Freedom from the Polar Vortex... The GDF family sails RCCL

[GaDawgFan.....Kelly 799]

I kind of cheated you on the last update, so I’m posting a late night one.

 

Friday, April 4^th

 

This was a really special day for us. We docked in Cozumel at 10:00 AM, but we weren’t staying in Cozumel. We were raking a shop excursion to Playa del Carmen  to visit Xcaret. Jason and I visited Xcaret for our honeymoon 11 years before. See, our anniversary is April 5^th, so we were kind of making it a 2 day celebration. We were also really excited to bring Z to a place that we had loved so much.

 

We ordered room service (again) for breakfast. By this point, we’d eaten so much that I just had some fruit and a croissant. Z had his usual. We had to be at the theater to meet up with our priority boarding at 9:00 AM. Yep, we were special and got an escort off the ship.

 

Here’s the theater.

 

 

The Navigator was with us once again.

 

 

Hello Cozumel!

 

 

 

They had a ferry to the mainland waiting on us.

 

 

This is what the inside looked like. Pretty nice.

 

 

They had snacks and beverages on board. You know one of the ONLY things I hate about traveling abroad? This!

 

 

I miss real Diet Coke. Coke Light tastes different. But no worries; they had the real thing back on the ship. When I spent a month in Mexico one summer, the first thing I did when we landed in the States was locate a real Diet Coke. 

 

Once off the tender, we had to find our group and wait a bit. Honestly, the whole transfer/transportation process was a pain. Not because it was poorly run, but because it was time consuming. We wouldn’t have chosen to do it if the place hadn’t been special to us.

 

Hello, Playa!

 

 

Hey look! We ate here on our honeymoon.

 

 

After we were all there, we walked a few blocks to buses.

 

 

Pretty

 

 

The buses were nice, themed, and air conditioned. There’s a photo coming later when we board them to leave. It was a quick drive.

 

Mickey D’s is everywhere!

 

 

Sorry, I would post more, but photobucket is being SLOW.

 

In the next update…. Xcaret, an ecological park with wildlife and underground rivers you can swim through.

[Beckers 1,136]

Your last update is giving me horrible flashbacks. We went to Cozumel and went on a side trip to some ruins and had to take a boat during a storm. The water was so choppy and soooo many people were getting sick. It was awful. My parents were smart and didn't bother coming on the trip while we sucked it up and went. Shouldn't have.

[MrGaDawgFan....... Jason 4]

Don't fall for it Jason.  And don't worry about not fitting in around here.  There are several of us who hate Disney.  Embrace your inner mouse hate.  

 

Don't worry I am on to her.   I don't dislike Disney.   just people in general.  

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

It is Ok.  It appears that it takes me longer to login then it does for her to write this TR.  LOL

Who let the Dawg out?

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

no you can still talk about me I read them anyway  haha.

Wait. You mean you know what we've been saying about you?

I just want to sat the I was drinking and I really didn't mean what I said about you and I love the Dawgs. There the best college football team ever.

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

Jason is also talented. He posts for the first time and already has attracted the ghost of KFK

He's shameless!

I'm so proud Kelly. You've well taught him! (That's my Yoda impersonation).

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

So better late than never I guess.  I do want to post on here since I have been a topic of some of these discussions. :)  As you probably already know my wife is somewhat of a hyper planner and I am somewhat the opposite.  I have been enjoying her trip report a lot.  It makes me miss our trip.  I want to give credit where credit is due and PUBLICLY thank my wife for an unforgettable cruise and an unforgettable anniversary.   I know I'm a pain in the ass and so are you.  haha   I love you tho.  and for everyone else. Glad to meet you guys ad definitely don't hold back for me

Yep Z definitely gets it from you. Lol.

I bet that scored you some serious brownie points.

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

Don't fall for it Jason.  And don't worry about not fitting in around here.  There are several of us who hate Disney.  Embrace your inner mouse hate.

Liar, liar, pants on fire!

I'm calling Ms. Snow and telling on you.

Boy are you going to get it.

[h2odivers...Ray 952]

Great update.

I love Cozumel and Playa del Carmen.

