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tsell

tsell

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We are taking a cruise in June.  Our ports of call are Costa Maya, Mahogany bay, and Cozumel.  Which one has the best shopping, snorkeling, beaches?  We want to try to do one activity at each port, so we are seeking more experienced cruisers advice!

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Essiesmom "Live from...." Rare

Essiesmom

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Mahogany Bay is a Carnival created port on Roatan.  There is a nice shopping area, and a lovely beach.  No need to go anywhere else.  
Costa Maya is another port created for cruises.  Nice shopping area, pool and small beach area by the pool, but you have to buy something from the restaurant to use the loungers.   Is it the Ports of Call boards here for more options.

   Cozumel offers the most opportunities.  There are three pier areas, one used by the Carnival family and occasional others, one by Royal and her group of lines, and the downtown pier with NCL, MDC, Disney.  It seems you will be on a Carnival line so you will dock at the Puerto Maya pier.  Next door is the International pier.  Each have their own extensive shopping areas.  The third pier is Punta Langosta and is right downtown with more stores and restaurants.  Again, suggest you visit the Ports of Call boards for more options in Cozumel.  EM

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cruiseaholic777

cruiseaholic777

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Go to Mr. Sancho's at Cozumel. We have been to this resort many times and we love it. Great food and drinks all included. Last time I paid 60$ each for the day. Every kind of shrimp you can think of red snapper and a lot more. Pools with swim up bars and a nice beach.

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leaveitallbehind

leaveitallbehind

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Most visitors to Cozumel aren't aware that there is a mostly undeveloped back side to the island which is quite attractive in its raw beauty. Along with the good suggestion by @cruiseaholic777you may also want to look into the Cozumel Bar Hop, which as the name implies, takes you to several establishments that are built on the island's back side, which based on having their own power source, are only open during the day.  It is an interesting tour, but it is independently booked and not offered (in our experience) by the ships.  Here is their website link:

https://cozumelbarhop.com/

 

In Costa Maya, there is an all inclusive beach resort called Maya Chan that was developed a number of years ago by an experienced US cruising family that wanted to offer a day pass experience that was built to serve cruisers who were looking for that type of alternative and would be secure in the knowledge that the pick up and return to the pier area would be timed correctly to assure no concerns about returning to the ship on time.  It is very well run and, in our multiple visit experience, well worth doing. It too is independently booked. Here is their link:

https://costamayabeachresort.com/

 

Just a couple of alternative ideas to consider.

 

Edited by leaveitallbehind
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dctravel Great Review Rare

dctravel

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We just did this itinerary on the Carnival Jubilee. In Mahogany Bay (Roatan) we did a Maya Key excursion with snorkeling and lunch through the ship. Snorkeling was great, lunch good. Only complaint was how close some of the coral is to the surface. Just need to be careful as you swim.

 

In Costa Maya, we took a cab ($4pp each way) to a beach club in Mahahual. Beach club was great (Pez Quadro at 40 Canons Hotel) and was AI for drinks, with lunch (one order per person). There were hawkers on the beach, but a simple "no thank you" and they moved on. Port area, when we returned, looked to crowded for us.

 

In Cozumel, we did a food tour through Cozumel Chefs (all the stops were family run restaurants and they were able to accommodate our allergies). 

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Nebr.cruiser

Nebr.cruiser

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Mahogany Bay for us is mostly a beach day for us since we've been there often.  But, we have taken great tours that had toured the island, ziplining, small zoos, wonderful snorkeling from a catamaran, usually ending with a beach break.

 

Costa Maya we have had a couple of really nice tours to the ruins, using non-ship tours.  It's also a good port to just take a taxi or bus to the beach area and hang out there.

 

Cozumel has many, many things to do.  My favorite was a tour where we drove dune buggies around the island, stopping at many places along the way.  We've also gone to beach clubs, done snorkeling and sometimes just walk around the port area since we've been there so many times.

 

We almost never do ship tours, but we are experienced cruisers.  Some tour we arrange beforehand, others we just pick up on the dock.

 

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Mum2Mercury

Mum2Mercury

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On 4/22/2024 at 8:52 PM, tsell said:

We are taking a cruise in June.  Our ports of call are Costa Maya, Mahogany bay, and Cozumel.  Which one has the best shopping, snorkeling, beaches?  We want to try to do one activity at each port, so we are seeking more experienced cruisers advice!

You'll find great beaches in every port.  They are Caribbean islands, after all. 

The best shopping, hands down, will be in Cozumel -- though I personally never find anything I would actually use.  

On 4/24/2024 at 1:07 AM, cruiseaholic777 said:

Go to Mr. Sancho's at Cozumel. 

We prefer Chankanaab, which is more family-oriented, less focused on all-you-can-drink.  Chankanaab is a national (state?) park and requires a $12 taxi ride ... taxis are super-easy in Cozumel; they're lined up outside the shopping center, and an expediter manages the taxi-needers and the taxi-drivers.  Entrance to Chankanaab is about $25/adult ... don't allow your driver to stop by a road-side stand; insist that you're going to buy your ticket at the gate.  Chankanaab has a pool, the ocean (which is too rough for kids), playgrounds for kids, snorkeling, a sea lion show, a reptile exhibit, and a trail with Mayan statues and a replica village.  Loungers and umbrellas are plentiful.  Food and drink are reasonably priced.  For additional fee you can swim with dolphins.  Maybe some other activities.  

On 4/25/2024 at 1:36 PM, dctravel said:

In Cozumel, we did a food tour through Cozumel Chefs (all the stops were family run restaurants and they were able to accommodate our allergies). 

That sounds like something we'd enjoy!  Would you please share the tour company you used?  

On 4/29/2024 at 11:29 AM, Nebr.cruiser said:

We almost never do ship tours, but we are experienced cruisers.  Some tour we arrange beforehand, others we just pick up on the dock.

We rarely use a ship's tour -- too crowded, too lackluster, too focused on shopping.  We only opt for a ship's tour if it's an activity that takes us some distance from the port or requires complicated transportation.  That they cost more than private tours is just the nail in their coffin.  

We like to make our choices before we leave home -- it's easy to look for reviews and be sure you're making a good choice.  

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Mum2Mercury

Mum2Mercury

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4 hours ago, SongsInMyHead said:

How do you find tours/companies that will offer tours outside of the cruise so that you can look for them ahead of time?

Start with this website ... I think that portion of the site's called Ports of Call.  

Or if you know you want a specific activity, Google that activity + the island.  

Check reviews for any company you plan to use.  

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dctravel Great Review Rare

dctravel

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5 hours ago, Mum2Mercury said:
On 4/25/2024 at 1:36 PM, dctravel said:

In Cozumel, we did a food tour through Cozumel Chefs (all the stops were family run restaurants and they were able to accommodate our allergies). 

 

That sounds like something we'd enjoy!  Would you please share the tour company you used?

We used Cozumel Chef (https://www.cozumelchef.com/). They were easy to work with and we had a great time! The tour was my family of 4, plus one other couple (who were staying at a resort, not there on a cruise). We had a private taxi for the 6 of us (plus the guide and driver). After we were done, the driver happily took us back to the pier for the standard price. Made it very easy!

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