Looking for some information regarding the Costa Maya stop

[luckymbt]

On 1/10/2024 at 6:49 PM, ninjacat123 said:

I have been to The Krazy Lobster twice and it is very relaxing and it's ala carte.  There are massages on the beach (awesome!) beers and margaritas, and yummy lobster lunch (plus other selections).  There is a net that keeps the seaweed away and the water is very calm.  You need to get to the taxi area behind the shops and it's $4/person in a taxi to get there.  If I was stopping at Costa Maya, I would go back to The Krazy Lobster again!

 

[luckymbt]

We were just at Krazy Lobster this week. Highly recommend. As others said no credit card take cash in multiple denominations. They make it very hard for you to find the exit out of the port area, we asked vendors and they pointed us out. We went straight to the Red Shirt golf cart guys that were recommended here, do not get fooled by the white shirt  men. The prices are much higher. We got a 6 seater for $80 all day. They gave us a map, it is only 2 turns to the beach area. They recommended a stop at Beer House, 2 blocks from where we started, we all got a cold cheap beer and continued to the Krazy Lobster. The staff helped us to park and sat us ocean front. Staff was continually netting the seaweed out and plenty of folks were in the water. Got a bucket of beer, fabulous guacamole, soft tacos later w another bucket. It was a great day. We left with spare time to make beer stops on the way back, we even ate at a road side restaurant/ shack for beans,rice and stewed chicken. Great day wish we could have stayed longer

[ninjacat123]

2 hours ago, luckymbt said:

We were just at Krazy Lobster this week. Highly recommend. As others said no credit card take cash in multiple denominations. They make it very hard for you to find the exit out of the port area, we asked vendors and they pointed us out. We went straight to the Red Shirt golf cart guys that were recommended here, do not get fooled by the white shirt  men. The prices are much higher. We got a 6 seater for $80 all day. They gave us a map, it is only 2 turns to the beach area. They recommended a stop at Beer House, 2 blocks from where we started, we all got a cold cheap beer and continued to the Krazy Lobster. The staff helped us to park and sat us ocean front. Staff was continually netting the seaweed out and plenty of folks were in the water. Got a bucket of beer, fabulous guacamole, soft tacos later w another bucket. It was a great day. We left with spare time to make beer stops on the way back, we even ate at a road side restaurant/ shack for beans,rice and stewed chicken. Great day wish we could have stayed longer

Awesome!!  Love The Krazy Lobster!!

[Moondoggy51]

I need to go back and read these reviews but I'm going to post a question here anyway as our cruise is about 15 days away.

 

There were several posts here that have suggested going to Maya Chans and many others that have said Krazy Lobster.  I sent Maya Chans an reservation request and got it back today saying they have availability on the day we're there at $79 per person but they also sent back this Note:

 

We are located in the jungle on a natural beach. Since we face East, we won’t have clear blue water. Please make everyone aware in your party.

 

I also read some comments on TripAdvisor that said that the seaweed was a problem but everyone loved the service and food so I don't know if its worth $79 per person to make the reservation or just go to Krazy Lobster instead.  Can anyone share their experience at both and of the two tell me which one you would pick?

 

We want to have a great time with great food and drink and not have any hassles about being able to get lounge chairs and shade.  Please help me make a quality decision for 4 adults.

[c-leg5]

3 hours ago, Moondoggy51 said:

I need to go back and read these reviews but I'm going to post a question here anyway as our cruise is about 15 days away.

 

There were several posts here that have suggested going to Maya Chans and many others that have said Krazy Lobster.  I sent Maya Chans an reservation request and got it back today saying they have availability on the day we're there at $79 per person but they also sent back this Note:

 

We are located in the jungle on a natural beach. Since we face East, we won’t have clear blue water. Please make everyone aware in your party.

 

I also read some comments on TripAdvisor that said that the seaweed was a problem but everyone loved the service and food so I don't know if its worth $79 per person to make the reservation or just go to Krazy Lobster instead.  Can anyone share their experience at both and of the two tell me which one you would pick?

 

We want to have a great time with great food and drink and not have any hassles about being able to get lounge chairs and shade.  Please help me make a quality decision for 4 adults.

At Maya Chan you will have good food (albeit a limited buffet of freshly made local food), good service and a private pre-designated area for your party. There are various palapas for different size groups. It is 20-30 minutes from port so you need long enough port hours to make it worthwhile (IMO). You are served chips snd salsa on arrival and buffet lunch is ready later depending again on your port hours. Because it is out of town it doesn’t benefit from the protection of the baffles installed off shore to protect the beach like the main malecon, from sargassum. The water at Maya Chan generally has sea grass in the water and if the currents are such, also sargassum, which washes ashore. They work diligently to collect it but sometimes it is so extensive (usually a little later in the year) that it is a losing battle. It is quiet and no vendors. It has kayaks and paddle boards included.

 

Krazy Lobster is PAYG large beach club, on the malecon, shoulder-to-shoulder with all the other beach clubs. It has a good reputation for reasonable service at reasonable tourist prices and honest pricing, which isn’t found at all places along the malecon. It is a busy beach club mostly tables and chairs but loungers are available. Since Covid it has expanded along the waterfront taking over other clubs so shade and restroom facilities vary depending on your actual location. None of the restrooms are particularly “good”. It does have the benefit of the offshore baffles which were helping although later last people were saying the water was very cloudy - maybe due to silt or perhaps the rotting sargassum breaking down and filtering passed the baffles?

