Recommended excursions with MSC for Western Caribbean itineary?

Just wondering if anybody has any recommendations for excursions on the Western Caribbean itinerary (Jamaica, Cayman Island, Cozumel and Nassau) going through MSC. We're travelling with in-laws and they are not adventurous in trying private tours, etc. They prefer to go with the cruise line excursions. So I'm not sure which ones are a must try and which ones are a skip.

Any suggestions/recommendation would be helpful.

TIA.

Just wondering if anybody has any recommendations for excursions on the Western Caribbean itinerary (Jamaica, Cayman Island, Cozumel and Nassau) going through MSC. We're travelling with in-laws and they are not adventurous in trying private tours, etc. They prefer to go with the cruise line excursions. So I'm not sure which ones are a must try and which ones are a skip.

 

Any suggestions/recommendation would be helpful.

 

TIA.

Any kids going with?

We enjoyed the Green Grottos cave tour in Jamaica. It was for all ages but you need to be steady on your feet! Booked that through MSC.

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Any kids going with?

Yes 2 kids (9 and 11) and 1 elderly couple

We just got back from the Divina and booked all of our tours through MSC. Our dd just turned six and there were the two of us.

In Jamaica we did the beach break and it was very nice and relaxing. It was a private beach with no one constantly asking you if you want to buy drinks or jewelry or braid your hair. There was a stand for lunch and drinks if you wanted to buy them. We pulled our chairs under some trees and had a nice shady spot to relax. The water was calm and the sand was beautiful.

In Cozumel and Cayman we went snorkeling, which may not be what you want to do with an elderly couple. Getting off and on the boats take a little doing, so you'd have to see how nimble they are.

In Nassau we did the Balmore Island beach break and that was very nice. You take a ferry back and forth but they are easy to get off and on. It's Sandals private island and it's beautiful. The food and drinks are expensive so bring $$$ if you want to do that, but it was a long, relaxing tour. One caveat...on the way back they dropped us off at a different dock from where we were picked up and it was a bit of a hike back to the ship.

The hardest of most of the tours was the long walk of the piers and getting to the excursions. In some spots they had pedicabs or carts you can take and you may want to consider that if walking is an issue.

Just wondering if anybody has any recommendations for excursions on the Western Caribbean itinerary (Jamaica, Cayman Island, Cozumel and Nassau) going through MSC. We're travelling with in-laws and they are not adventurous in trying private tours, etc. They prefer to go with the cruise line excursions. So I'm not sure which ones are a must try and which ones are a skip.

 

Any suggestions/recommendation would be helpful.

 

TIA.

Is it your first time on those islands?

Jamaica- first time we did Down river falls . Don't worry your in laws don't have to climb a falls , there is comfy stairs there to go up. Now we just stay on board because we ca not tolerate pushy vendors .

Cayman -We did stingray and turtle farm . + beach

Cozumel-Ruins is too far, so Chankanaab park may be good option . Don't book from cruise line .Just take a taxi mini van .

Nassau- I don't know what to say.... I don't like this place but you will find beach option no problem.

We did the dolphin swim and ride with food and drinks. If the in-laws don't want to actually get in the water they might have fun just watching the grandkids interacting with the dolphins. Not sure if you can get a price break for that though.

Thanks for the suggestions so far everybody!

My girlfriend and I (younger cruisers!) will be on the June 3rd sailing, and are thinking about the Cozumel Tulum ruins excursion...anybody have suggestions here?

From what I understand, it's a 7+ hour tour, but it's a 2.5 hour journey to the ruins (5 hours roundtrip), leaving probably an hour and a bit to actually explore the ruins.

Tulum is a great site to see but it's not on Cozumel. We've been there twice - once on a cruise from Cozumel and once while staying near there. It was a while ago, but this is approximately the timing I remember from the tour from Cozumel. You take a ferry from Cozumel to the mainland and dock in Playa del Carmen (south of Cancun). I think it's about 45 minutes or so. Then you get on a bus to go to Tulum. Again about 45-60 minutes (I think). You'll have a guide that takes you through the ruins and it seems like enough time. We also had a lunch and shopping stop on the way back before the ferry return ride. So, even though it's about 7 hours, maybe 4 of it is on a ferry or bus. Still, if you really want to see the ruins and don't think you'll be in Cancun or Playa anytime soon, go for it. There are also smaller ruins on Cozumel, but they are nothing like Tulum.

Note: If you go, be sure to bring sunscreen and a good hat. There's no shade at Tulum and the sun can be brutal. Keep drinking any water that's given to you by your guides or bring it from the ship.

Awesome, thanks for the advice Travelhound! I don't think we'll be near there any time soon (we're from western Canada), so we'll probably just go for it.

I'm pretty sure that I want to book this one directly with the cruise line rather than a local company, it's a little too far to venture without the ease of mind of knowing that the ship won't leave without us :p

Thank you for all the recommendations they are very helpful.

I would love to go to Tulum but I don't know if my inlaws would be able to handle a long excursion.

Has anyone been to the Chankanaab park?

I think the kids would love the stingrays and turtle farm in the Cayman Islands.

I've been to Nassau so many times I don't really care for it but I find something for the kids/inlaws.

We just got back from the Divina and booked all of our tours through MSC. Our dd just turned six and there were the two of us.

 

In Jamaica we did the beach break and it was very nice and relaxing. It was a private beach with no one constantly asking you if you want to buy drinks or jewelry or braid your hair. There was a stand for lunch and drinks if you wanted to buy them. We pulled our chairs under some trees and had a nice shady spot to relax. The water was calm and the sand was beautiful.

 

In Cozumel and Cayman we went snorkeling, which may not be what you want to do with an elderly couple. Getting off and on the boats take a little doing, so you'd have to see how nimble they are.

 

In Nassau we did the Balmore Island beach break and that was very nice. You take a ferry back and forth but they are easy to get off and on. It's Sandals private island and it's beautiful. The food and drinks are expensive so bring $$$ if you want to do that, but it was a long, relaxing tour. One caveat...on the way back they dropped us off at a different dock from where we were picked up and it was a bit of a hike back to the ship.

 

The hardest of most of the tours was the long walk of the piers and getting to the excursions. In some spots they had pedicabs or carts you can take and you may want to consider that if walking is an issue.

Travelhound can you tell me how long it took to get to the beach on the beach break excursion in Jamaica, and how long were you actually at the beach.

thanks,

Dikucz

Thanks for the suggestions so far everybody!

 

My girlfriend and I (younger cruisers!) will be on the June 3rd sailing, and are thinking about the Cozumel Tulum ruins excursion...anybody have suggestions here?

 

From what I understand, it's a 7+ hour tour, but it's a 2.5 hour journey to the ruins (5 hours roundtrip), leaving probably an hour and a bit to actually explore the ruins.

all depend if you are planing to visit Mexico in future. Its too far from Cozumel and its start around 6 am :rolleyes: plus its very hot in ruins in June. If you are from Europe and maybe never go to Mexico again I would say yes, go but otherwise wait till you go to resort closer to ruins.

Dikucz,

I don't remember exactly, but the ride wasn't too far, maybe 10 minutes or so of pretty scenery. I'm thinking we maybe had about 3 or so hours at the beach. Of course we weren't ready to leave but it also didn't seem like we had just barely begun to relax and then it was time to go.

We did, however, wait a looong time to get off of the ship. That was true in every port. The time from our meeting time to when we actually got on a transport averaged about 60 minutes. I thought that was a little much and I had never experienced that on another cruise.

I recommend the beach break in Jamaica though. It was a very nice, relaxing day.