Cozumel tour help, please

[CL2 Mermaid]

Hi,everyone
We will be in Cozumel in early December and would like to take a tour of the Mayan ruins at Tulum. Unfortunately, the cruise line is no longer offering a shore excursion to the ruins because they cannot come to an agreement with a local tour operator. Can anyone recommend a good, reliable tour company at the Cozumel pier who does tours to Tulum?
Thanks and happy sails to you
Bo

[Caribbean Sunsets]

Is there anyone on your roll call that may be planning to go too? I wonder if there needs to be some reading between the lines of why the cruise line hasn't come to terms with a local tour company. Is that a red flag of some sort?

[CL2 Mermaid]

Thanks for your reply. The cruise line told me about the tour problem when I was unable to book a tour they had been listing on their web site only a few weeks before.
It is sure a red flag to me since I chose this cruise because it would afford me the opportunity to see the ruins. I am very disappointed, but I am determined to find another way to do what I have been longing to see.

[Magic City Cruiser]

Originally Posted by CL2 Mermaid

Thanks for your reply. The cruise line told me about the tour problem when I was unable to book a tour they had been listing on their web site only a few weeks before.
It is sure a red flag to me since I chose this cruise because it would afford me the opportunity to see the ruins. I am very disappointed, but I am determined to find another way to do what I have been longing to see.

Here's something to consider: Tulum is on the mainland so there is a ferry/boat and a bus ride. It's quite a long tour. If, for any reason, you don't make it back to the ship in time, it will sail without you. If you book a tour through Carnival, they will wait. I know you have your heart set on Tulum but wanted to make sure you are aware. However, I always book tours independently and have found that most tours will do their utmost to get you back on time.

[knots4crewzing]

Originally Posted by CL2 Mermaid

Thanks for your reply. The cruise line told me about the tour problem when I was unable to book a tour they had been listing on their web site only a few weeks before.
It is sure a red flag to me since I chose this cruise because it would afford me the opportunity to see the ruins. I am very disappointed, but I am determined to find another way to do what I have been longing to see.

Hi, I too, will be very disappointed if in fact this is true. But I was able to make our reservations on line last night for the Tulum Ruins and beach break for RCCL Freedom of the seas for January 2010. I hope they don't cancel because this was the one and only tour that I've been really looking forward to. I don't think I would do this privatley as there are to many connections you have to make. I don't want to chance missing the ship if I did this on my own.

What tour were you looking at because I know there are 2 they are offering. Also what ship will you be on?

Let's hope this was a mistake and we'll get to go.

Liz

[jamstew]

This is something I've done (and would do again) on my own, but not with the time constraints of cruising. Cab to the ferry dock, ferry over to Playa, then the bus to Tulum would take about two hours. By my calculations, you'd only have about two hours at the ruin before you'd need to make the return trip. To me, that isn't enough time to do justice to Tulum, which is one of my favorite places on the planet!

[CL2 Mermaid]

In answer to your Nov 11 post, Liz, we are on Grandeur of the Seas, Dec 3. We would like to book ANY ships tour to Tulum, with or without beach. We just really want to see Tulum.
As of yesterday, Royal Caribbean is still not offering this tour, although they say they are working on it.
Of the 66 shore excursions they offer on their web site, only 24 are actually going as of today.
Many of those tours seem like duplicates to me. Needless to say, we are terribly disappointed, RCCL tells me they should know more by next week.
I really hope we can do this tour through RCCL, since I realize doing it ourselves presents a number of logistical and time management difficulties.
We haven't made other plans yet since we are apprehensive about booking a private tour given the complicated nature of the tour transfers from the ship.
I am pleased you were able to book the tour on your cruise. I am loosing hope about going to Tulum and feeling blue.

[rslex]

Originally Posted by CL2 Mermaid

Hi,everyone
We will be in Cozumel in early December and would like to take a tour of the Mayan ruins at Tulum. Unfortunately, the cruise line is no longer offering a shore excursion to the ruins because they cannot come to an agreement with a local tour operator. Can anyone recommend a good, reliable tour company at the Cozumel pier who does tours to Tulum?
Thanks and happy sails to you
Bo

Can't really help you with your question as we took the tour through NCL last February. We got back to the ship with absolutly no time to spare. None the less, It was one of the greatest experiences we've ever had and I highly recommend it. Here is a little taste of what you can expect:

http://travel.webshots.com/album/575026950ZMwSlV
http://travel.webshots.com/album/575028850ZfdOAC
http://travel.webshots.com/album/575029548HZHPDt __________________

[rjscott]

Here's the website of a third-party booking company that we've used in Cabo for a private driver. We were very happy with their services and considered using them again in Cozumel to go to Xcaret, but decided to do something different. I understand your frustration, as we visited Tulum on our very first cruise and it was an awesome experience. But, as already mentioned, there is that factor of the non-ship's excursion and the several modes of transportation to consider. Nonetheless, your decision and here's the website:http://www.cozumel-tours.com/private-tulum-tour.htm

[Station4]

As many have said..you can take the ferry to Playa..Then the option is a collectivo which is a small bus that travels the main road or a taxi. I've never taken the ferry but its a good hour to Talum from Playa..Talum is a very nice place to visit if you get there, If you do, make sure you go with a guide on the Talum tour as there was many things we didn't know about because we didn't have a tour guide.

