First time - Conquest 8/21

[PinballWizard4700]

:confused: Nothing new for most of you in this forum. Yet another newbie!!!!

 

Well, yes and I am looking for information/tips from voyagers who have been on Conquest. I will be traveling in August with my son (14) and nephew(18). For all of us it is our first cruise.

 

Shore excursions:

Canopy adventure in Jamaica anybody did it?

Stingray city Grand Cayman: looks like I can do that without the cruise line

Conzumel: When I go on line at Carnival I cannot find ANY excursion to TULUM. Why is that. Prior to booking the cruise I called the agent at Carnival and they told me that yes, yes a tour to Tulum IS offered. Any suggestions? Could the tour be offered later as weeks go by? Agent told me that some tour operator do not let them post the tours that early - sounds weird to me but he, what do I know - I am a newbie.

 

Thank you for all & any suggestion.

[ISLABONITA]

I don't know about the cruise business but I have traveled to Tulum via Cozumel where your ship will stop. There should be information once you get on the mainland once you get off the Ferry at Playa del Carmen. There should be tourist information sites for buses that go there...

http://www.travelrivieramaya.com/tulum.htm

[AIMS312]

I have tried to research this also for my aunt and uncle who are going with us on the Conquest in September.

 

The reason that tour is not offered on the Conquest is because there probably won't be enough time to do it.

We don't get into Cozumel until 10:30am and most of the Talum tours leave out by 8:30 or 9:00am.

 

You could try it on your own, but here is what I have found out in my research;

 

From where you dock in Cozumel you have to take a cab over to the ferry. Then ride the ferry over to Playa Del Carmen. The ferry ride takes about 45 minutes and I've heard the ferry kinda goes by its own schedule, but there are signs posted.

 

Once in Playa, you'll have to get a taxi or rent a car to drive to Talum which takes another 45 to 50 minutes. Once you are at Talum, I suggest you hire a tour guide to give you some history while you view the ruins. I think the admission to the ruins is about $ 4 pp. The tour takes about 30 or 45 minutes, and then you may want to walk down on the beach. I wish we had done this when we were there, but our guide didn't tell us how to get down there, or that we even had access to it. It is beautiful.

 

You then have your drive back, catching the ferry, and cab back to the ship.

If everything goes exactly right, I would estimate a total of 5 hours, and that is on the low side. My only worry would be the ferry's schedule.

 

We are only in port for 7 1/2 hours. I guess it could be done, but I'd be afraid to cut it that close.

 

Good luck.

[Tecumseh]

PinballWizard4700,

We did the Talum tour from the Conquest last year (Easter week 2004) by booking through Carnival while on the ship. Book early if you can, as it did sell out. Included the ferry ride, and bus ride to Talum and back with tour guide. We were lucky to have a great guide. I think about 6 hours total. Lunch and soda's on the bus included (not much, but OK). You are likely to have many bugs and mosquitos in September, take bug repelent. We really enjoyed the tour. Be sure to bring a camera, we got great pictures.

 

Stingray City was great also. Recommend.

 

Enjoy,

Mark

[serene56]

Because of the amount of time that Tulum takes to get there and back-- I would suggest that you book directly with the cruiselines. If the excursion is running late--at least the ship will wait for you you. It is a 2 hour ride to and from the ruins..