Tulum excursion from Cozumel

[dpearso5]

Hi Everyone,

 

I am new to this board and also new to cruising. I have a question in regards to shore excursions. My family will be likely taking our first cruise 7/2013, Miami-->KeyWest-->Cozumel-->Miami on Carnival. Trying out a short cruise for my first to see if I enjoy it and also to test out my sea legs as I occasionally am prone to motion sickness. (I have also read a great deal on this board about preventative measures such as pills/patches/wrist bands etc. to hopefully prevent motion sickness)

 

The shore excursion that interests me is the Tulum excursion. After many hours of reading I see mixed reviews on this particular excursion. I realize that you must take a ferry over to the mainland then a bus/van ride down to the site. I also am aware of the safety net of the ship likely not leaving you if you are late back from your excursion should you book the tour through the cruise line vs. a third party company.

 

My questions is - has anyone ever used this https://www.cozumelcruiseexcursions.com/ particular company to book their Tulum excursion? Their prices are somewhat cheaper and are likely less crowded than the one from the cruise line. Also, they will somewhat customize your trip (time permitting) with a beach stop or shopping etc.

 

Thanks in advance to anyone that has information to share in regards to their experience with the Carnival, the company I listed or any other excursion company recommendations for a Tulum excursion from Cozumel.

 

Best regards,

 

David

[rvsullivan]

In general I agree with most that suggest you can save money by booking independently for shore excursions. However, this one in particular involves two ferry trips and a long bus ride. I would only go with a ships excursion since they will either wait or get you to your next stop. Good luck with whatever you decide.

[Sea42]

Hi, welcome to Cruise Critic!

You can find port specific information for the eastern coast of Mexico here:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=169

You can scroll through the threads and find a lot of info on Tulum excursions. What I would look for is an boat excursion that would take you from Cozumel to Tulum (without the need to go to Playa del Carmen and then a van ride down to Tulum). It will save a ton of time! We did this trip from a land vacation on Cozumel and it was great. But it was many years ago before there was a cruise ship pier in Cozumel. You can search the board linked above (upper right hand side) and see if this type of tour is still available.

 

Only you can decide if the money saved is worth the chance of missing the ship. Personally, I would not do it if the private tour depended on land travel between Playa del Carmen and Tulum. But a private boat tour between Cozumel and Tulum I would do. No traffic worries!

 

Have fun with your planning!

[navybankerteacher]

In general I agree with most that suggest you can save money by booking independently for shore excursions. However, this one in particular involves two ferry trips and a long bus ride. I would only go with a ships excursion since they will either wait or get you to your next stop. Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

Very good advice: most of the time there is little risk of missing your ship, but the bus trip back from Tulum, then the ferry across to Cozumel, finally the bus back to the ship represent too many chances for delay -- and those ferries are something else. Definitely pay the premium to go with the cruise line's tour.

[Nebr.cruiser]

We much prefer private excursions and rarely do a ship's tour, but this is possibly one we might do the ship tour. Most likely the private excursion will be just fine, but this trip is long and complicated, due to the ferry, so there is more chance of missing the ship than on some tours.

 

Since we have been to to Tulum (twice, once on a cruise, once on a land trip), this is easy for me to say, but I'd probably never do it from Cozumel again. I don't get seasick easily and the ferry over and back was one of the two times I ever have.

 

If it was me, on this short cruise, I'd find something to do on Cozumel, which has lots of different activities.

 

It is a long day and often miserably hot. Tulum is uniquely stunning with it's ocean setting, so if it's a must have for you, you need to decide if the dollars saved are worth the (probably) small chance of missing the ship.

[JustinPlusLauren]

We went with the ship tour (through Princess) and I would probably go through the ship. With the ferry and the bus ride, it isn't worth risking booking it yourself. I would definitely go to Tulum - we loved it! Beautiful setting and a wonderful piece of history.

