First Family Cruise (Carnival Elation) and not sure about excursions

[DScroggy5]

We are going on our first family cruise on the Carnival Elation to Progresso and Cozumel, Mexico.

Is it best to go on the excursions provided by Carnival? Or do we try to find things to do on our own? The excursions seem very expensive.

We want to keep things simple.

Thanks!

[Keith1010]

You can explore these areas on your own.

I would check out the ports of call boards for these two places to get some ideas.

Also go to the Roll Call section to see what others from your cruise are doing.

Keith

[paul929207]

Look at the Carnival Excursions. Get a guie book (most libraries will have one) and see what there is. Decide what you want to do. Then decide the best way to do it. Ship excursion, private tour, taxi or do it yourself.

[CruiserBruce]

Here is the Carnival board:

[URL]http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=215[/URL]

Here is the Caribbean Ports boards:

[URL]http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=587[/URL]

Here is the Elation's roll calls:

[URL]http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=340[/URL]

[I_heart_vaca]

I have NOT cruised to the Carribbean, but have visited may times on land vacations. It is very easy to expore on your own or on private tours in these areas. The only thing you have to absolutely watch is length of tour. If you are in port for 8 hours, and the tour is 7 hours -- not much room for error. If you are on the ships excursion, they wait for you...if you are on private tour or on your own...you are on your own!

My sis just did a Norweigen cruise to the Caribbean and she did all exploring on her own except to the ruins, which was a 7 hour tour on a day the ship was in port for 9 hours....bus got a flat and they returned 30 minutes AFTER the ship was supposed to depart, but it waited.

Good luck and have fun!!

[cb at sea]

Many things require NO excursions...but you have to research your ports! Get a guidebook...libraries have them, or you can buy one.....research is key.

The ship's excursions are a "no=brainer" sort of thing.....easy and fun. Expensive, tho!
Private excursions are more personable and a bit less costly..but you're still being "guided"....
if you do your research, you can see and do all you want on your own! The Caribbean is very "American Friendly"...you and your money are most accepted. Beaches, shopping and just wandering cost little to nothing. RESEARCH!!!!!

[wigglit]

[FONT=Calibri][SIZE=3]The Elation was also our first cruise and we were completly lost but caught on pretty quickly and are now hooked for life![/SIZE][/FONT]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]Progresso is not my favorite port, but it's O.K. Your best bet there is to just get off the ship and ride the free bus to the market. Once there walk through it and go across the street to the beach. You can get a spot with an umbrella and chair for free if you order from the vendor….. Sodas, snacks, beer and such. You can also get a beach massage for really cheap. My daughter and I both got an hour each for $15.00 each. It was nice. There are vendors that walk up and down the beach selling there trinkets and goods, you can barter for everything. I enjoyed it.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]Cozumel is absolutely beautiful. You can get off the boat and wander around all the shops that are in the area. Margaritaville is also located there. You can find vendors that will take you out to the reefs to snorkel in the glass bottom boats. Remember to barter for everything. We got a family of four for $20.00 each. The others on our boat paid $50.00 and were mad that we got it for cheaper.[/FONT][/SIZE]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Calibri]If you want more than that you can take a cab out to one of the beaches. There are several that offer all day passes ( for a fee ). You can snorkel, swim etc…..[/FONT][/SIZE]

[johneeo]

[quote name='DScroggy4']We are going on our first family cruise on the Carnival Elation to Progresso and Cozumel, Mexico.

Is it best to go on the excursions provided by Carnival? Or do we try to find things to do on our own? The excursions seem very expensive.

We want to keep things simple.

Thanks![/quote]

Having just returned from Cozumel, I can tell you that this is a great place to pick your own private excursions.

This island offers just about everything imagineable, and they have numerous private companies that can provide excursions.

Or, maybe you just want to do a beach, research it on the Port of Call board, and just grab a cab and go.