Excursion cutting it close with Carnival's itinerary

[iheartmarshall]

Not sure if it's appropriate to post this on the Carnival boards since it invovles a Carnival ship, or if I should post it on the excursions board... let's try here first!

 

I'm booked on the Glory next April and the excursions are already showing up online and are available for purchase (didn't think we could book them this early but...). We're doing the Western itinerary and really want to do the 7-hour tour to Tulum when we get in Cozumel. We'll be in port from 8a - 5p (9 hours) but on the departure time online, it says that the tour leaves at 10a and will arrive back at 5p... when we're supposed to leave the port! Would that be adjusted closer to the port date or will we really be arriving back that late? I wouldn't think that it would be offered on our itinerary if the timing wasn't doable but there it is online, ready to purchase. Any thoughts?

[lions1995]

If it is an excursion offered via Carnival's web page, then Carnival ensures that the ship will not leave without you. That is one of their selling points to make you pay twice the amount the excursion would cost you otherwise.

 

That said, the excersions time will probably not be 100% correct. These numbers are general and not specific to your ships itinerary. So you wil probably be back between 4 and 4:30.

[justkiya]

If it's a ships tour - they will wait for the tour to get back, no matter what time the ship is supposed to leave.

If you want to do any shopping in port, you might want to do it BEFORE the tour leaves - that might be why the start is delayed.

[firefly333]

I was on Conquest a few weeks ago and we didnt get to the port until 10 am!!! and supposed to leave at 5 pm.

 

And they too had a 7 hour tour to Tulum.

 

The ship still had not left by the time I had to go to dinner at 6 pm so I missed the sailaway .. the ship waited for them to get back.

 

Why would they schedule a 7 hour tour for a ship that is only in port 7 hours total. You have lots more time in port than we did on conquest.

[iheartmarshall]

That makes me feel much better! And yes, it is an excursion through Carnival. Thank you :)

[golfadj]

I was on Conquest a few weeks ago and we didnt get to the port until 10 am!!! and supposed to leave at 5 pm.

 

And they too had a 7 hour tour to Tulum.

 

The ship still had not left by the time I had to go to dinner at 6 pm so I missed the sailaway .. the ship waited for them to get back.

 

Why would they schedule a 7 hour tour for a ship that is only in port 7 hours total. You have lots more time in port than we did on conquest.

 

Gotta have at least 90 minutes to leave you in a gift shop along the way so that is why tour is so long..

[skrufy]

The tour will most likely adjust your tour time to get you back to the ship on time. As everyone says, if it runs late the ship will wait for you as long as its a Carnival excursion. A few years back we went to the Myan ruins out of Progresso. We were running late so the tour was cut down in time for us to return to the ship on time.

[iheartmarshall]

Gotta have at least 90 minutes to leave you in a gift shop along the way so that is why tour is so long..

 

I've heard that from so many people! I do love gift shops but I'd rather spend more time exploring a new location than shopping lol. Oh well.

[YubaSutter]

If it's a ships tour - they will wait for the tour to get back, no matter what time the ship is supposed to leave. .

 

Not exactly correct. The ship will eventually sail, even if the ship sponsored tour is still out. They will not wait forever. Carnival will get you to the next port if you purchased an excursion from them.

[NEWORLEANSCRUISER1]

I took this tour a few years ago. You will spend most of the day on a bus, but it will stop about half way at a gift shop. Enjoy its a nice day!! I think we got back to the ship 1/2 hour before sail time.

[big_duck]

Gotta have at least 90 minutes to leave you in a gift shop along the way so that is why tour is so long..

 

Actually abou 80 to 90 recent of the time will be on a bus.

[iheartmarshall]

I took this tour a few years ago. You will spend most of the day on a bus, but it will stop about half way at a gift shop. Enjoy its a nice day!! I think we got back to the ship 1/2 hour before sail time.

 

Thank you! I've read the pros and cons about this particular tour (namely the long transportation time) but it seems worth it to me. Aside from a cruise, I doubt I'll have have the chance to visit the area by myself so I'm very excited :) I was just confused on the tour time, but if it's offered through Carnival then I figure I'm at least somewhat safe.

