Off the beaten path......

[MrsWine-O]

My DH and I are first time cruisers on a 7 day with Carnival. We

originally thought renting a car on the island seemed like a good idea until we heard one too many horror stories. We leave in 32 days and are desperately trying to find something FUN, ADVENTUROUS,and OFF THE BEATEN PATH! No big crowds please!!! I would love to hear some detailed iteneraries of the awesome memories everyone had made in Cozumel to help us decide!! THANKS EVERYONE!!!

 

PS... trying to stay budget friendly!!:D

[crewsweeper]

My DH and I are first time cruisers on a 7 day with Carnival. We

originally thought renting a car on the island seemed like a good idea until we heard one too many horror stories. We leave in 32 days and are desperately trying to find something FUN, ADVENTUROUS,and OFF THE BEATEN PATH! No big crowds please!!! I would love to hear some detailed iteneraries of the awesome memories everyone had made in Cozumel to help us decide!! THANKS EVERYONE!!!

 

PS... trying to stay budget friendly!!:D

See if there is a Bar Hop Bus tour being oragainzed for the day you are in Cozumel. http://www.cozumelbarhop.com/ It goes around tot he East side of the island. Great bars, great views, good food.

 

On your own you might try to get a taxi to take you the same route, but it would be more expensive. See if Gerri at cozumeltaxi@hotmail.com is available. Also might not be as "budget" friendly for just two people as larger groups.

 

Go into San Miguel and walk around the plaza area then venture into the shops away from the plaza and the waterfront all have interesting arts, crafts, and goods like hammocks at prices more reasonable than the plaa waterfornt places. About 5 blocks or so from the waterfront is El Mercado, the island's oldest market place. Stop at Camilos from good seafood and very little English spoken. Or Especias, upstairs across from the plaza on the south side. Go to the museum just north of the plaza on the waterfront. Go to Discover Mexico, just south of the piers, opposite Chanknaab beach and park. Do a cooking class with Josephina ( I think these are done mainly through the ship excursions). A lot of things you can do just keep an open mind and a sense of adventure.

[CarribbeanTina271]

Exactly what Crews said!! The bar hop is the most fun off the beaten path excursion I have done in Coz.. I have some pics in my siggy.. Beautiful views from the East side and no CROWDS at all!!

Cozumel is very nice and safe! Have fun

[RQINFL]

About 5 blocks or so from the waterfront is El Mercado, the island's oldest market place.

 

Could you give walking directions there? Thanks!

[MrsWine-O]

Thanks for the great ideas! I have read about Gerry and how he does wonderful private tours! Price for him isn't bad at all for the personal attention you get! With the bar hop is it all younger crowd? We are going in October so apparently no spring break crowd.... we are 28/29 but don't want to hang around a bunch of 21 yr olds gettin crazy!

[MrsWine-O]

Also, Crew, what is your opinion on renting a car in cozumel. My husband is USAF and a wonderful driver... is it really all that difficult to drive on this small island?? There are so many places that I want to see ( San Gervasio, El mirado, Coconuts, Mezcalitos, the lighthouse......) and we would most likely rent from a national chain like Avis @ the puerta maya pier and would have insurance.....so indecisive! :rolleyes:

[crewsweeper]

Also, Crew, what is your opinion on renting a car in cozumel. My husband is USAF and a wonderful driver... is it really all that difficult to drive on this small island?? There are so many places that I want to see ( San Gervasio, El mirado, Coconuts, Mezcalitos, the lighthouse......) and we would most likely rent from a national chain like Avis @ the puerta maya pier and would have insurance.....so indecisive! :rolleyes:

I have not rented a car in Cozumel. There are threads here and in Trip Advisor with varying opinions. Some of the Cozumel websites like Cozumel Insider and cozumelmycozumel, offer tips and warnings for drivers. If you your DH is the driver, I recommend he not drink at all. But it's not so much his driving skills as it is the driving skills or alcoholic impairment thereof of the other drivers on the road.

 

I know Gerry or Lazaro can take you to all the places you want to go and more. Also there are reputable cab drivers wo speak reasonable English or help you out with rudimentary Spanish, athat will also take you around to places you want to see. Just ask around at the taxi stand, if you have no prior arrangements. Don't be ashamed to decline a driver and look for another.

