Cruising to Cozumel, Mexico

One of the most visited tourist destinations is Cozumel, Mexico.  Almost every cruise that leaves from Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, and Texas, stops at Cozumel.  With good reason, too.  We have been on 13 cruises, only one of them did not stop in Cozumel, and we do something different every time!

There are several reasons why Cozumel is such a great cruise destination.  First, there's so much to do!  The island of Cozumel has an unending list of activities to do.  If you want to relax at a beach, they've got plenty!  If you're up for some adventure, try zip lining or cave tubing.  If you want to savor the sights and culture, go to one of the shopping districts and eat lunch at an authentic Mexican restaurant. Second, the island is about 40 miles off the coast of the mainland of Mexico, keeping the island pristine from unsavory and dangerous elements you may have heard about Mexico.  The island is mostly Maya descendants.  They are a pleasant, kind culture and only want to share their world with the rest of us. Lastly, since the island is close, you can even ferry to the mainland to visit some historical Mayan ruins, or travel to Cancun for some new experiences.

Recommendations:

Beach
Paradise Beach - $3 access to the beach, pool, and other facilities!  Yes, $3 per person!!  What's the catch?  You have to spend at least $10 per person in food/beverage (oh, and you have to take a taxi).  For an additional $15 you can purchase a "Fun Pass" at the resort which gives you access to the floating water sports, but it is optional. You can get a van/taxi to drive you to the location.  Taxi rates are posted at the end of the shopping center exit at the main cruise terminal.  Look at the rates so that you know a driver is giving you the right price.  Pay a small tip. $1-2 per person is acceptable.

Restaurant
Pancho's Backyard - Within walking distance of the main Cruise Terminal!  Or take a taxi for a nice little tour down the coast to the restaurant.  Ask to be seated in the "backyard" which is their garden/terrace.  Beautiful plants and flowers and casual seating. If you're lucky, a marimba band may just play for you. Order the guacamole.  Best on the island!  Take a leisurely stroll back to the cruise terminal along the beach and you may see some local fishermen bringing in the day's catch.

Shopping
You have to be careful shopping in Cozumel, even from the recommended cruise vendors.  Why?  Well, they will prey on the fact that you are an uneducated consumer, especially when it comes to purchasing any type of fine jewelry.  I would save those major purchases for your local jeweler in the states and only purchase trinket type souvenirs in Mexico.  Made in Mexico doesn't mean quality, even in Mexico.  Mexican Vanilla is usually a good bet, and you can usually get a good deal on some alcohol; you'll have to check it and drink it back in the states, though. If you like to barter, this is definitely a place you can do it.  The vendors always start high; take them down about 75% of what they asked you, and then you'll probably end up paying 30-40% of what they were asking.  When in doubt about the purchase, walk away.

Mopeds/Bike Rentals
Don't.  That's my recommendation in one word.  Unless you have an unlimited disposal of cash, a passport, and nerves of steel, don't.  The drivers in Cozumel are crazy.  The street signs and laws are just recommendations.  If you do drive a type of vehicle, do so from an excursion that you purchased from the cruise line.

Top 10 Reasons to try a Cruise!

I count down from #10 to #1 the reasons why everyone should try a cruise!  If you want to try one, I recommend trying a 4-5 day cruise first instead of committing to a 6-8 day cruise.  On a 4 day, it's enough for you to get a taste of the cruising lifestyle to see if it's a fit for you.  Enjoy reading my list!

10.  FREE ice cream 24 hours a day, seven days a week!!! Chocolate, vanilla, swirl, strawberry!  YUM!  The ice cream is really delicious.  It's not from Brenham, TX but it's a great soft-serve.  Great with or without a cone!

9.  Hospitality service and room cleaning twice a day!  Bed and room is made up in the morning after you wake up and go to breakfast, and then sheets are turned down for bed time.  It's like magic!  Plus, coming to your room after a long day of snorkeling through a reef or lounging at the beach, and finding it ready for you to crash in, is an awesome feeling.

8.  Great for foodies! You are within walking distance to 5-star restaurants for 3 meals a day!  Breakfast, lunch, and dinner!  You can also eat at a buffet for every meal of the day and there's always something open all the time for those that get hungry at the oddest times.  (24 hour pizzeria)

7.  If you've never felt the wind on an open deck, or witnessed a sunset over the ocean, you are missing out on something amazing.  Enough said.

(Norway)

6.  Destinations!  Cruises stop at some of the most popular tourist locations, as well as some lesser known ports for a great mix of "I've always wanted to do that!" opportunities and "I didn't know you could do that?!" experiences. (horseback riding on a beach at sunset, parasailing over the Caribbean, tube ride through a cave river)

5.  World-traveling experience all on board!  The people who work on cruise ships hail from all over the world!  Meet people from India, Philippines, China, Russia, Ukraine, Canada, England, Australia, and more!

