Chichen Itza

[SMB]

Hi Guys,

I am brand new to this forum and glad to be here. My wife and I took our first cruise last year on Holland America. I had never wanted to cruise, but gave in to my wife. It was a great vacation (despit some wild adventures I'll write about another time) and now I'm hooked. We leave on the Thanksgiving cruise on Mariner of the Seas a week from Sunday.

So, here is the question. Has anyone tried to go to Chichen Itza from Cozumel? I'm disappointed that the only day we are not in port by 7:00 AM is in Cozumel. The ship will be there from 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM. Is this enough time to get to Chichen Itza? I've looked at the Chichen-by-air option on a couple internet sites, but $300 for the trip is a big chuck toward a future cruise. Advice?

Stephen

[DaCruzNut]

First of all, welcome to our family!!! We're the friendliest cruise board on the 'net.

As far as Chichen Itza, it's really an exhausting shore excursion... In my opinion, too much so to be really enjoyable. Admittedly, Chichen Itza is an excellent site to visit, even though it gets very crowded. It is a good mix of Mayan and other technology. My advice is, if you haven't been to a Mayan ruin, try Tulum! It's a lot closer to Playa del Carmen (the port on the mainland opposite Cozumel).

Be warned....The 10 mile boat trip from Cozumel to the mainland can be very rough! The waters are shallow, and any wind at all kicks up the waters!

I would normally tell you that Cozumel has it's own ruin, at San Gervasio, but this is a very minor ruin and not really worth the time.

My advice? When you get to Cozumel, take a cab to Chankanaab Park. The cab is abot $10.oo US and the park admission the same. They have a lagoon with reef fish; a beach; snorkeling; an archeological park; etc; etc; The archeological park has a reproduction of a Mayan village, etc;

[Lisa63]

Welcome, SMB!

I agree that Chichen Itza is too long and exhausting trip from Cozumel. Additionally, with the limited time you have there, I would very strongly advise against going there on your own. When you travel independently, no one knows where you are -- and you run the risk of missing the ship.

Jeff made an excellent point about Tulum. If you've never seen Mayan ruins before, this is a great place to visit. Again, I'd recommend going with a cruise line tour -- while it's not as far as Chichen Itza, it's still quite a distance.

Let us know what you decide. And welcome to CruiseCrazies!

[SMB]

Thanks Lisa & Jeff,

I think you are right about the short stay being too risky. I was one of those people that the veteran cruisers watch for amusement at the gang plank to see if you would make it back. I got back to the ship in St. Thomas at 4:59 for a 5:00 departure and was the 2nd to last person on board. My wife, who had returned early for a nap, was called three times by the ship security to ask if she knew where I was. I promised not to scare her on this trip.

I'll try Tulum or the Chankanaab park. I can't wait. The Mariner will be packed, but it looks like a great ship. I'll let you know how it goes.

Stephen

[GottaCruz]

Welcome to our CruiseCrazies family, SMB. Please feel free to post your upcoming cruise date to our CruiseCrazies calendar. Please feel free to ask as many questions as you'd like. Our very experienced and friendly members are always here to help. Again, Welcome aboard.

[TheSkipper]

We did the air trip in and it was not bad at all. It is however, pricy. Plane was of Russian manufacture and we landing on a dirt landing strip right next to CI. Flying in gives you plenty of time to see the sights, guided tour was included. Flew back to Cozumel with plenty of time to spare.

We were sailing aboard Celebrity Mercury at the time.

But, if you want to play it safe and save some $$ Tulum is great.

[saltydog]

First off welcome to the board. Glad to have you. We did the Chichen Itza trip but we were staying on the Mayan Riviera for a week. The ride through the jungle is long and the roads leave alot to be desired. It is about 2 1/2 hours from the coast each way. It is an incredible sight to see but I don't think I would attempt it from a cruise ship with such limited time. I agree with Jeff that the ride from Cozumel to Playa Del Carmen can be very rough and the boats that make the crossing don't give you a warm and fuzzy feeling either. Do Tulum. It is much closer and also is quite a view.

Have a great time.

Cheers

Tim

[DaCruzNut]

Stephen-

I found this in one of my old posts....

One of my favorite stops, on Cozumel, is Chankanaab Park, just a short, ten-dollar (U.S.) taxi cab ride from the dock.

The park was completely rebuilt in 1996, and has something for everyone. Admission is $10.00 (U.S.), for adults, and children are admitted free.

The beach is less than spectacular, but more than adequate. There are palapas, on the beach, if you want shade. It’s appeal lies in the fact that the reef is just a few hundred feet offshore, and you can rent snorkeling equipment ($6.00 - U.S.) and scuba gear ($20.00 - U.S.) right on the beach. The snorkeling and diving is truly spectacular, with visibility 250 feet, on a “bad day,†and “Unlimited†on a “Good†one!

Within Chankanaab Park is an Archeological Park, which used to be on another part of the island, and was moved to its present site during the 1996 renovation. A winding, jungle-like, trail winds through the Archeological Park, past replicas of Maya, Inca, Olmec, etc; structures and carvings, and leads to a recreated Mayan village.

The park, also, contains a beautiful Botanical Garden, with hundreds of species of plants, and a large population of Iguanas.

But, the centerpiece of the park is Chankanaab Lagoon, a gigantic sinkhole which connect to the sea through a number of underground tunnels. A large assortment of tropical reef fish also make their way into the lagoon, through the tunnels, and can be viewed from the path, and lookout points, which circle the lagoon.

[SMB]

Hey Skipper,

I just left you a long message on the Rome trip page. I think we could become fast friends.

So you took the air tour. I'm a history professor who teaches about the Maya in my Civ class. Do you think I would be fine with Tulum or spend the money on Chichen Itza? Is there enough time there or would I be better with a land trip (don't know when that would be)?

SMB

[Joanandjoe]

If you teach about Maya sites, why not do a real trip to the main Maya cities, instead of a shore excursion? The trip to Chichen Itza from Cozumel os too long via ferry and bus, too scary by plane.

Both of us were Maya buffs in grade school, long before we met each other. In 1979 we took a dream trip to Mexican archaeological sites. We spent three days in Mexico City (archaeological museum and Teotihuacan), then eight days in the Yucatan (3 Chichen Itza, 3 Uxmal, 2 Merida). In addition to the two main Mayan cities, we took side trips from Uxmal to Labna, Sayil, and Xlapak. You really need to stay at the sites to get some perspective. At Chichen, we did our exploring in the early morning and late afternoon. In mid-day we ate lunch, napped, and sat around the pool while the day trippers took over. When they were gone, we went back to the ruins.

We even got lost in the jungle while visiting Old Chichen, while turquoise colored vultures started to gather near us. We had to climb to the top of a pyramid to find our way back to civilization. Scary, but quite a long and interesting story with a happy ending.