Costa Maya and Hurricane Dean discussion (merged)

[toothy26]

I hope that costa maya pier will thrive in the future. As my upcoming march cruise was supposed to go there I guess I will pan to visit some other time. Does anyone have any ideas as to what port Royal Caribbean will replace it with?

[signdaddy]

Close to a before and after......

[ACruiseGuy]

Maybe the cruise lines should collect relief money.......

 

They build a port and a pier, and all their ships benefit.

 

It would be great if they focus some funds to the people who lived there....as well as reconstruction efforts.

 

Can you imagine visiting Costa Maya in the future, and not being able to visit the fishing village? Its the real reason the port has any substance....

[jetskier]

Maybe the cruise lines should collect relief money.......

 

They build a port and a pier, and all their ships benefit.

 

It would be great if they focus some funds to the people who lived there....as well as reconstruction efforts.

 

Can you imagine visiting Costa Maya in the future, and not being able to visit the fishing village? Its the real reason the port has any substance....

 

Hopefully the cruiselines will do like they did for Cozumel in the first week and drop off supplies on the way down to other ports.

 

Here is another photo I came across of Mahahual.

[DBXX]

How horrible for these people.

 

If CM is out of commission for a good 6 mths or more where will the port of call be instead? We are going to Coz and CM so instead of CM where would we go?

 

Danielle

[jetskier]

How horrible for these people.

 

If CM is out of commission for a good 6 mths or more where will the port of call be instead? We are going to Coz and CM so instead of CM where would we go?

 

Danielle

 

Calica, Progreso and Belize are three options. Calica can only handle one ship.

Dave

[bguppies]

From the many pages of pictures of Majuhual on Yahoo, it appears, nothing but a handful of concrete structures survived even partially intact.

 

If more than 50% of a concrete pier, built to withstand smaller hurricanes, was damaged.................

 

How do you think thatched huts that would be any of the bars/restaurants, on the beach, really did, against a 20 foot wall of water and 165 MPH winds?

 

I was looking forward to being in Costa Maya in a little more than 2 weeks.

 

I'd imagine the developer of the cruise pier will be able to swoop in and scoop up the Cha-Chi resort and whatever he wants in Majuhual.:(

 

I was really looking forward to visiting the authentic, tiny village.

 

Bill

[Britany]

That's really sad. I'm really dissapointed.

[mountaingurl]

This stinks. I was supposed to got there next month. Carnival is not able to tell me if the port will be replaced with anywhere else. I was so looking forward to going there. I feel so bad for the people who live there.

[ERLEC]

We finally see what the pier looks like now.... Very very sad... I was there 3 months ago, on May 10th and Costa Maya was most probably the place we loved the most... Especially the little town of Mahahual where we had Corona on the beach served by that guy that everybody called "Charlie Brown". I really hope those folks are OK today. The dammages is important, but lives is much more important!

[woodofpine]

ela8 - well, we're both optimists (go figure why...) but if it's taken Cozumel 2 years to repair their piers, and they've got considerably more economic clout then our optimism is probably misplaced...

 

I enjoyed Costa Maya. I spent little time in Mahajual - nice as it was though, and less time at the pier. Having visited Chacchoben Village (apart from the Mayan ruins 7 miles away) I've got mixed feelings about the whole state of affairs in that area. The locals do too. The carpet-bagging pier with its wall... condos... god know the world needs more condos right... progress...

 

The Mayans are a hardy bunch. They had nothing (materially) 10 years ago and now next to nothing to be taken. Much of the local populace sleep in hammocks with dirt floors many with no doors (with nothing to take, why block the breeze). Amazing to think year 2000, no electricity, no running water (still no running water!). The locals are suffering, but its the bankers and insurers in Mexico City that are really crying...

 

Heck with the credit and real estate slump, don't completely discount the idea of the pier owner/developers simply taking the insurance money and saying to heck with it. Unlikely I know, but with the beach badly stripped of sand, it is probably as likely as a native Mayan becoming a condo developer...

[woodofpine]

ela8 - well, we're both optimists (go figure why...) but if it's taken Cozumel 2 years to repair their piers, and they've got considerably more economic clout then our optimism is probably misplaced...

 

I enjoyed Costa Maya. I spent little time in Mahajual - nice as it was though, and less time at the pier. Having visited Chacchoben Village (apart from the Mayan ruins 7 miles away) I've got mixed feelings about the whole state of affairs in that area. The locals do too. The carpet-bagging pier with its wall... condos... god know the world needs more condos right... progress...

 

The Mayans are a hardy bunch. They had nothing (materially) 10 years ago and now next to nothing to be taken. Much of the local populace sleep in hammocks with dirt floors many with no doors (with nothing to take, why block the breeze). Amazing to think year 2000, no electricity, no running water (still no running water!). The locals are suffering, but its the bankers and insurers in Mexico City that are really crying...

 

Heck with the credit and real estate slump, don't completely discount the idea of the pier owner/developers simply taking the insurance money and saying to heck with it. Unlikely I know, but with the beach badly stripped of sand, it is probably as likely as a native Mayan becoming a condo developer...

 

Here's hoping the 'canes stay away from my neighborhood this season.

[Sea Island Lady]

Lucy,

Yes, you could that fire experience made me stronger. Made my smelling senses alot stronger too. lol.... And then in Calif. with all the wild fires, scares me sometimes......

