Safe for solo female to go into port alone, excursion recommendations?

I will be cruising next month with my mother who has no desire to leave the ship. I'm wondering if it would be best for me to stick with only cruise-sponsored excursions, or if I would be safe going solo on an independent tour? I'm a 40 year old female, looking for either a tour of the island with some beach time, or just some quiet beach time without the tour, preferably with minimal walking involved as I am still recovering from ankle surgery. Your advice and recommendations are requested.

If you can advise on the following ports, in addition to Cozumel, that would be helpful. I didn't want to be redundant and repeat this post on the other port boards.

Cozumel

Belize

Roatan

Costa Maya

Coz is very safe and you should have no issues. I would try to team up with others on your roll call to share taxi fares. Nachi Cocom (all-inclusive) or Paradise Beach (pay-as-you-go) are good options for a relaxing beach day in Coz. The Money Bar offers great snorkeling from the shore but no real beach - check out all three on this board and Trip Advisor.

For a tour of the island you are likely looking at hiring a private driver or taxi for several hours - will be cost effective and more fun to do this with a group of cruisers.

Yes. With a ship in port, plenty of places to go that is safe around the port area and outside. If you want a nice quiet beach with AI, go with Nachi Cocum. Beautiful paradise and good food/drinks. They only allow 100 people max

I have been on cruises where I was in port alone. I am not particularly paranoid and have actually traveled quite a bit alone but I would not be comfortable taking a cab alone. I mostly book ship excursions if I am alone. I do join the roll call and got in on some private excursions with the group though.

If you are at all interested in Mayan ruins check those out with your ship in Belize (Xunantunich) and Cozumel (Coba). I don't know if you want to do this with a bad ankle though.

In Belize book a tour for sure, do not try on your own.

If you are on Carnival, in Roatan there is a beautiful beach right by the dock that would be very easy alone. If you don't want to walk there is a chair lift (think ski lift type) that you can buy tickets for to get to the beach area.

I will be cruising next month with my mother who has no desire to leave the ship. I'm wondering if it would be best for me to stick with only cruise-sponsored excursions, or if I would be safe going solo on an independent tour? I'm a 40 year old female, looking for either a tour of the island with some beach time, or just some quiet beach time without the tour, preferably with minimal walking involved as I am still recovering from ankle surgery. Your advice and recommendations are requested.

 

If you can advise on the following ports, in addition to Cozumel, that would be helpful. I didn't want to be redundant and repeat this post on the other port boards.

 

Cozumel

Belize

Roatan

Costa Maya

I've been to Cozumel many times with my late DH and always felt safe getting in taxis and walking the usual places tourists go. However, now that I will be traveling solo, I would not get in a taxi alone in Cozumel. Perhaps you can find someone aboard the ship with whom you could share a ride?

I travel by myself and when I cruise I take a ship excursion.

Recently I was in St Lucia and wanted to do a tour to the north part of the island, not done by tour companies, and got off the ship to see what was available. Was approached by a driver who offered a tour "and many other things", mostly illegal. He also wanted to have some fun... I told him he was crazy and got back on the ship. (I had just been to St Lucia not too many months prior to this and did a long island tour as part of a group so I wanted to go somewhere else.)

So, stick with a tour and do your shopping in the public areas with a group. I do find Cozumel pretty safe as far as cruise ports go, but if you go downtown there are many 'shops' in vacant buildings off the beaten path, all offering you a better deal. It would be easy to be pulled into one of these buildings and I'm surprised we haven't read about this occurring. On a related note, I've been to downtown Cozumel and back then the prices in the port area were less for the same or similar things.

I have cruised by myself quite a bit and I would feel safe doing an excursion in Cozumel.

Have you joined your cruise's roll call? I did that on my last solo cruise (I'm 40 also) and this wonderful couple "adopted" me (actually, the entire roll call did) and I joined them on an excursion in Cozumel.

BF and I were in Cozumel a few weeks ago and went to Papito's beach club. It was wonderful. I would feel totally safe going back there if I were traveling by myself.

I've only been to Costa Maya of the other ones. You can walk around there--there is a beach right there and shops. It was built just for cruise ships.

From everything I've read about the other two ports, you will not want to walk around by yourself. I would book an excursion through the ship for those two ports. Again, I would suggest joining your roll call and see if there are people doing what you're interested in---otherwise, I would book a ship sponsored excursion.

Have fun!