Uxmal Tour Review

[fargodakota]

Uxmal Ruin Tour

 

We decided to go with the tour from Carnival. The price difference between Carnival and Autoprogresso really was not all that much considering you get a small lunch with the Carnival tour and the ship won’t leave if you are late.

 

Arrival in Progresso was at 7:00 am and the tour was to meet at 7:15 am, so order room service for your morning meal or get up early for the buffet. It was already getting warm and humid when we left the ship to go stand in line waiting for the rest of the people who took their time leaving the ship. The bus we took was your typical tour bus which had a nice ride and was air conditioned.

 

Javier was the driver, Manuel ruins guide, Gabriel bus guide. The two guides were very informative and gave you a great deal of information about the Yucatan and the Ruins. The ride out to the ruins was on a very nice road and took about 1 ½ hours. Carnival says the ride is 2 ½ hours, but it was much closer to 1 ½. Along the way you can see the country side and some of the towns along the way. One thing you might notice is the presence of armed military members and a good deal of police along the route. Asked the guides if this was normal and they said yes.

 

When we arrived at the ruins the guides told us we could leave our extra items on the bus. It was locked at everything was safe. The guides went and got our tickets and permits for anyone who was using a video camera. You will have to pay extra if you plan to use your video camera. Manuel was the guide at the ruins and he went into great length to point out the details most of us would have known nothing about. He did tend to run on at times, but it was obvious he was proud of his Mayan heritage.

 

The site is well preserved and well reconstructed. Care has been taken to make the stone steps safe and easily accessible for just about anyone. One member of the tour walked with a cane and he could go just about every where except for the last terrace to the Governor’s Palace. About 50% of the site is still to be excavated and some of the covered ruins can be seen in the jungle. The jungle surrounding the ruins was not exactly what you might see in Central America. It is more like what might be seen in south Florida. The area around Uxmal is actually a fairly dry place.

All of the history is explained very nicely while at the site and along the way. The site is very nice ant does not have that many people going to it. There were 4 buses that went to Chichen Itza, only one went to Uxmal from the ship. Plus at Uxmal when the guide lets you explore you can climb to the top of the Grand Pyramid.

 

There are some local ladies outside selling t-shirts and some nice hand embroidered shirts. These shirts are a good deal cheaper here than in Cozumel. There are also shops selling local art work, silver, and other items. I wish I had more time so I could have tried some local food in the small café at the ruins.

 

The lunch on the bus was very small, but the guides did warn us of this. The sandwich was the half the size of a hot dog bun, but it was still good tasting. We took the liter bottle of water from our room and also bought another bottle at the gangway with a nice carrying pouch. The bottle from our room was $3.95 and the carrier with water from the gang way was $9.95. I ended up drinking both bottles because it was so darn hot.

 

The shops will take dollars but might give you pesos in change. Everything is priced in pesos. The ride back was also nice and gave us time to relax some more. We stopped back at the pier and right on time. The guides did also ask for tips if you had a good time. Having work with tourists before I know how it is to work for a small wage and tips, so I gave them something.

 

My wife who is not anything of a history person really did enjoy the tour. I of course loved it and would go back again so I could explore more of the other buildings. It is well worth the price and time.

 

I have several hundred pictures and will post a link to those probably tomorrow. If there are any specific questions let me know.

[karylrocks]

Thanks so much for your review. I am planning this trip for my daughter for her honeymoon and Uxmal is the excursion I am recommending for them. I have been trying to decide whether to book it through the cruise line or Augoprogreso. How much was the cruise line price? It is not listed yet for her dates. Can you take food off the ship to take with you? She needs to eat something every couple of hours. How much time did you spend at the ruins?

[hdawson]

Sealed snacks, i.e., chips, individual packs of cereal are the only things you can take from the ship. IT'S THE LAW. The US, and just about everyother civilized country has the same laws. Pls encourage her to mind her manners, and I'm sure she will without the encouragement.

[nolaAlive]

Actually, it isn't THE LAW and it certainly isn't universal. There are restrictions on most fresh fruit. Bread, cheese, many cooked foods, and many other foodstuffs are innocuous.

 

NAFTA makes for easier importation/exportation of many foods between the United States and Mexico without artificial restrictions.

[fargodakota]

There is a sign on the ship stating no fruits or nuts are allowed to be taken from the ship. Nobody checked. I had two bananas to take with me until I saw the sign, so I ate them.

But to be safe just take a bag or two of chips and/or a box or two of cereal.

I hope this link works for the pictures. I have a few hundred to go through still.

 

 

http://viewmorepics.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewPicture&friendID=399345495&albumId=1074671

 

 

 

The cruise was like $72 each. The Autopregresso price is $55. But you have to buy lunch at a buffet, $10 each. To there is like a $7 difference. Like some people say, the extra is insurance the ship will be there incase something happens.

Remember if they take a video camera there is a $5.00 fee. But if their cell phone takes videos like my wives, you can be sneaky. We spent about 2 hours at the ruins. I wish we had mroe time, but iT was still great!

[happy cruzer]

Thanks for the review.

 

I posted this question to another thread. Maybe you could tell me your experience.

 

Do the tours through the cruiseline arrive at the ruins before Autoprogesso's? I see where the Autoprogresso ones leave around 10:00. And you say that you met at 7:15. Can you give me an idea of the timing involved. How long before you were in the bus on your way to the ruins.

 

I may do the tour through the ship too if I thought it would leave earlier and stay at the ruins a little longer.

 

Thanks.

[jjgoo]

nice review thanks

[fargodakota]

Thanks for the review.

 

I posted this question to another thread. Maybe you could tell me your experience.

 

Do the tours through the cruiseline arrive at the ruins before Autoprogesso's? I see where the Autoprogresso ones leave around 10:00. And you say that you met at 7:15. Can you give me an idea of the timing involved. How long before you were in the bus on your way to the ruins.

 

I may do the tour through the ship too if I thought it would leave earlier and stay at the ruins a little longer.

 

Thanks.

 

 

We left the pier about 7:45. My wife and I got in line for the tour right about 7:15, then had to wait for the rest of the tour people. We got to the ruins around 10:00 or a little after. After the guided portion we had a little over an hour to explore on our own or head back to the welcome center.

 

If Autoprogresso does leave at 10:00 am there will be very little time at the ruins. We got back to the pier around 2:00 or a little after, then after a quick run through the shops on the pier we were back onboard before 3:00.

 

So with Carnivals tour it was two hours there, two hours back, and the remainder at the ruins.

[Cahira]

Thanks for the review! My daughter and her friend have decided this is the tour for them.

[fargodakota]

Thanks for the review! My daughter and her friend have decided this is the tour for them.

 

 

Take water with you. We drank a full liter bottle and two small bottles. Take plenty of pictures and listen to the guide.

 

I hope you enjoy your time!

[Cahira]

I remember the other ruins we did, each of us took water plus a couple of extra. I have reminded the girls. Thanks though for reminding me. Hubby and I are going to do the bus and carriage rides, just generally hang around town. Our daughter's friend has never been on a cruise and is extremely excited about the ruins. (Part of our daughters Christmas was paying for her to take a friend.) I love taking first timers, you get caught up in their excitement.

[pink roses]

Thanks, I so enjoyed your photos and review. It was a huge help.