 

And...yes, lots of people were getting sick on the ferry ride. I'm not prone to seasickness at all and it did turn my stomach a little bit around, but neither of us got sick or anything. But there were plenty of people running to the bathrooms....

[Keith1010]

For feedback on the tour you may want to ask about this on the Cozumel Ports Of Call Board.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=210

 

Keith

[Krazy Kruizers]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

This is one time I would suggest that you take the ship's excursion. That way you do not have to worry about time and getting back to the ship.

We have been to Tulum and enjoyed it.

Whether you do the ship's tour or do it privately, you will still find crowds at the site.

[KirkNC]

Welcome to Cruise Critic!

[Loving My Life]

I just went to Tulum earlier this month from Cozumel. I have only done independent excursions on my previous cruises, but did this one through Carnival due to the extensive travel time and the possibility of missing the ship. I thoroughly enjoyed it, but it was HOT (be sure to bring plenty of water). The motor coach is comfortable and the ac worked well. The tour guide spends the 45 minute ride giving info on the Mayans and their culture, which is interesting and helps pass the time. I didn't find the ferry bad at all, but I took a Bonine just in case. Even though there is a lot of travel time, I felt that we had plenty of time to see the ruins, swim, and have a quick snack. On the ferry on the way back to Cozumel we saw the most beautiful sunset - a perfect way to end the day.

[Gunner22aa]

I as well often go with private excursions. I have not been to Tulum from Cosamel but have been twice from Cancun when staying at a AI there. I have to agree that although the cost may be higher through the ship this is one trip you don't want to be late from and there are lots of reasons you could be late:

 

bus breaks down, happend on our first trip, 4 hours late back to Cancun

 

heavy traffic, both trips. There are numerous police check stops on the way down and back that you must slow down for.

 

rain! It rained so hard on our last trip the bus was unable to go more than 30 mph on the way back. 1 1/2 hours late returning to Cancun

 

two ferrys. They could be busy although I have no experience with them.

 

The last thing you want to see is tail lights sailing over the horizon.

[MCC retired]

The Tulum tour from Cozumel is best booked via the cruise line.

Too many things can go wrong to delay your return .

Construction, bus breakdown , ferry delay , ect..

[JimAOk1945]

When you book a non-ship sponsored excursion it becomes your own responsibility to get back on time. To me it's not a worthwhile risk to save a few dollars.

[Sea42]

When you book a non-ship sponsored excursion it becomes your own responsibility to get back on time. To me it's not a worthwhile risk to save a few dollars.

 

That seems to be a common misconception that many people have. We choose private excursions, not to save money, but to get the experience that we want. We get to tailor the itinerary to our interests. We decide if/ when to take bathroom breaks or if we want shopping as a part of our day. We can eat in any place that strikes our interest rather than be limited to places that can seat 20 or more people at a time. Sometimes this cost less, on rare occasions it costs more but the goal is to get the best experience possible. If cruise lines offered this flexibility along with small group size, we would be happy to give them our money. Unfortunately, this is seldom the case.

 

That being said, in this particular case, if Tulum is a must see, then I would use the cruise line tour due to the number of transportation problems that could arise. Tulum is beautiful and if this is going to be the only chance the OP has to visit the site I think the cruise ship tour is the way to go.

[MrsPete]

I've visited Mexican ruins similar to those at Tulum (though on a land-based trip), and they are amazing. We were actually allowed to climb them. I don't know whether that is still allowed or not.

 

However, everything that's amazing isn't necessarily well-suited to cruising. This trip is one of those things. It's like Royal took something really cool but inappropriate for cruising, and they forced it into the island-stop mold. You'll spend more time traveling than you will enjoying the ruins. I suggest you do something else for your island stop.

 

I despise the ship's excursions. They are overpriced and the groups are over-sized. They herd you through places that give the ship a kickback, then make you pass by places you'd really like to stop. I would use private excursions even if they cost double.

