Any thoughts or suggestions doing Xel-Ha

[WishinIWasCruisin2004]

We want to go to Xel-Ha and bypass Tulum. Since we are on Rhapsody and are docked we think we can make the trip after spending several hours there, and get back without missing the boat (sails at 6). We plan on bypassing the busses and will take cabs instead, which I hope will save us some time. I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts or suggestions.

[solita]

I would not do the trip on your own for a couple of reasons...cost and time.

 

Rhapsody gets here at around 9 so plan on being able to leave the ship at about 9:15-9:30. You will have to take a taxi to fiscal pier ($6 one way) and it takes about 30 minutes from the time you leave the ship, walk down the pier, go through the shops, get a taxi, get downtown, buy your ticket and get on ferry. There is a ferry at 10am and the next one is at noon. Ferry ticket is $11 each way. Say that you made the 10am on time. Travel time to mainland is about 35 minutes. You will have to walk to taxi stand in Playa. Taxi to Xel-Ha will cost you about $75 each way and will take you about 45 minutes. Entrance to the park is $33 on weekdays, $22 on weekends. That is the basic entrance cost. So that puts you at Xel-Ha at about noon. Rhapsody leaves at 6pm local so in order to make it back on board by 5:30, you would need to leave Playa at 3pm because the next ferry isn´t until 5 and that one would get you back too late. So you would need to leave Xel-Ha at about 1:45. So your stay of about 2 hours would cost you $217.00 not including anything to eat or drink.

 

My suggestion is go on the Xel-Ha only tour through your ship. Royal Caribbean is the only one who offers it. You will leave the ship via tender with only other passengers from your ship. You will get to Playa at approx. 10am and go directly to your bus. You get to the park at about 11 and stay for approx. 5 hours. The bus takes you directly back to the tender that takes you directly back to the ship. The mainland tours are the last pax to load the ship. The cost with RCCL is $72.00 for adults with everything included...transportation, park entrance and beverages on the bus. And the assurance that the ship will not leave you if you are on a ship sponsored tour. Xel-Ha is great...GO!

[WishinIWasCruisin2004]

WOW. Thanks for the information. We wanted to go through Royal Caribbean but when I check Royal Caribbean I didn't see the Xel-Ha only excursion and didn't want to Tulum, but now its there. We have 8 in our party at $72 that’s $576. I think it’s worth the peace of mind and several more hours at the park.

[solita]

Glad to help. I suggest you check out their website and look at the layout of what is there. The place is huge and it takes forever to make the complete circle walking.

 

http://www.xelha.com

[232271]

I would not do the trip on your own for a couple of reasons...cost and time.

 

Rhapsody gets here at around 9 so plan on being able to leave the ship at about 9:15-9:30. You will have to take a taxi to fiscal pier ($6 one way) and it takes about 30 minutes from the time you leave the ship, walk down the pier, go through the shops, get a taxi, get downtown, buy your ticket and get on ferry. There is a ferry at 10am and the next one is at noon. Ferry ticket is $11 each way. Say that you made the 10am on time. Travel time to mainland is about 35 minutes. You will have to walk to taxi stand in Playa. Taxi to Xel-Ha will cost you about $75 each way and will take you about 45 minutes. Entrance to the park is $33 on weekdays, $22 on weekends. That is the basic entrance cost. So that puts you at Xel-Ha at about noon. Rhapsody leaves at 6pm local so in order to make it back on board by 5:30, you would need to leave Playa at 3pm because the next ferry isn´t until 5 and that one would get you back too late. So you would need to leave Xel-Ha at about 1:45. So your stay of about 2 hours would cost you $217.00 not including anything to eat or drink.

 

My suggestion is go on the Xel-Ha only tour through your ship. Royal Caribbean is the only one who offers it. You will leave the ship via tender with only other passengers from your ship. You will get to Playa at approx. 10am and go directly to your bus. You get to the park at about 11 and stay for approx. 5 hours. The bus takes you directly back to the tender that takes you directly back to the ship. The mainland tours are the last pax to load the ship. The cost with RCCL is $72.00 for adults with everything included...transportation, park entrance and beverages on the bus. And the assurance that the ship will not leave you if you are on a ship sponsored tour. Xel-Ha is great...GO!

 

Do you know if food is included in the RCCL price? thanks!:)

and if we are on the Rhapsody and we dock, do we still tender to the mainland or walk off and take the ferry?