Tulum Ruins Age Limit 65?

[RoyalC]

Not understanding why the limit is so low on this? It is not for myself but 65 seems a little conservative? Is their some difficult hiking or what is the issue?

Is this a RCI age limit thing?

[prmssk]

Is it Tulum alone or combined with some other activity?

 

Princess did not have an age limit when we took an excursion that was just Tulum in June. It involves a ferry ride, a fairly long bus ride, and then some walking on gravel that is mostly flat, nothing strenuous.

[firefly333]

49 minutes ago, RoyalC said:

Not understanding why the limit is so low on this? It is not for myself but 65 seems a little conservative? Is their some difficult hiking or what is the issue?

Is this a RCI age limit thing?

I'm very mad I cant do bird watch tour in Belize. Listed as moderate walking. If rainy season might have some standing water. .. certainly easy walking imo. Most of it is around Belize city. I'm 1 year past their cut off.

 

We were discussing this on liberty where a couple had to book a outside excursion to dive. They were past the 65 rcl age cut off. While I'm sure someone will say us older people are a liability insurance wise, its annoying if it's you who isnt allowed to book to look at birds. 

[smokeybandit]

It's not RC's age cutoff, it's the tour operator's cutoff.

[RoyalC]

36 minutes ago, prmssk said:

Is it Tulum alone or combined with some other activity?

 

Princess did not have an age limit when we took an excursion that was just Tulum in June. It involves a ferry ride, a fairly long bus ride, and then some walking on gravel that is mostly flat, nothing strenuous.

Just 5th Avenue shopping

[RoyalC]

13 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

I'm very mad I cant do bird watch tour in Belize. Listed as moderate walking. If rainy season might have some standing water. .. certainly easy walking imo. Most of it is around Belize city. I'm 1 year past their cut off.

 

We were discussing this on liberty where a couple had to book a outside excursion to dive. They were past the 65 rcl age cut off. While I'm sure someone will say us older people are a liability insurance wise, its annoying if it's you who isnt allowed to book to look at birds. 

That sounds insane. I know plenty older people in better shape than some 40 year olds.

[birdylady]

I don't know about the age limit, but I suspect they are being cautious 'presuming' those 65+ may have health issues.  I was there in my early 50ths and the heat was so oppressive, I had to head back from the ruins. I kept feeling like I was about to pass out with heat stroke. SO, I'm thinking that could be the issue.  Being very fair skinned, heat knocks the daylights out of me.  But it's a shame if that's their reason as everyone is different.

Erika

[prmssk]

19 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

I'm very mad I cant do bird watch tour in Belize. Listed as moderate walking. If rainy season might have some standing water. .. certainly easy walking imo. Most of it is around Belize city. I'm 1 year past their cut off.

 

We were discussing this on liberty where a couple had to book a outside excursion to dive. They were past the 65 rcl age cut off. While I'm sure someone will say us older people are a liability insurance wise, its annoying if it's you who isnt allowed to book to look at birds. 

If this is the same bird watching tour I took last November on a Celebrity cruise that stopped in Belize, you aren’t missing anything.  It was basically walking around the city peering into people’s backyards over barbed wire fences looking for birds. We saw a couple neat ones but so many of my photos are of birds perched on barbed wire. It was the strangest tour I ever took and not something I would want to repeat. 
 

But I do agree that an age limit for that tour doesn’t make any sense. 

[reallyitsmema]

1 hour ago, RoyalC said:

Not understanding why the limit is so low on this? It is not for myself but 65 seems a little conservative? Is their some difficult hiking or what is the issue?

Is this a RCI age limit thing?

 

It is likely an age restriction set by the tour provider's insurance company.  Just like they have age limits for young kids, they have them for older passengers too.  Many passengers likely would be perfectly fine doing the excursion at an older age but walking in high temperatures at Tulum can be very strenuous.

[hotsauce126]

Tulum is a good distance away from any cruise port. In addition to potential health problems the tour operator probably wants to make sure they can get through the tour efficiently so they can get everyone back to the ship in time

[topnole]

52 minutes ago, RoyalC said:

That sounds insane. I know plenty older people in better shape than some 40 year olds.

Lots of age restrictions seemingly make zero sense. 

[vjmatty]

Just now, klfrodo said:

You're absolutely correct. However, most of us realize this and are humble without having to whine when safety restrictions are put into place.

That's privileged, in all its essence.

 

It's ok not to like safety precautions.  I don't particularly "like" colonoscopies, or seat belts, didn't care for prophylactics in college.  And quite frankly, as someone who teaches four Zumba classes a week and is pretty active for my age I'd be bugged if there was an age limit for bird watching as well.

[Tree_skier]

Age limits for bird watching... Are there people under 65 who want to bird watch LOL.

[kitkat343]

2 hours ago, firefly333 said:

I'm very mad I cant do bird watch tour in Belize. Listed as moderate walking. If rainy season might have some standing water. .. certainly easy walking imo. Most of it is around Belize city. I'm 1 year past their cut off.

 

We were discussing this on liberty where a couple had to book a outside excursion to dive. They were past the 65 rcl age cut off. While I'm sure someone will say us older people are a liability insurance wise, its annoying if it's you who isnt allowed to book to look at birds. 

I've run into this with my kids - the dolphin experience on princess was limited to kids over 7, but when you contact the tour provider directly younger children are allowed.   We were able to get our kid signed up for the dolphin touch program, and save a lot of money with a private tour instead of the  Princess tour.   If this is a just a RC rule, you should be able to find a private tour operator who can duplicate this tour.  Try TripAdvisors or the Belize destination forum and someone should be able to help you.

