Seriously considering renting a car.

[Cruise418th]

Hubby and I are porting at Coz in Oct. So much to do, so little time to do all. Want to snorkel, (from shore is fine) want to see some ruins, (San Gervasio?) sounds like Paradise Beach is a great place to do a variety of things, Punta Sur light house maybe, and of course a bit of shopping.

 

I really don't like to be on such a timed thing and want to be able to pick up and go somewhere else exploring on a whim. I've gotton such great info. on this forum (thanks ya'll). Just want to know the 'why nots' as well as the "why tos' on renting a car.

 

Has anyone done this and to what success? Never been to Cozumel before and if traffic is difficult to negotiate, I may have second thoughts?

 

Thanks in advance for your replies. :)

[cruisinonup]

We rented 2 jeeps from Avis right at the pier last month. We found that by checking prices beforehand and bringing a printed copy of that with us saved us some money. When we got there all of the car rental places tried to charge quite a bit more than the price quoted online. The 2 things to consider with renting a car there is 1) the standards are not the same there and you won't come off the lot with a brand new vehicle- both of ours were far from perfect and 2)expect to be taken advantage of at the gas pump- we had read about this and were prepared to be able to pump our own gas and watch the pumps, long story short, they pump the gas and keep the pumps covered so you can't tell where the pumps start and finish. Anyway, it was still worth the small aggrevations to have a car and see the island. The island is beautiful and easy to get around. When heading south towards the beaches, there is NO traffic. We went to Cozumel on a stormy day but still managed to have a good trip. Other posters suggest buying a map beforehand which I wish I had done. We did get slightly lost but the island is pretty easy to navigate on so it didn't take much effort to find our way back. Have fun there!! I am so jealous because I want to go back!!!

[driftwood]

. . . you might really want to consider taking a cab for each activity in Cozumel. This is an island: no one will be driving you fifty or sixty miles to a "tourist site." You would lose little time in negotiation, and there would be no papers to sign. You would have your own driver. You would not have to find a parking place in, for example, San Miguel--which is not a minor consideration, especially when other cruise ships' passengers are in town. You would have with you (for the time the taxi is engaged) someone who could make suggestions of things you ought to want to see, places you ought to want to eat, bars and beaches you might want to hang out on; who could take you there without getting lost or getting into an accident, who will know what the traffic is like so as to avoid traffic snarls during peak periods, and who could tell you very precisely when you need to plan to return to your ship.

 

Mexico is a foreign country in more ways than one, and it has learned to protect itself from American tourists in many ways. The automobile insurance you had better purchase every available bit of to drive in Cozumel is one example. While renting our own personal car in Cozumel fits our American macho image in the world, like our American macho image in the world it doesn't necessarily make sense. How many places are you planning to zip around to in how many hours? Plan on taking a drink or two? Plan on lying on a beach for two or three hours? Given a choice between driving or chilling--and considering how much one has already spent to get to the Cozumel pier--I would not recommend grudging the Cozumel taxi drivers a few bucks--even in tips, which they will earn!

 

I have no connection either with auto rental companies or with taxi drivers, and I am not necessarily in favor of taking money out of one industry to put it into another; but I have been to Cozumel several times, and I have always found the taxi drivers to be value added! :D

[jetskier]

Renting a car does has its advantages and dis-advantages. I was able to get a car with insurance for $58 from Avis. It cost $25 one-way by taxi to go to the east side of the island. Make sure you take out the insurance full coverage with ZERO deductible.

 

This past Dec 6th, I had a taxi t-bone my rental car while I was making a left turn. In Mexico both parties go to the police station, statements are taken, and then a hearing is held. ANY fines and/or damages to the vehicles has to be paid before you are released. We barely made it back to the ship before it was to sail away. The wreck was at 2pm and we got out of the police station at 4:20.

 

Dave

[Cruise418th]

Thank you all for your replies. They are very valid and will weigh in my decision as we get closer to our trip. I respect your experiences.

 

I believe our ship comes in to the pier that is south of the city area and then most of what I would want to see is south of that but I do know that accidents can happen anywhere.

 

Thanks again. I will keep checking this thread for anyone else's take on this.

[kenf333]

If you or the driver plan on having an adult cocktail or a few then I would do the taxi or better yet hire a driver for the day at around $20/hr, they also serve as a tour guide..

[Cruise418th]

Sorry to crash the party. We don't drink. Some of our entertainment will be watching those that do. :D

 

Thanks for the tip on the Taxi for a day thing. That was mentioned above and it sounds like a good option.

