punkin35

UPDATE: back from this trip and I posted this to someone else's question about Dolphinaris. Copy and pasted ;)

I just returned from my cruise on Sunday. We were in Cozumel Friday andbooked Dolphinaris through Carnival. We had an 11 am time scheduled. I hate totell you this, but I was really disappointed with this excursion. First, let mesay there were 5 ships in port that day, and I think they really justoverbooked the excursions, more $$ for them. My mom was there the week beforeme and had a totally different experience. I would check the port schedule forthat day to see how many ships will be in port.

We waited and at 11 ish.. they loaded us into van taxis for the ride toDolphinaris. It was probably a 10-15 trip from Peurta Maya peir. Then it washurry up and wait from there. It was like hearding cattle from one area toanother. My son wanted food when we got there and they would not allow him toget anything. At this point it was almost 12. Get there, move into an area andwait. Then, to another area and wait, then wait for life vest, then wait forthe instructors. It was probably almost 1:30 before we ever even got in thewater. It was so crowded and annoying waiting with so many people and it justfelt like such a waste of time.

The actual part of being in the water with the dolphins was great! Veryinteractive, ours had a 2 month old baby with her, so that was very cool. Ithink we were in the water about 40 minutes.

Then, we finally got to eat. My son got all of our $$'s worth! lol.. Thefood was just ok. My husband had a few of the free alcoholic beverages too.Then, we wanted to paddle board, you had to wait until a certain time, every 30minutes..but, no one ever showed up. The snorkel area did not look clean andwas very small. We went to look at the pics.. the prices were outrageous!We tried to go to the small VIP pool area they have, we were not allowedbecause we had not purchased the VIP package, which I get. But, there was nowhere else to swim unless you got in the snorkel area. No beach area or pool.

We ended up leaving and headed back to the port area to shop. We had donethe dolphin swim in Domican Republic at Ocean World and it was such a niceplace compared to this one. Again, my mom was there the week before and shesaid there were only 2 ships in port and she had a totally differentexperience. I am not trying to burst your bubble, but I wish I would have knownthis before we spent $360 on this for the 4 of us.

Good luck on making your decision. We love Cozumel and have been at least 10times. My favorite thing to do is rent a jeep and ride to the other side of theisland that is not touristy and it's so beautiful :)

Has anyone been to Dolphinaris on a booked excursion through the cruise ship and stayed longer? I'm wondering since we are in port until 6:00 if we can stay and hang out at the beach there and just take a cab back to the port? If we book an 11 excursion, we would be done by 2:30 and still have lots of time left for fun in the sun! My mom was just there last week and said the place is beautiful. Any info appreciated :)

I just returned from my cruise on Sunday. We were in Cozumel Friday and booked Dolphinaris through Carnival. We had an 11 am time scheduled. I hate to tell you this, but I was really disappointed with this excursion. First, let me say there were 5 ships in port that day, and I think they really just overbooked the excursions, more $$ for them. My mom was there the week before me and had a totally different experience. I would check the port schedule for that day to see how many ships will be in port.

We waited and at 11 ish.. they loaded us into van taxis for the ride to Dolphinaris. It was probably a 10-15 trip from Peurta Maya peir. Then it was hurry up and wait from there. It was like hearding cattle from one area to another. My son wanted food when we got there and they would not allow him to get anything. At this point it was almost 12. Get there, move into an area and wait. Then, to another area and wait, then wait for life vest, then wait for the instructors. It was probably almost 1:30 before we ever even got in the water. It was so crowded and annoying waiting with so many people and it just felt like such a waste of time.

The actual part of being in the water with the dolphins was great! Very interactive, ours had a 2 month old baby with her, so that was very cool. I think we were in the water about 40 minutes.

Then, we finally got to eat. My son got all of our $$'s worth! lol.. The food was just ok. My husband had a few of the free alcoholic beverages too. Then, we wanted to paddle board, you had to wait until a certain time, every 30 minutes..but, no one ever showed up. The snorkel area did not look clean and was very small. We went to look at the pics.. the prices were outrageous! We tried to go to the small VIP pool area they have, we were not allowed because we had not purchased the VIP package, which I get. But, there was no where else to swim unless you got in the snorkel area. No beach area or pool.

We ended up leaving and headed back to the port area to shop. We had done the dolphin swim in Domican Republic at Ocean World and it was such a nice place compared to this one. Again, my mom was there the week before and she said there were only 2 ships in port and she had a totally different experience. I am not trying to burst your bubble, but I wish I would have known this before we spent $360 on this for the 4 of us.