4.  Satisfaction Guaranteed! Cruise ship employees are there to make sure you are 100% satisfied 100% of the time!  If you've ever had a bad vacation before due to the lack of friendly service, you will not have that experience on a cruise ship.

3.  Safety first!  While there has been news over the last several years about cruise ship disasters, let me be the first one to tell you that those level of "disasters" are actually very rare in the business.  Plus, a cruise ship is a floating city, and just like any city, there will be emergencies.  But, I promise you that the cruise lines have your safety first at all times and contingency plans for every situation.  If you see someone doing something stupid (playing with fire or causing violence), get help!  I would be like, heck no, you are not ruining my vacation!

2.  Care-free vacation!  If you're like me, when you do a "land" vacation, you plan out all the details.  On this day you'll eat lunch and dinner here, go to this resort on this day, go to this park on this day, eat at that restaurant for dinner on this day, stay at this hotel for two nights then check into another one to be closer to xyz resort.  With a cruise, you don't have to do any of that!  Lodging, meals, entertainment all in one place!  The only decision you'll have to make is, do you stay in bed and rest, or go out and enjoy the day on the boat?  Plus, the cruise ship will have an activities itinerary for you so that you can participate in all sorts of things, from card games, trivia, mini-golf, scavenger hunts, movies, games, and competitions!  Or, be like me and take your favorite book, find a quiet nook on a deck and pick out "your chair".  Wait for a cocktail waiter to come by, and bingo.  Relaxation!

DRUM ROLL....#1:

Best "Bang for your Buck"!! Seriously, cruising is the best way to stretch your dollars.  Where else can you get lodging, meals, transportation, and entertainment for around $100 per person per day?  Seriously.

Packing and Preparing for the Cruise

Packing Guidelines:

1.  Pack light!!!  Pretend you are carrying-on to an airplane.  One suitcase, and one other bag. Ladies, pack your purse in your suitcase to save space!  I usually pack a nice purse and a casual, cross body purse.  There's not a lot of room to store suit cases, so a small spinner should be big enough for each person. One person needs to carry a backpack as a second bag.  They are great to carry into ports and to pack extra souvenirs in for the trip home.

2. A good rule of thumb is to pack one casual outfit per cruise day, and at a few dressier outfits for dinner.  If you chose to purchase excursions ahead of time, read through the description carefully and see if it requires any special clothes items (shirt/pants to get dirty, swimwear, etc.).

Here is a sample packing list for a 4-5 day cruise:

Clothing:

• 5 t-shirts/casual shirts
• 2 pairs of shorts
• 1 pair of jeans
• 2 dressier outfits for pictures/dinner (mix and match as much as possible)
• 5 sets of underwear/socks (3 bras for the ladies)
• 1 light jacket
• sleepwear (shirt, pajama pants)
• 1 pair tennis shoes, 1 pair dressy shoes, 1 pair flip flops
• swim suit & cover up

For other items, here's what I recommend:

• Phone, charger, and earphones (for music, audio books, etc.)
• Reading/leisure materials (I've taken my word puzzles, novels, cross stitch, etc.) for sea days when you just want to relax.  Have something just in case.
• Toiletry items (pack small, travel size ones of each of your toiletry items)
• Extra reusable shopping bag (not the thin plastic kind) for wet/sandy beach items.  Also good for a surplus of souvenirs.

Do I have to have a passport?

• As of right now, the US Department of Customs and Border Protection, a passport is recommended but not required for cruises. For more info, go here:  https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/1139/~/documents-needed-to-take-a-cruise
• I recommend having a passport. If, and it's a big IF, you get stranded in a foreign country, it will be extremely difficult, time consuming, and costly to get back to the U.S. without a passport.

Flying to the Cruise Port?

1. Book your flight for the day before the cruise departs.  It costs more money, but it will provide you will a lot of peace of mind when it comes to getting there on time.
2. Stay at a hotel within a few miles of the port.  Ask the hotel if they offer a free shuttle to the port.  If not, a taxi should not cost that much.

Driving to the Cruise Port?

   

1. If you have someone who lives close by the port, ask if there's a way for them to drive you there and keep your car at their house.  This will save you some $$$.
2. If that's not an option, prepare to spend at least $10 for parking at the port. Even though there are usually locals trying to rent parking spaces for lower rates, cruise lines guarantee their parking in locked, guarded lots and their lots are usually a lot closer to the pier.  This will save you time and energy on the return, so you don't have to walk/taxi very far to your vehicle. You will be very tired, so plan ahead for getting back to your vehicle.

