We want a resort with pool (Mayan Princess) but transportation ??

After reading ALL DAY about this island, I think we are wanting to go to a resort with a pool-- haven't decided on the 10.00 pass or the 40.00 pass (thereabouts). I know Infinity has the "better" pool if you want a beach view from the pool, and Mayan's pool looks really nice and long. (my kids prefer a pool to sand... poor mom....)

However, since there are 5 of us, I am gathering that a taxi would be expensive (like 25.00 pp each way?) and perhaps booking a driver through Bodden would be a better deal. This way we can get a tour of the island and then the driver can bring us to a resort where he/she will stay and wait for us and bring us back to the ship. It is customary to buy the driver lunch.

Do I have this right?

It seems many people do a bodden driver with the 10.00 Mayan Princess day pass since Infinity went up to 40.00 pp with no food or drinks included. However, for this price, you get more space because they are limiting the amount of day trippers from cruise ships. However, you can't prebook with infinity.

Has anyone been to Mayan Princess? I know in order to prebook, you have to send in copies of driver's licenses, credit cards (with security codes) and passports. Plus, with 3 teens who really don't eat much, I'm not sure we'd "get our money's worth" with the 49.00 price. However, I like the idea of prebooking and knowing where we are going.

So it seems reasonable to say driver + day pass + pay for lunch/drinks on beach.

Does anyone have insight or experience with this idea? Thanks.

After reading ALL DAY about this island, I think we are wanting to go to a resort with a pool-- haven't decided on the 10.00 pass or the 40.00 pass (thereabouts). I know Infinity has the "better" pool if you want a beach view from the pool, and Mayan's pool looks really nice and long. (my kids prefer a pool to sand... poor mom....)

 

However, since there are 5 of us, I am gathering that a taxi would be expensive (like 25.00 pp each way?) and perhaps booking a driver through Bodden would be a better deal. This way we can get a tour of the island and then the driver can bring us to a resort where he/she will stay and wait for us and bring us back to the ship. It is customary to buy the driver lunch.

 

Do I have this right?

 

 

It seems many people do a bodden driver with the 10.00 Mayan Princess day pass since Infinity went up to 40.00 pp with no food or drinks included. However, for this price, you get more space because they are limiting the amount of day trippers from cruise ships. However, you can't prebook with infinity.

 

Has anyone been to Mayan Princess? I know in order to prebook, you have to send in copies of driver's licenses, credit cards (with security codes) and passports. Plus, with 3 teens who really don't eat much, I'm not sure we'd "get our money's worth" with the 49.00 price. However, I like the idea of prebooking and knowing where we are going.

 

So it seems reasonable to say driver + day pass + pay for lunch/drinks on beach.

 

Does anyone have insight or experience with this idea? Thanks.

We have had a driver twice on Roatan through Roatan Culture Tours. The first time we went to Turquoise Bay Resort to the east and on the north .

coast and the second time east to Parrot Tree Plantation. Both these resorts are in the opposite direction to the popular west side and it depends on what you are looking for but I also prefer a pool so these are alternatives you could consider. Use google images to find photos.

Turquiose Bay is a small, more laid-back quiet resort with a small pool and cute beach close-by. I didn't actually use the pool here and just stayed on the beach since most of our party were fishing. I believe they also offer snorkelling, diving and kayaks. There was no charge for use of the beach, loungers and pool. You can book transport directly through the resort at $25pp. http://www.turquoisebayresort.com/cruise-ship-beach-day.html

Parrot Tree Plantation is a quiet, upscale condominium complex with an awesome pool, which I had almost to myself. I spent the morning swimming and then we had lunch by the man-made beach and lagoon. There was a volley ball court I recall and possibly kayaks. There is a $10 resort fee for use of the facilities and welcome drink arranged through Roatan Culture Tours.

Transport costs for five people would be $25 per person. We like having the driver available all day as we were able to stop wherever we wanted and had the freedom to do something else if the weather didn't cooperate.

Another choice, which includes a pool would be Maya Key through the cruiseline. This is slightly more expensive but is convenient, includes lunch and transport. I enjoyed it a few years ago when you could do it independently.