 

BTW, all ages go on the BarHop. You might even find yourselves to be among the youngest age cohort for your tour. While it's a barhop, the amount of drinking is up to you and it isn't a jelloshot-lollapalooza.

 

Wish you the best on your cruise.

[lmtrn2001]

Thanks for the great ideas! I have read about Gerry and how he does wonderful private tours! Price for him isn't bad at all for the personal attention you get! With the bar hop is it all younger crowd? We are going in October so apparently no spring break crowd.... we are 28/29 but don't want to hang around a bunch of 21 yr olds gettin crazy!

 

We did the Bar Hop in May & had a GREAT time!! Greg, our guide, was Awesome!! There was a wide variety of ages on our Hop. We're in our 40's & 50's. There were people from early 20's to 60's with us. Great fun was had by all!!:D

[CarribbeanTina271]

the ages on the bar hop do vary... I am ummm almost 40 ;) and we had from around 23-65 on our last cruise and the next one is about the same.

[PGCRUISERS]

While in Cozamel, we rented a car and turned left which took us toward the ruins. After leaving the ruins we headed away from the port and found the backside of the island where there were some beach bars not 50 feet from the sea. We stopped at three of them having a beer at each and walking in the surf. We finished up at Fat Tuesdays in view of our ship. The only crowd that we encountered was at Fat Tuesdays, where all our shipmates were gathering before reboarding.

AWESOME!!

[cruisemainiac]

We've rented a Jeep with a soft top 3 times. The first I reserved it through a national chain and the other 2 times got it from a national chain once we arrived. I always get the insurance and it's still only about $80.00 for the day and that includes gas on the way into town. We head south out of town and within 5 minutes you're out of the city and 99% of the traffic. This basic map will give you an idea of the island http://cozumelmexico.net/Cozumel-Beaches.html . We've always gotten a very good map with the rental.

We love going down to the light house, there is a charge (I think it's $5US/person to get into the park) but the drive right along the water and the fact that you don't see any buildings makes it a fantastic day. As we drive back along the beach we'll stop for something to drink (not me, I'm driving) and make our way back to town. Keep small bills for the gas. They'll take dollars but will claim they don't have change for anything over a $10.

On the Cross Island Road, on the left, look for the Pee Pee Station. It's a t-shirt, touristy place but they will dicker and their logl shirts are a riot.

[AlwaysReadyToSail]

We just did the bar hop...he did it even though we only had 6 people going...it was amazing and I would defiantly recommend it for you.....I would do it again tomorrow! Ranks very high on my favorite overall port days! Hopefully adding photos soon. In our group of 6 we had 2 in their mid twenties, 2 in their mid thirties and 2 in their mid 40's...accommodates well to any drinking preferences and/or ages. One of the beaches had a lot of seagrass that day so they asked if we would like to skip that beach to stay longer at the others...which worked out well...with it being only 6 of us they said they would basically take us wherever we decided. I have a review if you would like to read more about my time on the bar hop http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/portreviews.cfm?EntryID=72422

[MrsWine-O]

We've rented a Jeep with a soft top 3 times. The first I reserved it through a national chain and the other 2 times got it from a national chain once we arrived. I always get the insurance and it's still only about $80.00 for the day and that includes gas on the way into town. We head south out of town and within 5 minutes you're out of the city and 99% of the traffic. This basic map will give you an idea of the island http://cozumelmexico.net/Cozumel-Beaches.html . We've always gotten a very good map with the rental.

We love going down to the light house, there is a charge (I think it's $5US/person to get into the park) but the drive right along the water and the fact that you don't see any buildings makes it a fantastic day. As we drive back along the beach we'll stop for something to drink (not me, I'm driving) and make our way back to town. Keep small bills for the gas. They'll take dollars but will claim they don't have change for anything over a $10.

On the Cross Island Road, on the left, look for the Pee Pee Station. It's a t-shirt, touristy place but they will dicker and their logl shirts are a riot.

 

 

 

What car rental agency did you use??? We are leaning more towards this everyday , just seems like there are soooo many places to see in Cozumel!

