Best Mayan Ruins on Celebrity stop?

[Liesel]

We are thinking of booking a 7 nights cruise Feb/March 2013 with Celebrity. We would love to visit some Mayan Ruins.

I have been searching their web sites, but don’t seem to be able to find an excursion to visit the Mayan Ruins. The only one I can come up with is a stop to Cozumel. But I found a lot of negative comments about that on this site. Apparently it is such a long day and very little time is actually spent at the ruins.

Any suggestions?

[ghstudio]

I think the best, ship accessible ruins are in Belize....there is generally a choice of three different ruins as ship excursions.

[hypercafe]

I don't know if you are set on X but I just booked a 11rt from Miami on Oceania called Mayan mystery makes 3 or4 ports where they are. We are going in March however there was a few other trips.

[hcat]

We are thinking of booking a 7 nights cruise Feb/March 2013 with Celebrity. We would love to visit some Mayan Ruins.

I have been searching their web sites, but don’t seem to be able to find an excursion to visit the Mayan Ruins. The only one I can come up with is a stop to Cozumel. But I found a lot of negative comments about that on this site. Apparently it is such a long day and very little time is actually spent at the ruins.

Any suggestions?

 

what are your ports?

 

we enjoyed Altun Ha--Belize, and Chachoban -Costa Maya, Mex. enough of the flavor and history without seriously long travel times...roads bumpy to both...worse in belize.

if you go anywhere in Belize or Mexico bring very strong insect repellent!!!

[MicCanberra]

what are your ports?

 

we enjoyed Altun Ha--Belize, and Chachoban -Costa Maya, Mex. enough of the flavor and history without seriously long travel times...roads bumpy to both...worse in belize.

 

if you go anywhere in Belize or Mexico bring very strong insect repellent!!!

 

Bad roads and insects, sounds like a place my wife would love, not.:rolleyes:

[October55]

We are thinking of booking a 7 nights cruise Feb/March 2013 with Celebrity. We would love to visit some Mayan Ruins.

I have been searching their web sites, but don’t seem to be able to find an excursion to visit the Mayan Ruins. The only one I can come up with is a stop to Cozumel. But I found a lot of negative comments about that on this site. Apparently it is such a long day and very little time is actually spent at the ruins.

Any suggestions?

If you are stopping in Roatan there is an excursion to a little island called Maya Key with a very good museum of Mayan culture. The snorkelling is the highlight there, but I did enjoy the museum. I took a tour to see the ruins at Altun Ha in Belize and it was very interestesting and a good hike as well. I wish I had done a little more research at home, the Mayan history is fascinating!

[Jborosara]

We loved Dzbanche but it was a two hour drive from Belize city....

[Lard Greystoke]

We are thinking of booking a 7 nights cruise Feb/March 2013 with Celebrity. We would love to visit some Mayan Ruins.

I have been searching their web sites, but don’t seem to be able to find an excursion to visit the Mayan Ruins. The only one I can come up with is a stop to Cozumel. But I found a lot of negative comments about that on this site. Apparently it is such a long day and very little time is actually spent at the ruins.

Any suggestions?

 

You would need to specify the ports. Cozumel has a ferry ride to Tulum; people like the ruins, but the trip to and from is long. On the mainland Costa Maya and Belize are common stops. Both have 2 or 3 ruins at a medium or long distance.

[hcat]

Bad roads and insects, sounds like a place my wife would love, not.:rolleyes:

 

But once you get into the history and climb up some of the pyramids --it is worth it..... Dec 2012 is a big item in Mayan history...

 

they also have some "rustic" shopping at these sites-- bought some beautiful wooden bowls which I have no use for now that we are home!!!

[Turtles06]

Cozumel has a ferry ride to Tulum; people like the ruins, but the trip to and from is long.

 

It's a ferry ride from Cozumel to the mainland, and then a long bus ride to Tulum. It's pretty much a full day excursion. Only the OP can decide whether it's worth it, but I will say that Tulum is beautiful, and it's the only Mayan ruins that you'll find along the coast, making the whole setting stunning.

 

 

 

(photos by turtles06)

[TraceyP]

The Chacchoben Mayan Ruins in Costa Maya are really nice. And there's not a lot of other tours in Costa Maya. If you're stopping there, I highly recommend you take the non-Celebrity excursion with Native Choice. And ask for whatever tour Ivan is giving that day. He is an outstanding guide, and has a special history with the ruins because his father found them and his family lived there on sight before the ruins were excavated.

