Anyone on Miracle lately?

[Travel bug]

This is for anyone who has sailed Miracle lately and could recommend things not to miss on this itinerary. Also anyone who had to use a wheelchair to get on and off ship. How difficult is it with piers gone and having to use tenders? Any help would be great. Thanks.

[Johnny Cruiser]

This is for anyone who has sailed Miracle lately and could recommend things not to miss on this itinerary. Also anyone who had to use a wheelchair to get on and off ship. How difficult is it with piers gone and having to use tenders? Any help would be great. Thanks.

 

Grand Cayman: Stingrays.

 

Cozumel: Paradise Beach and Carlos and Charlies (assuming you haven't been before).

 

Belize: Cave Tubing. A unique experience native to the region.

 

Costa Maya: Chacchoben ruins with David and Ivan.

 

Check the respective boards for these individual ports. Lots of info there.

 

Unfortunately you will have to tender everywhere except Costa Maya, but the crew is very helpful.

 

Cheers!

[lnew1gd1]

Johnny Cruiser and I were on the same sailing and I have to ditto his list. Awesome itinerary! Especially the ruins in Costa Maya. Don't miss them. Don't waste your time staying in the tourist area in Costa Maya...visit Majahual, the fishing village, and the ruins. Have some drinks and food at the Cat's Meow.

 

Get a cheap but good massage on the beach there. Save your money on the ship...prices on board for massages are quadrupled what you will pay at the beach both in Majahual and at Paradise Beach in Cozumel.

 

Cave tubing is definitely something you want to consider......had a great time and it's a memory that will last forever. Walking thru the rain forest to get to the caves was an educational and fun experience!

 

On board don't miss the pub crawl on Monday night....had a blast! Piano bar will have a new entertainer for your sailing so check it out. You will either love it or hate it.

 

Casino slots were very tight....save your money for something good.....don't donate like I did.

[serene56]

wheel chairs on the tender to grand cayman-- not a scooter.

 

If the person can walk down its fine but other wise would have to be carried down. Our friend opted not to go on the tender when he saw how it was to be.

 

 

Belieze was a better tendered port for the wheelchair. Dont know if its bigger tenders of the waters were calmer.

 

There is a disabled board here- for further information on various activities one can do in a chair. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=190

[voyagerfl]

Cave Tubing in Belize....!

 

In Costa Maya we did the Beach / Snorkel trip.....the bus ride itself and what we saw on the way was something to experience.....and the reef and fish were beautiful

 

Stingrays in Grand Caymen

[Kaki321]

Great advice here, thanks! How about with younger kids? (2 and 5). Any of these excursions "kid-friendly?". I guess I had assumed we would just beach it at all ports and not try anything more involved. Majauhaul for sure in Costa Maya...what's the Cat's Meow?

[Travel bug]

Thanks to all that responded you were a great help!

[dolphincf]

I agree with above. Also don't miss The Beatles Show on the ship. Very good. The shopping talk is fun to go to. You might get some free stuff.

[serene56]

Great advice here, thanks! How about with younger kids? (2 and 5). Any of these excursions "kid-friendly?". I guess I had assumed we would just beach it at all ports and not try anything more involved. Majauhaul for sure in Costa Maya...what's the Cat's Meow?

 

In Majuahal. there are little places across the road from the beach. Cat's Meow is one.

[Cruisermad]

This beach you talk of, did you get there through a ship tour or independantely?

[sallyb]

In Costa Maya, walk thru the port and take a bus to Majahual, $3 PP. The beach is great for kids, very shallow. Many good little restaurants, we stayed at Oxtankah, ask for Jerry, he will treat you well. The steak tacos were awesome!

We booked a snorkel tour at the port, (you can barter the price) with Olinca.

The cab ride back was $2 pp, this was one of my all time fav ports. I would say the best, except for Paradise Beach in Coz, which you need to visit whether or not you have children because it's a wonderful place. Ask for Elie, he's the best!:)

[Kaki321]

In Costa Maya, walk thru the port and take a bus to Majahual, $3 PP. The beach is great for kids, very shallow. Many good little restaurants, we stayed at Oxtankah, ask for Jerry, he will treat you well. The steak tacos were awesome!

We booked a snorkel tour at the port, (you can barter the price) with Olinca.