[driftwood]

It would seem that jetskier survived his encounter with an errant taxi driver, and I hope he and his loved one(s) were not at all injured. But as you can readily calculate, losing 2 hours 20 minutes of the day you had purchased for a cruise port experience with much blood, sweat, toil and tears, which you had hoped to spend, we assume, not in the police station, is much more expensive than paying--and tipping--a cab driver! jetskier and the involved cabdriver may have spent the late afternoon entertaining the police, but I doubt that the cab's passengers--if there were any--were prevented from finding an intact cab and continuing their island getaway!

 

The roads that I have been on in Cozumel have been good ones, and the roads seem not difficult to follow; but there is always that other fellow--and sometimes he is not so sober . . . . :rolleyes:

[amagar]

Hi,

 

We've rented a car three times in Cozumel. Always a beat-up, old VW convertible. Cost us $35 per day with insurance (there's a gas station right across from the cruise port/rental). We'll be there again in February and will again rent because, like original poster, we have a lot of things we want to do...and we selfishly want to do them on our own time.

 

A couple of things: We rent from the men at the pier showing you pictures of what they have to offer. I think it's an American brand-name company -- Hertz?

 

Also, these cars aren't the best. One never went into second gear. But it was fine to cart us around for the day....(all stick shifts by the way....and no a/c). Easier to drive in Cozumel than many other places -- like St. Thomas or much of Italy, which is hilly and crowded.

[jetskier]

It would seem that jetskier survived his encounter with an errant taxi driver, and I hope he and his loved one(s) were not at all injured. But as you can readily calculate, losing 2 hours 20 minutes of the day you had purchased for a cruise port experience with much blood, sweat, toil and tears, which you had hoped to spend, we assume, not in the police station, is much more expensive than paying--and tipping--a cab driver! jetskier and the involved cabdriver may have spent the late afternoon entertaining the police, but I doubt that the cab's passengers--if there were any--were prevented from finding an intact cab and continuing their island getaway!

 

The roads that I have been on in Cozumel have been good ones, and the roads seem not difficult to follow; but there is always that other fellow--and sometimes he is not so sober . . . . :rolleyes:

 

I ended up with bruising to my left shoulder and head and my wife ended up with a bulging disk between C6 and C7. The one and only time that I did not purchase cruise insurance.:mad: There was no way I was going to a Mexican hospital. Luckily I had not been drinking that day so it could have been worse.

 

A simple left turn into a driveway. The taxi was speeding and would have hit us no matter what. Luckily she did not have any passengers. We got fined $25 for failure to yield. Sucks but it is the same law in the US. If someone decides to try and pass you on the left as you are making a turn, you are at fault. Does not matter that you had your turn signal on.

[cruzn4me]

Just my own lil own opininion....Rent a JEEP. Explore the WILD SIDE. Eat Cerzeche at Rasta's. Snorkel where you see fit. Dip your feet in the wild ocean spray. Stop for a cool shot of coconut milk. Get out and explore. You won't regret it.:D

[driftwood]

Wow, jetskier, I'm impressed that you did survive! But of course it is true that the same thing could happen to anyone anywhere at any time. It has happened to me, here in sober sunny Virginia on a Sunday, although in my case a very large towtruck made a left turn into my innocent penultimate Cadillac--and the towtruck driver told the policeman he just "hadn't seen" me--so he took the ticket which he so richly deserved. And of course we took the injuries and the totalled vehicle and his very unpleasant insurance adjuster . . . .

 

Must forget all about it . . . .

 

I would just as soon take a vacation from driving when I am on vacation. But that's me!

[jetskier]

Wow, jetskier, I'm impressed that you did survive! But of course it is true that the same thing could happen to anyone anywhere at any time. It has happened to me, here in sober sunny Virginia on a Sunday, although in my case a very large towtruck made a left turn into my innocent penultimate Cadillac--and the towtruck driver told the policeman he just "hadn't seen" me--so he took the ticket which he so richly deserved. And of course we took the injuries and the totalled vehicle and his very unpleasant insurance adjuster . . . .

 

Must forget all about it . . . .

 

I would just as soon take a vacation from driving when I am on vacation. But that's me!

 

The door was shoved in over 8 inches. You have to keep in mind this is a Ford Fiesta. You are already sitting close to the door and post. My head whacked the post.

 

The next day was better. I showed the photos of the wreck to the manager at Senor Frogs. He brought me three shots over for free saying that it would help me forget about the day before.

 

My dentist was in Grand Cayman last month. He went to turn into the hotel when a dump truck which was speeding around a curve hit him on the passenger side of the rental car. It shoved all the way in to his seat. Luckily his wife was not with him. He ended up breaking a couple of ribs. He had to pay the hospital bill in full before they would release him. The car rental place tried to place a $20,000 charge on his credit card for the car. He is doing better but the amount of bruising he has is unbelievable. He is still trying to get glass out of his scalp.

