Exclusive Beach, Speedboat, & Snorkeling

[LA Lady]

Who has done this excursion? I think its a fairly new one. Just wondering how the boat ride, snorkeling, and food is?

[LA Lady]

NO ONE here has done this excursion yet?!?!!?!? Come on people!!! lol

[cruisinJenF]

I have been looking everywhere for someone to review this excursion. Its the one I want to do in Cozumel!

 

Come on SOMEONE.............ANYONE...............?????

[2CruiseCouple]

Is it for Carnival? If so, do they indicate the name of the company running the speedboat or the name of the island you are going to? If it is Twister to Isla Pasion I have been on that excursion before - but otherwise I have not heard of this excursion.:confused:

[LA Lady]

Yes, it's Carnival. No, it's not Passion Island. We've done that before, with the Twister boat. This takes you to the southern tip of the island, by the lighthouse.

[cruisinJenF]

It goes to:

 

Punta Sur Ecological Park’s Crystal Beach, on the southeastern corner of the island

 

Has anyone been there?

[deezee28]

I am also interested in this tour. I believe that it is an excursion exclusively offered by the cruise ships, because on the Cozumel Tours website it says that it is temporarily unavailable.

I just contacted a CC member in another thread who I believe has taken the speedboat tour. I gave him/her the link to this thread and hopefully they'll come and offer the information requested.:)

[InternetAgeTraveler]

Yes, it worked, you got my attention - first some details, did this last Summer but did not book through Carnival but I believe it is the same one (there were groups going while we were there and the pictures match very closely and we didn't see anyone else doing it)... I found it first on Carnival (we were on the Conquest) and then did a search for reviews, just like you doing and eventually found I book it cheaper on my own and we had a lot of time in Cozumel so wasn't worried.

 

Our pictures here

 

From http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=56659

Finally in Cozumel we elected to do a speed boat and beach escape offered via Cozumel water sports. The tour in a bit out of the way at the north end of island. They provide taxi service both ways rather than corral everyone on to a bus. The location before and after the power boats had a pool, volleyball, and other activities to keep you busy. We had a good time on the boats. We spent at least an hour in the boats, with a stop in the middle at a secluded beach to swim and snorkel (although not as much to see as in Grand Cayman). Afterwards, they provided lunch with chicken fajitas. The place was in good shape (although they could use a new deck) and for someone just looking for some fun on a budget, it served the purpose.

 

A video (not ours) here

[InternetAgeTraveler]

Never mind the above, I just went and looked up the tour on Carnival and while similar to the name of what we did, this is quite different. Ours was individual boats, not as a group.

 

This is the one we did POWERBOAT & BEACH ESCAPE

http://www.carnival.com/ShoreExcursionDetails.aspx?region=&portcode=CZM&excursionname=Powerboat+%26+Beach+Escape&excursioncode=304018

[deezee28]

Yes, it worked, you got my attention - first some details, did this last Summer but did not book through Carnival but I believe it is the same one (there were groups going while we were there and the pictures match very closely and we didn't see anyone else doing it)... I found it first on Carnival (we were on the Conquest) and then did a search for reviews, just like you doing and eventually found I book it cheaper on my own and we had a lot of time in Cozumel so wasn't worried.

 

Our pictures here

 

From http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=56659

Finally in Cozumel we elected to do a speed boat and beach escape offered via Cozumel water sports. The tour in a bit out of the way at the north end of island. They provide taxi service both ways rather than corral everyone on to a bus. The location before and after the power boats had a pool, volleyball, and other activities to keep you busy. We had a good time on the boats. We spent at least an hour in the boats, with a stop in the middle at a secluded beach to swim and snorkel (although not as much to see as in Grand Cayman). Afterwards, they provided lunch with chicken fajitas. The place was in good shape (although they could use a new deck) and for someone just looking for some fun on a budget, it served the purpose.

 

A video (not ours) here

 

Glad to have captured your attention....:D

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!

I'm actually cruising with RCCL, but I really don't care for booking tours with them. I much rather do it on my own. I will check out Cozumel Water Sports. :)

[deezee28]

Never mind the above, I just went and looked up the tour on Carnival and while similar to the name of what we did, this is quite different. Ours was individual boats, not as a group.

