Costa Maya: Anyone tried RC's excursion Costa Maya Village, Ruins & Beach Buffet?

[CarefreeCruising]

We are getting excited for our upcoming Jewel cruise stopping in Costa Maya & Cozumel. We are looking at excursions for Costa Maya and are considering the "Costa Maya Village, Ruins and Beach Buffet". Does anyone have any experience with this and can provide any feedback? It would be much appreciated! :)

 

 

I'm posting this on the RC board instead of the port board because I'm interested in info specific to this RC excursion. Yes, I know you can book tours privately and that may be cheaper. However, that is not the best option for us so I'm only interested in RC excursions for this stop...

[tigger-ttfn]

We are getting excited for our upcoming Jewel cruise stopping in Costa Maya & Cozumel. We are looking at excursions for Costa Maya and are considering the "Costa Maya Village, Ruins and Beach Buffet". Does anyone have any experience with this and can provide any feedback? It would be much appreciated! :)

 

 

I'm posting this on the RC board instead of the port board because I'm interested in info specific to this RC excursion. Yes, I know you can book tours privately and that may be cheaper. However, that is not the best option for us so I'm only interested in RC excursions for this stop...

Just in Costa Maya in Nov and did a private tour with The Native Choice. It was the best and great price saw the ruins and a great lunch fixed by local women. Our guide was the owner and his Dad dicovered some of the ruins when he was a boy. Check out his site. Lots of good tours.

[CarefreeCruising]

Thank you for the reply. But, as I said, booking a private excursion is not an option for us. We are only interested in booking through the ship. Can anyone provide any feedback on the RC tour I was asking about Costa Maya Village, Ruins and Beach Buffet? Any input would be appreciated! Thanks! :)

[CarefreeCruising]

Anyone?? I can't find any info about this excursion or Uvero Beach club... :confused:

[BillOh]

Anyone?? I can't find any info about this excursion or Uvero Beach club... :confused:

 

If you don't get any reports, and you take this excursion, please report back. This cruise is one of several I'm considering.

[CarefreeCruising]

If you don't get any reports, and you take this excursion, please report back. This cruise is one of several I'm considering.

 

Regardless of whether I get any reports, I'll be glad to provide a review. I think we'll probably end up taking this excursion. I realize that a lot of people on CC book their own private excursions but that isn't the best choice for us this time around. Since there's so little info on this excursion, I'll post a review and pictures so that it might help someone else.

[ChipLondon]

I cannot comment about the excursions you mentioned, some you might think my response is useless to you, But....

 

Costa Maya is a great port, if you get away from the actual dock ( which in fairness is okay, but just very commercial ). All the good beach clubs are actually only a short trip from the port, say $3 taxi fare, per person. The beach is lined with great bars and restaurants, some of which call themselves Beach Clubs.

i appreciate that you might only want to do organised tours ( because of the missing ship factor ) but at CM the distance from the beach to the ship is so short, and you can see the ship from the beach. This is one stop where traffic is not a problem.

So if the ruins thing is a must, then I am sure others can help you, but for the beach I would do it yourself. It is safe and much cheaper than doing a tour, giving you flexibility to go and return when you want.

Get a great massage on the beach, $20 for 30 mins, followed by a fresh lunch and a cold tipple, hope you love CM as much as we do.

Edited January 11, 2012 by ChipLondon

[CarefreeCruising]

I cannot comment about the excursions you mentioned, some you might think my response is useless to you, But....

 

Costa Maya is a great port, if you get away from the actual dock ( which in fairness is okay, but just very commercial ). All the good beach clubs are actually only a short trip from the port, say $3 taxi fare, per person. The beach is lined with great bars and restaurants, some of which call themselves Beach Clubs.

i appreciate that you might only want to do organised tours ( because of the missing ship factor ) but at CM the distance from the beach to the ship is so short, and you can see the ship from the beach. This is one stop where traffic is not a problem.

So if the ruins thing is a must, then I am sure others can help you, but for the beach I would do it yourself. It is safe and much cheaper than doing a tour, giving you flexibility to go and return when you want.