 

Dave

[driftwood]

I think we may be off-topic . . . .

 

Doug

[jetskier]

I think we may be off-topic . . . .

 

Doug

 

Not too much...as these experiances are what can happen to you if you rent a car.:rolleyes: Though it can really happen anywhere.

 

As long as the OP is aware of the risks that you take, they should be okay. It is also another good reason to have your passport with you. If you miss the ship, you will not be able to fly to catch up to it or back to the US without your passport.

 

Dave

[driftwood]

If I have to be flying all over the place I am going to need company with deep pockets! But of course I am not so macho as to travel without the most extravagant trip insurance available . . . another way to stay broke! "driftwood" is not "jetskier"! :D

[Cruise418th]

Wow guys,

 

Thanks for all the very informative insight.

 

We will have our passports, we do have the travel insurance that RCCL offers, (if there is more that I should get, let me know) I can drive and actually prefer stick shifts and because I'm probably going to take off south from the pier, I should be making mostly right turns until I head back. ;)

 

Really, all of this information is so very inportant for me to know before we go and if we do rent something, all of these comments will be in my head while I'm driving which may keep me out of trouble just because I had the warning of the potentials. We may get off the ship and see the driving climate and say, 'uh, no' or we may get off and say, 'piece of cake'. We'll see.

 

I'm so very glad I asked, however, as your warnings are not falling on deaf ears.

 

Any other thoughts about this are welcome. I'll keep tabs on advice given.

 

BTW, where'd you rent the jeep?

[YellowTJ]

We're too debating on renting a car. I'm torn just like the poster. We took cabs lat time we were there. I was a little frightened of how they drove all over the place passing mopeds so close I thought we'd clip them for sure.

 

So here's my take... if your used to driving in a busy downtown environment where you have to pay the strictest of attention then I think your good. While a lot of time it's not busy at all, when you get near shopping or where the ships port it feels like a full on every car for itself mentality.

 

I think just be honest with yourself, if you live in a busy city and think you can add to normal American woes, then go for it. However if you often feel like country mouse come to town when the traffic starts going 10 different ways then just take a cab :)

[kenf333]

Read somewhere that the eastern road heading south of chen rio (towards the lighthouse) is closed due to storm damage. Maybe a local can give more details, and or it may be repaired before your trip.

[driftwood]

You'll be fine! As places go, Cozumel should be some of the easiest driving you have experienced--the nuisance is in San Miguel, which gets pretty congested when the ships are in, and which has no known parking space available after 11 AM; of course such traffic as there is is busy jamming San Miguel and the airport, which is north of San Miguel; the rest is the very nice road to the east coast, and the southern loop which you are interested in, and with whose state of repair I am unfamiliar. If you make it through the day without hitting someone on a moped (not as easy as it sounds), you shouldn't have any problems.

 

We drove a Toyota Corolla in St. Maarten for two weeks last year--I wouldn't wish that on anyone, but the dangers there were more often from enormous rocks falling from above onto the roads or the cars, and from trying to parallel park in parking spaces too small for most bicycles. Not a dent! Don't ask me how--it is all a blur!

[jetskier]

When we were there in January, they were almost done rebuilding the east-west road. The road to the south was completely redone. I am not sure how much damage was done to the north-south road on the east side of the island due to Dean.

 

To avoid the congestion in San Miguel, take 30th Avenue. Keep in mind most of the Avenues are one way. Look at the direction the cars are parked to give you an idea of the direction of traffic.

 

Dave

[eastexascruiser]

We've rented jeeps from Avis the last 2 times we were in Cozumel. We rented ahead of time & just got off the ship & picked up our vehicle. I don't recall the exact cost, but it was under $50.

 

We are going again in November & if we didn't have 11 in our party, we would definitely be renting our own vehicle again.

 

The nice thing about Cozumel is that there is really just one road (once you make it through the downtown area). Yes, getting gas was a little challenging, but other than that, no regrets!

 

We loved to be able to explore the island at our leisure.

 

Enjoy your trip!

[kenf333]

When we were there in January, they were almost done rebuilding the east-west road. The road to the south was completely redone. I am not sure how much damage was done to the north-south road on the east side of the island due to Dean.

 

To avoid the congestion in San Miguel, take 30th Avenue. Keep in mind most of the Avenues are one way. Look at the direction the cars are parked to give you an idea of the direction of traffic.

 

Dave

 

About 300 ft was totally gone From the east side heading south based on another report.