Mayan Ruins - Crown Princess - Feb 2018 - Is it worth spending 7 hours travelling

[pink845]

Going to be on the Crown Princess next month, my son mentioned wanting to see the Mayan ruins. Princess has a tour that involves ferry to mainland (45 min), then 2.5 hour bus ride to the Ruins, then ferry back (45 min) and another 2.5 bus ride. Any opinions on whether this is worthwhile. We have been to Cozumel numerous times before and never ventured there. I have already seen the Pyramids in Egypt. Seems like a heck of a lot of travel.

[BDRebel]

I did that tour a couple of decades ago and really enjoyed it. I don't think I would repeat it though.

It is worth doing once.

 

There are a couple of Mayan ruins in Belize, if your itinerary goes there -- a bit nicer and a lot closer.

[voljeep]

Do you port in Costa Maya?

[satxdiver]

It sounds like the OP is asking about a ship tour to Tulum. If that is the case it is definitely worth it at least to me. Tulum is one of the better restored Mayan ruins that I have seen so far. I have seen both in Belize and 5 or so in the Yucatan. I have been to Chichen Itza and liked Tulum much better. The drive down from Playa del Carmen was interesting and the tour guide talk was informative per usual.

[MrSchwump]

I think I read on the Cozumel PoC board that someone did a tour to Chitzen Itza (sp?) from Cozumel and it sounded like a similar amount of travel time. They were complaining that because of this, they really had to fly through the ruins and didn't get to spend as much time there as they would have liked.

With the new highway, I wouldn't think Tulum would be 2.5 hours from PdC. We did it years ago on the old 2-3 lane road and it was about an hour and a half.

To answer the question, I'd pass. That's too much bus travel.

[pink845]

Thanks for the replies. Ship will be in Cozumel. We are going to forego the ruins. Too much travel time involved.

[Wishing on a star]

I don't remember exactly or have the link....

But, if one has the bucks, there is an outfit that offers tours by air, much quicker...

Can do either Tulum or the other ruins...

 

Air Cozumel, or something like that.

 

When does your ship dock at Coz.

I don't know if it can vary, but the website shows an early departure for these tours.

 

I have been to Tulum, and I would LOVE to see it again, just to remember it, and go spend time on that beach!!!

But, I don't think that this trip, by air, would be doable for us.

[Wishing on a star]

Here is the link...

https://flycozumel.com/

"Fly Cozumel will bring you to the Tulum Mayan Ruins in only 20 minutes by Airplane from Cozumel. You will arrive at the Ancient City of Tulum before the crowds and before the hot weather. No more traveling by ferry and by bus for hours! Visit Tulum where Mayan history meets the amazing colors of the Caribbean sea, and one of the best beaches in the area. Join us on the Tulum By Airplane Tour to visit the archaeological site of Tulum comfortably with Fly Cozumel. This is the perfect Shore Excursion: The Mayan ruins of Tulum by Airplane with Fly Cozumel."

 

Some good info about Cozumel on their site too nice description of the main beach clubs, etc.

Edited January 26, 2018 by Wishing on a star

[Loritd]

I did it 20 years ago, if the ferry hadn't improved it's not a fun trip. Going over was fine but coming back the seas were rough, an enclosed ferry with no outside space and people puking is not fun, 45 minutes can seem like forever in a hot smelly boat.

[tdeyette]

We have been to the Tulum ruins from Cozumel. We enjoyed it and I think it is worthwhile to see. The day was very hot and there was little shade at the site. That said, i most likely would not go back as it is a whole day of travel for about 1.5 to 2 hours at the site. The area and view is beautiful. Glad we did it but once is enough.

 

We also went to the Lamanai Mayan Ruins in Belize. This we really enjoyed. It's still a bus ride and riverboat trip to get to the jungles where the ruins are located. There is plenty of shade, monkeys, and sites along the way. The ruins are amazing. When we went you were allowed to climb to the top on one of the structures (there is are wooden stairs in the back). At the top you have an amazing view out across the canopy of the jungle. These are some ruins i would go back to see again.

[DrivesLikeMario]

Save your ruins visit for Belize. We went to Altun-Ha and were really impressed with the pyramids. It's an easy half hour drive from the tender dock. The ruins are much bigger when you're there in person, but here's a sample: https://video.search.yahoo.com/search/video?fr=mcafee&p=altun-ha+ruins#id=1&vid=e5593f700685586bc24b340454563dfb&action=click

[caribill]

I don't remember exactly or have the link....

But, if one has the bucks, there is an outfit that offers tours by air, much quicker...

Can do either Tulum or the other ruins...

 

Air Cozumel, or something like that.

 

 

$750/person and gives you 1.5 hours at the site including a bathroom break.

[jasmol81]

We did Tulum on our first Princess cruise 6 years ago. I agree with the person who mentioned the heat, and the person who mentioned the boat ride. It was in May and the temp was 90. So add humidity and a blazing sun. HOT. It was worth it to see all the ruins, and especially the beach. Tulum has one of the highest rated beaches in the world. The structures were really well preserved and amazing to see, and the guides were very informative.

