It's Official - Cozumel to Re-open Nov. 14th!

[imatarb]

While Playa Mia says they will be open and ready by 11/14, I'm holding off on reserving our spots there for 12/8, until I know for sure that RCI will go there. When I hear of the first cruise ships tendering passengers to shore, I'll book my excursion. :)

 

ps - FinallyFree that is an EXCELLENT idea....what type of particular supplies will you be bringing? I'd love to help out the schools especially.

[finallyfree]

Just a thought I'd like to share. We are planning on packing any extra suitcases we can fit into our van (since we are driving) & filling them with school supplies, health & beauty supplies to be donated during our trip to Cozumel (or any other nearby destination) then we will use the empty suitcases to either fit inside each other or fill with souvenirs. Sure feels better than writing a check.

[samtig]

Great idea. We're going to do that too!

[bruce-r]

If you are wanting to bring school supplies, you might first check the list of currently needed supplies on the Chrysalis website.

[nealthedeal]

Hey hoping to be there next week to see for myself & 2 weeks after that :rolleyes:

[snausman]

Just checked our interary on Mariner for Nov. 20th sailing. Was to dock at Cozumel Nov. 25 now showing at sea that day. So much for Cozumel opening on the 14th. I would think we could either stay at Grand Cayman or go to Costa Maya or even Belize, but no now staying at sea. I really do not understand. So much for diving on the Riveria Maya.

[suzepoo]

WOOOOOOO HOOOOOOO! We just got an email from customer service at RCI that our cruise on the Legend of the Seas which leaves on Saturday has NO itinerary changes and WILL be stopping in Cozumel!!! This is GREAT news to me and I can't WAIT to spread some money around to help them out after all their HARD HARD work to get Cozumel ready for tourists again!!! Hat's off to Cozumel!!!:D :D :D

[WendyCn]

We were to be sailing on Carnival & in Cozumel on December 2. I had a guided tour scheduled. Just yesterday I e-mailed her & she said she personally spoke with RCL captain of captains (that's the way she phrased it) & after seeing all of the damage, that RCL will not be stopping there until at least Christmas. I know our docs say we are still on the same itinerary when in fact we have been told by our TA that not only are we not going to Cozumel, Carnival has swapped days on two of the ports. As far as visiting Cozumel, we'll just going to play it by ear.

[bachstrad]

Carnival is saying on their "weather update " page that they will announce itinerary changes for cruises departing this weekend and through 11-14. The 4 day cruises out of Galveston appear to have switched from Progreso to Calica

this week. Hopefully the 5 day cruises will get to switch back from Progreso/Veracruz to their original Cozumel/Calica itinerary very soon. All of the updates I've read seem to indicate that the people of Cozumel are really working hard to be ready by the 14th.

[imatarb]

I wonder if I call RCI, if they will tell me the status of our 12/8 visit to Coz, when we are aboard the Legend.

[GoinCruisin]

Carnival is saying on their "weather update " page that they will announce itinerary changes for cruises departing this weekend and through 11-14. The 4 day cruises out of Galveston appear to have switched from Progreso to Calica

this week. Hopefully the 5 day cruises will get to switch back from Progreso/Veracruz to their original Cozumel/Calica itinerary very soon. All of the updates I've read seem to indicate that the people of Cozumel are really working hard to be ready by the 14th.

 

They have it updated now...

 

Itinerary Update – November 9, 2005 1:00 PM

Due to the impact from Hurricane Wilma in Cozumel, we will make the following itinerary changes for Western Caribbean cruise departures through and including December 31, 2005, except for Elation. For Elation 4 & 5 Day cruises beyond 11/19/05 and onwards, we will post this shortly:

Fascination 4 Day from Miami on Mon. 11/21, 11/28, 12/5, 12/12, 12/19 and 12/26/05: These cruises will visit Key West (Tues.) and Calica, Mexico (Wed.)

Imagination 4 Day from Miami on Thurs. 12/1, 12/15 and 12/29/05: These cruises will visit Key West (Fri.) and Calica, Mexico (Sat.)

Inspiration 4 Day from Tampa on Thurs. 11/17, 12/1, 12/15 and 12/29/05: These cruises will visit Cozumel (Sat.)

Inspiration 5 Day from Tampa on Sat. 11/12 and 11/26/05: These cruises will visit Grand Cayman (Mon.) and Costa Maya (Tues.)

