Do you feel shore excursions not offered by Carnival are safe?

[Stateroom_Sailor]

Just to point out, the question asked is whether a carnival excursion is safer than an independent excursion. Your tour bus can end up in the wrong place at the wrong time either way. If anything, I would count on a locally run excursion to react to local trends and deviate from the itinerary if needed whereas a carnival excursion may be unable to do that due to their contract.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

They're both local tour opporators, and I doubt anyone would put themselves, and their passengers, in danger to please the cruise line. These contracts likely stress the opposite.

 

For me, a licensed tour isn't about being more safe while touring, it's having an instant paper trail, should something go wrong. The cruise line knows who you were with, and where you were at.

[Beachdude]

We have been visiting and vacationing in Cozumel or Cancun for over 30 years. We quit Cancun about ten years ago when some locals acted hostel toward our kids. And we decided last year the Cozumel didn't feel as safe as it use to. Everything is fine in the Cruise Docks areas, but that isn't what vacationing is for us. With all that is going on, we don't vacation in Mexico anymore.

 

Burt

[bksunbuddies]

Maya Chan is excellent and very safe. It is owned and operated by an American family who are experienced cruisers wanting to offer a resort that met cruisers concerns and expectations for an activity not booked through the cruise lines. We were just there in July and are going again next March. It is everything as advertised and more. Your friends have nothing to be concerned about.

 

 

Great place! We love going there!

[donaldsc]

We just booked Maya Chan in Costa Maya, not through Carnival. With all of the things happening in Mexico, my cruise mates are scared to go or even drink while off of the boat. I'm not really concerned. I've read nothing but great things! I know there is always a risk but how can I convince them that where we are going is safe?

 

Don't try to convince them. You are better off w/o them. Do your own thing and enjoy yourself while the rest of the party sits on the ship, does a lot of drinking on board, and worries about you coming back alive. Then when you do come back alive, make sure you tell them about the wonderful time you had.

 

DON

[tt_moore]

We just booked Maya Chan in Costa Maya, not through Carnival. With all of the things happening in Mexico, my cruise mates are scared to go or even drink while off of the boat. I'm not really concerned. I've read nothing but great things! I know there is always a risk but how can I convince them that where we are going is safe?

I just got back from Cozumel and Honduras. Hubs and son did carnival sponsored scuba.

 

However, Myself (female) 12, 7, and 4 yr old children did our own thing. I heavily researched Sloth sanctuary and paradise beach. Felt TOTALLY safe.

 

In Cozumel we walked right up to the taxi stand directly from the cruise terminal and got into a taxi where other people were also going the same place so I figured I had safety in numbers.

 

In Honduras the scariest part was walking OUT of the cruise terminal up a little Hill down a little hill and then to this huge group of outside excursion offerings. However once I saw the sign for sloth sanctuary I was good to go. I always made sure that we had someone or a group of people near that we're heading to or from the cruise line.

 

Do your research and go for it!!

 

Sent from my SM-G900T using Forums mobile app

[Pyrate13]

Another vote for Maya Chan. We were 3 couples and we had a great time there. All agreed we would do it again. Never felt unsafe in any way.

As to your other question, in my opinion and much as others have said, Carnival sponsored excursions are no better or worse as far as safety goes. If a private tour and a Carnival tour go to the same place then everyone is in the same boat so to speak.

[GottaKnowWhen]

We just booked Maya Chan in Costa Maya, not through Carnival. With all of the things happening in Mexico, my cruise mates are scared to go or even drink while off of the boat. I'm not really concerned. I've read nothing but great things! I know there is always a risk but how can I convince them that where we are going is safe?

 

To echo what others have said, in different words, the real question is not whether a particular place is safe. Because of course no place is safe. Stuff happens. Drive-bys, snipers on 32nd floor of a hotel, lightening strikes, car or bus or train accidents, alligator bites, zika, sunburn, earthquakes, wild fires, hurricanes... Stuff happens. Some places sometimes it seems that more bad stuff happens. But anything bad may happen to just about anyone anyplace anytime.

So no, no place is "safe" and therefore you probably cannot convince your companions that a given place is safe. For me the real question is "so what?" Do I let the possibility of bad stuff happening convince me to stay home or to avoid airline travel or to avoid going to country music concerts, or to avoid driving in Italy among all those crazy drivers or to stay onboard when in Mexico, or whatever? Again, for me the answer is no, I won't let the fear of amorphous bad stuff keep me from living my life. This doesn't mean I will casually wander through a poor section known to be the center of a drug gang dispute. One can be adventurous without being foolhardy.

If your companions prefer "safety", tell them how wonderful it is to be on a quiet ship when everyone else is ashore enjoying themselves. And then go ashore and enjoy yourself.