I can't speak on Infinity Bay as I haven't used that facility and always assumed it was open to hotel/condo guests only. Mayan Princess does take a limited number of day users but they are restricted in what facilities they can use. You'll need to check that out with MP. But cab fare will be on a per passenger basis and cabs inside the cruise ports facilities are not really negotiable. You can try going outside the gates and seeing if you can get a cab (may be easier in Coxen Hole than Mahogany Bay). But remember 1) all gasoline is imported, thus raising the cost and 2) on Cruise ship days taxi $ go up. Either way you will have to arrange a return as taxis do not stand and wait at resorts for fares. But it will be more from Mahogany Bay to West Bay than from Coxen Hole to West Bay.

You might consider renting a car, which for 5 people might be cheaper. But here again, you'll need to find a reputable car agency(search for reviews and comments on here or on TA) and also need to book in advance.

We went to Mayan Princess last week. It would have been $20 cheaper to rent a van, but we ended up going with a tour company instead. We paid $15/pp roundtrip plus $10/pp entrance fee into the resort, which included a table with chairs under a big palapa near the bar and chairs on the beach. The beach was clean, pool water was cold. Lots of vendors constantly asking to buy jewelry, get a massage, rent snorkel gear, etc. It was a nice day, despite the rain. Next time I would probably book a snorkel trip.

Beth

Thank you all for responding!

I went ahead today and reserved a driver for the day because I do think we will enjoy seeing the island plus going where ever we want.

Thanks for the Turquoise Bay tip... I'm going to check it out too.

Jennifer

Can I ask how/where/who you booked a driver? We want to go to te Mayan princess too- but there are 7 of us that need transportation so that's a big expense. We really have no desire to do anything except go to the resort. We will be there early April.

We have gone round and round about this. Don't usually book ships tours as don't like their limited time lines. I literally just scanned my drivers license and credit card to reserve day passes at Mayan Princess. We have victor bodden on reserve to drive us around. Teens want to zip line first thing and then beach after that. Victor will drive us around for $25 a person. We may have been able to do it more cheaply another way, but when I am someplace for only a limited amount of time: I want to do, what I want to do, when I want to do it. This will give us the most flexiblity.

When we get to the beach it will be nice to have a base for our stuff and chairs. Don't like to waste time figuring out where to go and what to do! hee.

We are only doing the $10 pass not all inclusive. We are there March 22 so will let you know how it went after that.

Can I ask how/where/who you booked a driver? We want to go to te Mayan princess too- but there are 7 of us that need transportation so that's a big expense. We really have no desire to do anything except go to the resort. We will be there early April.

We used Dixon tours the week of 2/12 to go to the Myan Princess. There were 4 of us but their van is large and could take 7 with no problem. They charged us $20 pp payable upon return to the ship. The Myan Princess does limit the number of cruise ship passengers they allow, but if you go there first thing it shoild be no problem. Henry from Dixon Tours helped us get our day passes and get set up on the beach . Just told him what time we wanted to go back and he was there waiting.

Thanks for the info and thoughts - please do post an update after your trip those who are sailing soon!

We booked a driver through bodden tours.

I will definitely come back after and give my opinions.

We used Roatan Sunsplash Tours. They gave us a discount on the transportation. We wanted to go to Infinity Bay, but our driver suggested Mayan Princess instead. There is a lot more traffic by Infinity and $40 would not have been worth it, so I'm glad in the end we went to Mayan Princess. $10 was fair for chairs and facilities. $40 wasn't. People from our ship that went there instead said it wasn't worth it and the food took forever and wasn't that good. We liked our driver and really had a great time with him. The driver (if I remember right) was James. He was the owner of the company. He surprised us with fresh coconuts with our names on them, it was a really nice gesture and our first fresh coconut :) Have a great time in Roatan! we plan to go back again this fall.

My group of 11 had planned on venturing into Coxen Hole to take the bus to West Bay, then water taxi to West End. We walked outside the port gates and to the right (really the only street) and were offered many taxis and tours. Eventually, we met Julio who said he would take our group to West End for $8 per person round trip and he would stay with us for the entire day. Knowing that Bodden etc. charged $25, we thought this was a good deal. Julio arranged for a driver to shuttle us around and we paid the $8 to the driver (plus a tip). Julio later told us he worked for tips. Duh, we should've known. But in the end, we still came out better than the $25...but much more than the bus. On the up side, we got a tour of the island and ended up at Mayan Princess at Julio's suggestion. We had originally asked for Bananarama, but I'm glad we went to MP instead. Bananarama's beach is crowded with boats while MP's beach was very nice.