Edited August 4, 2022 by kitkat343

[LGW59]

23 minutes ago, kitkat343 said:

I've run into this with my kids - the dolphin experience on princess was limited to kids over 7, but when you contact the tour provider directly younger children are allowed.   We were able to get our kid signed up for the dolphin touch program, and save a lot of money with a private tour instead of the  Princess tour.   If this is a just a RC rule, you should be able to find a private tour operator who can duplicate this tour.  Try TripAdvisors or the Belize destination forum and someone should be able to help you.

and I love when they say but 5/6 year old is more mature than most other 7 year olds OR I'm 65 but most 40 year olds can't keep up with me, yada yada.  I'm 62 yo and accept whatever limit the host provider has established, it is what it is and I can always find something else to do.

[1025cruise]

Blame the insurance companies.

[kitkat343]

45 minutes ago, LGW59 said:

and I love when they say but 5/6 year old is more mature than most other 7 year olds OR I'm 65 but most 40 year olds can't keep up with me, yada yada.  I'm 62 yo and accept whatever limit the host provider has established, it is what it is and I can always find something else to do.

The dolphin center allows young children to do a dolphin touch (not swim) program.  There are age limits on dolphin swim programs for a very good reason because young children (including mine) might struggle with swimming in the open water near the dolphin.  Dolphin touch programs for kids of all ages involve the child sitting on a platform on the parent's lap, and a dolphin comes over to give the child a kiss and the child can pet the dolphin.   The child sits in the parent's lap on a ledge in the water and does not swim at all.   The dolphin center, which runs the program, considers this safe for young children.  This isn't about my kid being mature, its about the fact all dolphin centers we've used consider a dolphin touch (not swim)  experience to be safe for young children.  Princess does not.   Whether or not it is morally correct to keep dolphins in captivity for this kind of an activity is a whole different issue, but it is completely safe for the child.  I have no idea why Princess didn't consider it safe, but they don't.  If the OP considers themselves fit enough to do an activity, I would suggest they they find a private tour operator to help them with the excursion.    

[LeeW]

Bonaire has a small cabin cruiser for max 20 snorkeling cruise we have been on twice.  Great tour with good snacks and much easier water entry than most cats.  But new limit is 65, so we can't do this any more.  Same island you can do land sailing up to age 90.

[pcur]

Well, this type of age psuedo-discrimination could get ugly going forward.  I can see doctor's notes required if one is over the age limit.

 

There's going to be lots of complaining if this becomes a normal restriction.  My guess it's the tour vendor not wanting the liability, because their insurance charges too much for people over a certain age.  

[Travel R]

On 8/4/2022 at 11:13 AM, smokeybandit said:

It's not RC's age cutoff, it's the tour operator's cutoff.

 

Then RCI needs to find a different operator.

[cruiseboy89130]

On 8/4/2022 at 4:18 PM, RoyalC said:

Not understanding why the limit is so low on this? It is not for myself but 65 seems a little conservative? Is their some difficult hiking or what is the issue?

Is this a RCI age limit thing?

They want to make sure nobody is older than the ruins.....else there might be competition!😝

[Charles4515]

3 hours ago, Travel R said:

 

Then RCI needs to find a different operator.

I don't beleive it is the tour operator. I have done independent tours in Mexico many times, last time did Tulum and Coba with different tour operators booked at a resort and there were no age restrictions. Tulum has well kept paths and is pretty flat. I keep reading posts asking about age restrictions and they are all on cruise line tours. Unfortunately Tulum is not a tour that cruise passengers would want to book independent because of distance from the port. Also the first time I went to Tulum was on a cruise line excursion and it was a long ride. Two shopping/toilet stops and 45 minutes at the ruins. A ppor use of time. Not worth it. The land based tour was way better. 

[LGW59]

4 hours ago, Travel R said:

 

Then RCI needs to find a different operator.

or the person wanting to do an RCI tour with an age limit, can always fond their own independent excursion.  Deny RCI the $$$ so they so desperately want to take from us.

[Charles4515]

21 minutes ago, LGW59 said:

or the person wanting to do an RCI tour with an age limit, can always fond their own independent excursion.  Deny RCI the $$$ so they so desperately want to take from us.

 

Tulum is a long way from Cozumel and from a cruise port involves the vomit ferry both ways and a long highway ride both ways. So doing it independent is not prudent as with all the variables as  being late back to the ship is a possibility.

Edited August 6, 2022 by Charles4515

[topnole]

On 8/4/2022 at 6:28 PM, pcur said:

Well, this type of age psuedo-discrimination could get ugly going forward.  I can see doctor's notes required if one is over the age limit.

 

There's going to be lots of complaining if this becomes a normal restriction.  My guess it's the tour vendor not wanting the liability, because their insurance charges too much for people over a certain age.  

Age restrictions exist on lots of things.  Legal adults can’t book a room for many things.  Probably Royal included.   Why?  Many are plenty mature to not destroy a room or hotel or ship.   A 20 year old can’t have a beer legally on Royal. You could join the Marines the day you turn 18 and nearly 3 years later you still couldn’t take a sip of a beer on a Royal ship by policy.  That is just silly.   But then there are zero restrictions on driving age in most places and you see 90+ year olds who refuse to give it up even though they are a severe  risk to others.  Not all restrictions (or lack of restrictions) make sense.  Some do for reasons most don’t think about.  
 

I’m sure this restriction is there to protect older people and will likely exclude many who would be fine (just like many types of age restrictions).  

Edited August 6, 2022 by topnole