Inspiration 5 Day on Mon. 11/21, 12/5 & 12/19 and Sat. 12/10 & 12/24/05: Mon. cruises will visit Grand Cayman (Wed.) and Cozumel (Thurs.) and Saturday cruises will visit Grand Cayman (Mon.) and Cozumel (Tues.)

Elation 5 Day from Galveston on Mon. 11/14/05: This cruise will visit Progreso, Yucatan (Wed.) and Veracruz (Thurs.)

Carnival Miracle 7 Day from Tampa on Sun. 11/13, 11/20, 11/27, 12/4, 12/11, 12/18, and 12/25/05:These cruises will visit the scheduled ports of call but in a different sequence

Carnival Valor 7 Day WC from Miami on Sun. 11/13, 11/27, 12/11 and 12/25/05: These cruises will visit Grand Cayman (Tues.), Isla Roatan (Wed.) Belize (Thurs.) and Costa Maya (Fri.)

Carnival Glory 7 Day from Port Canaveral on Sat., 11/19/05 due to the Key West Boat Race: The scheduled call in Key West will be replaced with Costa Maya (Mon.) and we will visit Belize (Tues) and Cozumel (Wed.)

Carnival Victory 7 Day from Miami on Sun. 11/20, 12/4 and 12/18/05: These cruises will visit Costa Maya (Tues.), Grand Cayman (Thurs.) and Ocho Rios (Fri.)

Carnival Glory 7 Day from Port Canaveral on Sat. 12/3, 12/17, and 12/31/05: These cruises will visit Key West (Sun.), Belize (Tues) and Costa Maya, Mexico (Wed.)

Carnival Liberty 6 Day from Ft. Lauderdale on Sun. 11/20, 12/4 and 12/18/05: These cruises will visit Freeport (Mon.), Grand Cayman (Wed.) and Costa Maya (Thurs.)

Carnival Liberty 8 Day from Ft. Lauderdale on Sat. 11/26 and 12/24/05: These cruises will visit Costa Maya, Mexico (Mon.), Limon, Costa Rica (Wed.) and Colon, Panama (Thurs.)

Due to the impact from Hurricane Wilma in Cozumel, we will make the following itinerary changes for the cruises of Elation, November 10; Fascination, November 7 & 14 and Imagination, November 17, 2005:

Fascination November 7 & 14 from Miami - This cruise will visit Key West (Tues.) and Calica, Mexico (Wed.)

Elation November 10 from Galveston - This cruise will visit Calica, Mexico (Sat.)

Imagination November 17 from Miami - This cruise will visit Key West (Fri.) and Calica, Mexico (Sat.)

Click here for Cozumel shore excursions updates.

[bachstrad]

Still nothing definate about our 11-28 Elation cruise, but it's looking more and more promising....hard to type with your fingers crossed!:D

[solita]

Still nothing definate about our 11-28 Elation cruise, but it's looking more and more promising....hard to type with your fingers crossed!:D

Sorry...I don´t have info on a port change for the Elation yet. Hope they do come here instead of Calica...the Shore Excursion Manager is having a birthday soon! Anyone cruising with them on Nov. 17, please give Wayne a birthday kiss for me!

[nealthedeal]

ok :eek:

[prime9time]

I suppose the updates were helpful in a way. I got word that Carnival Inspiration would go to Cozumel but would be departing at 6 pm instead of 10 pm, which translates "get to the ferry dock by about 4 pm for your lovely tender trip (no extra charge)". The Triumph WAS scedulted on the 28th from 8 am until 12 midnight, which was great and one reason I booked the cruise. Now I await anxiously to see how the poor multi national multicruise line company has jacked with that schedule for "my convenience" (Their convenience, bottom line and laziness) . Some pollyanna types say "oh the tenders are NOT a problem" well the ARE a problem. Subtract one hour coming and going to your port time IF you are lucky. Then people play the altruism card "oh the people need the money right now". If you do indeed feel that way, spend your money downtown to businesses obviously owned by mexicans. Buy Mayan embroidery from the mainland, eat at the locally owned restaurants, drink at the locally owned cantina's, bring Mexican booze back on board to be stored by the poor cruise company instead of their kickback "duty free" stores that belong to them anyway. If you do C n C's and Diamonds international your money is flying off of Cozumel anyway and the buck an hour employees will be there whether you are there or not.

