Concern about safety in Cozumel

Recently, the US issued a travel alert for Cozumel, after two explosive devices were found on the ferry that travels between Cozumel and the mainland. Additionally, the US is ordering embassy personnel to stay away from Playa del Carmen tourist area for an undisclosed threat.

(Link to the news: http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/travel/ct-travel-alert-playa-del-carmen-20180312-story.html )

We will be in Cozumel next Tuesday with the NCL Dawn. I called NCL about this and they told me that they are monitoring the situation; and they have no other information available. This answer did not give me too much confidence. I also noticed that the cruise tours to the mainland are still available for booking (they use the ferry)

Should we skip any trip to Playa del Carmen and just stay in the island? We were thinking about going to Xcaret or Tulum, but now we're not so sure.

Ships (including NCL) call on Cozumel every day. It is up to you whether to travel to the mainland. Seems pretty simple, if you have a concern, don't take the ferry.

Like BT said in the post above this, it's really your choice. I understand your angst about this but you have to realize that things like this for travelers can happen anywhere, anytime.

You are going down there soon so the chances of that happening again quickly are very low.

Personally, all things considered I would go.

Enjoy your cruise

Today I received an e-mail from the US Embassy in Mexico City. I signed up for these security alerts. Effective immediately US government personnel are permitted to travel to all parts of Playa del Carmen and are also permitted to use the ferry services between Playa del Carmen and Cozumel. Hope this helps. We will be in Cozumel next week and had originally planned to go to Tulum. Not sure what we will do but glad to see that things are settling down a bit.

The Gulf cartel is trying to clear out a lot of Zeta competition and smaller cartels like the Michoacana. Things have heated up since El Chapo was moved to a US prison. Things in Cozumel have remained mostly safe, no one wants to create an issue with tourism in certain areas.

Good to know there is now ferry service for those wanting to use it.

I was in Playa Del Carmen just over a week ago and took the ferry to Cozumel and back. I knew of the explosion and I knew a bomb was found on two additional, not in service ferries.

My thinking was:

1 - *hit can, and does, happen everywhere.

2 - My feeling is that the bombs were meant to put the two ferry companies out of business, not kill tourists. The bomb that exploded did so at the dock, after the ferry unloaded, not in the middle of the trip in open water.

Naturally, you need to do what YOU feel comfortable doing regardless of what anyone else thinks.

Enjoy your cruise whatever you decide.

Hopes4 - Thanks for a first hand report. That was what I was looking for,

Good to know there is now ferry service for those wanting to use it.

I know they stopped service on one of the three companies a few weeks ago, and service was running on two other companies on March 6th when we sailed to Cozumel. Did I miss them stopping service altogether??

They didn't stop service, the US issued a travel advisory not to use the ferries for a short period of time.

I have never felt unsafe in Cozumel.

Hopes4 - Thanks for a first hand report. That was what I was looking for' date='[/quote']

 

You're very welcome. :)

Today I received an e-mail from the US Embassy in Mexico City. I signed up for these security alerts. Effective immediately US government personnel are permitted to travel to all parts of Playa del Carmen and are also permitted to use the ferry services between Playa del Carmen and Cozumel. Hope this helps. We will be in Cozumel next week and had originally planned to go to Tulum. Not sure what we will do but glad to see that things are settling down a bit.

Thank you. This gives me some peace of mind.

If you are worried, don't take the ferry. Cozumel and the island are VERY safe.

If it was me I would stay on the Mainland and take the advice offered by the State Department.

Keith

edit

;)

Keith is right, take the advise of our government. Cozumel itself is as safe as anywhere and if you haven't been there, you will find lots of things to do without going on the ferry. We all have to decide for ourselves, but remember, as mentioned stuff happens all the time. Enjoy your cruise with or without Playa del Carmen.

If it was me I would stay on the Mainland and take the advice offered by the State Department.

 

Keith

Ah,,, the ship calls on Cozumel. Which is an island. You catch the ferry TO the mainland. And the State Dept has removed it’s travel advisory.

Why visit the mainland anyway? Cozumel is a destination in and of itself. When we used to travel to mainland Mexico for land vacations, we'd ferry to Cozumel for a day each trip. I don't know why anyone visiting Cozumel would ferry to the mainland.

Why visit the mainland anyway? Cozumel is a destination in and of itself. When we used to travel to mainland Mexico for land vacations, we'd ferry to Cozumel for a day each trip. I don't know why anyone visiting Cozumel would ferry to the mainland.

The OP stated their reason for wanting to go to the mainland.

I generally agree that Coz is safer than most other places in Mexico... UNLESS you rent a moped...several years back we saw a person on a moped go down, was not pretty.

Why visit the mainland anyway? Cozumel is a destination in and of itself. When we used to travel to mainland Mexico for land vacations, we'd ferry to Cozumel for a day each trip. I don't know why anyone visiting Cozumel would ferry to the mainland.

agree. Cozumel has so much to offer, and by practicing normal cautions while travelling anywhere, you will be as safe there as anywhere in the Caribbean. For me, while I do some day like to see playa del Carmen, or other beach resort towns in the area, I would not do so at this time, and most certainly would not attempt it while porting in Cozumel on a cruise. Just my opinion, but still, just want to reiterate LrgPizza, Cozumel has so much to see and do, great beaches and more.

Should we skip any trip to Playa del Carmen and just stay in the island? We were thinking about going to Xcaret or Tulum, but now we're not so sure.

There are plenty of things to do on Cozumel as people have mentioned, but if you want to go to Xcaret or Tulum then you should go to the mainland and enjoy yourselves. I recommend Tulum, but mainly because with the erosion they suspect that part of the area could collapse and be gone at some point within our lifetimes (no, not suddenly, they are monitoring it and will know in advance). There really isn't much in the way of ancient culture on Cozumel, just beaches, scuba diving, shopping, and bars.

We were on the Jade a bit over a week ago and the ship cancelled all ferry excursions. We had planned (and went) to cab to Paradise Beach for a day with toes in the sand. We did have a dog and security sniff/check our backpack when leaving the pier. I would also say more armed army in open air jeeps than in the past. We never felt concern or unsafe. It is important to note that much like when we visit areas we are unfamiliar with in the US being prepared and aware will make the experience more pleasant and always safer.

Complete safety is an illusion. Before what happened in Vegas happened, would you have feared going there? Anything can happen anywhere. That said, I would not be quick to get on a ferry. We flew to Paris two weeks after the concert goers were killed. We flew to Brussels a week after the train station was shot up. We stayed two blocks from Molenbeek while we were there. We rode the bullet train from Strasbourg to Paris a few weeks after it derailed. We went to the Christmas market in Berlin that the truck bashed into. What can I say?