First cruise, TIGHT budget, excursions alternative?

Hi! I’m VERY nervous about going on a cruise by myself for the first time. My bf is going with me and it’s his first time as well. It’s a 7 day cruise to Cozumel, Belize and mahogany bay. The excursions are so expensive and would love to know ANY tips on things to do that are fun and inexpensive and even romantic on ship or off ship. It’s the carnival dream and even advice on what to wear! We’re at a loss and the posts I saw have been for Jamaica and etc. thank you in advance I am clueless!!!

you are not by yourself if your BF is coming with you....

Beach is usually the cheapest excursion ever if you don't do all inclusive.

Hi! I’m VERY nervous about going on a cruise by myself for the first time. My bf is going with me and it’s his first time as well. It’s a 7 day cruise to Cozumel, Belize and mahogany bay. The excursions are so expensive and would love to know ANY tips on things to do that are fun and inexpensive and even romantic on ship or off ship. It’s the carnival dream and even advice on what to wear! We’re at a loss and the posts I saw have been for Jamaica and etc. thank you in advance I am clueless!!!

Go to Ports of Call - Look up each Port and there are suggestions there.

You can get lots of tips on the Caribbean itineraries’ Ports of Call board

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?5https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?5

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Go to the board for each port of call and read up on it - excursions are always more expensive when purchased through the cruise line but you can find things to do much cheaper via a third party. Just be aware of the ramifications of doing so. Walking tours don't cost anything and going to a beach is pretty inexpensive

Make sure you are aware of additional costs associated with your cruise - the most obvious being gratuities.

Check out the Carnival board for information about cruising them, including dress

.

There are usually people offering private tours as you exit the terminal. Cost is usually $20 to $30 for a couple of hour tour.

As mentioned, you can also walk/take a bus/take a taxi to a beach and just relax there. You can return to the ship for lunch and then take off again.

Hi! I’m VERY nervous about going on a cruise by myself for the first time. My bf is going with me and it’s his first time as well. It’s a 7 day cruise to Cozumel, Belize and mahogany bay. The excursions are so expensive and would love to know ANY tips on things to do that are fun and inexpensive and even romantic on ship or off ship. It’s the carnival dream and even advice on what to wear! We’re at a loss and the posts I saw have been for Jamaica and etc. thank you in advance I am clueless!!!

Dress: https://help.carnival.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1093/~/what-to-wear---evenings

https://help.carnival.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1125/~/what-to-wear---daytime

Ports: Mahogany Bay is a free beach day! In Cozumel there are multiple, easy DIY excursions to do. You can just grab a taxi and go anywhere. Last time DH and I went to Paradise Beach and it cost (in total) $31 plus our drinks/food at PB. Sorry, I can't help any at all with Belize, but there is a ton of information on the Port of Call forum. Check out all of the Ports of Call forums for these stops and you'll find a ton of information.

Cozumel is easy. You'll be able to find a taxi, just check the ports of call for free beaches.

Belize is the only one where you really shouldn't go out on your own. There's nothing accessible from the port area. You don't have to do a ship excursion, there are many independent tours operating from there. Cave tubing is the big thing there and there are multiple companies that run reliable tours for that. Think we use cavetubing.bz or something like that

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Cozumel is easy to DIY. Grab a cab and hit a beach. If you want to snorkel I would recommend Playa Uvas, Playa Corona, or The Money Bar. They are all near the ships and are close to Chankanabb Park. Chank is one of our favorites but they do charge $20 or so for entry. Play Uvas is small and needs reservations. They do offer several different packages.

You owe to it yourself to go to Tabyanna Beach on Roatan. If money is tight just stay at Mahogany Bay.

Belize is nothing unless you take a tour to an island or go cave tubing. You are tendered to a tourist trap with little to see or do unless you shop.

Cozumel grab a taxi and go to Paradise Beach. Mahogany Bay the beach is right there when you get off the ship or Theris Dixon Tours is good and inexpensive. We have done excursions with her 2x. Belize, skip the tender and island and enjoy an empty ship, Serenity is great when everyone else is gone. That is exactly what we did when we sailed on the Dream last year.

