Video Blog: Cozumel

Tendering--that is, having to take a small ship into shore--is a negative for most ports. The reason is, if it is rough, you will not make it into port and you end up with an extra sea day.

Some ports have docks. Some only tender. And some, like Cozumel, do both. On the way back to the ship, the seas were rough enough to have wrecked the gang plank. Luckily, no one was on it at the time.

Some Further Thoughts on Costa Maya

First of all, Costa Maya was better than we had expected. But it is an artificial situation. This is all brand new and fabricated. It's been called the "Disneyland of Mexico." Not that there are rides, or anything. But it is what the tourist would expect Mexico to be.

In the long run, this is good for the Yucatan Peninsula and Mexico in general. It is helping their economy and it has already brought electricity to an area that had none. But it is also bringing cultural changes. Out in the countryside, where the indigenous Mayans live, the effect is ironic: Mayans living in traditional houses made of sticks and leaves have satellite dishes attached. They could never have done this prior to the government running the electricity to the coast.

The beach here (right in Costa Maya) is non-existent. There is a nice pool. But the beach is supposed to be better down the road in the fishing village of Majahual. There are, reportedly, some excellent bar/restaurants there.

One of the top things to do there is to connect with one of the tours going to the Mayan ruins of Chacchoben. We can really recommend the tour given by David and Ivan (two local Mayans). Our tour was conducted by Katarina, who was fabulous. We came away with a deep understanding of both the ancient and the present Mayan culture.

Video Blog: Costa Maya

The Grandeur of the Seas docks in Costa Maya.

More on Sea Days

Not everyone enjoys sea days. Some people just want to be somewhere--the journey is a mere bother.

Those who do enjoy them either have the temperament of someone who would have gladly sailed on the great trans-Atlantic liners of the 1940s, or are spring breakers. And you have to give the spring breakers some credit here: they know how to enjoy themselves. On sea days, they sit huddled around the the pool and bar. Alcohol and the sun suffice for them. Still ... I have to refer to an anecdote told by Jamie and Veronica Snyder on their great podcast, Crowncast.

It was on a recent cruise that they took on Royal Caribbean. It was near the end of the cruise and they were getting on one of the glass elevators in the Centrum. The elevator door closed with a swish and they realized that two young ladies, spring breakers, were in the elevator with them. One of them was crying. But it wasn't because the cruise was coming to an end. It wasn't because of a romance gone bad. What was the reason? She didn't have enough money to pay her bar bill.

We've noticed similar sights like this ourselves. They always lead to frantic cell phone calls to mom and dad.