 

However, for this particular excursion, I would go with the ship's excursion. Well, actually, I'd do something else altogether, but IF you must stick to this one, I'd use the ship's deal. Why? Because the travel to the ruins is lengthy and involves multiple forms of transportation: You must first take a taxi to the ferry, then ferry across the waterway, then take a bus (or a van if you go with a private excursion) . . . then you must repeat it for the return trip. With no room for error, this isn't a safe bet. If I were staying in a hotel and didn't have an absolute "gotta be back time", yeah, I'd do it. Not with a ship to meet.

 

An alternative: We did the ATVs in the jungle in Cozumel, and it wildly surpassed our expectations. We saw three Mayan-connected areas: One small ruin, one cave, one sinkhole. Our guide was Mayan (and really looked it!), and he told great stories about his ancestors. We had an absolute blast. My husband says it was one of the best things he's ever done. NOT one of the best things he's done on a cruise, but one of the best things he's ever done. Ever. We went right after a week of rain, so the trails were a muddy mess. When we returned to the pier, we were so incredibly filthy that one of the stall-keepers near the pier told my husband he was too dirty to shop in his area! He gave him the option of stepping behind the stall to wash off with his hose or moving on. Far from insulted, we all laughed and laughed. We were glad we'd brought throw-away clothes for that excursion . . . but if I had it to do again, I'd bring my oldest tennis shoes too and throw them away afterward.

[MrsPete]

That seems to be a common misconception that many people have. We choose private excursions, not to save money, but to get the experience that we want. We get to tailor the itinerary to our interests. We decide if/ when to take bathroom breaks or if we want shopping as a part of our day. We can eat in any place that strikes our interest rather than be limited to places that can seat 20 or more people at a time. Sometimes this cost less, on rare occasions it costs more but the goal is to get the best experience possible. If cruise lines offered this flexibility along with small group size, we would be happy to give them our money. Unfortunately, this is seldom the case.

I couldn't agree more! I'm always surprised at how many people are afraid to branch out beyond the cruise ship's offerings. We used them on our very first cruise, but we quickly learned better and have not been one bit sorry!

 

There's a world of difference between being part of a group of 12 vs. a group of 120. You can ask questions of your guides. You can ask to stop for a bathroom break, or you can say you want ten more minutes in the shop before you leave. You have choices!

 

Here's a story that happened in Cozumel: Our tablemates did the Tulum trip. It was the excursion for which they were most excited . . . yet when they came to dinner that night they were all gloomy, grumpy and wrapped up in sweaters. They explained that the trip over had been just fine, but as they were waiting to re-board the busses, they'd been drenched by rain. The drivers insisted upon running the air conditioning at full-blast all the way home, and they were miserable cold. The husband ended up sick and didn't come to dinner at all the next night. In contrast, we'd just done the ATV ride that I described above, and we too saw that the rain was coming. We'd planned to do a beach stop after the ride, but -- considering the impending weather -- our guides gave us the option of going to the beach or being returned to the pier early. In the event, we stopped at the beach and half our group got off . . . then the driver took the rest of us back to the pier, and after a bit of shopping we re-boarded before the rain began. See how choices can be very nice?

[Loving My Life]

That seems to be a common misconception that many people have. We choose private excursions, not to save money, but to get the experience that we want. We get to tailor the itinerary to our interests. We decide if/ when to take bathroom breaks or if we want shopping as a part of our day. We can eat in any place that strikes our interest rather than be limited to places that can seat 20 or more people at a time. Sometimes this cost less, on rare occasions it costs more but the goal is to get the best experience possible. If cruise lines offered this flexibility along with small group size, we would be happy to give them our money. Unfortunately, this is seldom the case.

 

Exactly! This is why we always do independent excursions (with the exception of Tulum) - not to save $, but to go with small groups on customizable tours.

[JimAOk1945]

Granted, small group touring by private vendors provide excellent, personal service.

 

Speaking from personal experience, there are certain ports of call when caution should be exercised to insure that you do return to your ship on time.