The cab ride back was $2 pp, this was one of my all time fav ports. I would say the best, except for Paradise Beach in Coz, which you need to visit whether or not you have children because it's a wonderful place. Ask for Elie, he's the best!:)

 

thanks so much for the info! sounds almost like playa del carmen circa 1990 - before all of the commercialization

[Johnny Cruiser]

Great advice here, thanks! How about with younger kids? (2 and 5). Any of these excursions "kid-friendly?". I guess I had assumed we would just beach it at all ports and not try anything more involved. Majauhaul for sure in Costa Maya...what's the Cat's Meow?

 

The Cat's Meow is a restaurant/bar on the beach in Majahual. It is owned by Barbara - a friendly, ex-pat Canadian. It is also the common meeting spot for David and Ivan's tour to the Chacchoben ruins. Although I highly recommend the tour, it may be a tad boring for the young ones.

[JerseyGirl97]

Great advice here, thanks! How about with younger kids? (2 and 5). Any of these excursions "kid-friendly?". I guess I had assumed we would just beach it at all ports and not try anything more involved. Majauhaul for sure in Costa Maya...what's the Cat's Meow?

 

I am going on the Miracle with a soon to be 6 year old later this year.

In Grand Cayman we are doing the Hell/Turtle Farm/Sting Ray excursion. (my daughter heard us talking and asked us why we were going to "Turtle Hell")

In Cozumel we are going on a private excursion over at Playa Del Carmen. It is an ATV tour/beach break. You have to be 5 for this one.

In Costa Maya we are doing a beach break because I really want to try one of those banana boats! :D This one should be fun for everyone!

In Belize my sister, brother, and I are doing the zip line canopy tour. I think my parents are taking my daughter cave tubing. There is a private tour that offers a kids version of cave tubing. Not sure about the age limit though, I think it is 5.

I think doing things other than the beach with the 5 year old will be easy, but with a 2 year old there are not many excursions they can do. Maybe you can pick one exciting thing for the 5 year old at one of the ports and either split up the group or leave the baby on the ship (if you feel comfortable doing that).

If you go before me I would love to hear a review. I like reading reviews from people with a young kid like mine(6) who are young themselves like me(26)! I just can't wait to go so I can write my own review!!!! :p

[voyagerfl]

I've now got some of my Miracle pictures posted on my site....

http://www.lifevoyager.net

 

Still have some ship pictures and cave tubing pictures to post yet...

[lnew1gd1]

I've now got some of my Miracle pictures posted on my site....

http://www.lifevoyager.net

 

Still have some ship pictures and cave tubing pictures to post yet...

 

Thanks for the pics, love looking at peoples fun adventures. Can't wait to see the rest. We sailed the Miracle Feb 12, 2006 and loved it (except for that very ugly dining room)!

 

Don't have pictures uploaded anywhere yet. Will be glad to share when I have time to get them done!

 

Lynn

[Schasz]

Very cool pictures and it looked like everyone was having a blast. We just booked the Miracle for a Dec. 10th cruise. We have been to Belize and done the cave tubing so we will be looking to do something else. We have also been to Cozumel and Grand Cayman a bunch of times but never get tired of going back.

 

John & Shari

[wannacruise4ever]

What's the pub crawl?

[sallyb]

Voyager,

All my snorkel pics come out cloudy- did you just have a very clear day, or a great camera?

[peachcrek]

the tenders are in cozumel and in caymen, there were folks with wheel chairs and electric carts you should have no problem, You will enjoy the new port Costa Maya, lots of fun, shop at mahahual great place to haggle prices, cab fare is 3.00 one way and bring your bathing suit, great beach and pool area at the port pier, Massages on beach 20.00 to die for, nice laid back day to sip Margaritas or coronas and bask in the sun, all the beach front in Mahahual are litter with bars and they try to coax you in we found one that had a sort of 2 story the massage tables were on the second floor above the bar all open air you went up at your leisure they do not hound you, there is also aplace called tequila beach in costa maya looked like lots of fun but they charge 40.00 per person but they have and open Bar so if you pound em down that may be the place to be LOLOL

[voyagerfl]

Voyager,

All my snorkel pics come out cloudy- did you just have a very clear day, or a great camera?

 

This was my first time using a digital underwater.

It's a Canon SD400 I bought an underwater housing for it (a small camera) (it has an underwater setting) .

Some of the pictures I did use microsoft "picture it" to brighten them up a little.....

 

Although I've had very good luck with those disposible cameras also. (stingray pictures on the Triumph page)

 

But a lot depends on the day........it needs to be sunny.

Also I've snokeled after storms and had bad luck with the water being stired up

 

I added some more Miracle pictures today....if anyone is interested....

http://www.lifevoyager.net