[firefly333]

I did this tour with Carnival, but out of Calica which is much closer, when Elation used to go there out of Mobile.

 

It was so hot .. it ruined it somewhat for me. I cant stand in the sun that long. Bring a umbrella if you are going a hot time of year. I went to a shop and got a frozen margarita and chips and dips for the last hour of my tour. chicken.

 

I would do this in the winter if I was doing it again.

[golfadj]

Actually abou 80 to 90 recent of the time will be on a bus.

 

Didnt have a lot of time to stay at the ruins but when we were there they were rather in ruin so not much to see.

[luv2trvlnow]

Last year in March in Cozumel, we were on the Dream docked next to the Conquest. The Conquest was supposed to leave at 5 and we were supposed to leave at 6. It was almost 6 when we noticed a bunch of people arriving back to the ships. We found out it was the people who had gone to Tulum. So the Conquest was still there waiting for them almost 1 hour after they were supposed to leave port. And that is 1 1/2 hours before they were supposed to be back onboard.

The cruise ship will wait within reason as long as it is a Carnival excursion. Most of the time they are able to make up the time they spent waiting and you will get to your next port at the right time.

Sharon

[Sparky2]

Not sure if it's appropriate to post this on the Carnival boards since it invovles a Carnival ship, or if I should post it on the excursions board... let's try here first!

 

I'm booked on the Glory next April and the excursions are already showing up online and are available for purchase (didn't think we could book them this early but...). We're doing the Western itinerary and really want to do the 7-hour tour to Tulum when we get in Cozumel. We'll be in port from 8a - 5p (9 hours) but on the departure time online, it says that the tour leaves at 10a and will arrive back at 5p... when we're supposed to leave the port! Would that be adjusted closer to the port date or will we really be arriving back that late? I wouldn't think that it would be offered on our itinerary if the timing wasn't doable but there it is online, ready to purchase. Any thoughts?

 

Friends of ours on a cruise a couple of years ago were on this tour. They were late getting back, but since it's a ship sponsored tour, the ship does wait for it.

 

They skipped dinner in the MDR that night because of being late and being exhausted but enjoyed the tour.

[NEMMRRC]

We did this very tour back in 2007 while on our honeymoon cruise aboard Carnival Valor.

 

We boarded the ferry to Playa del Carmenl as soon as we docked in Cozumel. We boarded the bus to Tulum as soon as we got off the ferry to Playa del Carmen. We stopped for about 45 minutes at a gift shop on the way to the ruins. While at the ruins we only stayed there for 2 hours. We got on the bus back to Playa. We napped on the bus ride back. We got in line for the ferry back to Cozumel as soon as we got off the tour bus. When we arrived back in Cozumel we had no time to shop or sightsee.

 

However, the Tulum ruins are fantastic and the views overlooking the ocean are postcard perfect. Also, there is a beach at the Tulum ruins so you will be able to go swimming in the ocean. It gets very hot at the ruins.

 

You will have a great time. Enjoy your cruise.

[Trish12345]

We did this tour thru Carnival and made it back to the ship on time. However, there was the bus ride that went on forever. There was a gift shop in the middle of no where before we got to Tulum. Not sure if it was just a potty stop or a 'my brother owns the store so shop here'. Never pass up on a potty stop.

 

The ruins are beautiful. A long bus ride back and time to board the ship. No shopping:(. Glad we went.

[guxu]

We did that tour with another cruise line. And we stopped at that gift shop in the middle too. We came back about 2 hours late. We had a crew member going with us. Apparently she kept contact with the ship. She ensured us the ship would wait for us. And on the ferry boat, she announced that the ship had decided the MDR would still be open for us who missed the early seating (lobster night).

[golfadj]

We did this tour thru Carnival and made it back to the ship on time. However, there was the bus ride that went on forever. There was a gift shop in the middle of no where before we got to Tulum. Not sure if it was just a potty stop or a 'my brother owns the store so shop here'. Never pass up on a potty stop.

 

The ruins are beautiful. A long bus ride back and time to board the ship. No shopping:(. Glad we went.

 

Wonder how much the gift shops gives the cruise ships in commission to get its captive audience.