 

We enjoy Krazy Lobster for a short beach break. It is not my idea of relaxing as it is busy and you are continually approached by vendors. For a longer, quieter stay on the Malecon we prefer Malecon21 which has a minimum charge credited back to food and drink. It has different package levels on the website and may have AI, I am not sure - we are not big on AI. All clubs along the malecon are reached via a taxi at $4pp each way.

 

sargassum is a problem at all east facing beaches throughout the Caribbean.

Edited February 14 by c-leg5

[Moondoggy51]

c-legs5,

 

I have a few follow-up questions for you.

You indicated that Maya Chans was 20-30 minutes from the port.  What about Malecon21?

You mentioned that Maya Chan's didn't have baffles.  Does Malecon21?

How are the bathrooms at Malecon21?  My wife and adult daughter are pretty particular.

Do you have any information on food and drink pricing? The all inclusive with food and alcoholic drinks is $79 per person but the $40 per person package sounds better depending on the cost of food and drink.  My wife and I drink but not like our daughter and her husband who can slug down the beer so if you have any info on food and drink costs let me know.  The folks that recommend Maya Chan's reference the food and service being great but didn't mention anything about no baffles and being 20-30 minutes away as our preference would be to stay closer to the ship. 

[c-leg5]

5 hours ago, Moondoggy51 said:

c-legs5,

 

I have a few follow-up questions for you.

You indicated that Maya Chans was 20-30 minutes from the port.  What about Malecon21?

You mentioned that Maya Chan's didn't have baffles.  Does Malecon21?

How are the bathrooms at Malecon21?  My wife and adult daughter are pretty particular.

Do you have any information on food and drink pricing? The all inclusive with food and alcoholic drinks is $79 per person but the $40 per person package sounds better depending on the cost of food and drink.  My wife and I drink but not like our daughter and her husband who can slug down the beer so if you have any info on food and drink costs let me know.  The folks that recommend Maya Chan's reference the food and service being great but didn't mention anything about no baffles and being 20-30 minutes away as our preference would be to stay closer to the ship. 

Malecon 21 (as the name suggests) is on the malecon, the mile long paved pedestrian way through Mahahual next to the beach.  Malecon21 is toward the southern end, Krazy  lobster occupies quite a length in the middle. The ends of the malecon tend to be quieter.  It is about a 10 minute taxi ride to the malecon. Taxi dispatch keeps moving but it will either be at the exit to the port or just outside. The pick-up for Maya Chan is a short walk outside the port to their check-in area. 

You can put all three places into Google Maps to see relative positions, distances and routes. You can even do a virtual drive all the way to Maya Chan down the unpaved highway.
 

Krazy Lobster, Malecon 21 and Maya Chan all have websites with photos. Malecon21 was our go-to spot in town pre-Covid when it was new and the boutique hotel was still being built. At that time there were no off shore baffles installed by the government. I would imagine they extend the length of town but I don’t know for certain. Someone else would have to confirm. We have only called in briefly once early after cruising resumed and service was not good at Malecon 21 but recent reviews suggest it has picked up again. I am glad it has managed to survive and I would certainly try it again. TripAdvisor reviews are good - take that for what you will. 

If you have been to the website for Malecon21 and see the different package levels you will see a link to the menu and prices. I see the listed menu is currently in pesos (not sure why they are displaying that when package prices are in US$), so you would need to convert but I am fairly sure that is the tourist menu and not the local discounted one. It is not a cheap beach club but we drink buckets of beer and I recall the prices being average and worth it for the loungers and ambience. Of course perhaps it is more popular now - it was very new when we went and it was just getting established pre-Covid.
 

(I have just checked again if you go to the “Beach Club” tab the link to the menu there displays prices in Us$ and pesos.)

The owner of the hotel is (was, if not still the same?) and the menu is a little “fusion” and not typical Mexican beach club food so depending on your taste that may be good or bad! We enjoy it. 

As I said, it has been a while since we were there but the restrooms were some of the best on the malecon. 
 

Distance to Maya Chan is not a deterrent in itself. They have been in existence a long time. However we have had some bad port hours on recent visits arriving in port after noon. We found we didn’t want to eat lunch half-way through the afternoon so between arriving after our “biological” lunchtime and it going dark early, the day felt rushed. YMMV.

 

If you haven’t been to Costa Maya it is a long walk from the ship, along the pier and through the port to transport and on the return.

[c-leg5]

21 minutes ago, c-leg5 said:

The owner of the hotel is

……….Italian (too late to edt!)

[Moondoggy51]

For anyone that has recommended Krazy Lobster can you tell me if they charge for lounge chairs and umbrellas?  If so, do you recall what they charge?

[c-leg5]

10 minutes ago, Moondoggy51 said:

For anyone that has recommended Krazy Lobster can you tell me if they charge for lounge chairs and umbrellas?  If so, do you recall what they charge?

Did you try their website?

 

http://thekrazylobster.com/USservices.html

As stated these services are free.

 

Menu also posted on website, again in pesos. Be careful some beers are large and small eg coronitas.

 

 

Edited February 16 by c-leg5

[Moondoggy51]

Missed the part at the top of the page.  Thanks.

 

[c-leg5]

8 minutes ago, Moondoggy51 said:

Missed the part at the top of the page.  Thanks.

 

 

white on yellow is not the best color.

 

To be honest I am not sure I saw umbrellas. Someone else would have to confirm. We haven’t stayed that long and have just used tables, chairs and palapa. I like shade.

Edited February 16 by c-leg5