Tips on cheap excursions, Legend April 2020 w. carribbean

[queenpailhead]

So, I just booked the Legend western Caribbean cruise. Due to several unforeseen circumstances, we're now on a major budget for this cruise. I'm on the lookout for reduced price Carnival gift cards, checking my AmEx card regularly for their Carnival sales, and flying on a combo of points and companion certificates (2 full price, 4 "free").

 

We will have some OBC though. Can anyone give any tips/tricks for cheap excursions in Belize, Mahogany Bay, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel? 2 adults, 3 teens and a preteen.

[sra12574]

Depends  what  you  like  to  do  .  Mahagony  bay  has  a  free  beach .  If  you  have  at  least  your  own  snorkle  and  mask   you  can  save  the  money  it  would  cost  to  rent  them . Most   places  that  rent  the  masks  will  charge  what   you   pay  at  walmart   for  one  you  can  keep .  Grand  Cayman  if   you  were  to  do  snorkling  theres  a  couple  spots right  near  the  port  that  you  can  rent  a  locker  and  snorkle  from  shore . Theres  a  restuarant  I  think  it  may  be  called  paradise  that  they  feed  fish  scraps  that  they  clean   so  it  it  attracts  some  fish . You  see  some  big  tarpon   there . Some  people  skip  going ashore  in Belize  . As  far  as  getting  the  advice  for  the  legend  . Its  always  good  if  you  can  get  to  read  other  peoples  trip  reports  but  since   the  Legend  will  start  doing the  western   soon  ,  it  may  be  good  to  read  some  reports  for  the  Miracle because  that  is  the  ship  the  legend  will  be  replacing  on that  route . The  legend  has  better  amneties  then  the  miracle  though.

[wardamnweagle]

I researched found a small restaurant in Grand Cayman (sunset house?) that offers snorkeling just off the patio as the restaurant is part of a resort for divers and they train in the water next to the resort. We had planned to go there for lunch and snorkel, but the water was too rough to tender...

 

Also, Stingray City had an excursion for $40/person which is pretty cheap as far as excursions go and was actually what I was lookin forward to most on the trip. 

[NebraskaSatellite]

On Cozumel, you can take a taxi from the port to Paradise Beach and get in for $3/person if you spend $10/person on food and drink.  Taxi will run I think $30 each way for all of you.  So $140-ish for the group plus tips.  You can get a wristband to climb the inflatables in the water for $18 each, which also gets you out of the minimum food spend.

 

Not much snorkeling to be had, but shaded chairs on the beach and a nice pool.  Food was good.  No vendor hassles, safe area.  No waits for taxis either direction.

 

[vtoria98]

In Cozumel we always bring a cooler, head to their Walmart equivalent and load up on beer water etc. Depending in the port u dock this might be walking distance. Then we catch a cab to Money Bar, buy a drink or two and there are free chairs, wifi and awesome snorkeling. We bring our own gear but u can rent almost anything there.

[moondog73]

Best advice is research, research, research.  Look at the port of calls boards here on CC and check tripadvisor as a starting point.  Google shore excursion for xxx.  Also, it is always much cheaper and a better experience not to do any ship sponsored tours.

[wardamnweagle]

1 hour ago, vtoria98 said:

In Cozumel we always bring a cooler, head to their Walmart equivalent and load up on beer water etc. Depending in the port u dock this might be walking distance. Then we catch a cab to Money Bar, buy a drink or two and there are free chairs, wifi and awesome snorkeling. We bring our own gear but u can rent almost anything there.

 

Doing this next time. We snorkeled and met the operator at the marina. While we waited i went into one of the shops and got a beer, a Dos Equis. I put it on the counter expecting $3-4. When he said “uno” I said, yes, just one beer. He repeated and I realized he meant $1. It was just a relieving surprise after the cruise ship prices. 

 

[vtoria98]

17 minutes ago, wardamnweagle said:

 

Doing this next time. We snorkeled and met the operator at the marina. While we waited i went into one of the shops and got a beer, a Dos Equis. I put it on the counter expecting $3-4. When he said “uno” I said, yes, just one beer. He repeated and I realized he meant $1. It was just a relieving surprise after the cruise ship prices. 

 

Honestly we bring a cooler everywhere now.  You can always find a store on the way to anything to get your own refreshments.  

We always buy something where we end up but we like to not just save money but have our own stuff with us no matter what we decide to do.

