Kilmarlic Posted October 23, 2019 #1 Share Posted October 23, 2019 I'm sailing Feb 23 on Empress with stops in Costa Maya, Cozumel and Belize. I'd really like to take a ship sponsored excursion to visit the ruins but I'm clueless when it comes to deciding. I know some will offer cheaper alternatives by going outside the cruise line but I will more than likely being doing this solo so I want the peace of mind that comes with booking an RC excursion. For those who have been there and done that please offer some guidance. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarea Posted October 23, 2019 #2 Share Posted October 23, 2019 I would not try to visit any ruins on the mainland when stopping in Cozumel. Too much transportation time, including a trip on a ferry to the mainland on which getting seasick is common. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Another_Critic Posted October 23, 2019 #3 Share Posted October 23, 2019 (edited) I liked the excursion to Lamanai in Belize. I booked through Celebrity (Sept 2004). It was a bus ride, boat ride, walked the ruins and had lunch. Boat and bus back. Edited October 23, 2019 by Another_Critic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klfrodo Posted October 23, 2019 #4 Share Posted October 23, 2019 We're doing the ruins excursion in Costa Maya. We are doing the Chacchoben Ruins. https://www.chacchobenruins.com/ However, we are going private with Native Choice I figure if we miss the ship, it's only a 4 1/2 hour drive by bus ($13 economy $35 First Class) out of Mahanhaul. We'd get back to Cozumel before the ship arrived. And since we won't be the only person on the Native Choice bus, we'd have others along with us on the bus ride. What a way to see the real Mexico 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeW Posted October 23, 2019 #5 Share Posted October 23, 2019 (edited) Lots of tours from locals in Costa Maya. Shoreexcursioneer booking to Chacchoben (Tucan Tours) meeting was just outside the port at the pyramid and had 6 people plus driver and guide in van. Guide had worked restoring structures. Much better than 30 people on a bus and no waiting for all the other people to show up. Everyone takes the same road to the ruins and all operators have their business dependent on getting their guests back to the ship ontime. The one accident that happened a few years back was an RCI tour bus - that road is 45 minutes with nothing to look at and only one curve in it. Wouldn't consider a non-ship booking to ruins from Cozumel, though. Takes 45 minutes by ferry and 1 1/2 hours by bus each way to get to major ruins from there. Too short a stay at the ruins on these so not a good option even through ship. Edited October 23, 2019 by LeeW more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tillys mom Posted October 23, 2019 #6 Share Posted October 23, 2019 I agree with LeeW - the tour to the ruins from Cozumel is not worth it. We traveled all day and were at the site about an hour and a half, not to mention it was awfully expensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
queenfrostine22 Posted October 23, 2019 #7 Share Posted October 23, 2019 We did the tour of Chacchoban ruins in Costa Maya. We did the tour through Royal Caribbean. We had a great tour guide on our 2nd visit. (our first tour guide a year before kept trying to sell us things while on the bus!)It was a short tour. Fun learning about it all. Saw a few monkeys and did a lot of walking and climbing the ruins. It is hot. It can rain. The roads are bumpy. But, overall we had a good time. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tee & Chilli Posted October 23, 2019 #8 Share Posted October 23, 2019 Join your roll call. There might be others arranging a private tour. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boscobeans Posted October 23, 2019 #9 Share Posted October 23, 2019 (edited) San Gervasio the Mayan ruins ON COZUMEL although not as large or as popular as others are noteworthy in their own right being where women paid tribute to Ixchel, the Goddess of love and fertility. When we did the Celebrity organized tour it included a short ride from the pier to the ruins, passing the well known PeePee Station. We had a great tour guide and beer and refreshments were served on the air conditioned bus. After a pleasant and very informative tour of the ruins the bus took us to a beach club for a few hours in the sun and surf on the beach, this included a free drink at the beach bar. http://www.royalcaribbean.com/shoreExcursions/product/detail/view.do?sourcePage=shorexByPort&ProductCode=CZT5&DestinationCode= This is a photo from the internet showing one of the ruins at San Gervasio. Edited October 23, 2019 by boscobeans 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoopster95 Posted October 23, 2019 #10 Share Posted October 23, 2019 Costa Maya: I am not a fan at all of RCL excursions as I normally book private, however this was probably the best one out of them all in the last 7-8 years: Kohunlich & Dzibanche Mayan Ruins Combo - CM41 http://www.royalcaribbean.com/shoreExcursions/product/detail/view.do?sourcePage=shorexByPort&ProductCode=CM41&DestinationCode=CARIB Plenty of YouTube videos available I did a photo review here (scroll down to post #43 where it starts) https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1961068-navigator-may-4-102014-review-wlots-of-photos/page/2/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BDsquared Posted October 24, 2019 #11 Share Posted October 24, 2019 I highly recommend Native Choice! My sister went solo with them (she’s 30) and they took very good care of her. She raved for months about her experience with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff13 Posted October 25, 2019 #12 Share Posted October 25, 2019 On 10/23/2019 at 5:45 PM, Hoopster95 said: Costa Maya: I am not a fan at all of RCL excursions as I normally book private, however this was probably the best one out of them all in the last 7-8 years: Kohunlich & Dzibanche Mayan Ruins Combo - CM41 http://www.royalcaribbean.com/shoreExcursions/product/detail/view.do?sourcePage=shorexByPort&ProductCode=CM41&DestinationCode=CARIB Plenty of YouTube videos available I did a photo review here (scroll down to post #43 where it starts) https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1961068-navigator-may-4-102014-review-wlots-of-photos/page/2/ I second that tour! It was on my lifetime bucket list to climb some Mayan Pyramids. This tour let you climb any thing you wanted to. This was a couple of years ago, but I would hope it is still that way. I loved every minute of it. You can stay with the tour guide and just listen, or you can wander around and look behind the stuff into the jungle if you want. He lets you know when to be back to the bus. The Cozumel tour for Chichén Itzá is horrible! It is stressful. We were late in port and they rushed us the whole time. The boat ride and bus ride is not that bad. However the ruins are way too touristy. You are not allowed to climb on ANYTHING! There are vendors selling stuff all over the grounds. It was very disappointing. I did not feel like I was at any kind of ruins at all. Too many people and too much modern crap being sold right next to the ruins. