CHANKANAAB Excursion or DIY

[calex1976]

Sorry the pics are so big. I have not found out how to resize them yet.

 

The Lagoon

 

 

At the entrance

 

 

Boardwalk

 

 

Board walk you can see the ships in the distance

 

 

Archway to the jungle

 

[sweetcurves]

I think my sister and I are going to this park in April. But we are going to do the sea lion encounter. I LOVE sea lions so this will be something I can cross off my bucket list. Thanks for posting your info/review and your pics! It looks beautiful and affordable and something that we can fill our day with!

[sweetcurves]

I think my sister and I are going to this park in April. But we are going to do the sea lion encounter. I LOVE sea lions so this will be something I can cross off my bucket list. Thanks for posting your info/review and your pics! It looks beautiful and affordable and something that we can fill our day with!

 

CRAP! I just saw that there's a manatee encounter as well! What to do, what to do?!?!

[gambee]

Sorry the pics are so big. I have not found out how to resize them yet.

 

The Lagoon

 

 

At the entrance

 

 

Boardwalk

 

 

Board walk you can see the ships in the distance

 

 

Archway to the jungle

 

 

The size is perfect, thanks.

 

Wait a minute. There is a pool in chankanaab? Can everyone use it?

[mitsugirly]

The size is perfect, thanks.

 

Wait a minute. There is a pool in chankanaab? Can everyone use it?

 

Yes, there is a pool at Chankanaab. It's right in front of the dolphin swim area and in front of the shops. :)

 

[gambee]

Yes, there is a pool at Chankanaab. It's right in front of the dolphin swim area and in front of the shops. :)

 

 

OMG I had no idea they had a pool and everyone can use it? pools are my kind of thing, I was a little bummed that they did not have one.

[mitsugirly]

OMG I had no idea they had a pool and everyone can use it? pools are my kind of thing, I was a little bummed that they did not have one.

 

Yep, everyone can use it. ;) :D

[gray2405]

We are going in just 34 days and plan on going to Chankanaab as well. No one has really mentioned the lockers....do you know how much they are and are they fairly close to everything? THANKS

[mitsugirly]

We are going in just 34 days and plan on going to Chankanaab as well. No one has really mentioned the lockers....do you know how much they are and are they fairly close to everything? THANKS

 

 

The lockers are free and the only thing they are close to are the shops when you first come in and the dolphin swims. It's quite a walk to the beach/snorkel area and lagoon from there.

[Yvonne]

We've done it twice on our own in the last 9 or so months. We love Chankanaab.

 

Here's 2 of my reviews with tons of pictures for you to get a feel of the place if interested:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=30683350&postcount=59

 

(Within the above review you will find the $2 off coupon)

 

This is a review on the dolphin/manatee swim if you are interested in that:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=30692077&postcount=65

 

Second trip there:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=33274360&postcount=48

 

Thank you so much for sharing your reviews/photos of Chankanaab. We were there a few years ago while on a cruise and did a dolphin excursion which was a lot of fun, but we didn't have any time to really explore the park so that is what I'm hoping to do on our next cruise in January. I remember the taxi ride was very short to get there, and that taxis were ready and waiting when you were ready to leave, so I don't see a problem in doing this on our own instead of a ship excursion.

[mitsugirly]

Thank you so much for sharing your reviews/photos of Chankanaab. We were there a few years ago while on a cruise and did a dolphin excursion which was a lot of fun, but we didn't have any time to really explore the park so that is what I'm hoping to do on our next cruise in January. I remember the taxi ride was very short to get there, and that taxis were ready and waiting when you were ready to leave, so I don't see a problem in doing this on our own instead of a ship excursion.

 

You're very welcome. Yes, I highly recommend doing it on your own. It's cheap and affordable and very simple to do. I hope you have a wonderful time in January. :)

[calex1976]

The lockers are free and the only thing they are close to are the shops when you first come in and the dolphin swims. It's quite a walk to the beach/snorkel area and lagoon from there.

 

 

There is also a set of lockers on the beach just behind the first area to rent snorkel gear and near the restrooms. Lockers were free with snorkel rental. I usually take pictures of locker just to share info, but I forgot all about it this time. One trick we learned on our last cruise is to bring a old small towel from home. We put it in our backpack leaving the ship. Once we get out of the water we use it to dry off then leave it on the trash can. I figure some one there might need it or it can be tossed in the trash later. It's better than hauling heavy wet towels back to the ship.

[rosebudw1]

We've done it twice on our own in the last 9 or so months. We love Chankanaab.

