First time to Cozumel...

...and could be last (that's mainly because I like to try new places when traveling from UK) so what excursion, trip, experience should we do, either on our own or with the ship.

I would really appreciate your opinions and advice as I'm struggling to decide.

Btw, if snorkelling is recommended is it similar, better or not as good as Barbados?

Thank you very much in advance 🙂

Cozumel is an island so most of the activities revolve around the water - beaches, sailing, snorkeling, fishing, etc.

What are you interested in? :confused:

Quiet beach club? Lively beach club? All inclusive or pay as you go? Island tour? Mayan ruins? Swim with the dolphins? Travelling as a couple? With family?

Read through the various posts on this board and then come back with some more info so that the suggestions will be closer to your target. ;)

If any of this helps you owe me a pint - bitter please! :)

Cozumel is second only to Australia for snorkeling and scuba diving

...and could be last (that's mainly because I like to try new places when traveling from UK) so what excursion, trip, experience should we do, either on our own or with the ship.

 

I would really appreciate your opinions and advice as I'm struggling to decide.

 

Btw, if snorkelling is recommended is it similar, better or not as good as Barbados?

Thank you very much in advance 🙂

Snorkeling is WAY better in Barbados than it is in Cozumel! :D

Cozumel is world recognized worldwide as a Top 10 destinations in SCUBA, not snorkeling. The reefs are too deep and far out off the coastline in order to enjoy them. Shore snorkeling is just okay in Cozumel.

Best things to do in Cozumel?.... read this forum, the first 10 pages of posts. There are hundreds of suggestions of activities.

Thank you all. We would probably prefer some sort of island tour rather than a beach day. We are also stopping in Labadee. Would you recommend a ships tour or a private tour?

I just got back from a week in an All-Inclusive resort. Cozumel is known for it's excellent scuba diving, as stated by an above poster, and the reefs are pretty far out and deep from shore. So, if you are not up for that, I would recommend either an all-inclusive option, like Nacho Cocum, Mr.Sanchos, or a day pass to the Sunscape Sabor Cozumel, in order to use their beach, pool, and enjoy some food and unlimited drinks. If you're not looking for an additional beach day, then I would recommend parasailing, catamaran snorkeling, or maybe a trip inland to the Ruins. But, Cozumel is knwon for its water-realed activities, so if you're still in the planning stages, plan on getting wet while you're in Cozumel. Also, if you;'re not on a Carnival or Royal Caribbean brand cruise line, you will likely dock at the International Pier, which is right downtown, and there are many good shops that arent regulated by the cruise lines (the cruise lines get part of the profits from sales sold within the port areas that they built, so it will be cheaper to shop in town than at the ship-sponsered stores). You can also pick up some good Mexican food downtown. I hope I helped a little bit :D

You can set up a tour in advance through outfits like black Hat tours and others, or just hire a cab driver for 2-3 hours and do some homework on where you want to go, what you want to see, and where you want to be dropped off.

I just got back from a week in an All-Inclusive resort. Cozumel is known for it's excellent scuba diving, as stated by an above poster, and the reefs are pretty far out and deep from shore. So, if you are not up for that, I would recommend either an all-inclusive option, like Nacho Cocum, Mr.Sanchos, or a day pass to the Sunscape Sabor Cozumel, in order to use their beach, pool, and enjoy some food and unlimited drinks. If you're not looking for an additional beach day, then I would recommend parasailing, catamaran snorkeling, or maybe a trip inland to the Ruins. But, Cozumel is knwon for its water-realed activities, so if you're still in the planning stages, plan on getting wet while you're in Cozumel. Also, if you;'re not on a Carnival or Royal Caribbean brand cruise line, you will likely dock at the International Pier, which is right downtown, and there are many good shops that arent regulated by the cruise lines (the cruise lines get part of the profits from sales sold within the port areas that they built, so it will be cheaper to shop in town than at the ship-sponsered stores). You can also pick up some good Mexican food downtown. I hope I helped a little bit :D

There are three piers in Cozumel. The downtown pier is Punta Langosta. If the OP is stopping at Labadee, I assume they are on Royal Caribbean or Celebrity and will stop at International south of town.

Thank you all. We would probably prefer some sort of island tour rather than a beach day. We are also stopping in Labadee. Would you recommend a ships tour or a private tour? ��

Welcome fellow Brit!

I would highly recommend ToursPlaza whom we have used many times for tours. Booking is very efficient via Eduardo. You can take a 3-5 hour tour of the island to include lunch on the wilder east side or some beach time. Lots of suggestions on their website to customize your tour. Discuss with driver what you are interested in (or not interested in!) before you leave. You can go bar hopping on the east side (cash only, pesos or US$) but be sure to include a stop at one of the southern beach bars for contrast.

https://toursplaza.com/

Another good tour, which is more economical if there are only two of you (and all-adult party) is the Cozumel Bar Hop - not usually a wild party bus, but a popular, well-organized tour which will also take you round the island. It is more sociable than a private tour but not as flexible as it includes pre-determined stops.

http://www.cozumelbarhop.com/

As an alternative to a tour, I can highly recommend a hands-on cooking class "Cooking with Josefina" for local insight. This class takes place in the kitchen of a local lady and includes a trip to the Mercado to buy the main ingredients.

http://www.cozumelchef.com/services/authentic-mexican-cooking-classes/

We Love the Cozumel Bar Hop tour. Easy, fun, great food, excellent guides, small groups that end up to be great aquaintances by the end of the day. You board a bus or a van (depending on the amount of people they have) and they drive you through the island to the other side. The EAST/Wild side of Cozumel is away from the crowds, has the gorgeous beaches and some really fun beach bar/restaurants that will have you laughing the entire time.

We've been to Cozumel about a dozen times and had never repeated an excursion....until we did the Bar Hop. Just a blast. Not crazy wild, but really just relaxing, fun and enjoyable.

There are three piers in Cozumel. The downtown pier is Punta Langosta. If the OP is stopping at Labadee, I assume they are on Royal Caribbean or Celebrity and will stop at International south of town.

You're right, thank you for correcting me!

You're right, thank you for correcting me!

No problem! Just didn't want OP to get confused!

Thank you all again for your replies and suggestions. It's much easier to decide when things are recommended rather than just reading about the cruise excursions.

You have given me some great ideas 👍😀

I just got back from a week in an All-Inclusive resort. Cozumel is known for it's excellent scuba diving, as stated by an above poster, and the reefs are pretty far out and deep from shore. So, if you are not up for that, I would recommend either an all-inclusive option, like Nacho Cocum, Mr.Sanchos, or a day pass to the Sunscape Sabor Cozumel, in order to use their beach, pool, and enjoy some food and unlimited drinks. If you're not looking for an additional beach day, then I would recommend parasailing, catamaran snorkeling, or maybe a trip inland to the Ruins. But, Cozumel is knwon for its water-realed activities, so if you're still in the planning stages, plan on getting wet while you're in Cozumel. Also, if you;'re not on a Carnival or Royal Caribbean brand cruise line, you will likely dock at the International Pier, which is right downtown, and there are many good shops that arent regulated by the cruise lines (the cruise lines get part of the profits from sales sold within the port areas that they built, so it will be cheaper to shop in town than at the ship-sponsered stores). You can also pick up some good Mexican food downtown. I hope I helped a little bit :D

We are planning a fly in vacation for 2018 to Coz. Where did you stay and how did you like staying versus cruising to there?

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