I used to go to Cozumel 3-4 times a year. (Scuba diving instructor)

Xcaret has some really cool cenotes that I've got to dive once.

What a great place to go for your honeymoon and it's neat that you got to return for your anniversary.

[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

Looking forward to learning about Xcaret!

[momof3kids-Yvonne 596]

Cozumel was our favorite stop on our cruise. We didn't go on an excursion. Just rented a car and some snorkeling equipment. Drove around the island stopping when we wanted to. We all talk about how we want to go back there.

[momof3kids-Yvonne 596]

Don't worry I am on to her. I don't dislike Disney. just people in general.

Are you related to my husband?

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Wow, this report has taken an interesting turn.  I hope there will be more input from Jason!

 

I also haven't been to Cozumel.  We were supposed to go there on the same cruise that we were supposed to go to Grand Cayman, but one of the 2005 hurricanes had damaged the Cozumel dock, so we had to go to Costa Maya instead.

 

That's the only time I've ever been to Mexico.  And, it's not high on the list of places that I want to visit.

 

I've never heard of this Coke Light before.  Is it Coke Zero in a different can?  Why don't they have regular Diet Coke?

 

TCD

[AC in A2......Aaron 693]

A Jason sighting?  Holy Crap!

 

Jason, don't believe anything DaveinTN says......you can't trust anyone who hates cinnamon rolls, likes apple munchers, or one who gives miracle grow to De-vine.

[GaDawgFan.....Kelly 799]

Your last update is giving me horrible flashbacks. We went to Cozumel and went on a side trip to some ruins and had to take a boat during a storm. The water was so choppy and soooo many people were getting sick. It was awful. My parents were smart and didn't bother coming on the trip while we sucked it up and went. Shouldn't have.

 

That doesn't sound fun at all. The water wasn't choppy, but I heard that people downstairs were getting sick because of the movement and no windows. 

 

Don't worry I am on to her.   I don't dislike Disney.   just people in general.  

 

Hmmm.... that's kind of true. 

 

Who let the Dawg out?

 

Woof

 

Wait. You mean you know what we've been saying about you?

I just want to sat the I was drinking and I really didn't mean what I said about you and I love the Dawgs. There the best college football team ever.

 

That's right! 

 

He's shameless!

I'm so proud Kelly. You've well taught him! (That's my Yoda impersonation).

 

He is shameless for sure. 

 

Yep Z definitely gets it from you. Lol.

I bet that scored you some serious brownie points.

 

It did. Can I get flowers too while you're at it, Jason? 

 

Liar, liar, pants on fire!

I'm calling Ms. Snow and telling on you.

Boy are you going to get it.

 

Dave loves Disney. And beer. Actually, I'm not sure I should ever let Dave and Jason hang out in person. That could be trouble. 

 

Great update.

I love Cozumel and Playa del Carmen.

I used to go to Cozumel 3-4 times a year. (Scuba diving instructor)

Xcaret has some really cool cenotes that I've got to dive once.

What a great place to go for your honeymoon and it's neat that you got to return for your anniversary.

 

Look at you breaking out the high level vocabulary. 

 

Looking forward to learning about Xcaret!

 

It's a beautiful place, and I have lots of pictures. 

 

Cozumel was our favorite stop on our cruise. We didn't go on an excursion. Just rented a car and some snorkeling equipment. Drove around the island stopping when we wanted to. We all talk about how we want to go back there.

 

Next time, we won't leave the island. I'm not sure what we'll do, but I'd love to snorkel at some point. 

[GaDawgFan.....Kelly 799]

Are you related to my husband?

 

I have an idea... they stay home, and we go to Disney. What do you think?

 

Wow, this report has taken an interesting turn.  I hope there will be more input from Jason!

 

I also haven't been to Cozumel.  We were supposed to go there on the same cruise that we were supposed to go to Grand Cayman, but one of the 2005 hurricanes had damaged the Cozumel dock, so we had to go to Costa Maya instead.

 

That's the only time I've ever been to Mexico.  And, it's not high on the list of places that I want to visit.

 

I've never heard of this Coke Light before.  Is it Coke Zero in a different can?  Why don't they have regular Diet Coke?

 

TCD

 

Hasn't it? Sounds like a crazy cruise you went on in 2005. I forgot about that hurricane. 

