we are VERY disappointed that our stop in roatan was changed to costa maya. (we are sailing on the legend, nov. 2nd, 2008). but to make matters worse, when i go to plan activities and look at the excursions under costa maya, it says there are none! i am talking about the 'my cruise' page. the one that says: pre-cruise registration, my documents, plan activities, etc. does this mean that not only will i not get to go where i wanted to, roatan, but i also won't have any carnival excursions to choose from? this is our first cruise and i must say i'm very disappointed in carnival.

Hi Tammylyn - don't panic - maybe with the change of itinerary - they haven't had chance to input the excursion portion yet.  Now I may be wrong but I would expect all excursions to Costa Maya are all the same from each cruise going there.  Maybe someone else can confirm this.

Here is the link for the Costa Maya excursions.  Don't be disappointed in Carnival - there is usually a good reason they can't get into Roatan but I'm not sure what it is.  I've cruised once and now because I've had the time of my life, I'm a widow and in my 60s - I wouldn't cruise any other company.  I'm also going to the Western Caribbean on the new 'Dream' and I can't wait.   Please enjoy your cruise. http://www.carnival.com/ShoreExcursionsSearchResults.aspx?region=CW&portcode=CMZ&portname=Costa+Maya%2c+Mexico

tks so much for your encouraging comment! really appreciate it. i was starting to panic, hoping that the whole cruise wouldn't be a series of disappointments. my husband and i are bringing our daughter and son-in-law and our son and daughter-in-law, (first cruise for everyone) so having saved up and looked at all the different ports and finally decided, we're a little bummed out at the change. tks again!!

There's usually a really good reason that Carnival removes a port, and it's usually something to do with the port or the country (like new laws, changing requirements, etc), not with what the ship is doing. 

If you're really curious, you could call your PVP and see if they know the reason why. They might only be able to give you a general reason, but posting that reason on here might get you more details from the more experienced cruisers.

I have heard that Costa Maya is gorgeous, so have a great time, and look at it as a new adventure :)

Have a great time!

Costa Maya has a dedicated cruise terminal with shopping, bars and restaurants.  DI has at least one shop there, there's the standard t-shirt/souvenir shops, other jewelry stores, 'native' crafts [sometimes made in China], et cetera.  One of the bars has a swim-up counter, and as if it now needs to be said, there's a pool [large, chlorinated].  When we were there three years ago, there was a guy with a large splotch of canvas and umpteen cans of spray paint painting veryvery detailed Mexican landscapes.  My wife bought one and it's hanging in the family room.

You can wander in this area the whole time there and probably not get bored.  Or you can leave the terminal area and go out into Mexico proper, and catch a cab, rent a bike, or simply walk the mile down to Majahual.  Majahual is a tiny little fishing village which probably holds the Mexican patent on "sleepy".  On cruise days, the waterfront buildings all become "restaurants" and bars, each with their open-sided thatch roof huts on the beach and hammocks overlooking the lagoon where you can walk out a few hundred yards and not get over chest-deep on sandy-bottom before you hit the reef where the waves are crashing.

You can find 5 beers for $4 [or could 3 years ago], and dirt cheap massages on the beach.  Food is a lot for a little, and just about every building you see will sell you something to eat.  There's snorkeling for those who can; there's kayaks to rent, there's bikes to rent, there's hammocks to rent.

 

The only time you will be showing your ID is when you try to get back into the terminal area.  That is controlled-access, and it's controlled by the Mexican military -- I believe it was their navy.  Except for the drug smugglers that the military keeps away, everyone is friendly and will do anything for you for a buck.

tks!

i went to costa maya and it was great. There is a pool and a swim up bar with live music. We did the dolphin swim w/ delfina. It was expensive but def. worth the cost. Esp the pics of you w the dolphins.

WE LOVED COSTA MAYA . WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE GOING THERE IN 5 DAYS BUT CARNIVAL CHANGED US . I WAS LQQKING FORWARDTO A MASSAGE !!!!!!!!!!!! WE TOOK A TAXI DOWN TOWN AND WE GOT A MASSAGE AT A  PLACE THAT WAS ABOVE A TINY BAR OVER LQQKING THE OCEAN IT WAS NICE . COST WAS 20.00 FOR 45MIN AWESOME

I can't speak to your actual cruise; however, I do know that Costa Maya was a staple on Western Caribbean cruises until it was hit by Hurrican Dean (category 5) about a year ago. At that time, to my knowledge, it was replaced by Roatan on all itineraries while Costa Maya was being rebuilt. I believe that itineraries that originally included Costa Maya are suppose to resume as usual sometime late fall/winter of this year. I'm sorry to hear of your disappointment. I have never been to Honduras, but I've only heard great things. I have, however, also heard great things about Costa Maya so I hope that your family has a great time =). Enjoy your cruise!

We are sailing this cruise also and was disappointed that we would not be going to Roatan.  But if you check under booking the shore excursions, Carnival has finally addeed some, but not many for Costa Maya.  Hopefully they will ad more.  This will be our families third cruise and we have never been dissappointed in how our cruise turned out with Carnival.

Hope you have a good time

 

I know that it can be very disappointing when an itinerary changes. I will tell you this though. I visited Costa Maya before the hurricane destroyed the place. My family and I didn't plan any excursions because we had decided to save the money for Cozumel. We instead spent the day at the little village. We had the best time!! It was sooo Mexico. The bargains shopping were much better than Cozumel and the people were so friendly. The beach was nice and food cheap. We ate at a place were we saw a lot of the ships crew, figured they'd know what was safe. We have been waiting for Costa Maya to reopen so we could go again. I only hope it hasn't been too commercialized.

earl:

I only hope it hasn't been too commercialized.

Bingo.

 

That's part of what makes Costa Maya [and Belize, and Progresso, and Roatan] so charming is that they are not Cozumel, and Cancun, and Grand Cayman. 

 

Variety.  Keep it.  It works.