 

Last December, on our ship sponsored excursion, the lines waiting to board the ferries to get back to our ship, snaked from the dock all the way up through the shopping area. We were among 200+ passengers who returned late to our ship.

 

This was just one example of when taking a ship-sponsored excursion was the right choice for us.

[mikewrit]

If we ever get back to the anchorage off Cozumel, we'll certainly go back to Tulum. The next time, however, we'll venture down the way with a small group or private guide rather than the cruise line excursion. From the beach town we were in five huge coaches, all of which had to be full before any could leave. Then, halfway down, we stopped for a restroom break at a large souvenir operation and stayed for nearly an hour. After our too-brief walking tour of the site, the guides hustled us back on the buses for a half-hour wait before we all left for the trip north. We were back on the ferry an hour before we needed to be. The tour cost at least twice as much as fellow passengers paid for private excursions -- and none of them came close to missing the on-board deadline.

[Arzeena]

In general I agree with most that suggest you can save money by booking independently for shore excursions. However, this one in particular involves two ferry trips and a long bus ride. I would only go with a ships excursion since they will either wait or get you to your next stop. Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

I agree.

We did the ship's excursion with NCL. It is a long excursion and we came back 15 minutes before all aboard time. I would go with the ship's excursion for this one.

[Nebr.cruiser]

Exactly! This is why we always do independent excursions (with the exception of Tulum) - not to save $, but to go with small groups on customizable tours.

 

It's one of the reason we do mostly independent tours too (quality, smaller groups), but I must admit the price--usually much less expensive--compared to ship tours is a big factor too.

[dpearso5]

Thanks to everyone that took the time to share information and respond to my initial post. I ended up taking the cruise line's excursion due to all of the moving pieces involved with this particular tour vs. the actual time we had at this port (as suggested by many). It was a great tour and as many stated you spend more time traveling too and from Tulum than you are actually there. It would have been great to have had more time at the ruins.

 

Once again thanks to everyone.

[navybankerteacher]

Thanks to everyone that took the time to share information and respond to my initial post. I ended up taking the cruise line's excursion due to all of the moving pieces involved with this particular tour vs. the actual time we had at this port (as suggested by many). It was a great tour and as many stated you spend more time traveling too and from Tulum than you are actually there. It would have been great to have had more time at the ruins.

 

Once again thanks to everyone.

 

Glad you enjoyed the tour -Tulum is really worth the hassle/cost.

[bus man]

When you book a non-ship sponsored excursion it becomes your own responsibility to get back on time. To me it's not a worthwhile risk to save a few dollars.

 

That seems to be a common misconception that many people have. We choose private excursions, not to save money, but to get the experience that we want. We get to tailor the itinerary to our interests. We decide if/ when to take bathroom breaks or if we want shopping as a part of our day. We can eat in any place that strikes our interest rather than be limited to places that can seat 20 or more people at a time. Sometimes this cost less, on rare occasions it costs more but the goal is to get the best experience possible. If cruise lines offered this flexibility along with small group size, we would be happy to give them our money. Unfortunately, this is seldom the case.

 

Sea42, I don't mean to be snarky, but in what way was JimAok1945's comment a "common misconception"? He said that if you take a private excursion, it's your own responsibility to get back to the ship on time. And you said this was a misconception, but then discussed the advantages of taking private tours. You did not address his point at all.

 

There are advantages and disadvantages of taking ship's tours, and there are advantages and disadvantages of taking private tours. Everyone needs to decide for themselves the balance between the two, and choose accordingly. I've done ship's tours and I've done private tours, and I've been satisfied with each choice I've made.

 

In the case of Tulum, I agree with the OP's decision to choose the ship's tour. That's what I did too, and I'm glad I did. Everything ran smoothly, yet even so, I was back to the ship with only about 15 minutes to spare. But being on a ship's excursion, I didn't have the stress of worrying about the ship leaving without me. For me, at that particular time and place and on that particular tour, this alone was worth the downsides of taking the ship's tour.