[TXParrothead]

I am on the Elation 12/17 and Carnival posted that I will be going to Cozumel. Yeah! Now I was wondering if C & C's is open? As to what prime said any money spent there has an economic affect. Whether it be paying the "hourly" employee of a multinational or visiting a local shop. Your patronage keeps a person employeed period. Also living in the States you shouldn't shoot yourself in the foot. We are the world's largest trading nation. You are probably working on a computer who's components were made in SE Asia workshops, your vehicle was probably manfactured in Mexico, your coffee is from south america etc....The bottom line is that you are enabling a multinational to employ a local person.

[prime9time]

well Texas Parrothead, I stand by my post. If you choose to support international corporations who pay the staff a 10 pesos and hour that is fine but it is the classic fuzzy math. Shopping and buying locally supports far more than the minimum wage employee. Here is a little breakdown. C n Cs ok five bartenders, five barmaids, five bouncers/doormen and 3 frycooks at 10 pesos (about a dollar an hour) and don't forget a DJ because they don't hire local musicians and he gets 1.50 and hour. So the multinationals total expediture for staffing the place for an hour is 19.50. Granted they have to pay electricity which is state subsidized to an extent, and you know they have a "sweet deal" on insurance even though they did build the place in a very high risk area. Maybe 30 bucks expediture hourly including insurance and utilities. (the bar staff wash the glasses and clean up at closin time).

 

Ok you put, 200 gringos drinking beer in there. They are charging 4.25 a beer which costs the company about .25 cents each. So if each gringo has 4 beers in and hour that is a receipt of 3200 dollars. Subtracting 30 dollar expenditure they paid in utilities, insurance and benefitless staff, thats a handy 3170 profit per hour for the company, AND lots of the gringos are drinking imported beers anyway so the beer sales profits aren't even going to the Cuahtemoc Brewery.

 

If you want your money to stay in Cozumel shop and drink and eat at local establishments. Happy holidays and thank you for shopping wallmart, and I think I will take my big paycheck and go buy some rice and beans to feed my family.

 

By the way there were some great ideas about school supplies. Although quite good, Mexican schools just don't have much money for "consumables" ...notebook paper, drawing paper, pencils etc especially if the parents can't afford them from their great job at C n C's. Little things like fancy erasers, little pencil sharpeners etc are real popular with the kids and the teachers. They have a national curriculum so books are out of the question, because they will be the wrong ones.

 

Mexico does not have the big unemployment problem as places like Jamaica. The problem they have is LOW wages and no benefits which is fostered by the wallmart and C n C's mentality. If a person gets over 30 at C n C's they are given their verbal walking papers while that doesn't happen to Don Pepe who has been tending bar at a downtown establishment since 1970, or the guys trying to keep their local restaurants and shops open in the face of these multinationals.

 

If you frequent the corporate chain bars, and the company stores....they are featured in your "carnival capers" tip the employees liberally because thats the only way your money will stay on the island.

[4yanx]

I am on the Elation 12/17 and Carnival posted that I will be going to Cozumel. Yeah! Now I was wondering if C & C's is open? As to what prime said any money spent there has an economic affect. Whether it be paying the "hourly" employee of a multinational or visiting a local shop. Your patronage keeps a person employeed period. Also living in the States you shouldn't shoot yourself in the foot. We are the world's largest trading nation. You are probably working on a computer who's components were made in SE Asia workshops, your vehicle was probably manfactured in Mexico, your coffee is from south america etc....The bottom line is that you are enabling a multinational to employ a local person.

 

Where does it say you'll be in COZ for sure. The Carnival site still says they'll be psosting Elation ports "soon".

 

Ooos, now I see it. But still nothing for our 12/26 cruise...............

[TXParrothead]

Prime It seems that you have a problem with capitalism. It is not fuzzy math. I happen to teach Macroeconomics for a living. It is called the multiplier. Simply put that whatever money you inject through the economy has a greater impact down the road. The complex multiplier in the US is about 2. That means for every dollar spent here it adds 2 dollars to GDP. I don't know what the multiplier is in Mexico but I can guarantee that the impact there of tourist dollars has a greater impact there than in the US. Your insistence that this is fuzzy math is a standard position for people who do not fully grasp economic concepts. They name name call instead of debating the facts. The point is that any patronage betters the lives of the locals and even those abroad.

