myself to a massage, and don't want to take advantage of anyone, but $70 seems like what you'd pay in the states! I thought it'd be less... :(

[Abear2]

That's the same thing I was thinking about the massage ! OMG it was like $20 for an hour so you mean to tell me they have gone up to that much ? I guess I will just wait and get one when I get back. I mean I can get one here for cheaper than $70. Sharon thank you so much for your information. I have another question for you. Did you see any shade that I could sit in a hammock ? I cannot be in the sun so I can't be on the beach.:cool:

[98Charlie]

The massages seem to have doubled in price!

 

I'm assuming many things there besides massages have increased in price as the area recovers from the hurricane.

 

I'll be very interested to see how the prices of souvenirs have increased since I was last there pre-hurricane.

 

Dianne

[marci4tony]

BTW - Sharon was my next door neighbor on the ship - EVERYTHING SHE SAYS IS A LIE!!! (Just kidding!!) You wont find a nicer, crazier person in your life than Sharon. (Yes, the Mac withdrawals oh excuse me, the SIR ELTON withdrawals are ROTTEN!! WORSE THAN A TEQUILA HANGOVER!!)

 

IMO - Unless you have something to do, stay in port. They have a very nice area there, and the food is good and the pool is great. Take a cab to Majahaul, and you are in for an adventure.

 

These people have had very little income for the last 13-14 months and they are very pushy. A simple "no thank you??" - I must have been hanging out with the wrong crowd. I was even cursed at when I wouldnt dicker with one guy. Not my idea of a good time. The prices in Maj were nearly twice what you could find in the port area.

 

That being said, though - the FOOD ON THE BEACH...OH YEA!!! And the service (for the most part) was SUPER! The water was shades of blue and green and the sand was clean. There are no big "drop offs" so the water is shallow for a ways out - great for kids.

 

Just beware of the desperate shop people...Stay on the beach!!

[swampfox28]

There are no big "drop offs" so the water is shallow for a ways out - great for kids.

 

Just beware of the desperate shop people...Stay on the beach!!

 

 

Thanks for the info! I was wondering about the water (we will have 2 kiddos with us!)

 

Ugh. That was the ONLY THING I didn't like about the Virgin Islands (where my husband and I flew for our honeymoon) - pushy vendors. I don't mean to sound like a jerk as everyone needs to make a living, but my husband and I work HARD (as a stay-at-home mom these past few months I think I'm BUSIER than when I worked out of the house!) - all we want on our ONE VACATION a YEAR is some fun and relaxation time with my parents and our kids. I HATE having to say "NO" over and over and over again....

[SharonCruise]

That's the same thing I was thinking about the massage ! OMG it was like $20 for an hour so you mean to tell me they have gone up to that much ? I guess I will just wait and get one when I get back. I mean I can get one here for cheaper than $70. Sharon thank you so much for your information. I have another question for you. Did you see any shade that I could sit in a hammock ? I cannot be in the sun so I can't be on the beach.:cool:

I was shocked by the massage prices too. Guess they are trying to make up for lost revenue. If people won't pay that price, maybe they will come down.

 

I didn't see any hammocks but I really wasn't looking either. Most of the restaurants did have tables with umbrella's so you can get in the shade if needed.

 

Sharon

[SharonCruise]

BTW - Sharon was my next door neighbor on the ship - EVERYTHING SHE SAYS IS A LIE!!! (Just kidding!!) You wont find a nicer, crazier person in your life than Sharon. (Yes, the Mac withdrawals oh excuse me, the SIR ELTON withdrawals are ROTTEN!! WORSE THAN A TEQUILA HANGOVER!!)

 

IMO - Unless you have something to do, stay in port. They have a very nice area there, and the food is good and the pool is great. Take a cab to Majahaul, and you are in for an adventure.

 

These people have had very little income for the last 13-14 months and they are very pushy. A simple "no thank you??" - I must have been hanging out with the wrong crowd. I was even cursed at when I wouldnt dicker with one guy. Not my idea of a good time. The prices in Maj were nearly twice what you could find in the port area.

 

That being said, though - the FOOD ON THE BEACH...OH YEA!!! And the service (for the most part) was SUPER! The water was shades of blue and green and the sand was clean. There are no big "drop offs" so the water is shallow for a ways out - great for kids.

 

Just beware of the desperate shop people...Stay on the beach!!

Marci, you are bad, bad, bad! LOL

 

We really didn't have any problems with the people in the village. Maybe I'm deaf but I really did just say no thank you and kept walking. LOL We didn't try to buy anything or look in any of the shops (only bought buckets of beer and Margarita's) but I do believe that they are desperate to make $$ in Costa Maya.

 

It wasn't one of my most favorite ports either and I agree that the port area was much nicer and if we go back there again, you'll find us at the swim up bar at the pool.

 

Sharon

[teltrainer]

Swampfox, I had to laugh when you wrote that you thought the Virgin Islands pushy!

 

Wait until you experience vendors in Mexico and some other poorer areas of the Caribbean. My DH says no politely and then we make no eye contact and keep walking. I used to be too nice and apologetic and then they would continue to follow thinking they could change your mind. I've adopted my DHs body language now :)

 

While I understand their need to make a living too, vendors who are too "in your face" will definitely cause cruisers to stay on the ship or close by which simply means loss of money for them. For example, we will not walk off the ship in Jamaica anymore unless taking a cab to a nice resort nearby. Too much "touchy feely" grabbing at tourists for us.

[98Charlie]

Swampfox, I had to laugh when you wrote that you thought the Virgin Islands pushy!