[tunaman2011]

It's a ferry ride from Cozumel to the mainland, and then a long bus ride to Tulum. It's pretty much a full day excursion. Only the OP can decide whether it's worth it, but I will say that Tulum is beautiful, and it's the only Mayan ruins that you'll find along the coast, making the whole setting stunning.

 

 

 

(photos by turtles06)

 

Greetings

 

Great picture of the ruins. It's been some number of years since I have been there. There seem to be ropes along the pathways now. Do they no longer allow you to climb the ruins there?

 

Good Sailing

Tom

[DEEDIA]

That picture of the Ruins is very good, the closest I have got is the Audio Book, (The Ruins) and after listening to that, think I will give them a miss. No honestly the book was very very good and to visit would be amazing. Before you visit listen or read the Book, excellent.

[MicCanberra]

But once you get into the history and climb up some of the pyramids --it is worth it..... Dec 2012 is a big item in Mayan history...

 

they also have some "rustic" shopping at these sites-- bought some beautiful wooden bowls which I have no use for now that we are home!!!

 

I would love it, my wife would probably love it too just not with those conditions. The pictures look great.:D

[Illyria]

It's a ferry ride from Cozumel to the mainland, and then a long bus ride to Tulum. It's pretty much a full day excursion. Only the OP can decide whether it's worth it, but I will say that Tulum is beautiful, and it's the only Mayan ruins that you'll find along the coast, making the whole setting stunning.

I second that - our cruise made a stop in Cozumel last year, and we took the ship's tour to Tulum ruins (it was an RCCL cruise, not Celebrity, but I'm sure most of those tours are pretty similar). A lot of the ruins were roped off because there was active archeological work going on, so there may be new and exciting things to see there in the upcoming years! It was really gorgeous. Also, amazingly enough, there were pretty much no mosquitos - it was late September, so I don't know if that made a difference. But I was so worried because I forgot to bring mosquito repellent, and then it turned out that I didn't need it after all. The only thing that the guide warned us about was to watch where you step so as to not to disturb an ant hill (but those are generally easy to spot).

[Turtles06]

Greetings

 

Great picture of the ruins. It's been some number of years since I have been there. There seem to be ropes along the pathways now. Do they no longer allow you to climb the ruins there?

 

Good Sailing

Tom

 

Hi Tom, thanks for the kind words about the pic.

 

It was taken during our visit in early 2008, and climbing the ruins was prohibited. We were told this was a fairly new Mexican policy. I don't know whether that's still the case, but I would imagine it is, as the ruins aren't getting any younger...;)

 

I believe the rules are different in Belize, where, last time I checked (we almost visited a year ago), you could climb the ruins.

 

PS: No bugs when we were there either...

[Oville]

Another vote for Tulum, just beautiful.

[MicCanberra]

Hi Tom, thanks for the kind words about the pic.

 

It was taken during our visit in early 2008, and climbing the ruins was prohibited. We were told this was a fairly new Mexican policy. I don't know whether that's still the case, but I would imagine it is, as the ruins aren't getting any younger...;)

 

I believe the rules are different in Belize, where, last time I checked (we almost visited a year ago), you could climb the ruins.

 

PS: No bugs when we were there either...

No Bugs, good stuff, I may be able to convince my wife to this area for a future destination.:D

[julia]

The Chacchoben Mayan Ruins in Costa Maya are really nice. And there's not a lot of other tours in Costa Maya. If you're stopping there, I highly recommend you take the non-Celebrity excursion with Native Choice. And ask for whatever tour Ivan is giving that day. He is an outstanding guide, and has a special history with the ruins because his father found them and his family lived there on sight before the ruins were excavated.

 

 

Totally concur with Tracey on this! Chacchoben was very interesting and the tour was well run, with a nice bus trip filled with Mayan background and history.

[hcat]

I am having trouble posting my pics of Altun Ha (Belize) & Chachoben (Costa maya, Mex) onto this site (happens to me sometimes--says I lack a security token??)).

 

The ruins at Belize are not as extensive as the ones shown above which are beautiful.....if I had to pick one that was not such a long ride, I'd choose Chachoben....the ride is not too bad, the guides are great and the ruins were fairly well excavated! (we were there before the hurricane)...we were back to port in time to enjoy a nice lunch and afternoon in the port village..

 

I think seeing at least one Mayan ruin would be a great idea!

[hcat]

Here's one picture I managed to upload--Chachoben

we climbed this one...

 

will try again later on Belize

[kacurl]

We also did native choice tours with Ivan they were great