Cheers
Al

[bigtoeswim'n]

Hi CL2 Mermaid: DH (dear husband) and I did a private tour to Tulum with Island Marketing in dec 2007 and were extremely pleased. We certainly got our money's worth. Isabelle was our tour guide, wonderful. The van driver, Gabrielle (I think) was also very nice too. On the sailing we were on, the ship went thru a very bad storm, so the cruise line tour was cancelled. We were told the operator cancelled it. No reason given.

It was a long day as other described. After getting off the ship, we walked very rapidly to where the water taxi is. There we were met by a lady who told us to purchase a ticket (maybe $15 each round trip) to go to the mainland. There is that long water taxi to the mainland, followed by a 45 min or so drive. The van was very clean and modern. We were met by Isabelle at the mainland.

Isabelle asked the driver to stop at a roadside vendor and we bought some tacos. So delicious.

At the ruins themselves, we found out that Isabelle could only tag along and that we had to use the official tour guides there. Admission to the ruins was included. Isabelle recommended a very good guide as she said some of the other guides were not as good, in her opinion. Our excellent guide was a high-school teacher and spoke pretty good English. We gave him a nice tip because he sure gave lots of facts and had visual items for us to look at. His name was Ismail. I don't think you can request a guide, but must take the "next guide in line." Isabelle let us procrastinate so that we could get Ismail.

It was a fun day. We were suppose to go snorkeling after Tulum, but I think that was wishful thinking. Isabelle said the water were murky, but I think that there just wasn't enough time. I would recommend this tour to anyone, but again, that was 2 years ago.

Oh, we had to put down a deposit with a credit card and then bring the balance in traveler's check. We tip Isabelle well. When we asked for a nice place to eat, she recommended Denis Cafe. We just wanted something light and a brew!! We were not disappointed.

You have to understand that the cancellation/terms is not as forgiving as a ship's tour and if you are detained, like at the water taxi, the ship leaves without you. I'm in the process of rebooking with this company again for this year's December 2009 visit. This time another private tour as the other tours there are filled. I waited too long to act this time around.

Hope this helps.

[mimo1128]

Originally Posted by Station4

As many have said..you can take the ferry to Playa..Then the option is a collectivo which is a small bus that travels the main road or a taxi. I've never taken the ferry but its a good hour to Talum from Playa..Talum is a very nice place to visit if you get there, If you do, make sure you go with a guide on the Talum tour as there was many things we didn't know about because we didn't have a tour guide.

Cheers
Al

Hi Al, did you actually take the collectivo from Playa del carmen to Tulum. If you did, how was the experience? Did you run into any trouble grabbing one back or would you recommend grabbing a taxi back to playa?

Thanks!
J

[Jade13]

Originally Posted by CL2 Mermaid

In answer to your Nov 11 post, Liz, we are on Grandeur of the Seas, Dec 3. We would like to book ANY ships tour to Tulum, with or without beach. We just really want to see Tulum.
As of yesterday, Royal Caribbean is still not offering this tour, although they say they are working on it.
Of the 66 shore excursions they offer on their web site, only 24 are actually going as of today.
Many of those tours seem like duplicates to me. Needless to say, we are terribly disappointed, RCCL tells me they should know more by next week.
I really hope we can do this tour through RCCL, since I realize doing it ourselves presents a number of logistical and time management difficulties.
We haven't made other plans yet since we are apprehensive about booking a private tour given the complicated nature of the tour transfers from the ship.
I am pleased you were able to book the tour on your cruise. I am loosing hope about going to Tulum and feeling blue.

I would like to know what happened here as we are booked and paid through Celebrity, who of course is owned by RCCL. Has RCCL/Celebrity worked out the issue with the tour company or not? I can't believe Celebrity would take our money if they did not have a contract with the tour operator.

[Jade13]

Originally Posted by CL2 Mermaid

In answer to your Nov 11 post, Liz, we are on Grandeur of the Seas, Dec 3. We would like to book ANY ships tour to Tulum, with or without beach. We just really want to see Tulum.
As of yesterday, Royal Caribbean is still not offering this tour, although they say they are working on it.
Of the 66 shore excursions they offer on their web site, only 24 are actually going as of today..

I see (from your roll call) that you finally got this tour with RCCL. I hope you come back to post your experience.