Almaplena since the shutdown-questions

[bguppies]

We are cruising to Costa Maya in early December.

I've been before and toured the beach clubs on the Malecon.

Wasn't too thrilled with how tightly packed the places were, how small the beaches were and the water quality. (not just the seaweed)

 

Started watching videos on youtube to see what has changed since the shuitdown.

Jamies', the Krazy Lobster, etc. (all the recommended places) None seemed to fit what we enjoy.

Relaxation, gorgeous water and beach area, no crowds.

 

Saw alot of videos on Maya Chan which looked nice,  relaxation and crowdwise, but the water quality looked the same as the clubs along the Malecon.

 

Could only find a couple of videos of Almaplena and none that are recent.

But it looks like it has everything we enjoy, is there. The beach and the water at Almplena seemed much nicer than Maya Chan and definitely no crowds.

 

Was hoping somebody that has been in the past year could give us a recent review and explain about how to get there.

 

We tried e-mailing them for clarification about the free transportation to get there, but I assume through a language issue, could not get a straight answer from them. (in multiple e-mails)

 

Do they have a van that runs to their faciliity to pick up guests or do you just catch a random cab at the pier and they reimburse you or the cabbie?

 

How long is the drive there and back to the pier? (tough to tell by google maps)

 

With 4 ships (including one of RC's megaboats) in port that day, I definitely don't think anywhere on the Malecon or the pier area would be a good choice that day.

If we were the only ship there that day, I'd probably just stay at the pier pool all day and save the hassle, as we have the heaven that is Nachi Cocum already booked for two days earlier.

 

Thanks in advance for any help anyone can give.

[bguppies]

So nobody has been to Almaplena recently?!?!?!?!?

[bguppies]

Looking like might have to stay on the ship, as apparently nobody is using Almaplena anymore....😟

[c-leg5]

2 hours ago, bguppies said:

Looking like might have to stay on the ship, as apparently nobody is using Almaplena anymore....😟

Have you tried the search engine. - i recall a review from someone this year that had a good day.

[c-leg5]

There was another review from someone who went to Hotel Luna, which I haven’t seen mentioned for years. You might want to check that out or Hayhu if you are looking for places off the malecon.

[bguppies]

Thanks si much for the tip...

[bguppies]

Couldn't find much on Hotewl Luna either...

[c-leg5]

32 minutes ago, bguppies said:

Couldn't find much on Hotewl Luna either...

I did say there weren’t many “day reviews” in recent years. It was one if the original out of town locations. it is actually Maya Luna.
https://hotelmayaluna.com/costa-maya-beach-resort/

 

Let us know how it goes if you try it - I am looking for somewhere new for December.

[bguppies]

Thanks for the link and the name clarification.

[AmandaKaye79]

You have to book their package. It is through the hotel. They provide you transportation to and from the ship and will tell you how to get it.

https://www.almaplenabeachresort.com/beachclub/costamaya-beach_break.htm

[c-leg5]

43 minutes ago, AmandaKaye79 said:

You have to book their package. It is through the hotel. They provide you transportation to and from the ship and will tell you how to get it.

https://www.almaplenabeachresort.com/beachclub/costamaya-beach_break.htm

Have you been recently?

 

Have their prices increased, I don't remember it being that expensive.

[bguppies]

13 hours ago, AmandaKaye79 said:

You have to book their package. It is through the hotel. They provide you transportation to and from the ship and will tell you how to get it.

https://www.almaplenabeachresort.com/beachclub/costamaya-beach_break.htm

Amanda Kaye thanks for the updated website. Price does seem to have risen.

 

DW is mobility limited and needs a walker.

 

We tried e-mailing Almaplena about transportation details, but got no clear answers from them. (I'm hoping it was due to laguage issues)

 

If we could find out ANY recent information about the transportation, we would probably be all in.

 

The walk at the pier in Cosya Maya is long enough.(since I keep reading the shuttle there runs VERY sporadically)

I don't know if she can walk the entire pier AND then walk through the entire port area, then out onto the street and 1/2 mile-1 mile down the road to catch transpostation.

