Crystal Caves And Underground River (Royal Caribbean excursion)

[Mcabwilde]

My 14 year old son has expressed interest in this tour. It is 8 hours, which involved taking the ferry to mainland and then a van/bus to the various areas. Has anyone done this excursion before? Anyone have any thoughts? I am hesitant to do all that traveling if it is not worth it.

[crewsweeper]

We did a similar one that went snorkeling first then to the caves.  If it's a small group, the caves are worth it, IMO.  They give you wetsuits and lead you around.  We went to a beach for lunch afterward.

One of the reasons for the time is they use the public ferry and you have to wait.

[c-leg5]

7 hours ago, crewsweeper said:

We did a similar one that went snorkeling first then to the caves.  If it's a small group, the caves are worth it, IMO.  They give you wetsuits and lead you around.  We went to a beach for lunch afterward.

One of the reasons for the time is they use the public ferry and you have to wait.

I have never done a mainland excursion from cozumel because I prefer to do them from a land vacation on the mainland- too much time coming and  going - but it was my understanding they used a charter tender for ship tours not the regular public ferry from the pier in town. Is that not correct, Crew?

 

To the OP, I think it depends when your sailing is. Right now Covid rates are much higher on the mainland. I wouldn’t want to do all traveling with a group and would find something to do locally. If you are talking about next year, hopefully things will have improved.. 

[crewsweeper]

7 hours ago, c-leg5 said:

I have never done a mainland excursion from cozumel because I prefer to do them from a land vacation on the mainland- too much time coming and  going - but it was my understanding they used a charter tender for ship tours not the regular public ferry from the pier in town. Is that not correct, Crew?

 

 

You may be correct.  All I remember is that when our group returned to the ferry dock, we had to wait in line.  didn't appear to me that everyone else on board was a cruiser.  But then that's been a a few years ago.

[franktown]

I have never seen a ships tour with a chartered ferry only the public ferry and been to Cozumel many times.  That doesn't mean they don't exist. 

[c-leg5]

Just now, franktown said:

I have never seen a ships tour with a chartered ferry only the public ferry and been to Cozumel many times.  That doesn't mean they don't exist. 

 

Does that mean you have had to go to the town pier ( (near Langosta) to catch it? I was under the impression they always sent a dedicated ferry to International (and probably Puerta Maya, but I have never docked there). I have seen the ship wait for the late arrival of the ferry at International. It is the same type of ferry but doesn't use the ferry pier in town.
 

Genuinely interested to know as that would add extra time and hassle to the journey if you had to get transport to and from town at the beginning and end of the excursion and I had understood that to be one of the benefits of taking the ship’s tour, as opposed to booking independently.

[c-leg5]

2 hours ago, crewsweeper said:

You may be correct.  All I remember is that when our group returned to the ferry dock, we had to wait in line.  didn't appear to me that everyone else on board was a cruiser.  But then that's been a a few years ago.

Are you talking about the ferry dock in Playa, or did you have to go to the ferry dock in san Miguel to start the trip?