The pool and grounds were beautiful. The beach was clean and we were able to see a starfish just off shore. Access to the reef was a short walk away and snorkel equipment rental was plentiful. We weren't bothered by vendors much as I read in a recent post. Maybe it depends on the day. We didn't sit around much either as we spent most of the day snorkeling or eating.

As to snorkeling, I would HIGHLY recommend going out to the reef with a guide. We tried to do it on our own, and it was very difficult to find the channel leading out to the path. While there were two or three guys on kayaks to direct you, they didn't pay much attention and we ended up ON the reef (with scratches to prove it) because we didn't know where we were going. There are many boats along the shore which offer very reasonably prices (like $10pp) boat transportation and snorkel rental. Not sure if that tour is guided...but if I were to do it again, I would DEFINITELY find someone to guide us through the reef. I was completely stressed after the experience.

The starfish

The pools at Mayan Princess

The beach at Mayan Princess

Awesome! We are going to stick with Victor since we already booked, but it is good to know you can hire someone over the hill.

We have our own snorkel equipment that we bring on cruises with us-- got a great body glove set at Sam's for about 25.00 years ago.

And thanks for posting the pics! I think MP is definitely where we want to be.... but don't think we will stay there all day. I'm thinking 1/2 tour of island and 1/2 sit at MP.

Awesome! We are going to stick with Victor since we already booked, but it is good to know you can hire someone over the hill.

 

We have our own snorkel equipment that we bring on cruises with us-- got a great body glove set at Sam's for about 25.00 years ago.

 

And thanks for posting the pics! I think MP is definitely where we want to be.... but don't think we will stay there all day. I'm thinking 1/2 tour of island and 1/2 sit at MP.

You're welcome. We loved Roatan and would love to go back for a week.

Just for reference, it took us about 1 hour 15 minutes to drive from the port (Coxen Hole) to MP because we stopped a few times for pictures and took the scenic route (ie tour of the island). We took about 1 hour 15 minutes to do the snorkel loop adjacent to Infinity Bay Resort (the Kidney everyone here talks about). Then about an hour to eat and drink (be sure to have a Monkey Lala - delish) at the little place next to (to the left if looking at the resort from the beach) MP - it's cheaper and the food is good. I imagined we would have time to sit on the beach, but that didn't happen. After eating, it was time to leave. :( If we hadn't wanted to see the monkeys we could've stayed an extra hour. Time just flies on Roatan. :)

I hope this helps a little to make your time on the island the most it can be!

Monkey Lala

... Then about an hour to eat and drink (be sure to have a Monkey Lala - delish) at the little place next to (to the RIGHT if looking at the resort from the beach) MP - it's cheaper and the food is good.

The place we ate at was to the RIGHT of the main resort...oops.

We have had a driver twice on Roatan through Roatan Culture Tours. The first time we went to Turquoise Bay Resort to the east and on the north .

coast and the second time east to Parrot Tree Plantation. Both these resorts are in the opposite direction to the popular west side and it depends on what you are looking for but I also prefer a pool so these are alternatives you could consider. Use google images to find photos.

 

 

Turquiose Bay is a small, more laid-back quiet resort with a small pool and cute beach close-by. I didn't actually use the pool here and just stayed on the beach since most of our party were fishing. I believe they also offer snorkelling, diving and kayaks. There was no charge for use of the beach, loungers and pool. You can book transport directly through the resort at $25pp. http://www.turquoisebayresort.com/cruise-ship-beach-day.html

 

Parrot Tree Plantation is a quiet, upscale condominium complex with an awesome pool, which I had almost to myself. I spent the morning swimming and then we had lunch by the man-made beach and lagoon. There was a volley ball court I recall and possibly kayaks. There is a $10 resort fee for use of the facilities and welcome drink arranged through Roatan Culture Tours.

 

Transport costs for five people would be $25 per person. We like having the driver available all day as we were able to stop wherever we wanted and had the freedom to do something else if the weather didn't cooperate.