[cruisemainiac]

We came in on NCL and were right downtown. As you get off the ship there is a sort of mall with shops and several car rental places. I picked Thrifty because it is a known name and they take Amex, which is the only actual credit card I own, I don't feel comfortable using a debit card in this kind of situation. Do take the insurance, you want to know that if something happens you're not coughing up cash.

[MrsWine-O]

Hmm we will be on Carnival, I read on a post there is an Avis there, but not sure about a Thrifty! Oh yes insurance is a must, but really how difficult is it to drive there? I mean if you stay out of the city in San Miguel theres not that much traffic right???

[missmery]

We did the underground river (Rio Secreto) in Playa del Carmen at the beginning of the summer and it was pretty awesome. It's definitely "off the beaten path," it hasn't been open very long. It's a little labor-intensive, but definitely different and very beautiful.

 

We've never rented a car in Mexico (DH did rent a mo-ped with his BFF a few years ago and managed to come home w/a scraped up leg :eek:) but I don't think it would be that big of a deal - in Cozumel ppl seem to drive kind of fast but not particularly recklessly. Just watch out for the tourists on mo-peds, apparently. :rolleyes:

 

It looks like we cruise at the same time as y'all! We're going to be in Cozumel on the Conquest on 10/22. Not sure what we're going to do this time around either, I'm starting to lean toward the bar hop or Nachi Cocom. We're usually pretty lazy by the time we get to our last POC...

[nascar20fan]

Hmm we will be on Carnival, I read on a post there is an Avis there, but not sure about a Thrifty! Oh yes insurance is a must, but really how difficult is it to drive there? I mean if you stay out of the city in San Miguel theres not that much traffic right???

 

 

We have been to Cozumel about 8 or 9 times and have rented cars for about 5 times. There is mainly only one road to travel and it's fine. And the rental companies give you a map. You can't get lost. When you get off the ship, there are many places to rent from. I have done it both ways, on site and reserved ahead. Pricing seems to be the about the same either way. In May we did it online through cozumelinsider.com

 

Btw, one of my best friends and her hubby are on your sailing. They have reserved a jeep but I'm not sure through who.

[MrsWine-O]

Thanks for the info MissMery! We will be in port Oct. 20th through Carnival Legend! We are celebrating our 1st anniversary, my hubbys 29th bday and kinda the romantic honeymoon we never got!! We are trying to be adventurous since we already live on a beautiful beach (Panama City Beach, FL). I haven't heard much about the river? How long of a trip is it to Playa del Carmen? Who did you book through???

 

Nascar if you could find out who they are renting through or if it is a jeep excursion! We've looked into those too, but if you are gonna pay 180 or much for a 5 hour trip it seems it would be a lot more fun to just stop somewhere and go and come as you please!

[missmery]

Thanks for the info MissMery! We will be in port Oct. 20th through Carnival Legend! We are celebrating our 1st anniversary, my hubbys 29th bday and kinda the romantic honeymoon we never got!! We are trying to be adventurous since we already live on a beautiful beach (Panama City Beach, FL). I haven't heard much about the river? How long of a trip is it to Playa del Carmen? Who did you book through???

 

How fun!! Not sure exactly how long it takes to get from Cozumel to Playa, we were vacationing in Playa del Carmen with my family in June so we just booked through our resort. We happened to be visiting during Hurricane Alex and I asked some guys who work at the resort what is good to do when it rains and that is what they suggested. It was AWESOME. I noticed that Carnival is now offering the excursion through their website. The tour on Carnival is called "Amazing Secret River" or something like that and it's about $99/person. If you put "Rio Secreto Riserva Natural" in to Trip Advisor, though, there's a lot of info there. It is one of my favorite things that I've ever done and I'm so glad we did it, so I automatically recommend it to people who are heading in to that part of Mexico now! :D

 

Whatever you guys decide to do, I'm sure you will have a great time. I've been going to Mexico since I was a kid and it's probably my favorite place in the world besides here at home. :)

[mamajules]