 

Any details about a recent experience would be extremely helpful.

Would love to do this if it sounds do-able, but with zero info to be found recently, its looking more like another stay on the ship day.(Belize once was enough)

Edited September 14, 2022 by bguppies

[AmandaKaye79]

It was just a little taxi cab that took us. I think if you emailed them again you could really explain yourself and get a clear answer. When we went, we were the only two people from the ship. I think they only take like 20 per day. But this was before COVID, so I'm going again in November and I can let you know more. 

[AmandaKaye79]

14 hours ago, c-leg5 said:

Have you been recently?

 

Have their prices increased, I don't remember it being that expensive.

There prices have increased (a lot I think )

[bguppies]

3 hours ago, AmandaKaye79 said:

It was just a little taxi cab that took us. I think if you emailed them again you could really explain yourself and get a clear answer. When we went, we were the only two people from the ship. I think they only take like 20 per day. But this was before COVID, so I'm going again in November and I can let you know more. 

I would be extremely happy to hear anything.

 

It seems like nobody has been going to Almaplena much since covid.

I was hoping with Maya Chan closed most of the summer, a few more people would try Almaplena, but it hasn't appeared to be the case.

 

Everything we've seen looks like this place would be the kind of day we are looking for, just the walking logistics is making this so difficult.

Cozumel is easy, short walk, cab, nachi Cocum.

 

The pier in Costa Maya is much longer , plus from what I've seen for Almaplena and Maya Chan you need to walk past the taxi stands outside to somewhere down the street to catch a ride.

 

I'm just worried that might be tough.

 

So any current info from your visit would be incredibly helpful.

Thanks in advance.

 

Hope your visit is a great day.

Edited September 14, 2022 by bguppies

[c-leg5]

42 minutes ago, bguppies said:

I would be extremely happy to hear anything.

 

It seems like nobody has been going to Almaplena much since covid.

I was hoping with Maya Chan closed most of the summer, a few more people would try Almaplena, but it hasn't appeared to be the case.

 

Everything we've seen looks like this place would be the kind of day we are looking for, just the walking logistics is making this so difficult.

Cozumel is easy, short walk, cab, nachi Cocum.

 

The pier in Costa Maya is much longer , plus from what I've seen for Almaplena and Maya Chan you need to walk past the taxi stands outside to somewhere down the street to catch a ride.

 

I'm just worried that might be tough.

 

So any current info from your visit would be incredibly helpful.

Thanks in advance.

 

Hope your visit is a great day.

Trolley service on the pier is intermittent especially since they extended the pier - I think perhaps the crowds of people make running it hazardous? However there is always some wheelchair assistance (I think offered by the port authorities) from the ship to the port area. I am not sure if the ship call one for you. 
 

I don’t know of any assistance within the port, we took our own transport wheelchair for my MIL.

 

Taxis now stop within the port gates again,  like the old days! However they claim there is an added fee to do this. This may well be true, but doesn’t explain why we were still charged the same price from the hotel outside the port. Someone in Costa Maya is getting a lot of kickbacks these days. I am very disappointed in the way things are developing at this port since cruising resumed. 

 

I think, and again this is purely speculation, that Almaplena may arrange for you to be picked up from within the port now which may be one reason for increased price - of course you would need to confirm that with the resort directly. 
 

Since they are not as big an operation as Maya Chan they do not have their own pick up station as far as I know, like Maya Chan.