 

Coke Light is their version of Diet Coke, but it tastes slightly different, sweeter I would say. It's possible that only true DC addicts would notice. I'm guessing that taste is more appealing to Latin America. 

 

A Jason sighting?  Holy Crap!

 

Jason, don't believe anything DaveinTN says......you can't trust anyone who hates cinnamon rolls, likes apple munchers, or one who gives miracle grow to De-vine.

 

Right? He does exist! 

 

Yeah, we need to keep Jason and Dave apart. There would be too much green beer consumption if they were to ever meet in person. 

[GaDawgFan.....Kelly 799]

Once arriving at Xcaret, our tour guide distributed our tickets which were in the form of bracelets that were scanned on entrance and exit. They took us to a map where he showed everyone what was in the park. They’ve added a good bit since we were here in 2003. Then, he suggested we all go to one of the underground rivers, so he could hold our cameras for us. They have a gear check station (like races if you’ve ever done one), but he suggested SLR cameras not be put in those bags because they had been damaged in the past. We had planned on renting a locker for it, so that saved us some cash.

 

I should have taken a picture of the map. But I didn’t. Sorry! The place is big; there’s no way you could do it all in a day. We knew that going in. We also knew that we wouldn’t be able to see the night show. If you ever visit Playa del Carmen, do the night show if you can! It’s very well done.

 

So off we go to the underground river!

 

We passed this on the way, and our guide talked about Mayan culture.

 

 

It was cold!

 

 

We brought Z’s froggie because he isn’t a fan of regular life jackets. He doesn’t weigh enough to keep them down, so they flip him all kinds of weird ways. #skinnykidprobz

 

I asked permission for him to wear it, and they said it was OK.

 

 

 

 

A skylight to help us see in a really dark part.

 

 

Z got a little scared.

 

 

But he was OK overall. It was darker and longer than I remembered. We must have done a different river when we had been there before. (I think there are 3-4.)

 

 

Pretty water in this shot

 

 

 

A few times we got in a big crowd of people. Jason’s already said how much he likes that, so we tried to get around them. This was one of those times.

 

 

Look! A Fiend sighting.

 

 

 

I tried to take some underwater pictures, but they turned out like this…

 

 

After the river, we got our camera and bought some biodegradable sunscreen. Because of the wildlife, they don’t want you using the good stuff. Last time we came, they searched our bags. This time, they didn’t. I’m glad we did the right thing though. We also got a snack and looked at the beach area. It’s nice with hammocks. For some reason, I didn’t take pictures. Fail.

 

I’ve got to stop for now, but we’ll encounter some insects and wildlife next. 

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

Xcaret looks nice.

 

You mentioned that getting there was a pain.  How long did it take?   And, if you don't mind my asking, what does an excursion like this cost per person?  I know you got a free can of fake Diet Coke on the ferry, do you get anything else to eat or drink?

 

The underwater river looks cool!  It looks like a fun place to visit.

 

TCD

[momof3kids-Yvonne 596]

Next time, we won't leave the island. I'm not sure what we'll do, but I'd love to snorkel at some point.

I found this site which helped in planning what we were going to do in Cozumel. We knew that we were not going on an excursion as we planned to go on a ruins excursion in Costa Maya. We ended up liking our non excursion day much better.

http://www.cozumelmycozumel.com

[CCIntrigue...aka Gwen 547]

I would have been a little afraid in the underground river just like Z!

 

Last time I stopped at Cozumel I was traveling in a group of 8.  We hired a van and driver who spent the day with us taking us everywhere we wanted to go.  Yvonne, did you make it to the undeveloped side of the island?  It is so beautiful!

[AC in A2......Aaron 693]

The river pics were gorge-ous.

[GaDawgFan.....Kelly 799]

Xcaret looks nice.

 

You mentioned that getting there was a pain.  How long did it take?   And, if you don't mind my asking, what does an excursion like this cost per person?  I know you got a free can of fake Diet Coke on the ferry, do you get anything else to eat or drink?

 

The underwater river looks cool!  It looks like a fun place to visit.