Best beer ever when I got back on the coach, but that's probably only because it was ice cold. The trip there stopped at a shop with bathrooms. It was crazy for us, because that was all when the 2012 stuff was coming up, so everyone was selling it.

The boat ride back after the tour was horrible. Waves were bad, and tons of people got seasick.

Overall, it's a great place to go see, and I'm very glad we went, but checked it off the list and won't be going back.

I agree with others that the ruins we saw in Costa Maya and Belize were much easier to get to and more enjoyable. Especially the ones in Costa Maya that we could actually climb (somewhat) and explore.

We are sailing in Feb on the Crown as well, 18-23rd. We are doing the Cenote Hopping with Lunch when in Cozumel and doing Snorkeling in Roatan.

[Akaicb]

It sounds like the OP is asking about a ship tour to Tulum. If that is the case it is definitely worth it at least to me. Tulum is one of the better restored Mayan ruins that I have seen so far. I have seen both in Belize and 5 or so in the Yucatan. I have been to Chichen Itza and liked Tulum much better. The drive down from Playa del Carmen was interesting and the tour guide talk was informative per usual.

 

 

Everything I was adding was already added by others

Edited January 26, 2018 by Akaicb
Removed post

[msmoger]

We took a Princess excursion a couple of years ago to Coba, which is not as close as Tulum but not as far as Chichen Itza. We thought it was great (although very hot). I don't know if this is still the case, but we were still able to climb the pyramid which was an incredible experience (although not for the acrophobic or mobility challenged ;)). I believe you cannot do this at Tulum. Our guide was great, we had plenty of time at the site and although we probably would do something different if we ever return to Cozumel, I definitely think it was worth it at least once.

 

I think the OP is referring to an excursion to Chichen Itza. Neither Tulum or Coba take 2.5 hours to get there.

[hm9912]

Going to be on the Crown Princess next month, my son mentioned wanting to see the Mayan ruins. Princess has a tour that involves ferry to mainland (45 min), then 2.5 hour bus ride to the Ruins, then ferry back (45 min) and another 2.5 bus ride. Any opinions on whether this is worthwhile. We have been to Cozumel numerous times before and never ventured there. I have already seen the Pyramids in Egypt. Seems like a heck of a lot of travel.

 

We did it and would not do it again. Unless you would enjoy climbing on a pile of rocks and spending so much travel time I think one would have a better time just staying on the ship. Save the money.

 

 

Howard

[golfb4cruzing]

We've done this excursion, one long HOT day. Ferry ride, long cramped bus trip, with a stop at a souvenir shop,then the site where not enough time is allowed, then back to the bus through the vendor gauntlet and the ferry. Nice to say we saw them but we wouldn't do it again. We did the Panama Canal in 2016, that we are going to do again. Note, you can not climb the Tulum ruins, so it's a guided tour through the site.

[land lover]

We took a Princess excursion a couple of years ago to Coba, which is not as close as Tulum but not as far as Chichen Itza. We thought it was great (although very hot). I don't know if this is still the case, but we were still able to climb the pyramid which was an incredible experience (although not for the acrophobic or mobility challenged ;)). I believe you cannot do this at Tulum. Our guide was great, we had plenty of time at the site and although we probably would do something different if we ever return to Cozumel, I definitely think it was worth it at least once.

 

I think the OP is referring to an excursion to Chichen Itza. Neither Tulum or Coba take 2.5 hours to get there.

 

 

I agree...we went to Tulum a few years ago and I am thinking no pyramid there to compare to Giza also the ferry and bus trip were certainly uneventful..and not that long....

 

 

I loved Tulum..we took suits and swam in the ocean below...some of the ruins were every unique...

[geoherb]

I have been to Tulum, and I would LOVE to see it again, just to remember it, and go spend time on that beach!!!

I was looking forward to spending time on the beach. Unfortunately, it was closed the day we were there due to rough surf. (And, of course, the rough surf conditions made the ferry crossing worse than usual.) We did not have the best tour guide either. I learned more about his ex-girlfriend and daughter than I did about the Maya. (And some of the "facts" he gave us about the Maya were wrong.) We ended up getting a 50 percent refund after the cruise.

[land lover]

I was looking forward to spending time on the beach. Unfortunately, it was closed the day we were there due to rough surf. (And, of course, the rough surf conditions made the ferry crossing worse than usual.) We did not have the best tour guide either. I learned more about his ex-girlfriend and daughter than I did about the Maya. (And some of the "facts" he gave us about the Maya were wrong.) We ended up getting a 50 percent refund after the cruise.

 

When we were there the water was pristine....I have some great photos of my floating feet in the foreground(attached to my floating body);p with the ruins on the cliffs...

....Good for u for requesting a partial refund.. I did as well, in August for a tour in Norway, Our guide came late and warned us on the tour that we better not separate from him, or we would be left behind.... I could go on.....but like yours we got to much detail about his personal life, he was an immigrate from Turkey so his past was of no interest for people who were on a tour of Norway. I had never been that unhappy with a Princess excursion so made my concern known at the excursion desk, then I followed up with guest relations asking for a 50% refund

and like you was offered 50%back or a little more FCC, I took the FCC as I was going on a cruise in a month.