[TXParrothead]

Prime It seems that you have a problem with capitalism. It is not fuzzy math. I happen to teach Macroeconomics for a living. It is called the multiplier. Simply put that whatever money you inject through the economy has a greater impact down the road. The complex multiplier in the US is about 2. That means for every dollar spent here it adds 2 dollars to GDP. I don't know what the multiplier is in Mexico but I can guarantee that the impact there of tourist dollars has a greater impact there than in the US. Your insistence that this is fuzzy math is a standard position for people who do not fully grasp economic concepts. Economics is the most debated and least understood of the social sciences. They name name call instead of debating the facts. The point is that any patronage betters the lives of the locals and even those abroad.

[TXParrothead]

Sorry double post...... On a lighter note does anyone know where Carnival will be tendering in at? Also is C&C's near there. Thanks!

[TXParrothead]

Where does it say you'll be in COZ for sure. The Carnival site still says they'll be psosting Elation ports "soon".

 

Ooos, now I see it. But still nothing for our 12/26 cruise...............

 

 

 

I hope they announce soon for you. I hated being up in the air. My family is looking forward to Paradise Beach!:D

[prime9time]

Parrothead, the current info is they plan to land the tenders at the ferry dock, now whether they change that as your cruise gets closer I wouldn't know. The ferry dock is about a block away from the NW corner of the Plaza. I don't have any problems with capitalism per se and in the Globalization trickle down theorists and the followers of the Idealogy of a new world order you are right. Howver in the micro economic sense if you want your money to go most directly to the people on Cozumel, shop locally and do the same at home when you can. The bartenders at C n Cs will still get 10 pesos an hour while you buy .25 cent beer for 4.25 and the profits go to corporate fat cats. This low wage ecomomy promoted by the picture you use on your moniker is fuzzy math, when it comes to actual people who aren't corporate wefare socialists and their minions. (those are topics for other message boards).

 

It appears that Playa Mia will be back in use, the paradise beach resort seems to be ok, and most of the on land tours are ok except for the one nature park one. It appears the Baby Reef bar on the plaza is ok as are most of the local shops selling the Mayan crafts as well as the local cantinas. (they know better than to build on the waterfront and can't afford the fancy insurance the fat cats get in their sweet deals) Some of the Dive companies are up and running already, but there are mixed stories about the near shore snorkeling (because the beaches went SOMEWHERE). Its difficult to get any actual information that isn't promotional in nature or from the mainstream Mexican press. Try Diario in Merida, as they have reporters on the beat in Cozumel sometimes. Some interesting human interest stories too. C n C is owned by the same conglomerate as Senor Frog, which started as a mom and pop joint in Mazatlan and were bought out for a song by the corporate raiders.

 

Don't forget one of the National Mottos "Mexico Trabaja" and they will get things up and running as quickly as possible.

 

NAFTA is a failure except on Ivory Tower paper. Ask any Mexican worker, or pink slipped ex employee in the US textile industry.

[TXParrothead]

I thought that those topics were for another forum. You cannot attack and then retreat on a statement like that. Personally any free trade agreement that is larger than the NYC phone book is not a free trade agreement. Now that being said any way to open up more free trade or trade for that matter betters both nations. People and nations only trade when there is an advantage for both of them. As for the mexican workers they should blame their own government for a lack of a middle class. The trade importation zone that NAFTA did set up in Mexico did help many of the locals. They now work in clean factories assembling products instead of working in the fields. Their wages are also much higher now. As with any economy in flux it is hard to tell the person who lost their job "Hey this has just created an opportunity for you to get a better job." They don't want to hear that then but it is the truth. All one needs to do is look at Ireland for an example of this! As to the fuzzy math this comes from Perot and Bush back in the 92 election. Bush was a quasi-supply side economist and Perot was a closet Keyensian. Both were afraid to face the truth that supply side economics does work to expand an economy!

 

On a lighter note thank you for the information. My family and I are looking forward to returning to Cozumel and partonizing many local and international businesses.

[solita]

Parrothead, the current info is they plan to land the tenders at the ferry dock, now whether they change that as your cruise gets closer I wouldn't know.

It appears the Baby Reef bar on the plaza is ok as are most of the local shops selling the Mayan crafts as well as the local cantinas.

 

Carnival has plans to tender into a temp pier down at Puerta Maya starting Wednesday...MAYBE. Everyone else will be going into the fiscal pier directly across from the square.

 

Baby Reef closed about 2 months ago. No one has gone it that location. Fat Tuesdays downtown is repairing quickly...looked like they were close when I went by last evening. There were alot of smaller stores open along the square...finding all the things you can´t live without should be easy!!!