Coba Mayan Ruins - in Port 1pm-10pm

I'm in port on Carnival 1pm to 10pm and missed booking the Coba excursion through the ship (I think it's full, couldn't get help/info when I called Carnival, they told me to check when I got on board).

My question - it appears Coba closes at 5pm. It appears to take 3 1/2 hours to get there, which wouldn't leave much time there. Has anyone gone/booked this excursion and know anything about the timing? I have found private tour operators I am trying to also get info from, thanks!

No, don't do it. Unless you can get there with the ship, it's not something I would try (and I almost always book non-ship excursions).

I went to Coba from a mainland resort near Tulum. From there it took over an hour drive each way.

Look at the timing:

Arrival into Coz at 1 pm.

Deaprt ship at 1:15 , taxi to Ferry pier

Catch 2:00 pm ferry if there is one at that time.

45 minute ferry ride to Playa

It's now 2:45 or 3:00 pm if all works out.

1.5 hr ride to Coba from Playa

That gets you into Coba at 4:30 pm.

I don't know about the closing at 5 pm thing. Maybe it does, I have no idea. I would think that if a ship is taking an excursion group there they will keep it open for that group with some sort of agreement/contract.

You can't even scratch the surface or get to the large pyramid in 30 minutes in Coba.

If you have a tour guide that can assure you that the ruins will be open later than 5:00 pm, then you might be able to do it, but again, I would not.

To add to Mrsfuzzmo's list of concerns, and assuming that by chance your ship and Cozumel are on the same time zone (something that's up in the air iffy over the spring): I doubt you'll be able to get off the ship any earlier than 1:30PM, customs and all that. If you're at Puerta Maya it's a good 5-10 minute hike to the taxis. You'll be touch and go making it to the ferry dock with enough time to buy a ticket for the 2 PM (assuming that's the current schedule, and these do change from time to time). Ferry ticket sellers are notorious about not selling tickets for a ferry that is scheduled to leave even if it's still tied to the dock. Miss that and it's 4 PM before you can get another ferry. Coba will be closed before you even grab a collective in Playa.

If you dock at Punta Langosta, no taxi driver in Coz is going to give you a lift to the ferry pier. So you'll have to hoof it. 15 minutes. You'll have to be off the ship and on the pier by 1:40P coz time.

Let me add that Carnival typically lists all excursions for any port on its website when you look up excursions for your cruise. But that doesn't mean that the excursion will take place. So that's why the Carnival rep is telling you to check once you're on board. On board, the shore excursion desk will be able to tell you if the Coba Excursion is available given the time the ship is in Cozumel.

Thank you both, this was very helpful! We won't be chancing the timing to Coba. :(

THIS IS FROM THE CARNIVAL EXCURSIONS PAGE-(SMALL PRINT ON THE COBA PAGE)

This is a mainland shore excursion and may not be available on all sailings or itineraries. Please log in with your Booking # to see if available on your sailing.

•At this time, this mainland tour is not available for Triumph, Elation, Conquest, and Paradise guests.

we just are not in port long enough.:(