Good luck on making your decision. We love Cozumel and have been at least 10 times. My favorite thing to do is rent a jeep and ride to the other side of the island that is not touristy and it's so beautiful :)

My husband and I will be on our first cruise and have one day in Cozumel. We have booked the day with Dolphinaris through Carnival. Anyone have any info for me? It is all food and drinks included. We picked the 8:00 dolphin tour because i want to spend a little time shopping in Cozumel. Will we be able to sit on the beach? Can we tour the Dolphinaris, go shop and then come back and eat/drink? I really dont think I will want to eat or drink much at 8 am.

ANY info at all will be helpful.

Thank you

Has anyone been to Dolphinaris on a booked excursion through the cruise ship and stayed longer? I'm wondering since we are in port until 6:00 if we can stay and hang out at the beach there and just take a cab back to the port? If we book an 11 excursion, we would be done by 2:30 and still have lots of time left for fun in the sun! My mom was just there last week and said the place is beautiful. Any info appreciated :)

How did you guys get there? Was it an excursion, or did you take a cab? We will be there next week and looking for something close by the port to do.

We just got back from our sailing on Harmony of the Seas. Our day in Jamaica was spent at the Hilton Rose Hall, which the four of us (mid 50s to mid 60s) enjoyed to the max. Service was impeccable, food and drink excellent. Make sure if you do this trip to find the Jerk Hut, out past the lazy river area!

 

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First, I love your screen name... Get your fat pants on!!!!! Cracks me up!

Next, that is a great idea... but scares the crap out of me to think about that happening!

We've yet to decide what we will do. Doesn't look like MoBay has too many excursions nearby without traveling to Ochoa Rios. I think we will just play it by ear. Maybe just go to a nearby beach. Even though I looked at those and there was nothing that looked too great either (Trip Advisor). But hey, we are on a cruise and not at work, so it's all good!!!

I read this idea on another post but thought it maybe useful if you are planning on doing an excursion and worried about being rob. Take a fake wallet with you and hide your real wallet in an inside pocket. The thieves know you won’t leave the ship without ID and money so I don’t think you can fool them by saying you don’t have anything. I thought it was a good idea. I truly don’t think that the cruise lines would go into a port if they felt it was unsafe for their passengers. Have fun just be smart!!

 

 

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Thanks Bill!

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My mom is going to Ochos Rios this week. I'll get a report back from her. It seems Montego Bay is the worse area though. We may just have a pool day on ship that day. Not taking any chances.

I'm hoping someone replies that has been there recently. Let's stay tuned :D

We will be in Montego Bay in 2 weeks! We booked this cruise because this is one place we haven't been on any of our other cruises. Now, with the state of emergency and the violence, I'm a little worried to do an excursion.

Has anyone been to Montego Bay in the last few weeks? What was the situation like? Did you feel safe getting off the ship? And, are there things to do near the port, like a beach or shopping that would be considered safer than an excursion?

Looks like the Dream will be the only ship in port that day. Any info is appreciated! Thanks

Thanks! I will report back if we do this. it's about a little over an hour travel each way. It says the excursion is 7 total. So I figure we'd have at least 4 hours at the park. My husband is leery of the travel to and fro, so we will see! I would definitely book this one through the ship if we choose it.

If it is a ship's excursion then you have little to worry about - if there are transportation issues they'll hold the ship for you.

 

You are looking at 1.5-2 hours travel each way, so your time at the park may be limited. I'm always put off by tours where I spend more time travelling there and back than I do at the destination. :(

 

Your call! Be sure to come back post cruise and let us know how it worked out. :D

We are going to be in Cozumel in a few weeks and would love to know if anyone has done the excursion to XENSES- SENSORIAL THEME PARK from the Cozumel port?

I know you take the ferry ride over to Playa Del Carmen, then a bus ride to the park. We are in port that day from 10a-6p, so I feel like we have plenty of time to do this. We have 2 teens that I feel would really enjoy this. We have been to Cozumel several times and would like to do something different.

My husband is a little nervous about this. Did you feel safe? Is there any reason you would not do this excursion? Was it worth the travel and time to get there? If not, is there something you could recommend that teens would enjoy?

Thanks!

Thanks for your honest feedback! I think my daughter would enjoy it, but my son is more of an active fun kid. I believe I'll keep looking for an excursion.

We've never been to this port, so I'd like to see the sights!

We went last year. It was OK. They only have about 5 shows to see, plus the artificial reef for snorkeling and the small beach.