 

This is the one we did POWERBOAT & BEACH ESCAPE

http://www.carnival.com/ShoreExcursionDetails.aspx?region=&portcode=CZM&excursionname=Powerboat+%26+Beach+Escape&excursioncode=304018

 

I'm actually interested on what you did....therefore, thanks again.;)

[cruisinJenF]

Yes that is not the same one. Exclusive Beach, Speedboat, & Snorkeling takes you to the very south eastern tip of the island. There is a lighthouse there and its also a turtle refuge.

 

Maybe this excursion is too new for anyone to have done it yet?

[LA Lady]

Well, I booked it today! Will let ya know in about a month!

[cruisinJenF]

Well, I booked it today! Will let ya know in about a month!

 

 

LA Lady- will you please come back and post when you get back on how it was? Take some pictures!! Thanks!!

[LA Lady]

Will do! 3 more weeks! WOOOOO HOOOOOO!

[StingRaysfan]

I'll beat you to the review... we are doing this excursion on our cruise next week. Before we booked it I scoured the boards for a review. I think it' used to be called Ultimate Adventure, and I was able to find some info on that, but I thought I would try for a more recent review.. lol Obviously not.... but I tried...:)

 

I'll take pictures and let you know how the snorkling is! :)

[LA Lady]

GREAT!!!! Can't wait to read how it is!

[mjlsavoy]

I would love to know about this one too. I booked it for June 26. We are leaving June 24th on the Elation.

[cruisinJenF]

Hi StingRaysFan are you back yet? I am anxious for your review!!

[StingRaysfan]

Hey Hey... I'm back and the cruise was a WONDERFUL time!! I'm so excited for you guys because you still have something to look forward too!!! I'm sorry guys though.. this was my least favorite excursion...BUT.. keep reading....

 

Even after going on this excursion I'm not sure I could properly review it because it didn't run the way it was supposed to for us. Even if it did though there are some definate cons to this one.... just depends on what you're looking for I guess. We were looking for alot of snorkling at random off of the beach... we were hoping to spend much of the day doing this... didn't really happen that way.

 

Carnival offers this as an Adventure excursion... even on the stuff they leave in your stateroom... but it really needs to be in the beach break section because that's really what we did the most of. We got to the end of the pier a little before 8:30, found our guys and we were ready to go.... but we didn't ... we were over a half hour late due to some inconsiderate passengers... not the excursions fault, but I would have left without them. In the end there ended up being only 17 people.

 

While we were waiting the guides came to us and explained that it was too cloudy off of the beach we were going to and that they were going to take us to another place to snorkel. I was a little leary but I agreed to sign the back of the ticket saying I agreed to this.

 

They had us line up like school children in two lines we had to stay in (I'm serious, and they were strict about it!) and we went to a lime green speedboat about a one minute walk away,with the words "Cozumel Screamer" on the side, and a big shark fish looking face on it. Boy I was glad they didn't lose any of us thanks to our straight lines!! :rolleyes:

 

 

The boat was nice enough, it was a normal motorboat ride during which you got a little wet in the end. The tour guide made it sound like it was going to be a wild ride, but it wasn't really. The twister was out by the ship later that day at it was AWESOME looking....

 

Anyway, We got to the beach in about 45 minutes, and they pretty much dock right up by the beach.. no dock.. you get out right on the water's edge. The beach is obviously dredged and manmade. There are two large structures and a lifeguard tower. One of the structures is a bathroom area. There is an attendant who is there to tell you not to flush your toilet paper... but throw it away. LOL! Glad I went early in the morning! The other palm frond roofed structure was a serving area with tables. Lunch on the excursion was pretty good actually. Chicken, rice, pice de gallo, fruit, chips and the BEST guacamole I've had! It was buffet style and you could get as much as you wanted. There was also a place for Mexican brand sodas or water.

 

 

On the beach was not a lot... a bunch of chairs, a volleyball net, and a line of hammocks. DH and I went swimming and hit up the hammocks. They were fairly comfortable and DH totally fell asleep in them.