 

[AmandaKaye79]

Beach Break Amenities
Included in all our Beach Break Packages

+40.000 ft² Private Beach

Panoramic Restaurant Terrace

Free Wifi Service

English Speaking Staff

Guaranteed Lounge Chairs

Shower

Round Trip Transportation

Guaranteed Shaded Area

Changing Rooms

Coral Reef near the Beach

Clean Bathrooms

Snorkel Gear Rental

All Day Open Bar (8 am/6 pm)

Trendy Beach Location

Available Room to Rent

Lunch all you can eat (served lunch in one solution)

Mayan Jewelry Shop

Cocktail Pool

[c-leg5]

Just now, AmandaKaye79 said:

Beach Break Amenities
Included in all our Beach Break Packages

+40.000 ft² Private Beach

Panoramic Restaurant Terrace

Free Wifi Service

English Speaking Staff

Guaranteed Lounge Chairs

Shower

Round Trip Transportation

Guaranteed Shaded Area

Changing Rooms

Coral Reef near the Beach

Clean Bathrooms

Snorkel Gear Rental

All Day Open Bar (8 am/6 pm)

Trendy Beach Location

Available Room to Rent

Lunch all you can eat (served lunch in one solution)

Mayan Jewelry Shop

Cocktail Pool

Am i correct in thinking the taxi picks you up within the port now?

[AmandaKaye79]

That I don't know. I will tell you when I get back in November.

[bguppies]

20 hours ago, AmandaKaye79 said:

That I don't know. I will tell you when I get back in November.

Thanks again for all the info current and future.

[bguppies]

20 hours ago, c-leg5 said:

Since they are not as big an operation as Maya Chan they do not have their own pick up station as far as I know, like Maya Chan.

 

Yeah that was the whole thing we tried to get ironed out with them since the last review that barely mentioned the transporataion was from years before the shutdown.

We kept trying to explain why we were questioning where to pick up transportation and where to meet it, but I don't think after three different e-mails explaining our situation like I have in here, they understood why we were questioning it.

They just kept responding that transportation WAS available, but absolutely zero details we asked about in any of the 3 responses we got.

Edited September 15, 2022 by bguppies

[cynt]

@bguppies  Call them. We understand what you are saying but I think they might be missing your point and will understand it better in a phone conversation.

 

We cruise in a few weeks. I'm looking for a beach club for my party of 13. Thanks for posting about Almaplena. I have added them to my list.  $89/pp is a little steep but it includes transportation. Transportation is usually $4/pp one way in a taxi. 

 

Our favorite place Maya Chan is full as well as Blue Reef. I've narrowed it down to Ibiza Sunset ($55.99 alcohol/$32.99 non alcohol) and Pez Quadros 40 Canones ($85 alcohol/$45 non alcohol). 

 

I wish Almaplena had a nonalcohol pkg. Some people in our group do not drink alcohol.

 

I hope you get it all figured out. 

[bguppies]

20 minutes ago, cynt said:

@bguppies  Call them. We understand what you are saying but I think they might be missing your point and will understand it better in a phone conversation.

 

We cruise in a few weeks. I'm looking for a beach club for my party of 13. Thanks for posting about Almaplena. I have added them to my list.  $89/pp is a little steep but it includes transportation. Transportation is usually $4/pp one way in a taxi. 

 

Our favorite place Maya Chan is full as well as Blue Reef. I've narrowed it down to Ibiza Sunset ($55.99 alcohol/$32.99 non alcohol) and Pez Quadros 40 Canones ($85 alcohol/$45 non alcohol). 

 

I wish Almaplena had a nonalcohol pkg. Some people in our group do not drink alcohol.

 

I hope you get it all figured out. 

Best of luck to your group too.

 

We were mostly interested in Almaplena, since their beach, further south from town, seemed to have less seaweed than I've ever seen in any video for Maya Chan or ANY beach club in town.(although I've only been able to find a couple of videos from years ago)

 

But as I have found, in here and on you tube, it is very difficult to find first hand videos or accounts, like you easily can of Maya Chan.

 

The one time we ran into seaweed at Nachi Cocum in Cozumel, the smell by the end of the day, definitely had impacted our enjoyment that day.

 

The one time I have been to Costa Maya before, every beach club along the Malecon was deep in seaweed and the smell was pretty tough, even walking on the Malecon, not even trying to head to the water.