 

Wait until you experience vendors in Mexico and some other poorer areas of the Caribbean. My DH says no politely and then we make no eye contact and keep walking. I used to be too nice and apologetic and then they would continue to follow thinking they could change your mind. I've adopted my DHs body language now :)

 

While I understand their need to make a living too, vendors who are too "in your face" will definitely cause cruisers to stay on the ship or close by which simply means loss of money for them. For example, we will not walk off the ship in Jamaica anymore unless taking a cab to a nice resort nearby. Too much "touchy feely" grabbing at tourists for us.

 

 

Agree with you. And regarding pushy vendors, not sure if any can be as bad as taxi drivers who hover around the ports in Acapulco and St. Lucia or the vendors in the Straw Market in Nassau.

 

When we first started cruising in 2002 we thought the vendors in Cozumel were way too pushy. Now those same vendors seem very tame compared to vendors we've seen in other ports around the Caribbean and along the Mex. Riviera.

 

Dianne

[swampfox28]

I have a feeling that I will have a new definition of pushy after this trip in Dec., but I forgot to mention that it was mostly the taxi drivers in St. Thomas that were pushy - venders were only so-so pushy!

 

And the port area in Guatemala was SO nice and new looking, but the vendors in THERE were SUPER-PUSHY! At first, like you mentioned, I was very nice; after awhile I had to just say no thank you and duck&run! I got so tired of feeling bad for saying NO to people. OBVIOUSLY they all work hard and need to sell their wares (but obviously I can't buy everything!!)

 

I didn't have ANY trouble in Coz, but we only really shopped at Cinco Soles - they're not pushy at all!

 

I REALLY want everyone in my family to enjoy CM - my parents and kids are first-time-cruisers. I hope they can have fun AND be "tough enough" not to get taken. (I also hope that we CAN support the local economy just by being there, eating there, and doing a little shopping!!)

 

-sarah

[2-laner]

After reading so many stories of pushy, pushy people at these port, I have started to wonder how to avoid this experience. I'm a newbe to cruising, and have never been to any of these ports. But, after reading everyone's ways and ideas of dealing with this situation, I am starting to get a picture of me and each person in our party walking through these congested shopping areas with signs on us saying "no thank you" and wearing sunglasses so they can't see our eyes to see if we are making eye contact with them. Not to mention a good pair of tennis shoes for when we need to dash, duck and run. Wish us luck.:)

 

But in all honesty, I am looking forward to the experience. Good, bad or ugly, the kids and I like to go to new places and try them on for size. We'll just view this time at the ports as something new we tried in our travels.

[IDKaren]

After reading so many stories of pushy, pushy people at these port, I have started to wonder how to avoid this experience. I'm a newbe to cruising, and have never been to any of these ports. But, after reading everyone's ways and ideas of dealing with this situation, I am starting to get a picture of me and each person in our party walking through these congested shopping areas with signs on us saying "no thank you" and wearing sunglasses so they can't see our eyes to see if we are making eye contact with them. Not to mention a good pair of tennis shoes for when we need to dash, duck and run. Wish us luck.:)

 

But in all honesty, I am looking forward to the experience. Good, bad or ugly, the kids and I like to go to new places and try them on for size. We'll just view this time at the ports as something new we tried in our travels.

 

You will do GREAT! And actually the sunglasses are a VERY good idea cuz it IS the eye contact that will get ya! I am not good at playing the "bargaining" game and i get flustered with it all but hubby gently tells me that they are "just trying to make a living" so I wander blindly on my way! Just enjoy the ambiance of the different areas- your children will get an education as to how the "other side" lives and a good time will be had by all:D

[2-laner]

Thank you for the encouragement. I, too, think it'll be good for the kids to see how differently people live in different countries. And if nothing else, we can come back with 'tales of our adventure' to share everyone as you guys have shared with us. Thanks again:)

[allentownahoy]

Can anyone tell me what the beach at the port complex is like. I understand it may not be a place to swim but are there any lounge chairs to enjoy the view?

I've seen official descriptions ( even on the CC port description) mention a beach at the port but have yet to read anything about it by returning cruisers.

[marci4tony]

You will do GREAT! And actually the sunglasses are a VERY good idea cuz it IS the eye contact that will get ya! I am not good at playing the "bargaining" game and i get flustered with it all but hubby gently tells me that they are "just trying to make a living" so I wander blindly on my way! Just enjoy the ambiance of the different areas- your children will get an education as to how the "other side" lives and a good time will be had by all:D

 

Unfortunately, the shades idea is a good idea, but not always one that works. They walk around you, stand in front of you - like I said...they got in our space. Now remember, again, we were one of the first ships back, and I anticipate they will mellow over time. I dont know if there is any sure-fire way to avoid them - but if you have sacks and packages and a large telephoto-lens camera, they think you have money. It will be a good experience for your kids to see how they are just trying to make a living. Stay on the beach - have some cervesa and nachos - NO PROBLEMO. (There are armed military people on the beach too, so if you really get into trouble, you will be ok!!)

 

Hey - if I could have figured out how to get the Iguana smuggled back into the States, I would have definately bargained with those cute little boys! My 8yr old would have LOVED HIM!!

[frito58]

All I want to know is can I still get a bucket of beer for $10 bucks in Mahahual. We were there in 06 and this was the best port we have ever been to in 7 cruises, for just relaxing along the beach and having them wait on you with food and beer and looking at the prettiest water I have ever seen.

[teltrainer]

Hi,

 

A CC poster, Judy, has posted Westerdam photos and the link on the HAL board. She had some great photos of Costa Maya port area and pool.

 

click here: http://travel.webshots.com/album/568442364HDTFGh

 

thanks, Judy for answering some of our questions!!!