 

The price for the excursion is not inclusive, so anything like lunch, pictures with the animals after the shows, etc will cost extra.

 

While we were there the time share people were very aggressive, and were using tactics like telling you they wanted to take you to a good spot to take a picture and then trying to lead you out of the park. These folks were actually introduced to us by our Ocean World guide, so they seem legit at first. Definitely make sure your kids know not to follow any of those "staff" people without you.

 

I don't know if your kids would enjoy the shows or not. It really depends on their personalities. There isn't a ton to "do" as it is more of a "see" type place (unless you book one of the other excursions like the dolphin trainer for a day type thing). Would they be happy watching dolphins jump through hoops and sea lions hide fish for the day or would they be bored?

Has anyone been? Can you tell me about your experience?

We are going end of September and traveling with our 15 and 12 year old kids. Is this something you would recommend?

Not many reviews on Carnival yet, so just looking to gain feedback. Thanks!

we stayed at the Country Inn and Suites in May. We enjoyed it. Very comfortable beds, nice breakfast the next morning. And the shuttle to the port was very well planned. No confusion on the return shuttle , either. Just called the hotel and they were there w/I 15 minutes. We would definitely stay here again.

Hello! I looked on the CI&S website and the parking package looks like a great deal! I could not find the shuttle times. Do you happen to know what time the shuttle starts running to the port?

I was so excited to see this board! I've been eating LC since Jan. I've ate LC off and on in the past years but I've always fallen off the wagon because I always looked at it as a diet, but now I have made this a lifestyle change!

I lost 25 lbs. since Jan. The summer has proved to be much harder for me to stay on track than I ever expected. I gained about 5 lbs back over this summer.However, it's Monday, and I am back on track today for a fresh start! I meal prepped all day yesterday so I am prepared for my 1st week!

I am cruising on the Magic 9/24 out of Port Canaveral. Anyone else on that cruise?? I really think LC on the cruise will be easier... all the bacon, meat and veggies you could want! My last cruise, I loved the cheese plate for dessert!

My goal is to loose 20 lbs. by my cruise!!

Any extra tips welcomed and/or meal planning idea welcomed!

What are the best hotels to stay at the night before the cruise with shuttles that will take you to and from the terminal??

I've been reading too much trip advisor reviews about

Jacksonville Plaza Inn & Suite?? Now I'm torn.

Any suggestions are appreciated!

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It's a process to get there. We got off the ship and booked it at the desk, they got us a cab to the ferry.

But, it is beautiful!

However, when the ferry came back to get us, the waters had gotten rough and they could not get in the narrow pass. We had to walk about a mile to the other side the island to the old dock! With two kids, 100 degree heat, that was not fun.

So reverse that process when we got back. We almost missed the ship. We were literally running to the ship. Just be careful of you go and make sure the ferry times.

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Thanks! We are in board now! Ready to go!

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Thank you! Wish I would have asked sooner! I leave today for port, sail tomorrow. May have to adjust our luggage situation now!

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How many formal night dinners are there on an 8 night cruise on the Liberty? Also, do you know what nights?

Trying to book the steakhouse, but don't want to miss out on the lobster!

Thanks for the tips! Looks like that day will be a busy one in the port with 5 ships! Glad I looked! We will be sure to head out early.

We've never been to St. Thomas and will be there on Wed. Sept. 17 from 8-6 on the Carnival Liberty.

I hear there is great snorkeling here. Can anyone tell me the best, inexpensive places to find this? I'm game for either great beach snorkeling or out on a boat. Love to see colorful fish and corals.

Thanks ahead!

Totally agree

 

 

 

The kids would absolutely love seeing the planes land and take off at Maho Beach. There are other you tube videos you can view.

 

Thank you all! I agree, I think the kids would love seeing the planes, and so would I. That is certainly cheap enough too! :D

Can anyone reccomend something cheap and fun to do wile in port?

We will be there from 8am-6pm on Wednesday, September 17th.

Looking for something inexpensive that the whole family will enjoy. Kids are 10 & 13 years old.

Thanks!

We were there in the spring of 2009 on a cruise. We rented a golf cart and just ventured off.. we ran into Majahaul on accident about 10 minutes after we left.

It has to be one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen! We ended up spending the rest of the day drinking buckets of beer and eating fresh salsa and chips on the beach while the kids played in the calm waters! Oh, and I think we only ended spend about $17 in port that day too.. including a few trinkets!

This by far is our favorite port to date! We are going back there in a few weeks.. this time we know not to waste our $50 on a golf cart and just take a quick cab ride over there!