Norwegian

[kreyem7]

We will be sailing over Christmas stopping at Harvest Caye, Cozumel, Rotan, and Costa Maya. I would welcome your thoughts and advice for excursions- a must see or avoid? Thank you!

[ggTexasGal]

10 minutes ago, kreyem7 said:

We will be sailing over Christmas stopping at Harvest Caye, Cozumel, Rotan, and Costa Maya. I would welcome your thoughts and advice for excursions- a must see or avoid? Thank you!

I highly recommend using this link, then scroll to your chosen ports ...one at a time: w/lots of information including opinions from other cruise line passengers. I have it bookmarked because there is constantly new information.

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/456-caribbean/

[schmoopie17]

You might get more responses if you choose a more specific title, other then "Norwegian".

[www3traveler]

I love to cruise over Christmas-not for the ports but the ship and cruise itself.  The ship is fully decorated complete with several Gingerbread Villages.  Huge tree in the Atrium.  Lots and lots of multi-generational families.  Santa arrives on the Atrium on Christmas morning with gifts for all the kids.  Lots of families dressed in matching pajamas(Grandpa, Grandma, Dads, Moms and of course kids).  Great fun at least for me.

 

Enjoy

[dexddd]

Welcome to CC.

[9tee2Sea]

look and see where the ship is on Christmas Day.  If in port, nothing will probably be open, and there may not be shore excursions.  If you have a chance, maybe go into the local church for Christmas Day services.  

[YVRteacher]

4 minutes ago, 9tee2Sea said:

look and see where the ship is on Christmas Day.  If in port, nothing will probably be open, and there may not be shore excursions.  If you have a chance, maybe go into the local church for Christmas Day services.  

This is not true.  Every port I’ve been to on Christmas has had ALL the shops and shore excursions open.

[9tee2Sea]

1 hour ago, YVRteacher said:

This is not true.  Every port I’ve been to on Christmas has had ALL the shops and shore excursions open.

You were lucky.  I have been to ports on National Holidays, and nothing was open.  Yes, there were shore excursions from the ship, but shops were closed, no street vendors, closed museums.  It was pretty much just a drive by.  On ship is a different story.  I was on 1 cruise, and they actually had snow falling in the Atrium, hot chocolate passed around, and we sang Christmas Carols.  Corny, but fun

[YVRteacher]

It’s nothing to do with luck.  Many ports rely on tourists for income.  

[mapleleaves]

5 hours ago, kreyem7 said:

We will be sailing over Christmas stopping at Harvest Caye, Cozumel, Rotan, and Costa Maya. I would welcome your thoughts and advice for excursions- a must see or avoid? Thank you!

In the blue banner near the top of the page you'll see LIVE CRUISE REPORTS,  These reports are usually very detailed with lots of useful info about what to see and do, hits/misses, tours and DIY options. Look back 5 or 6 pages for an itinerary similar to yours, not necessarily the same cruiseline, but similar ports.

Also, buy or borrow a travel book to read up on various locations to learn about the history, sights, activities, etc.

[dbrown84]

If you're a cigar smoker, I recommend the cigar vendor right there at the pier in Roatan

[complawyer]

been  to all of them. if youre into that sort of thing, the ruins at tulum in cozumel  are "NOT" to be missed. i wouldnt take any other shore excursion regardless of how many times i might  go to tulum

a i recall, just getting off the ship and strolling around costa maya is fun. as for rhoaton bay, it's been a few years, but as i recall, there aint a whole lot going on there

 

i know i'll get a load of flack for this one, but we've been to gsc a few times never harvest caye, but if they are similar, after the 1st time my philosophy was "been there done that" and i woudnt bother to get off the ship. it's beautiful, the ocean is breathtaking, but remember youre sharing with 2-3000 of your closest friends. i'd rather enjoy my time on the ship with the fewer people

 

regardless, have a great time, and pay no attention to me, my post , or the man behind the curtain,

i'm  a grumpy old curmudgeon

[dbrown84]

17 minutes ago, complawyer said:

been  to all of them. if youre into that sort of thing, the ruins at tulum in cozumel  are "NOT" to be missed. i wouldnt take any other shore excursion regardless of how many times i might  go to tulum

a i recall, just getting off the ship and strolling around costa maya is fun. as for rhoaton bay, it's been a few years, but as i recall, there aint a whole lot going on there

 

i know i'll get a load of flack for this one, but we've been to gsc a few times never harvest caye, but if they are similar, after the 1st time my philosophy was "been there done that" and i woudnt bother to get off the ship. it's beautiful, the ocean is breathtaking, but remember youre sharing with 2-3000 of your closest friends. i'd rather enjoy my time on the ship with the fewer people

 

regardless, have a great time, and pay no attention to me, my post , or the man behind the curtain,

i'm  a grumpy old curmudgeon

the one benefit Harvest Caye has over GSC is it's not a tender port.  So you can walk back/forth to the ship when you're ready.  The downside is the food and drinks are not included list GSC

[9tee2Sea]

7 hours ago, YVRteacher said:

It’s nothing to do with luck.  Many ports rely on tourists for income.  

yes they do,BUT, religious beliefs sometimes trump the mighty dollar.  IMO, I would not want to be in ports on Xmas day.  

[dexddd]

8 hours ago, 9tee2Sea said:

yes they do,BUT, religious beliefs sometimes trump the mighty dollar.  IMO, I would not want to be in ports on Xmas day.  

Heck, we've even been in the grab every dollar you can Nassau and many stores closed due to election day and bars shut down as a requirement.