 

We kind of got bored easily because we really really wanted to snorkle. I wasn't too much into the kayaking. It wasn't a free for all with the kayaking either, and taking them out was VERY structured. At a set time the groups got together, picked a kayak and did a 10 minute kayak ride up the beach. Then they looked at a conch shell for awhile and came back on foot. I think that's how the snorkling would have been too off that beach... structured "do it now, go back to the shore and hang out on the beach."

 

Anyway, the beach was pretty and seemed fairly secluded. The boat left us to go do something else and it was getting pretty late in the day with still no snorkling. At 1:15 the boat got back (the excursion was to be over at 2) So we all hopped on the boat and off we went. They took us to this little manmade dive site near the ships... by the time we got all the equipment we only had like 10-15 minutes to snorkle (we were a half hour late) and we had to follow him around in one big circle. Most of the fish were the same fish following us around so it's obvious they are feed. I did get some good pictures...

 

 

We got back to the ships, got off and headed in.

 

It was ok... I think that if you like relaxing on the beach you will LOVE this excursion. Go in the water, sleep in a hammock, eat some food. That is not our thing (because we live in Florida and can go to a beach anytime we want) so we didn't love it... though i did LOVE the guacamole and the hammocks!

 

If you're looking for snorkling and kayaking as much as you want during the day without it being a short structured activity I would say pick something else.

 

I'd probably give it 1 star out of 4... but if it was represented correctly by Carnival I'd give it 2 or 3... of course I wouldn't have done it in that case either.. lol

I also want to add about the weight limit... first of all there were definately people on that excursion that were more then 240 and nothing was said to them. Secondly I don't see why they would have the weight limit... we lounged around all day... nothing that required much exertion... I didn't get it. Also you only see the lighthouse from the boat, and the turtle refuge.... well... who knows where that is. lol

[cruisinJenF]

Thanks so much for your review.

 

We are going to pass on this excursion now- just doesnt sound like a great place if all you are really having is a beach day.

 

So- we have booked Nachi Cocum now for a beach day WITH an open bar ;)

[InternetAgeTraveler]

After reading your review, I did a search on Ultimate Adventure as mentioned above and found this review from last year, there were a lot of simularities in your comments, does this sound familiar

 

What I did not like, which may be common to all Carnival sponsored excursions, was that they made you do everything as a group activity at beginner's level, like you were in a kindergarten class.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=21296770&postcount=13

[StingRaysfan]

Yeah, thats about it.. everything was short, child level, and structured. They treated us faily childishly to... stay in line... follow me... dont' get separated etc etc... There were not a lot of people there and it felt silly...

I just read the full excursion review and that is DEFINATELY exactly what our excursion was... except we crammed the snorkling in at another location instead of at the beach...

 

I would definately do a beach excursion with an open bar over this!!!! That's awesome! Sorry I had a negative review all... I was really thinking I would like it...

[LA Lady]

I have to agree with you on this one. This is my least favorite out of the 3 times I've been to Cozumel. We had 17 people with us in our group for this, and we had to wait for about 30 minutes before everyone else got there to go! The boat ride was fun, I got soaking wet going. We were disappointed too because everything was so structured. We just wanted to hang out and snorkel, swim, etc..... None of the adults did the kayaking, just the kids. They kayaked down to a point and the guide told them about conch shells I believe. Then they came back, and everyone had to sit in green plastic chairs arranged in a semi-circle while he explained how to put on your snorkel gear. Then we walked down the beach a ways and had to follow him WAY out into the water. I mean that was one hell of a swim. There were too many people, and I know I kept getting kicked, and I kicked people, but you just couldn't help it! The reef was not colorful at all. We did see a stingray, and a starfish, and a lobster, and a few fish, that's all. Everyone was so tired after that long haul, and my breathing tube leaked, so I think I swallowed a bellyful of salt water! After we FINALLY got back to the beach, we rested a minute, then got to eat. Now the buffet was awesome.

Chicken in a red sauce, rice, pico, chips, guac, fruit, etc... We bought a cd full of pictures that the little paparazzi guy, Benjamin, was taking. $60 and we all just split it. They were very good shots.

I think next time we will do the Deluxe snorkeling and catamaran again, to do some good snorkeling.

[SeasideMermaid]

Thanks for your review!