Thinking About Cruising?

Okay, you've decided to think about cruising.  Maybe you've seen other people come back from a cruise and they've ranted and raved about it.  Or maybe you've seen lots of commercials and you are ready to think about the possibility.

I'll tell you one thing right off, you either love cruises or you hate them.  There's really not any in-between.  When it comes to spending your hard-earned cash on a vacation, you definitely want it to be something you LOVE!  But, if you've never been on one, be open to the possibility of trying it.

Answers to Common Cruise Concerns:

1.  Will I get seasick?  Will I "feel" the ship moving?

• It depends.  My husband is someone who is highly sensitive to motion sickness; very small boats and even some roller coaster rides make him nauseated.  However, on our first cruise, he recalls feeling the ship rocking side to side. But after two-three days, he doesn't remember feeling it too much.
• If you suffer from motion sickness, or you think you might be susceptible on the ship, get a room as close to center in the ship as possible.  Also, the direction your bed faces is important too.  If your bed is facing the sides of the ship, then while you sleep you will feel the rocking side-to-side.  However, if you get a bed that is facing either front or back, then the rocking motion is greatly reduced.
• You will feel the ship moving the most in the very front of the ship (theaters) and in the back (where the pools/buffets are).
• If in doubt, talk to your family doctor and request a prescription for an anti-nausea medication.  Or, ask a pharmacist and get something over-the-counter.
• The larger the ship, the less you will feel.  During inclement weather, if the seas get a little rocky, you will definitely feel the movement of the ship.
• If you experience motion sickness on the ship, there is a nurse's station where you can get anti-nausea medication.

2.  How do you afford to do them?

• Whatever you do, DO NOT PUT YOUR CRUISE ON A CREDIT CARD!  You will be paying for the vacation for weeks, possibly months, after you get home. It's not fun to come home from a great vacation only to deal with the stress of paying for the cruise on credit.
• Cruise lines require a deposit per person for the cruise.  Book the cruise 6 months to a year in advance, depending on your finances, for how long it would take you to pay if off in cash.  After you pay off the cruise with monthly installments, set aside the cash for spending on the ship.
• This may mean that you won't be able to take the cruise till the following summer, but hey, you'll thank me that you did it this way.  
• We charged our first cruise and spending cash on a credit card, and regretted it for about a year.  After that, we were smart about how we vacationed.  I recommend opening a cash account on board instead of using a credit card.  Cruise lines require a minimum cash deposit for on-board accounts.  Again, this will lessen the likelihood that you will come home on vacation stressed by credit card bills.  DO take a credit card for emergency purchases only. (I.e., getting stranded in a foreign country; breaking a leg while riding a horse, etc.)
• Tips and gratuities are posted automatically to your on-board account. Set money aside early to plan for this.  It is recommended to pay $10 per day per person.  You may pay for tips/gratuities up front, and you may also request that the amount be raised/lowered depending on your cruise experience.  This is handled through the concierge on board.
• There are "off season" times for cruising.  The months of May, June, July, & August are peak months for warm destinations (Caribbean, Mexico, Bahamas, etc.).  Meaning they are more expensive due to the weather.  The most affordable months to go are February, September, & October.  These months have no major holidays and the weather is still amazing in the southern hemisphere.

3.  Should we take our kids?

• This also depends on your family.  Most cruise lines have become savvy to the vacation needs of working families, so almost all cruise lines have some sort of children's programs so they will have plenty of things to do during the day on the ship, then you can spend dinner time as a family and attend the shows together.
• There are lots of different excursions that are good for kids as well.
• I do not recommend taking children who are not yet potty trained.  It can be done, but imagine being at Six Flags or Disney World with a very small child (baby or infant) for 4-7 days.  It can be done, but you may not get much relaxation out of your vacation.

4.  When do you find the time to go?

• Planning for your vacation is so important!  After our first one in 2007, we made it a point to plan in advance to take our cruise.  I am a teacher and my husband works full time as well. So we had to look at our calendar in advance and select a time we thought was best.
• We recommend taking a 4-5 day cruise first.  This will help you determine if it fits your personal vacation style, and it's easier to plan around.
• Try to find a cruise that either starts or ends on a weekend.  This will allow you to use fewer vacation days.

5.  How do we book a cruise?

• After researching cruises online, call the cruise line directly.  We recommend going straight through the company, and not an individual agent.  Cruise Line Agents have more access to reservation information and are typically more expertise on the different ships and staterooms.

Okay!  Enough thinking!  Time to do some research!