We never went on a scheduled excursion until our first Alaska trip and we wanted to take the helicopter to the Glacier - they are not necessary in most places. Enjoy the ship and look for walking tour ideas on the internet. Also check out Trip Advisor for ideas on what to do in port. Cozumel has always been a beach day - advice above is great, grab a cab. And do not sweat the clothes issue - think summer fun. Shorts or sundresses, swim suit and coverup for the pool and beach, and evening wear you likely already have.

Seems like there is a Margaritaville in Coz. They have a pool you can use, free, if you purchase food or drinks, I think. That might be an option. And I agree...nothing to do in Belize, so maybe that would be a good port to pool your money, and book an inexpensive excursion.

Sometimes if it’s just me & my DH, we just exit the ship, walk around the port, window shop, take pictures...and then get back on the ship & head up to the pool. It’s kinda great, because few are there and you can have the facilities much more to yourself.

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There is almost NEVER a NEED to do excursions...but you need info on your ports! Go to your local library and check out a guidebook...they are in the reference section. You can find out ALL there is in each port..and it will tell you about transportation, food/drink, beaches, shopping, etc.

We almost NEVER do any kind of excursion, whether it's thru the ship or private. I research the ports..and we do our own thing. MUCH cheaper that way!

Go to Ports of Call - Look up each Port and there are suggestions there.

OP, If your bf is going with you, how do you say you are going alone? :confused:

Welcome to CC and have a blast on your first cruise.

Hi! I’m VERY nervous about going on a cruise by myself for the first time. My bf is going with me and it’s his first time as well. It’s a 7 day cruise to Cozumel, Belize and mahogany bay. The excursions are so expensive and would love to know ANY tips on things to do that are fun and inexpensive and even romantic on ship or off ship. It’s the carnival dream and even advice on what to wear! We’re at a loss and the posts I saw have been for Jamaica and etc. thank you in advance I am clueless!!!

What ship are you going on? You’re not alone, your bf will be with you!! As far as adventuring without paying a lot for excursions, you could take a tour, do the jet ski and one of you pick the driver the other picks the rider (rider is less than driver), do a self walk around of Cozumel. Belize some shops. Take a taxi to the beaches

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Join your trip's roll call. You might find people your age who could split taxi costs, etc.

Mahogany Bay is a great beach day - we also grabbed a taxi for a quick tour

Belize, I'd recommend Charlie's Cave Tubing - you can find them on Trip Advisor. Their price was almost half what the ship offered and we got lunch. Since we were in a small group (only five plus the guide), the guide was flexible. And on the way back to the ship, we stopped at a market - got a chance to see some local stuff.

There's nothing like your first cruise and it's a true learning experience and usually lots of fun! I wholeheartedly agree with cb and maybones! Do your research. This can also be done looking at guidebooks in your local large bookstore. (You can take notes w/out buying the book.) You can always then ask questions on the CC ports of call boards. The cab prices to various destinations (such as the various beaches or Chankanaab (which, BTW, can be a great place to snorkel, so if you are broke, try to hit a beach maybe just past it ) will be posted just outside the cruise dock area where the taxis line up. As mentioned above, there will be many tour operators offering short catamaran tours and things there. Often you can bargain around a bit with them. Always plan to be back at your ship earlier than necessary, too. The traffic back to the ships backs up a lot sometimes the last 45 min. to an hr. sometimes. I also agree that it's best to have something planned for Belize - even just a trip to a beach. There used to be some vendors near that port offering a few things as well. Mostly diving, snorkeling or tubing down a river. Also remember that the original town on Cozumel is called San Miguel. It has a sort of square and streets with Mexican restaurants, shops and so forth and they do NOT look like the many fancier built multi-story strip malls with overpriced stores that line the main road from the docksto the town center that are just a couple of miles from the center of San Miguel. I prefer that old area to see more of what used to be the original Cozumel, which was where ships USED to dock. You should have time to peruse the town AND hit the beach. On yeah - one of the biggest surprises to many people when they cruise is what they wound up spending on liquor. Stay on top of your shipboard account. You can check it each day while on board.

Remember the saying: "The best laid plans of mice & men often go astray." So if you plan something and get to your port and see something else you'd rather do, go for it! Or you may meet another couple on board and decide to do something with them. You just never know.Good luck & happy travels!