Get a great massage on the beach, $20 for 30 mins, followed by a fresh lunch and a cold tipple, hope you love CM as much as we do.

 

Thanks for the feedback! I considered just doing a local beach but we're already basically doing that in Cozumel (reservations at Nachi Cocum). My husband has always wanted to see the ruins and it would add something in to the mix so it isn't two beach days in a row. (I'd love that, him not so much.) Missing the ship is a factor for us. I know there are some great resources for tours of the ruins but after almost being late to the ship in Jamaica (on a ship excursion) we're not into chancing it. The extra $ we pay for the ship excursion is well worth the peace of mind to us.

[kkestone]

Thank you for the reply. But, as I said, booking a private excursion is not an option for us. We are only interested in booking through the ship. Can anyone provide any feedback on the RC tour I was asking about Costa Maya Village, Ruins and Beach Buffet? Any input would be appreciated! Thanks! :)

Carefree, I took the Native choice tour of Chaccoben ruins last year while in Costa maya. It was one of the best experiences of our cruise. I understand your reluctence of booking a private tour, I was worried also, but what we got was far and above what I expected. We were transported from the cruise port to Chaccoben on a very nice luxury air conditioned bus. I had visions of a rickity old school bus going through the jungle mountains lol. Chaccoben is only about an hour from the port, so even if you had trouble the tour is designed so your back early enough to make your ship. The tour itself was great. Our group was small enough that we saw the whole complex and our guide like a previous poster mentioned was fun and informative. We were back at the port and had plenty of time to shop the port, eat lunch, or take in one of the resorts.

What ever way you go have fun. I would use Native choice again in a heart beat.

[CarefreeCruising]

Carefree, I took the Native choice tour of Chaccoben ruins last year while in Costa maya. It was one of the best experiences of our cruise. I understand your reluctence of booking a private tour, I was worried also, but what we got was far and above what I expected. We were transported from the cruise port to Chaccoben on a very nice luxury air conditioned bus. I had visions of a rickity old school bus going through the jungle mountains lol. Chaccoben is only about an hour from the port, so even if you had trouble the tour is designed so your back early enough to make your ship. The tour itself was great. Our group was small enough that we saw the whole complex and our guide like a previous poster mentioned was fun and informative. We were back at the port and had plenty of time to shop the port, eat lunch, or take in one of the resorts.

What ever way you go have fun. I would use Native choice again in a heart beat.

 

Thanks! I've heard so many good things about Native choice and it is very tempting to book through them. However, I know my husband, and know that he would be watching the clock and unable to really relax as he'd be thinking about the possibility of missing the ship. I think Native Choice is an excellent choice for many but, in our situation, I'm willing to pay a little extra $$ for my husband to truly relax and enjoy the day.

[storm1of4]

I cannot comment about the excursions you mentioned, some you might think my response is useless to you, But....

 

Costa Maya is a great port, if you get away from the actual dock ( which in fairness is okay, but just very commercial ). All the good beach clubs are actually only a short trip from the port, say $3 taxi fare, per person. The beach is lined with great bars and restaurants, some of which call themselves Beach Clubs.

i appreciate that you might only want to do organised tours ( because of the missing ship factor ) but at CM the distance from the beach to the ship is so short, and you can see the ship from the beach. This is one stop where traffic is not a problem.

So if the ruins thing is a must, then I am sure others can help you, but for the beach I would do it yourself. It is safe and much cheaper than doing a tour, giving you flexibility to go and return when you want.

Get a great massage on the beach, $20 for 30 mins, followed by a fresh lunch and a cold tipple, hope you love CM as much as we do.

 

 

This good too.

However, we have been to Costa Maya few times............Have seen many ruins and baking our skin on a beach is not interesting me.

But Costa Maya the port is very nice!!!!!!!!!!!

Not as commercial as others and not built up either. The views from the ship are so peaceful and beautiful!!!

There is a large free swimming pool in the center of the town area with cafes around it. We go swimming eat lunch and drink margaritas!

You really do not need to go on an excursion to have a very nice time there.

Edited January 11, 2012 by storm1of4

[lidodeck163]

Did you end up going on this excursion? If so, how was it?