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Cancun Airport-Please Beware!


londons
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We were approached by a very friendly uniformed man at the airport who wanted to help with our transfers. He took us to a counter which we thought was an official tourist information counter. It wasn't! The person at the booth was a time share/vacation club (difference?) salesperson, which we discovered the next day. We were offered discount tickets to Xcaret for 90 minutes of our time to see a hotel. We went to see the hotel (Krystal in Cancun) and sat through 3 hours of bullying, aggressive sales pitches and insults when they decided we were not buying. Please know that these salespeople buy licenses to work at the airport. There is nothing official about them. It was an awful experience-please beware!

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We were approached by a very friendly uniformed man at the airport who wanted to help with our transfers. He took us to a counter which we thought was an official tourist information counter. It wasn't! The person at the booth was a time share/vacation club (difference?) salesperson, which we discovered the next day. We were offered discount tickets to Xcaret for 90 minutes of our time to see a hotel. We went to see the hotel (Krystal in Cancun) and sat through 3 hours of bullying, aggressive sales pitches and insults when they decided we were not buying. Please know that these salespeople buy licenses to work at the airport. There is nothing official about them. It was an awful experience-please beware!

 

Yup, we always warn the sharks you need to be concerned about aren't in the ocean, it's the Timeshare Sharks at the airport. Our advice is usually to collect your luggage after you get through customs and walk with purpose and lots of "No Thank yous" straight out the door to the real transportation companies.

 

So sorry they nabbed you. Hope the rest of your vacation was amazing.

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  • 1 month later...

Lol, after suffering and almost biting a couple of times, I can sit through a timeshare presentation and take my free stuff and walk out.

 

In fact, I can give a timeshare presentation. They are all exactly the same sales pitch.

 

"Do you realize that right now you are merely renting a vacation?"

 

"How would you like to own your vacation?"

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It amazes me how many people let go of their travel documents to someone asking. I warn everyone I know about the timeshare sharks in Cancun, but people easily get caught up in the ones at the airport pretending to take you to your hotel.

 

I warned a friend on a trip our families took together, and she fell for it anyway. I literally had to back track and grab the documents out of the persons hand she would not let them go, it got a little ugly for a minute, but we had been there enough to know better.

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  • 3 months later...
  • 2 weeks later...

The "sharks" in Cancun are not only in the airport -- they are in hotels, on sidewalks -- almost everywhere you go. Usually a simple "no, gracias" gets rid of them. If that doesn't work, tell them you are your way to the airport.

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  • 2 months later...
  • 1 year later...

The key to getting through the Cancun airport unscathed is to pre-book airport transfers. Then when you come out of customs, keep your eye on the target and talk to no one until you get outside to where you meet your transfer service. You will be approached, accosted and asked 100 or more times if you need a ride. Politely say no and continue on your way.

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Been going to Cancun for 10 years. I always pre-book our private transfer - $55 USD ROUND TRIP. They are waiting outside the arrivals for me with my name on a sign every time without fail.

 

But I still get accosted all the way out from baggage claim to the door. I simply say "I have a ride", as I keep walking. Works very well.

 

They will often look "official", call out your airline name, etc. Just say "I have a ride" and keep walking. No 'free' gift is worth 3-5 hours of my vacation time.

 

Another tip - you can't take the luggage carts past the inner door of baggage claim. There are porters waiting there if you want assistance - don't be afraid to use them. They work solely for tips.

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Been going to Cancun for 10 years. I always pre-book our private transfer - $55 USD ROUND TRIP. They are waiting outside the arrivals for me with my name on a sign every time without fail.

 

But I still get accosted all the way out from baggage claim to the door. I simply say "I have a ride", as I keep walking. Works very well.

 

They will often look "official", call out your airline name, etc. Just say "I have a ride" and keep walking. No 'free' gift is worth 3-5 hours of my vacation time.

 

Same for us with a rental car from Easyway. They wait at a designated place (explained in their confirmation email) outside with my name on a sign, and they wear a shirt embroidered with the company name/logo. (Otherwise I would also pre-book a transfer.)

 

I just keep walking past anyone else. I don't bother to even respond.

Or do as I have in other places, where you can turn it into a joke/game, and respond in some language they aren't likely to understand; it doesn't really take much to fluster them and shut them up, as they're used to English as the only second language. (Namaste. Ohio gozaimas.) IMO, the vague-er you look, the better. :-)

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We too pre-book the transfer company and all transfer companies will tell you to walk outdoors and look for their color shirt. getting outdoors through the sliding doors is the key. Once you're at the bar on the right you're safe! :p

 

Also, when you do get outside the doors, it can be overwhelming. Not only is your transfer company waiting out there, so is everyone else's. And there are literally dozens of them. Signs everywhere.

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Also, when you do get outside the doors, it can be overwhelming. Not only is your transfer company waiting out there, so is everyone else's. And there are literally dozens of them. Signs everywhere.

 

That's why they stress their shirt color, and the coordinators will welcome you as they see you coming toward them :)

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Also, when you do get outside the doors, it can be overwhelming. Not only is your transfer company waiting out there, so is everyone else's. And there are literally dozens of them. Signs everywhere.

 

But logically you can count on their wanting to follow through with the booking (after all this is their living) to find you in the crowd eventually. No need to panic and/or get flustered by the crowd.

I have found that if you hit up the ATM for some cash in pesos, by the time you get out the door, the crowd (both tourists and touts) has thinned to be more manageable.

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  • 1 month later...
Been going to Cancun for 10 years. I always pre-book our private transfer - $55 USD ROUND TRIP. They are waiting outside the arrivals for me with my name on a sign every time without fail.

 

But I still get accosted all the way out from baggage claim to the door. I simply say "I have a ride", as I keep walking. Works very well.

 

They will often look "official", call out your airline name, etc. Just say "I have a ride" and keep walking. No 'free' gift is worth 3-5 hours of my vacation time.

 

Another tip - you can't take the luggage carts past the inner door of baggage claim. There are porters waiting there if you want assistance - don't be afraid to use them. They work solely for tips.

Can you please share the contact info for the transport company that you used? Thanx

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Can you please share the contact info for the transport company that you used? Thanx

 

For a nicer experience the private transfer in a newer Yukon is a great way to arrive or leave. We often get that when leaving the resorts, just lucky sometimes. But worth the extra $ too.

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  • 1 month later...

Do not rent a car in Cancun unless you are aware of the total cost involved. I rented a car on line for our weeks stay in Cancun last week for the nice low price of $70/week. When we arrived at the ticket counter we were told that we were obligated to purchase mandatory insurance at $45 per day, on top of the weekly rate. If we declined to do so we had the "option" of having a $16,000 hold on our credit card. What a rook. We returned to the airport and took a taxi to our hotel instead. Not a very nice start to a vacation!

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