[Host Carolyn]

As mentioned above, the individual ports of calls boards here on Cruise Critic will have a wealth of information.  I'm leaving this post here because you are going to all these ports but if you have specific questions about a non-Carnival excursion suggest you post it on the appropriate port board!

[Bobbylah]

Depends what you mean by cheap. You could stay on the ship for nothing and enjoy the reduced amount of people. For me it is about the value of the experience compared to the cost. For example, paying for a taxi to get the family (2 adults, 1 teen, 2 preteens) to a crowded, average beach annoys the heck out of me, but paying $100 per person for a really great excursion is money well spent. As an example, our last trip to Cozumel we did the Rio Secreto Underground River excursion. That was better value for money than going to all of the other beaches on the cruise by itself, where we spent more on taxis back and forth and drinks/food. The kids still talk about that excursion, but not the cruise.

 

https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g150812-d1075137-Reviews-Rio_Secreto-Playa_del_Carmen_Yucatan_Peninsula.html

 

[Darcy03231]

Grand Cayman - Walk down to Eden Rock.  You can snorkel right from shore.   They do locker and snorkel gear rentals.   

 

Roatan - Just go to the beach at Mahogany Bay.

 

Belize - We get off the ship on the first tender, go to the water taxi and spend the day out on Caye Caulker.   Drinks and food are very reasonable there.   Just make sure you get back early enough to catch the ship.

 

Cozumel - Here's another vote for Paradise Beach.   We really enjoyed our day there.   

[Daddyfto]

On 8/8/2019 at 3:39 PM, queenpailhead said:

So, I just booked the Legend western Caribbean cruise. Due to several unforeseen circumstances, we're now on a major budget for this cruise. I'm on the lookout for reduced price Carnival gift cards, checking my AmEx card regularly for their Carnival sales, and flying on a combo of points and companion certificates (2 full price, 4 "free").

 

We will have some OBC though. Can anyone give any tips/tricks for cheap excursions in Belize, Mahogany Bay, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel? 2 adults, 3 teens and a preteen.

 

[Daddyfto]

Moby Dick Stingray Tours Grand Cayman.... 

[Out of Iowa]

I second Daddyfto's recommendation of Moby Dick's stringray city tour in Grand Caymanl.  It is one your kids will talk about for years to come.

 

Cozumel is a very easy town to just walk around in!   Plan on cab fare into town (it can be a blistering hot walk).  Take yourselves on a "self-guided tour" of the Mega Store (a bit like WalMart), pick up some snacks after your kids try to decipher the Spanish on the labels in the grocery aisles, see the fountains downtown, haggle with a street vendor for $1 necklaces, stop to watch the scuba school students in the sea, wander through the market area.  

 

Roatan - absolutely stay in the free beach area and enjoy splashing in the water and soaking up some sunshine at the sand.

 

Belize - I've never stayed on the ship during a port call but this is one (of two, the other being Jamaica) that I would consider enjoying the solitude and less-crowded day if you don't want to part with any money whatsoever.  Investigate the port area (within the fence) and get back on board....could take you an hour.  Maybe.

[lasvegascruising]

Money Bar Beach Club in Cozumel has been our choice.  We bring our own snorkel gear, order chips and salsa, a frozen drink for myself and a few beers for hubby.  I think it is a great spot for relaxing.  They do not have a sand beach but as soon as your legs are in the water you can see fish swimming around.  We have never brought our own drinks but if it is allowed, great.  Just order chips and salsa like we do.  We spend a few hours just hanging out and the servers have always been very polite and give great service.  I love it there.

[Jasalth]

I would say if you want to and/or are willing to spend $ on something, I would suggest doing it in Belize. While things can more than change since we were there a few years ago, it would be the place I would seriously have to consider taking a ship excursion from when we go back some day. And I would be hesitant to go w/o my DH and now my 2 DS's with me. They were smaller then, but now that they are 21 and 17.. I would feel safer with them around!

 

A good example is our great guide who the cave tubing company called in for us because they overbooked on guides. He was the son of the owner of the big eco-extreme tourism in Belize. Like.. the ones who repel down 200 ft into caves to dive/swim/camp/rock climb for weeks tours. He was worried about time because it might be getting to dusk when we got back to the ship and outside is not where you want to be in his opinion. 

 

If you are really going on the cheap, I would say use it as a nice quite day to enjoy the Legend. Alas she isn't big and has amazing things like others, but she is my favorite!