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CntPAcruiser Posted October 29, 2019 #13 Share Posted October 29, 2019 On 10/23/2019 at 3:53 PM, klfrodo said: We're doing the ruins excursion in Costa Maya. We are doing the Chacchoben Ruins. https://www.chacchobenruins.com/ However, we are going private with Native Choice I figure if we miss the ship, it's only a 4 1/2 hour drive by bus ($13 economy $35 First Class) out of Mahanhaul. We'd get back to Cozumel before the ship arrived. And since we won't be the only person on the Native Choice bus, we'd have others along with us on the bus ride. What a way to see the real Mexico We have also used Native Choice to see the ruins at Chacchoben and would recommend them. Our group of about 20 went in two vans, each with a driver and guide, and the guide spoke and answered questions on the drive out so we felt we had some background before the tour given at the ruins. We were also able to avoid the crowds and feel as if we had the place to ourselves. We did the Cozumel tour to the mainland ruins booked through the ship, and it was exhausting. I wouldn't do that again! We had relatively little time at the ruins, with just a quick guided tour and 20 minutes or so to look around on our own. The travel time to and from the site, including the vomit rocket ferry, was longer than the time spent at the ruins, and we were late returning to the ship (but not the last to return). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bailey & Sophie Posted October 30, 2019 #14 Share Posted October 30, 2019 We always do ruins excursions if available. We're not beach people and love the history. We only do ship excursions. They may be more expensive but I don't have the worry about getting back on time. That's on them. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdylady Posted October 30, 2019 #15 Share Posted October 30, 2019 On 10/23/2019 at 2:53 PM, Host Clarea said: I would not try to visit any ruins on the mainland when stopping in Cozumel. Too much transportation time, including a trip on a ferry to the mainland on which getting seasick is common. I second this. Worst excursion ride ever. We commonly refer to this ferry ride as 'The Barf Rocket'. There were trash cans in every aisle and the ferry employees literally were handing out bags to everyone within 5 minutes of pulling away from the dock. And then between the long bus ride and the EXTREMELY pushy sales people at the store before you go into see the ruins, hated it. The tour folks push the store saying you have to go through there to use the restrooms and that's where drinks were. NEVER AGAIN! And this is so sad as I ALWAYS wanted to see the ruins. One thing I will say to keep an eye out was heat. It was extreme. Thankfully they provided golf umbrellas to cut down on the sun, but even with that, the heat was so bad I had to leave the ruins early to go back to the bus for the a/c and water. Erika Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Domino D Posted October 30, 2019 #16 Share Posted October 30, 2019 I think you have gotten really good advice in the other posts. We've visited ruins in both Costa Maya and Belize and they are all worth seeing and very cool. Having done Lamanai, Chacchoban , Kohunlich & Dzibanche you will likely be fine with any of them. I wouldn't do the tour to the mainland from Cozumel for the reasons already stated. I would only add, to look at what other excursions you may want to do in each port. For instance there is cave tubing excursion in Belize, and the 7 colors lagoon in Costa Maya. It may be worth seeing which port you have find something else interesting. Enjoy your cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chipmoose Posted October 31, 2019 #17 Share Posted October 31, 2019 We did the Tulum excursion thru RCL from Cozumel and enjoyed the ruins very much, but we are both into Mayan history. The ferry ride was very much a vomit comet in the morning, and many were miserable, but the trip back was not so rough. We had enough time on site to tour with guide and explore a little on our own, and even stopped for a swim at the beach below the ruins, before going back. If you are into this sort of thing, I would recommend the trip to Tulum. I recommend using RCL's excursion due to the distance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pspercy Posted October 31, 2019 #18 Share Posted October 31, 2019 On 10/30/2019 at 1:19 AM, Bailey & Sophie said: We always do ruins excursions if available. We're not beach people and love the history. We only do ship excursions. They may be more expensive but I don't have the worry about getting back on time. That's on them. We did the ship's (Mariner) excursion to Lamanai in Belize several years ago. Great fun and we were glad to be on Royal's trip as we were late getting back and they were holding the last tender for us :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
papaflamingo Posted October 31, 2019 #19 Share Posted October 31, 2019 Let me add another vote for Chacchoban out of Costa Maya. We were on Harmony in Sep. and due to a Tropical Storm we ended up re-routing to Western Caribbean. This didn't happen until we were on board so we were limited to ship excursions (I usually book privately). So we decided on the excursion to Chacchoban. It was hot, but we really enjoyed the tour. Our tour was a van and we had a great guide. So if you are concerned, and want to do a ships tour to the ruins, this one was very good. I also second all those who say AVOID going to the mainland out of Cozumel. We did that once...we'll never do it again. The ferry ride can be "tough." Here's a picture of our tour van to Chacchoban. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BND Posted October 31, 2019 #20 Share Posted October 31, 2019 We did Altun Ha when we went to Belize several years ago. It's in a rainforest and a bit of a drive, like an hour to get there, but it was interesting. It's also the only place I've used my OFF wipes as there were lots of mosquitoes. I wouldn't do the excursion in Cozumel either if I had to leave the island. The ferry is notorious for being a rough ride and it's a long trip because it's not like you get off the ferry and you're there. You have to drive a bit also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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