Tips for a great experience at Playa Mia

[Rbullenut]

We recently returned from a great experience at Playa Mia. I have read some reviews from disappointed guests. So I looked for common things in the reviews and the most prevalent things I read was about the quality of the food from the buffet and watered down drinks.

 

The cost from the cruise line was $80 per person for the inclusive package that includes the buffet and drinks. It also includes towel and umbrella service and bus transportation to Playa Mia.

 

Tip #1 Make Sure Playa Mia is a Good Fit for Your Group

Playa Mia is a good fit for those who have children or teens. Or for couples that want a mix of relaxation and fun physical activities. If you are a couple that wants a peaceful beach experience with food and drink I would recommend Nachi Cocum or Mr. Sanchos instead.

 

Tip #2 Take a Taxi

The taxi line was about a 5 - 10 minute walk from the International Pier. The taxi rates are set depending on where you are going and the type of vehicle you need. We were a group of 7 so we were placed in a 12 passenger van. The rate each way for the 12 passenger van was $34 each way. Our ship was the first to dock that day. So by taking a taxi we were one of the first groups to arrive at Playa Mia. This meant first choice of loungers. The second row of loungers gets some great shade from the palm trees. Once the buses from the cruise ships arrived, the loungers filled rather quickly. The cruise buses started boarding an hour before we left the resort. You get about 1 - 2 extra hours of beach time by taking the taxi. The main draw back with taking the taxi is that we were dropped off at the shopping plaza behind the Hard Rock Cafe even though we asked to go to the Pier. It was an additional 5 minute walk to the Pier through a complex of pushy sales people. Total Taxi Cost: $68

 

Tip #3 Buy Food and Drink Ala Carte

When you arrive at Playa Mia you will notice some of the bars are open bars and some are cash bars. The open bars are for those with the all-inclusive wrist bands. You will notice that the liquor quality is much better at the cash bars and there was never a wait at the cash bar. At the bar, I asked for a food menu and they sent a server to my table immediately. The lunch items were around $10-$12 each. The portions were huge and it included traditional Mexican food. The items were served hot and only took about 15 minutes from the time of ordering. Most of the buffet items were American like hot dogs and chicken strips. The food was great and service was friendly. The cash bar on the beach has it's own taco menu. The octopus tacos were uniquely awesome. Total Cost for Food & Drink: $160

 

Tip #4 Plan Activities based on Crowds and Energy Level

We purchased the day pass for $30 per person. This allowed us to use the all of the pools, water slides, inflatables and water bikes/kayaks. The line for the water bikes and kayaks was pretty long most of the day. I would recommend doing this activity first if you arrive early. I would recommend doing the inflatables while you have lots of energy. The swim out to the inflatable course is MUCH further than it looks. There are a few resting buoys on your way out there. I recommend using them. Climbing on the inflatables expends lots of energy. Remember that you have a long swim on the way back. There is divider ropes on each side of the inflatable area that you can pull yourself along, but it has lots of nasty stuff growing on it. The inflatables are fun but they are a work out. The fake Mayan ruin snorkel area is even further out than the inflatable zone. To me it wasn't worth the swim to see a few fish. The snorkel gear rental is an extra expense, but we brought our own. The water slides were fun and our 8 year old loved the kid pirate area. The pool next to the kid area was closed half way through the day to a kid pooping the pool. We felt like there was so much to do at Playa Mia and it was a good value for the price. Total Cost of Beach Park Passes: $210

 

Towel and umbrella rentals are $8 but you get half of your money back when you return the towels and umbrellas. Total Towel and Umbrella Cost: $36

 

Cost if we would have booked through the Cruise Excursions: $560

Cost of doing it ourselves: $474

 

Conclusion

We saved $86 by doing it ourselves. But, we are not huge drinkers so someone that orders more than a few drinks will spend more. I feel like the food quality is better when you don't order the buffet. The biggest savings to us was the extra time we had to spend at the park by taking the taxi. We still made it to the ship 90 minutes before the all aboard time. I feel like Cozumel and Playa Mia are a safe bet to plan an excursion on your own. If we return to Cozumel with our children we will go to Playa Mia again. Next time we are in Cozumel as a couple we will choose Nachi or Sanchos.

[JohninDC]

Wow! Great and detailed report - thanks! :D

[zoyabean]

Thanks for the detailed information!

 

We are thinking about going with our kids when were in Cozumel later this year. I read somewhere that Playa Mia was requiring everyone to wear lifejackets. Was that the case for you?

 

I ask because my 13 & 15 year olds are competitive swimmers with lots of open water swimming experience and I know they will be super frustrated if they are forced to wear lifejackets.

 

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[Rbullenut]

Thanks for the detailed information!

 

We are thinking about going with our kids when were in Cozumel later this year. I read somewhere that Playa Mia was requiring everyone to wear lifejackets. Was that the case for you?

 

I ask because my 13 & 15 year olds are competitive swimmers with lots of open water swimming experience and I know they will be super frustrated if they are forced to wear lifejackets.

 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Forums mobile app

 

I am pretty sure the life jackets are part of their liability insurance for the inflatables. That is the only place the life jackets are required. The fake mayan ruin snorkeling area is further into the ocean than the inflatables and you are not required to wear life jackets while snorkeling. It really wasn't a big deal for my teenagers. They are also avid swimmers.

[El Gogo]

Thank you for the review . Still considering this for our visit in June as first time cruisers. 2 adults, no kids .

[KJCruiser13]

Thanks so much. We are considering going there in May and were going to hesitantly do the beach pass plus buffet. Did you happen to have a picture of the menu for a la carte? I'd much rather that.

[Rbullenut]

Thanks so much. We are considering going there in May and were going to hesitantly do the beach pass plus buffet. Did you happen to have a picture of the menu for a la carte? I'd much rather that.

 

Sorry I didn't think of that. Maybe try a google search for it.

[dancergrl608]

Thanks so much. We are considering going there in May and were going to hesitantly do the beach pass plus buffet. Did you happen to have a picture of the menu for a la carte? I'd much rather that.

Here's a picture of the menu I found on someone's review of Playa Mia. I had a copy of it bc were planning on going there and just ordering from the menu instead 9f doing the buffet

 

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[Flmomoftwo]

Can some people in the party get all inclusive and not others? We have some that drink and some that don't.

[JohninDC]

Not sure about Play Mia, but at other beach clubs (Sanchos) they keep the AI and pay as you go customers separated to prevent drink sharing.