 

.

We had a fire and every time I smell or see smoke, my heart rate speeds up and I cannot wait to get home.

Your experience with the Red Cross was totally different than ours! Some Red Cross volunteers came out and asked if there was anything they could do. They served drinks to all the firemen and our friends that were helping us get some storage items out of the unharmed garage. I will ever be grateful to the Red Cross, the fire department, my church SS class and the insurance companies . Not only did we have insurance that paid within days, but we also had a brand new house to move into (the fire happened while we were in the middle of a move.) The Red Cross didn't seem to mind. :rolleyes:

One of the best ways to donate is through your church. I know that our church has taken up money, not only for our regular missions, but also for the Tsunami hit areas, 911 victims, Katrina and the latest, the Peru vicvtims.

[777mjrseb]

Hi Dianne.....we were on the Carnival Valor together in April/May 07. We were a group of 18 from Nova Scotia.

 

Our thoughts and prayers are with all the people in Costa Maya too. This was my 2nd visit to Costa Maya and it was my favorite port of call. We spent most of the day with Barbara (fellow Canadian) at Cats Meow. I know that they live in a little trailor behind Cats Meow. Hope her family, cats and her staff, especially Hugo are ok.

 

Hello Donna hope all is well with you!!!! What a sad story eh? We were just there a few months ago...sad to thing what these people are going through

[DBXX]

I have a beautiful overhead picture of CM on my screen saver it is of the port, dont know how to post the link to it, but I wonder if they are going to do an areial shot of the port to see how it is now.

 

Also, I have read reports here on this site that the town was waist deep in water, I didnt see that in any of the pics, is that true?

 

Danielle

[777mjrseb]

Hi Manny....I was there with you on the Carnival Valor too. Hope and pray everyone is safe. The group of us still say we all enjoyed our day in Costa Maya over all the other ports of call on our cruise. You just can't bet the unspoiled atmoshere of Costa Maya and Majahual. At least we have great memories & photos of this stop.

 

Donna

 

Donna,

 

I found your post before I ran into your reply!!! So I think I have said HI to you twice :D. Yeah I was just looking at my pictures from the trip, the best port I have been too I loved it. I'm booked on the Liberty for April 08 and CM was one of our stops, I don't know now. It's a very sad day for everyone there.... God Bless them all...

[Island Dog]

I wish I had the time and money to lead a relief effort to bring back Majahual just as it once was (with stronger buildings). I know it is wishful thinking but I hope someone who has fallen in love with the place, like we have will lead the charge. I think the last thing this place needs is to have the sleepy little fishing village turned into the cruise pier that was next to it. The beauty of Majahual was that it was like stepping back in time to an old Mexico that I had read about but never seen. The charm of the place was what ultimately led to its demise. Corrugated tin shacks just feet from the water on an unbelievably beautiful bay. I saw a Corona truck drive by today and the picture on the side of it looked just like Majahual. It literally drove me to tears. I fear all we will ever have is memories of what this place once was.....:(

[Crockett]

I saw the pics of Mahahual. So sad. I am glad the Mexican army came in and did a manditory evac.. Its Cozumel all over again.. We feel so helpless its so unfair! Its a little private jewel. I kept telling my neighbors- look look its going to go right over Mahahual!! They didn't know what that was. CNN and The Weather Channel did a fantastic job of reporting.

[rolloman]

5 years ago the place was a jungle, no people, no running water, no phones or electricity. Now it is back to where it was before man intervened. I do not think they received return on the initial investment. Since the area has a history of the most powerful storms ever to strike soil, it would seem wise to leave it in its natural state instead of once again, throwing millions of dollars into a pier and strip mall.

[PH8]

I disagree with you 100%...........the people there depended on us to help with their livelihood.............It was the way Mexico used to be...........unspoiled and beautiful(you need to go past the pier area).............I,for one, say bring it back.....and we'll be there!

[massfriends]

And the people will still be there.....they need us.

[hcat]

This is one of Mexico's premier long range economic development zones--I doubt they would stop that plan now..I wonder how the ruins area was impacted--maybe more were uncovered???

[dianeandmike2004]

We loved Costa Maya when we were there in 2004! The little town of Majahual was wonderful. The people were so nice. The snorkeling was fantastic-we had a great guide and saw lots of marine life. We ate at a little restaurant on the beach and had fantastic service from a very kind server. The beach pictures that we took look like postcards. It remains one of our favorite ports.

[Crockett]

I would hope they rebuild. I only regret is all the major corporations that want to build hotels on that land. Alot of people are poor and will sell out to the highest bidder. I couldnt believe all the land for sale signs back in 2004 on the Explorer. Somebody wants it.

[leoandhugh]

And since the Caribbean islands are already overwhelmed by the number of ships and passengers in season, and with Genesis and Solstice size ships coming on line making it even more crowded, the cruise lines and the various countries have to keep investing more $millions. 35-40years ago there was virtually no tourist infrastructure in places like Cozumel and Cancun - just wonderful beaches with a few small hotels. And just today, the government of Jamaica announced plans to build a new cruise port at Falmouth between Ocho Rios and MontegoBay, just to be able to berth Genesis size ships. If Costa Maya does not rebuild, someone else will; they are not going to let those tourist $$$ go unspent!:)