 

Most of the videos on you tube of Jaime's, Tropicante, etc. are frightening with seaweed at all times of the year. Tried to see if time of year plays a part like in Cozumel, but clearly not nearly as much.(One video looked like they tried a net to keep out the seaweed, seemed to work a little. Outside the netting the seaweed bunched up so much there were 2-3 foot Iguanas walking on top of the seawweeed in the video)

 

Would just like DW to have a 2nd relaxing beach day on our December cruise.

[c-leg5]

43 minutes ago, cynt said:

@bguppies  Call them. We understand what you are saying but I think they might be missing your point and will understand it better in a phone conversation.

 

We cruise in a few weeks. I'm looking for a beach club for my party of 13. Thanks for posting about Almaplena. I have added them to my list.  $89/pp is a little steep but it includes transportation. Transportation is usually $4/pp one way in a taxi. 

 

Our favorite place Maya Chan is full as well as Blue Reef. I've narrowed it down to Ibiza Sunset ($55.99 alcohol/$32.99 non alcohol) and Pez Quadros 40 Canones ($85 alcohol/$45 non alcohol). 

 

I wish Almaplena had a nonalcohol pkg. Some people in our group do not drink alcohol.

 

I hope you get it all figured out. 

Have you considered Maya Luna? We are considering there for a future visit but our port stops presently are not very long port hours, so we keep delaying booking there.

 

They have several packages, including total PAYG wIth a minimum consumption fee. Transport can be arranged but is extra. 
 

Almaplena does include transport but seems very expensive however it is a considerable distance, beyond Maya Chan but reached via a different route. I can see Maya Chan increasing prices again in the future although obviously have a negotiated taxi rate because of volume. 
 

$4pp will only get you to in town, or the end of town. That is a ridiculous increase also for a party of 4 considering the distance.

[c-leg5]

22 minutes ago, bguppies said:

Best of luck to your group too.

 

We were mostly interested in Almaplena, since their beach, further south from town, seemed to have less seaweed than I've ever seen in any video for Maya Chan or ANY beach club in town.(although I've only been able to find a couple of videos from years ago)

 

But as I have found, in here and on you tube, it is very difficult to find first hand videos or accounts, like you easily can of Maya Chan.

 

The one time we ran into seaweed at Nachi Cocum in Cozumel, the smell by the end of the day, definitely had impacted our enjoyment that day.

 

The one time I have been to Costa Maya before, every beach club along the Malecon was deep in seaweed and the smell was pretty tough, even walking on the Malecon, not even trying to head to the water.

 

Most of the videos on you tube of Jaime's, Tropicante, etc. are frightening with seaweed at all times of the year. Tried to see if time of year plays a part like in Cozumel, but clearly not nearly as much.(One video looked like they tried a net to keep out the seaweed, seemed to work a little. Outside the netting the seaweed bunched up so much there were 2-3 foot Iguanas walking on top of the seawweeed in the video)

 

Would just like DW to have a 2nd relaxing beach day on our December cruise.

I think you are missing the point about sargassum to some degree. It isn’t generally year-round. It is seasonal with some years much worse than others.

 

However, it does predominantly affect east coast beaches (of many islands and mainland coasts). Therefore it will affect all the coast along Costa Maya and Mahahual unless for some reason there is a protected inlet. You only have to read TripAdvisor reviews to realize Almaplena is not exempt.
 

Beaches like Nachi Cocom are only affected temporarily since they are on a south- west coast and only get sargassum temporarily after certain storms, which change predominant currents, unlike the east coast of Cozumel which is seriously affected during the season. I agree the smell can become overbearing - we have had to cut short one of our visits to Rasta’s (one of our favorite Cozumel east coast stops). We have also been to Nachi, like you, when sargassum  was bad and unlike places that are regularly affected they didn’t seem to have the staff to deal with it very proficiently. Fortunately it is only a temporary problem there and they don’t get the accumulated masses that affects some places. I agree Mahahual has a serious problem during the season, just like many of the resorts areas further north on the mainland, Cancun, Playa, Puerta Morelos.

 

That said if you are visiting in December you certainly have a better chance of being at a clearer time. You will have a good idea before you even dock as you will have seen how much is floating on the ocean and how much is around the port of Costa Maya.