Amazing Secret River vs Unedrground river and Cenote

Can anyone describe the difference between these two? Amazing secret river goes to Rio Secreto and Underground river goes to Chaak Tun.

Mainly wondering if one is more of a swim vs hike and the difference in the caves

I would also like to know where you keep your clothes, cruise card, passport, etc. while you are caving????

I would also like to know where you keep your clothes, cruise card, passport, etc. while you are caving????

I found a video online at Secret River and they have lockers. Don't know about the other.

I have a review of the Rio Secreto here:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2386100

Hope this can help answer some questions :)

We did the Underground River and loved it.... we had to wear life vests, lots of floating in dark. Best if you know how to swim as over 50% of it was where you could not touch bottom. We did two different cenotes, some walking in between but not far. The water in ALL cenotes is cold but it felt refreshing since it was so hot outside. Lunch afterwards was fantastic, also. I have a video:

Two couples we met on our ship did the other one, and they had to wear hard hats and did lots of walking in caves, no swimming in dark or water over their heads as I recall. They didn't enjoy it, but then they also complained about the Mayan food provided (Mayan food is different from Texmex).

The Amazing Secret River looks amazing (no pun intended) :D Might have to consider that one for our cruise next May !!

ABQRobin: Great video! Obviously you were able to take your phone or camera for video/pictures with you? Is there a place to store your belongings during the excursion? Did you book through the cruise line? What type of transportation took you to the river? How long did it take to get there? We'll be in Cozumel and two weeks and need to nail down an excursion. Thank you!!

ABQRobin: Great video! Obviously you were able to take your phone or camera for video/pictures with you? Is there a place to store your belongings during the excursion? Did you book through the cruise line? What type of transportation took you to the river? How long did it take to get there? We'll be in Cozumel and two weeks and need to nail down an excursion. Thank you!!

thanks!

I did the video with a GoPro. We left our belongings in the hut at the entrance. Then after the water portion, we changed to dry clothes and got on the bus to go back into town for the shopping. It was the cruise tour, Underground River with 5th Ave Shopping. It is an excellent excursion and included a very nice lunch at the park before shopping.

Don't do a Mainland excursion except through the cruise line, otherwise you are dealing with a lot of transportation issues, and a ferry that runs once an hour. The cruise lines book a ferry just for them, that leaves from your cruise ship directly, instead of the ferry station downtown. Seriously, you will add more than an hour extra transportation time onto your excursion if you try to do it on your own. And you might miss the ship because you are stuck waiting for a ferry.

Thank you, ABQRobin! After reading several posts, I'm definitely booking through the ship if we do this one. Were you able to store your stuff in lockers at the hut? Also, were the vendors in the shopping area aggressive or were there shady places to hang out if you don't want to shop?

Thank you, ABQRobin! After reading several posts, I'm definitely booking through the ship if we do this one. Were you able to store your stuff in lockers at the hut? Also, were the vendors in the shopping area aggressive or were there shady places to hang out if you don't want to shop?

They had lockers, but another group before us took them all so they just had us put our bags in the office behind the entry clerk. We were a little nervous about this but everything was fine. He took good care of everything and no one was missing anything. I guess they have to be like that though... one person complains and they lose a lot of business.

Shopping in Playa del Carmen... we love the place. Yes, the vendors ask you to come in their shop "cheaper than Walmart", LOL. All you have to say is no, gracias and move along. No one is rude or mean. They need the business! They want tourists to come back, so they are always smiling and friendly.

You can sit down by the stage area, under the big sculpture. There were Mayan dancers doing a free show when we walked by, but we were on a mission to get another carved mask for our collection so we didn't stay. Lots of people sitting watching, lots of shade. There is also a Senior Frogs right at the dock.

How much time does cave portion take? I'm assuming you took the ferry to the mainland and then a bus to get to the cave? How much time for each? Thank you!

How much time does cave portion take? I'm assuming you took the ferry to the mainland and then a bus to get to the cave? How much time for each? Thank you!

Geez, I don't remember those kind of details.

I will guess:

Yes, you take the ferry over, so that is 45 minutes. Walked to where the bus was parked, 5 minutes. Ride bus off into the jungle, where all the cenotes are located, 15 minutes. Change into swimsuits, 15 minutes. First cave, about 30 minutes. Walk to next cave, discussion about Mayan culture, 10 minutes. Second cave, 60 minutes. Lunch in a third cave, 30 minutes. Change clothes, 15 minutes. Bus back to PDC, 15 minutes.

Dropped off to shop for about 60 minutes (guide gave us a time to meet him at pier). Meet back at ferry, take ferry back to cruise ship, 45 minutes. The ferry holds 200+ people, so it was full with our group as well as people who had visited other sites like Tulum, underwater river, etc. We all arrived back at the cruise ship at the time is was supposed to sail... but they were holding the ship for all of us to return. The ship left about 30 minutes later, once everyone was back onboard, no time to shop at Cozumel.

Thanks again, ABQrobin! You're a gem! Can't decide between Amazing Secret River or Underground River w/Shopping. I guess we'll do one this time and the other the next time we're in Cozumel. Both sound AMAZING!! :)

Thanks again, ABQrobin! You're a gem! Can't decide between Amazing Secret River or Underground River w/Shopping. I guess we'll do one this time and the other the next time we're in Cozumel. Both sound AMAZING!! :)

Well, they are both in cenotes, but they are a different type of activity. The Underground River with shopping - the one I did, is in dark caves, and you have to tread water and swim through the caves.

The other one, Amazing Secret river - from what I was told by someone who did it the same day as our excursion you are in lit caves and water is never over your head, plus you have to wear a hard hat and cannot take a camera. That is what they told us after doing the excursion.

As I said, we did the other one, where you are swimming with only the hand held flashlights in dark and water over your head most of the time. Be sure to pick the one that is best for you.

Thank you ABQrobin:this helped me as well, since I'm debating which excursion to do in April. :)