We've been to Cozumel several times, rented a Jeep each time. There is one road around the southern tip of the island, no huge traffic and easy to get around. The other side of the island is fabulous - undeveloped, unspoiled, beautiful. A couple little beach bars. We've rented from Avis and Executive (I think) at the pier, no problems. If you drive south away from the port, you pass some of the big beach clubs, then as you round the tip of the island, you'll see the Rasta Bar (as everyone calls it) and also the entrance to Punta Sur (a nature preserve type place). The entrance fee is $5-10 for that and worth it. There is a lighthouse at the tip of the island, a gator lagoon, and a beautiful beach (they transport you to the beach so not to spoil the preserve). After heading on up from Punta Sur, you will come to Chen Rio - a nice a little beach bar in a cove so you can swim. Past there you hit a couple more little beach bars where the road turns left to cross back over the island - Coconuts is a must, its on a bluff overlooking the ocean - great place to kick back, have some munchies and a margarita. If you head across the cross-island road, you come to the entrance to San Gervasio, a Mayan ruin site (not sure how much the entrance fee is). If you do decide to rent a car or Jeep, check out this website - you can purchase a great map of the island with hints, tips, etc. http://www.cancunmap.com/ - they have several different maps, find the Cozumel one.

Good luck and have a great cruise!

[nascar20fan]

Thanks for the info MissMery! We will be in port Oct. 20th through Carnival Legend! We are celebrating our 1st anniversary, my hubbys 29th bday and kinda the romantic honeymoon we never got!! We are trying to be adventurous since we already live on a beautiful beach (Panama City Beach, FL). I haven't heard much about the river? How long of a trip is it to Playa del Carmen? Who did you book through???

 

Nascar if you could find out who they are renting through or if it is a jeep excursion! We've looked into those too, but if you are gonna pay 180 or much for a 5 hour trip it seems it would be a lot more fun to just stop somewhere and go and come as you please!

 

Just got off the phone with my friend Barb....they considered the jeep tour but they really want to do their own thing. They booked through Alamo and did it online. Reason being, they wanted to make sure they got a jeep. Price is about $85 and that includes insurance. Hope this helps.:)

[MrsWine-O]

Oh Jules thank you so much for the reply! You have really just helped us make up our mind to go ahead and rent! We were thinking Avis @ the pier ( did book prior to arrival?). Everything I have read on Punta Sur has been nothing but good! And I have read other posts about the Rasta and Coconuts....but not Chen Rio. Does the swimming in the cove have good snorkeling? If not whats the best rocky beach to do some snorkeling from??

Great Nascar! Thanks for asking them! You can't beat 85 bucks to do what you want when there are so many options!

[mamajules]

Last time in Cozumel we didn't reserve ahead of time, just walked off the ship and there were bunches of people waiving rental signs. Probably the best snorkeling is over on the port side of the island before you round the tip - either The Money Bar or a little place called Corona Beach has some good snorkeling (other places, too, but Money Bar and Corona Beach have no fees to visit) - we did Corona Beach last time we were there, no big fancy bar or anything, but some good snorkeling - I've attached a picture I took. Also, if the water isn't too choppy (has been one time we went to Punta Sur and they wouldn't take us to the beach) you could snorkel there. Chen Rio is really only a little area to sit on the beach, maybe wade in the water. Coconuts is fun, and Mezcalito's just past Coconuts is fun, too.

Enjoy your time on Cozumel!

[kellyq]

Just got off the phone with my friend Barb....they considered the jeep tour but they really want to do their own thing. They booked through Alamo and did it online. Reason being, they wanted to make sure they got a jeep. Price is about $85 and that includes insurance. Hope this helps.:)

 

 

I just looked at the Alamo Jeep rentals online and it came to $250 USD? How did they get $85?

[knbcruisers]

Check the prices for Avis, they are at all the piers. Two days ago I got about $85-90 also. On the Avis site make sure you select USD button no the upper right of the screen. We rented jeep last time in Cozumel, and had a great time. However, we did make the mistake of renting from some guy at the pier who said he would match/beat our reservation price....we got an old standard transmission jeep while we saw everybody else driving around in pretty new ones that were automatic. Plus I don't think we saved any money. I won't do that again! Still trying to decide if we want to do that again in April, have a larger group this time.