 

Here's 2 of my reviews with tons of pictures for you to get a feel of the place if interested:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=30683350&postcount=59

 

(Within the above review you will find the $2 off coupon)

 

This is a review on the dolphin/manatee swim if you are interested in that:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=30692077&postcount=65

 

Second trip there:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=33274360&postcount=48

 

Hi I was wondering about bugs in the park. I am a bug magnet. Even with bug repellent they get to me. Are they bad here. We will be there in February ?

[mitsugirly]

Hi I was wondering about bugs in the park. I am a bug magnet. Even with bug repellent they get to me. Are they bad here. We will be there in February ?

 

My youngest daughter is a bug magnet and we've never had a problem yet anywhere in Cozumel. :)

[rosebudw1]

Thanks so much for the assurance. We had just decided with our group to do this excursion freelance instead of a snorkel trip with the ship. Then I read a few reviews that mentioned bugs and it concerned me.

 

Rose

[lovestx]

Can someone give me a sense of whether Chakanaab is overrun with people when there are 4 or 5 ships in port? We don't dock until 11:30 a.m. so I'm thinking that there wouldn't be a lounge chair there for us when we get there.

 

But my husband likes the idea of swimming with the dolphins....

[gambee]

Can someone give me a sense of whether Chakanaab is overrun with people when there are 4 or 5 ships in port? We don't dock until 11:30 a.m. so I'm thinking that there wouldn't be a lounge chair there for us when we get there.

 

But my husband likes the idea of swimming with the dolphins....

 

I was there with 4 ships, NCL PEAL, NCL DAWN, ALLURE OF THE SEAS AND A LARGE CARNIVAL SHIP. All large ships

 

 

I am currently working on my review, I went there and had a great time. It was not crowded at all. Also note the time difference, chankanaab opens at 10am Cozumel time.

 

Follow my review, I will cover chankanaab very well with over 100 pictures. It will take me a couple days to get there, but I promise you I will answer all your questions. here is the link to my review http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=36107869#post36107869

 

 

hope that helps.

[mitsugirly]

 

Follow my review, I will cover chankanaab very well with over 100 pictures. It will take me a couple days to get there, but I promise you I will answer all your questions. here is the link to my review http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=36107869#post36107869

 

 

hope that helps.

 

^^^This guys review is AMAZING and be prepared to spend hours :eek: reading it and looking at all the amazing pictures! :)

[gambee]

^^^This guys review is AMAZING and be prepared to spend hours :eek: reading it and looking at all the amazing pictures! :)

 

Thank you very much for the support. It is indeed a lot of work, I am enjoying doing it as much as you're enjoying reading it.

 

 

Once again thank you :)

[mitsugirly]

Thank you very much for the support. It is indeed a lot of work, I am enjoying doing it as much as you're enjoying reading it.

 

 

Once again thank you :)

 

Not to get off subject (but I know you love to talk camera talk)...I'm a Sony girl (I have the a77) and your pictures are amazing (obviously you have an editing program as I do to process them), but I was wondering, do you have an actual tilt-shift lens or are you doing that in processing? I've always wanted to try it and know that it can be done in processing and you don't actually have to have the lens. I just wondered how you did them?

[gambee]

Not to get off subject (but I know you love to talk camera talk)...I'm a Sony girl (I have the a77) and your pictures are amazing (obviously you have an editing program as I do to process them), but I was wondering, do you have an actual tilt-shift lens or are you doing that in processing? I've always wanted to try it and know that it can be done in processing and you don't actually have to have the lens. I just wondered how you did them?

 

Actually I don't believe they make the tilt-shift lens for the Nex series yet, maybe with an adaptor. All my tilt-shift pictures are done with the camera software. I tried it post, but the camera effect was much better, it did a way better job at coloring. I thought the results were pretty good for in camera software.

 

I LOVE SONY!!! I think they are understated, when compared to Nikon and Canon, I have owned them all in the past.

 

You have one hell of a camera, I wish I was not that lazy to carry a full size DSLR with me at all times. :rolleyes:

 

I use lightroom for light editing, and photoshop for the real deal. Sometimes I find photoshop to be a tad slow, my computer is not quite a photographer work shop. But I do what I can :)

[papayagirl]

Just checked my reservation confirmation because I wanted to make sure I didn't respond with the wrong info to another post. It says:

 

IMPORTANT:* Chankanaab Park opens at 09:00 a.m. and close at 16:30 hrs

 

This was for a Monday reservation. 9am Cozumel time = 10 am ship time.

[gambee]

Just checked my reservation confirmation because I wanted to make sure I didn't respond with the wrong info to another post. It says:

 

IMPORTANT:* Chankanaab Park opens at 09:00 a.m. and close at 16:30 hrs

 

This was for a Monday reservation. 9am Cozumel time = 10 am ship time.

 

Interesting, then I was given the wrong information. Thanks for the heads up.