Dream Shore Excursion Questions

[debihen]

We are studying the shore excursions for our December 10 cruise. We are VERY interested in seeing the Tulum Ruins. We have a couple questions, however.

First, we note that the shore excursion is 6 hours long, from both Cozumel and Cancun. The length of stay in these ports is just 6 hours...how does this work?

Second, is there any reason to choose going to the ruins from one port versus the other? We have never been to Cancun or Cozumel. Suggestions Please?

Thanks everyone!

[karen2cruz]

Hi,

 

If you are a diver or snorkeler you'd want to do that on Cozumel and leave the Tulum ruins for Cancun. It is a ferry and bus ride from Cozumel to Tulum and just a bus ride from Cancun. The ruins are beautiful right there on the coast.

[Don Haynes]

I'll tackle the six hours first. Obviously, the tour driver will have to get you back by a certain time, or else the ship sails on to the next port without you. They can shorten the time you spend at the ruins to save time, and I am sure this is what they do. Its not a three hour drive there and back, its less, probably around 2 hours, leaving 2 hours or less to tour the ruins.

 

If you want to see the ruins and your vacation trip would be ruined if you don't, do if from Cozumel, using the ferry. Cancun can be very tricky as the depth of the sea is not very deep, just barely deep enough for the ship to anchor a mile away at best. If the sea conditions aren't calm, if there are deep swells and high waves, the captain may decide to skip this port. And often do.... See threads about ships skipping Cancun with the search feature.

 

The reason why the Sun isn't visiting Cancun is her draft is too deep.... As the mid sized ships retire, Cancun will cease being a cruise port of call, whereby Calico will become Cancun's dock....

 

Roatan and Belize have snorkeling shore excursions also. Maybe no glass bottom boats as Cozumel....

 

As for shopping, others may disagree, but the best two ports to shop are Cozumel and Cancun. Book the ruins from Cozumel and shop at Cancun....

[JoyAnn]

If you book a ship excursion, the ship won't leave without you. If you book an excursion on your own, you have to be back to the ship an hour before it leaves (at least this is the way that HAL operates).

 

Cozumel is an island, Cancun is the on the "mainland." It is about an 1.5 hour drive (from what I can remember) from Cancun to Tulum and Xel Ha.

 

Hope this helps.

[sportsterjohn]

As the previous poster mentioned, there is a 50/50 chance that Cancun will be skipped. However, Cozumel is a watersports / beach lovers paradise. I personally would find it hard to not get into the water at Cozumel. Another option would be to do one of the ruins in Belize, I did the Lamani tour last year and it is fantastic.

[ute_fan]

In January, 2004, we went to Tulum. We chose to go from Cozumel, as we knew there was only a 50/50 chance of getting to Cancun. The ferry ride over to Playa del Carmen is about 20 minutes, you walk to the buses and have about a 30-45 minute ride to Tulum. After looking around for 2 1/2 hours or so, we came back, had an hour or so to shop in Playa del Carmen (which we loved), caught the ferry back to the Sea, and had a wonderful day-long excursion.

 

As another poster said, if you're interested in water activities, you might not want to pass up those chances in Cozumel, but if you're not into water stuff, I'd recommend going from Cozumel. As far as the Mexican ports, Playa del Carmen is my favorite, and I would much rather spend an hour shopping there than shopping in either Cozumel or Cancun.