Live from the Divina May 7, 2016

Southwest is supposed to land in Ft Lauderdale at 2PM the same day. Is this enough time to get off the plane, get out bags and catch a bus/ shuttle or cab to the Miami cruise ship terminal?

I would always recommend flying in a day early, if you can, on any cruise. If that's impossible, I would get insurance, you never know when a flight could be cancelled. I hope you enjoy MSC as much as I do. :D

I have had 9 glasses of wine today :D

 

You are my hero! We are on our first cruise ever next month. Divina (the reason I am following your live report, even though you are home in Virginia :D already) headed only to Cozumel. We have 4 days at sea so I plan to do well by our Classic Drink package.

Curious about your new camera. We have a Canon DSLR that is new and we don't know how to use it yet! Thought we might need a point and shoot that ensures we get some decent pictures while we are on that learning curve.

You are my hero! We are on our first cruise ever next month. Divina (the reason I am following your live report, even though you are home in Virginia :D already) headed only to Cozumel. We have 4 days at sea so I plan to do well by our Classic Drink package.

 

Curious about your new camera. We have a Canon DSLR that is new and we don't know how to use it yet! Thought we might need a point and shoot that ensures we get some decent pictures while we are on that learning curve.

Had to quote my own post because CC wouldn't let me edit it! I saw the kind of camera you had after I kept reading. Might be one to look into!

Also, thanks for a very enjoyable rainy Friday morning read. I feel much more prepared for our trip because of the detail in your review. :)

Divina headed only to Cozumel. We have 4 days at sea so I plan to do well by our Classic Drink package.

Wow, what an itinerary, how many days is the cruise? What are you doing in Cozumel? I had a great time at Cochi Nocum (sp?), even though I had to switch from wine to Margaritas. :D:D

Wow, what an itinerary, how many days is the cruise? What are you doing in Cozumel? I had a great time at Cochi Nocum (sp?), even though I had to switch from wine to Margaritas. :D:D

We know absolutely nothing about cruising, so for a first cruise we decided that we needed to see if we actually like cruising! Nothing better than 4 days at sea on a 4 night/5 day cruise to let us know pretty quickly. :D

The only excursion we booked on Cozumel was the Mayan Ruins 3-hour tour (everyone sing along...). My husband has major mobility issues and we figured, after reading EVERYTHING about all the excursions, it was the one he was most likely to be able to do.

Now, if someone on here says, "HELL NO, DON'T GO!" we will cancel and just get off the ship and meander a bit. :eek:

Yikes!!! If he has mobility issues, I for one would not do that excursion. Are you beach people?

Yikes!!! If he has mobility issues, I for one would not do that excursion. Are you beach people?

I gotta second that, and I haven't even been to the ruins myself. When I googled it, it said not for people with mobility issues. You can go to Youtube and see pics . Basically, you're out baking in the sun, climbing up the ruins' steps to see the view? Also, it's a one hour bus ride each way?

When you get off the ship in Cozumel, there is a shopping area right there and a place to get drinks, Senor Frogs or similar. The place I went is here and we had a great time, just eating, drinking and relaxing.

http://www.cozumelnachicocom.com/eng/beach-break-rates.cfm

I just wanted to add, even the pier is long at Cozumel. If he has issues, you may need mobility aids.

Thank you , everyone, for all your thoughts and tips. Bob travels with a very small scooter so getting off the ship and down the pier area is not an issue. The excursion is not the one that I believe you are thinking about. This one is a motor coach tour: "LIVING HISTORY - MAYAN TRADITIONS AND ISLAND TOUR. Discover the history and culture of the Mayan people during a visit to a traditional Mayan Village, then see the natural beauty of Cozumel as you circle the island aboard your comfortable air-conditioned motor coach. "

We have spoken to MSC and their recommendation is to leave the tour as booked and then talk to the crew about the feasibility for Bob. If they can store his scooter under the bus (as most motor coaches allow) then we ought to be fine. If not, we will take Maureen's suggestion and head down the pier and take in some local color and food and drink. At the very least we will come back here and let you know what happened! :)

This one is a motor coach tour: "LIVING HISTORY - MAYAN TRADITIONS AND ISLAND TOUR. Discover the history and culture of the Mayan people during a visit to a traditional Mayan Village, then see the natural beauty of Cozumel as you circle the island aboard your comfortable air-conditioned motor coach.

Hi! Not trying to be Debbie Downer, but, I would look for reviews of the excursion and see what people say. My idea of a tour of a traditional Mayan village does not involve paved streets that scooters can traverse. I'm picturing people walking through the village on dirt roads, ducking into tents? huts?? and seeing how the people lived. Again, I don't know anything about it, but, I would just be cautious.:)

Hi! Not trying to be Debbie Downer, but, I would look for reviews of the excursion and see what people say. My idea of a tour of a traditional Mayan village does not involve paved streets that scooters can traverse. I'm picturing people walking through the village on dirt roads, ducking into tents? huts?? and seeing how the people lived. Again, I don't know anything about it, but, I would just be cautious.:)

Thanks for worrying about us, Maureen. :) We have been reading reviews all along and have spoken to MSC directly. We are fairly certain that he can do the tour at this point. His little scooter can do some traveling on grassy and dirt areas and there is a short video on one of the MSC websites of the village with wide paths. The only question we cannot find the answer to (and probably won't until we are on the ship) is if the motor coach has a space underneath where his scooter will fit. Most buses accommodate it very well in the area where luggage is stored. I may take a look some more here on CC to see if there is someone I can ask who has actually taken the tour. Since there are a few with the word "Mayan" in them I need to make certain I am more specific in my description of the one we are taking so no one thinks we expect Bob to trek all over the ruins. ;)

So, at this point, we are going to leave the tour booked. If we get to the ship and they say it is not possible we will deal with it then. If we get to the end of the pier and see that it is not possible we will take the tour of the area right there that you suggested!

Meanwhile... we leave home a week from today! :D

Meanwhile... we leave home a week from today! :D

:D:D Bon Voyage! Have a Pinot for me! :D:D

:D:D Bon Voyage! Have a Pinot for me! :D:D

I will... at least one! ;)

(As passionate as I am about my wine drinking, my screen name has to do with my profession as a piano and composition teacher, not my love of the vine.)