Non- Ship Excursion

I am looking at do an excursion with Native Choice in Costa Maya called the Mayan Experience. E would be in port from 7-2. The excursion says it leaves one hour after ship arrival and the tour is 5.5 hours. I know I'm supposed to be back on the ship a half hour early. Do you think I would be ok to book that excursion and be safe? They say trip insurance comes with booking the excursion. Thanks in advance!

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I don't have an answer to your post, but including the ship name and port in the subject line would have been nice.

gary

I wouldn't. If it leaves at 8 and your is 5.5 hours, that gets you back at 1:30. Way too close for me for a private excursion. All aboard time is 1:30 so there's no leeway for traffic or anything to be running late. I believe when they say trip insurance is included they simply mean they will get you to the next port if you miss the ship. That's still a non-preferred option over just scheduling an activity that gets you back in plenty of time. If you insist on taking this excursion, for me, this is a circumstance where I would take the ship's version.

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I am looking at do an excursion with Native Choice in Costa Maya called the Mayan Experience. E would be in port from 7-2. The excursion says it leaves one hour after ship arrival and the tour is 5.5 hours. I know I'm supposed to be back on the ship a half hour early. Do you think I would be ok to book that excursion and be safe? They say trip insurance comes with booking the excursion. Thanks in advance!

Trip insurance covers paid and non-refundable trip costs. It may include shore excursion fees if included in your insured trip cost, and documented proof from the tour operator that you have paid, failed to join and will not be refunded of your payments.

If you are referring to being left by the ship for being late from the shore excursion, it may be considered as Trip Interruption with reimbursements (you have to advance) of expenses to board on the ship's next port, subject to the maximum limit of your plan benefits.

I would have a word with tour company.

If they would arrange to leave immediately when ship is cleared gives you more leaway just in case.

Getting back half hour before ship leaves is cutting it too close especially if you are going a long way to do excursion

This is cutting it way too close. The ship will not wait for you. And it allows no time cushion at all in case of any delays. I would not do it.

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Native choice was great - used them last month but I would not do it with your port times. They can't leave earlier as someone suggested - by the time the ship clears, you walk to their office, you pay and they arrange the different groups it is at least an hour. With a 7 am arrival you probably will not be tied up and cleared until at least 720 or 730. The tour group, if it was like ours, will be more than just people from your ship. If you wait for any stragglers it may be more than an hour before you depart.

Their trip insurance is for the excursion. It does not cover your entire cruise and I am not certain it would get you to the next port given how tight your time is.

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Thanks everyone. I was thinking a long the lines of all of you but was hoping someone would tell me they did it and it all worked out. That's a bummer since the ship doesn't offer a similar experience that goes to the ruins and a village. Thank you all!

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We used Native Choice last month and did the Extreme Tour, which was about the same length of time. We were in port 7:00-2:30 and were back to port with an hour to spare. See if they have just a tour if the ruins, without the lunch at a local residence. They are very aware of the ship time and their business depends on getting you back in plenty of time.

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JT1962 thank you. Good to know. I will just have to talk to them and see how it is something possible to work out. They do have just the ruins but the village would be cool to see. Thanks again!

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Native choice will not take you if they can not get you back to the ship with time to spare. They were by far the best operator we used last year.

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I agree with others, that's cutting it way too close. Never know what will happen traffic, flat tire, or anything you would miss the ship. We had a problem last year in St Marteen, with just a little bit of rain, the roads got completely jammed up. We heard the first horn as we pulled into port, then the 2nd after we got through the metal detectors. What a horrible feeling!!!

Also, I looked at that tour too, I wouldn't call it visit to the village, you are watching & helping someone prepare your lunch in their own home. Still interesting, but not walking around sight seeing.

Anyway, good luck w/ whatever you choose.