 

TCD

 

It's very nice. The ideal way to do it would be to stay in the local area. They even have a hotel somewhere next to it now. They have deals like buy a day, get a day free. That way you could really see it. We didn't even get to do half of what was offered, but we knew it would be like that before we did it. The night show is impressive, and by staying near there, you can see that too. 

 

Theoretically, you could travel there in an hour. The ferry was about 45 minutes, and the bus ride was about 15 minutes. In practice, it takes a lot longer when you are traveling with a group. Once we loaded the ferry, we had to wait on the Explorer people to load because they ran late. Then, we had to wait for the whole Xcaret group to form. I think it took us almost 2 hours to get there and about 90 minutes to get back. That left us about 5 hours at the park. That said, I would not do an excursion on the mainland without booking through the ship. If something goes wrong with the ferries, like it's too rough to run them, you could get stuck on the mainland. 

 

The excursion is now $99, but I'm pretty sure we paid a little over $100, like maybe $110. It was expensive, but it's expensive to get into the park. Plus, we rode a bus and a ferry, so I get why the cost is high. No food is included. I actually paid $2 for that Diet Coke. It was bad planning on my part. I needed caffeine. 

 

I found this site which helped in planning what we were going to do in Cozumel. We knew that we were not going on an excursion as we planned to go on a ruins excursion in Costa Maya. We ended up liking our non excursion day much better.

http://www.cozumelmycozumel.com

 

Thanks for sharing the site. I'll check it out! Cozumel is definitely a port that lends itself to not doing a ship excursion. 

[GaDawgFan.....Kelly 799]

I would have been a little afraid in the underground river just like Z!

 

Last time I stopped at Cozumel I was traveling in a group of 8.  We hired a van and driver who spent the day with us taking us everywhere we wanted to go.  Yvonne, did you make it to the undeveloped side of the island?  It is so beautiful!

 

That's a great idea. There will be at least 5 of us when we go back. 

 

The river pics were gorge-ous.

 

Thanks!

[dvccamper 32]

Wow, the underground river looks cool! Was it fresh water or salt water (meaning, was there a possibility of snakes??)?

[Tri-Circle-D 2,059]

It's very nice. The ideal way to do it would be to stay in the local area. They even have a hotel somewhere next to it now. They have deals like buy a day, get a day free. That way you could really see it. We didn't even get to do half of what was offered, but we knew it would be like that before we did it. The night show is impressive, and by staying near there, you can see that too. 

 

Theoretically, you could travel there in an hour. The ferry was about 45 minutes, and the bus ride was about 15 minutes. In practice, it takes a lot longer when you are traveling with a group. Once we loaded the ferry, we had to wait on the Explorer people to load because they ran late. Then, we had to wait for the whole Xcaret group to form. I think it took us almost 2 hours to get there and about 90 minutes to get back. That left us about 5 hours at the park. That said, I would not do an excursion on the mainland without booking through the ship. If something goes wrong with the ferries, like it's too rough to run them, you could get stuck on the mainland. 

 

The excursion is now $99, but I'm pretty sure we paid a little over $100, like maybe $110. It was expensive, but it's expensive to get into the park. Plus, we rode a bus and a ferry, so I get why the cost is high. No food is included. I actually paid $2 for that Diet Coke. It was bad planning on my part. I needed caffeine. 

 

Thanks.

 

After all the cruises I've done, I shy away from the excursions now.  With my crew, $100 a pop adds up.  While I love the Caribbean islands, this is why the shorter Bahamas cruises work better for me.  When we cruise on a DCL Bahamas cruise, we don't do any excursions.  We will typically stay on the ship in Nassau and enjoy the ship, and then enjoy Castaway Cay as a beach day.  That way, I'm not laying out more money to take and excursion or to pay for food and drinks that we could get for no extra charge on the ship.

 

Plus, port towns are just not that nice.  Very touristy.  The shopping is generally a rip-off.  On a longer cruise, I understand the desire to get off the ship and do something.

 

We have good friends whose kids are also all away at college.  They often jump on cruises to Mexico that leave from Tampa on last minute deals that offer great rates.  We are going to go with them one of these times.  On Cozumel, they found a beach bar that they hang out at all day.  That sounds right up my alley.

 

TCD