 

Another choice, which includes a pool would be Maya Key through the cruiseline. This is slightly more expensive but is convenient, includes lunch and transport. I enjoyed it a few years ago when you could do it independently.

I agree If looking for the best pool/private beach parrot tree is the place to go. Same guy built had designed mayan princess. Me i would negotiate a cab or rent a car. West bay is nice if you want to mingle do stuff. Parrot tree if you want to relax, have a drink, something to eat swim in the lagoon.

If you are looking for snorkeling from the beach go to West Bay. If you seek only a beach..choose any resort with a beach and pool.

Have a look at this thread for snorkeling info from West Bay.

By the by ~ Parrot Tree's lagoon is man made.

Mousecrazy,

The OP mentions having to send in copies of credit cards, driver's licenses, and passports to pre-reserve at Mayan Princess. Seems dangerous to me. Am I understanding this correctly that you did not have reservations but were able to purchase a day pass when you arrived? Is there a possibility that you may have been turned away because they were full?

Mousecrazy,

 

The OP mentions having to send in copies of credit cards, driver's licenses, and passports to pre-reserve at Mayan Princess. Seems dangerous to me. Am I understanding this correctly that you did not have reservations but were able to purchase a day pass when you arrived? Is there a possibility that you may have been turned away because they were full?

We just showed up, no reservations. In fact, had planned on going to Banarama but our guide suggested Mayan Princess...which was a great thing! We left the ship around 10am and arrived at MP around 11:15 and there was no problem getting in and it didn't seem crowded at all. There was one ship in port that day. Not sure if the resort fills up. You could always go to Banarama if there was an issue with getting into MP.

In fact, had planned on going to Banarama but our guide suggested Mayan Princess...which was a great thing!

I think your driver will suggest whichever resort they get the biggest kickback from! ;) All West Bay resorts lead to the same beach and day passes are only required if you plan to use their chairs or pool.

If possible, go snorkeling. :) It's the best you can get from a beach... but please ask someone to show you the way. Ending up ON the reef is bad, not just for the coral you kill, :mad: but for your own comfort. Most of it is Fire Coral! It burns the skin and you will be sorry! :p

I think your driver will suggest whichever resort they get the biggest kickback from! ;) All West Bay resorts lead to the same beach and day passes are only required if you plan to use their chairs or pool.

 

If possible, go snorkeling. :) It's the best you can get from a beach... but please ask someone to show you the way. Ending up ON the reef is bad, not just for the coral you kill, :mad: but for your own comfort. Most of it is Fire Coral! It burns the skin and you will be sorry! :p

While you might be right about the kickback, it was still a good deal for us and a beautiful resort that exceeded our expectations. Regardless, I would highly recommend this resort.

In my original post, I suggested getting a guide to lead through the reef because the path is NOT obvious and the "kayak guys" do not do a very good job of giving directions...they're just a little too laid back.

While you might be right about the kickback, it was still a good deal for us and a beautiful resort that exceeded our expectations. Regardless, I would highly recommend this resort.

 

In my original post, I suggested getting a guide to lead through the reef because the path is NOT obvious and the "kayak guys" do not do a very good job of giving directions...they're just a little too laid back.

If you consider the cost of getting to any other reef, there is no bad deal on this beach! :cool:

You are right about the kayak guys too... I think they're just there for show! Finding a way out through the reef is not that difficult if you do some research and look at the pictures: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1469343

We went to Mayan last week, but we were told that guests could no longer use the pool. We didn't care though, we didn't use it.

Not able to use the pool would be a deal breaker for us...my kids love pools!

If anyone is going soon, please report back on this! Thanks.

We went to Mayan last week, but we were told that guests could no longer use the pool. We didn't care though, we didn't use it.

I've heard this happening at times over the past couple of years. MP caters to their long term guests and keeps the day cruisers segregated by limiting their access.

Not able to use the pool would be a deal breaker for us...my kids love pools!

 

If anyone is going soon, please report back on this! Thanks.

May wish to consider Maya Key through the ship. They have a pool as well as a beach with some iron shore. They are building up their animal rehab and have seals and monkeys that they allow guests to be around. Not the more pristine vista of the West Bay, but reasonably priced and decent food.