I heard that they have really built this port up in the past few years and that there is more to do that the ruins now.  What IS there to do?

Thanks!

 

Sis and I are taking a taxi to 5th Avenue to shop and eat at what I understand are very good resturants.

Bye

Playa del Carmen is where we caught the bus to the Mayan Ruins @ Tulum.  This tour is an absolute must-do.  We booked the tour on board as normal.  Tied up in Cozumel and caught a boat back to P de C.  This however was 9 years ago and as such the particulars may have changed.  One thing has not...GO to the ruins at Tulum!

As a side note there were a number of nice restaurants in P de C. if you want a change from ships food.

We went to Calica in January and we went to Xcarat it was sooo fun there... there was alot to do and beautiful beaches, you must do the caves in xcarat it was so nice,Although we didnt get to experiance much of Mexico since Xcarat was more like a resort. have fun Stephanie

                                                                                

Just got back from Calica on cruise. did some shopping in town .. very high gold prices .. one shop near beach had pink conc shells - could get him down to $10, they were $19 stateside .. found a guy with a boat at end of 4th street. took two of us out on reef for 1+1/2 hours in the water for $25 each, and he got in water with us, he found sea urchins, sea turtle, baracuda, puffer fish, some kind of toad fish i think .. and a whole lot of other fishes.The fan coral can be real deep purple color .. we took the power boat but there were catamarans there too .. think name was Yahoo .. their masks are less than perfect .. but did not mind the little leakage ..  with only limited time in port choices had to be made .. and the tours from the ship sold out real early .. must have been reserved on line ... there is a ferry to Cazumel also on 4th there is a PADI dive outfit if you are into SCUBA  the ship tours are pretty expensive and go quickly .. on the peir there are takis @ $10 to town (4 people), Jeeps @ $70 a day (4 people) , Vans @ $120 a day with the driver (up to 9 people maybe) but make sure the van driver will take you where you want to go .. there are a couple ruins right in town inside one of the condo complexes, van driver Pablo knows where they are .. yopu can find snorkle, parasail, diving, sailing tours on the main street .. about the same as on board .. but make sure you are getting what you want ... oh .. those decorated sombreros are about $19 in town but $65 on the peir T-shirts are $5 in town and $25 on peir .. pays to shop around and haggle about the price ... Have a good time .. sun is intense and the water is very very salty as well as verry blue ... great fresh fruit cups on the beach walk ..

There is nothing to do in Calica, there is a concrete  manufacturing plant right outside the gangway!!

If you want to do anything you have to pay a taxi $10 to get you to Playa del Carmen ($20 round trip), I didnt see this in any Carnival advertisement nor did my CCR tell me about it.

Now there is a tent outside the gangway with about 10 vendors grabbing you by the arm hawking their wares.

What was Carnival thinking??? Now I know, it was $$$$$ not to port in real port, that must be a whopper saving $$$$$ deal for them, wonder if they get a kickback from the taxis too??

Now if you want a photo op, you can snap a picture of your loved one leaving the portable john at the end of tent row.

 

                       Hollywood

I am sorry to say, Hollywood description of Calica is dead on.  We were there in May.  I assumed this was a temporary port due to damage from the 2005 Hurrican season.  I certainly hope I am right.  If not....

XCaret is one of the most fun things my family has done!  I would go back in a second.  They have so much to do including beautiful lagoons, the beach, the underground river that you float down (which was awesome!), snorkeling, dolphins, the list goes on. 

The only negative thing about Calica is that you have to go somewhere else. BUT... that's not a problem.  The "arranged" transportation is totally unreliable, but the taxi's can be had for about 6 bucks - not the ten as reported in an earlier comment.  AND, I agree that XCARET is great !!!  You really need more than part of one day there.  It is super !!  Just be careful of the money: they normally do NOT have a lot of American dollars for change - carry small bills for your purchases.  Lots of fun and enjoyment in XCARET !!

I was in Calica in Oct. It is just that a concrete plant, there is nothing special to see at all where you port. And yes those tent vendors try to grab you and pull you in, just hold you head straight and walk right past, don't smile, or look at them, if you do...they got ya! Don't buy things from them, its ten times cheaper on 5th ave. shopping.

My sister and I did the shopping excursion that was the biggest waste of money. They take you to this jewelery shop way out in the middle of nowhere, you have to be a king to buy something there, it's so expensive its unreal! Then we were taken into 5th ave. where our tour guide was so rude having us walk together like 5th graders showing us what shops to buy from and places to eat...etc....it's was the biggest set of for a scam there was. My sister and I walked off from the excursion rather ticked off....to say the least....and we shopped on our own, then took a taxi for 10 bucks back to the port.

I am going again in March, I loved the shopping there. You can buy the blankets for 4 bucks each at one place there....so watch for it, they have a huge sign out front. If the beach is on your left, then the shop is somewhere on the right on that street.

Also haggle them! Say your price, they say no, walk off, they will change their minds fast...I never paid full price for anything  I got...and believe me, I bought alot of stuff for basically nothing.

If it's a beach you want, there is a public beach right on 5th ave..just one block down from the main strip of shopping....it's beautiful!

We plan to take a 10 dollar taxi into 5th ave, hit the beach til we are tired of the sun, then go a place to eat lunch there prolly around 3pm...then we have two hours or more to shop..then 10 bucks back to the ship in Calica.

Allow yourself 30 mins from the time your ship tells you to be back, that way you have time for the taxi ride, and time to take pics of the ship setting in port n such before re-boarding.

Have fun!

Apparently the person posting this negative message has never been to Mexico or does not enjoy the everyday life of other ethnic groups.  I found the port beautiful and enticing.  Did anyone see the view on the way in?  The beaches were also fantastic!!  Getting to Playa Del Carmen is simple, and the shops and beaches there are so incredible.  You can do anything you want, do you want to go to Cozumel?  Hop the ferry.  Do you want to go shopping?  Rent a jeep or get a taxi?  It's all right there, and the street vendor food is amazing!!!!

I am a platinum member with Carnival and love every port they have ever taken me to, but you sometimes have to responsible for your own happiness!!  I personally have never had a bad port or cruise!!!

Debbie, you have it right on with your suggestion!!

 

Thanks! The view there is beautiful! I have some pictures taken there that are just breath taking! And your right, you only make your own happiness, so go have fun, enjoy everything there is. I can't wait! I will be there Tuesday next week!!! yipeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Debbie

Cruise Queen Kaye wrote:

Debbie, you have it right on with your suggestion!!

 

......  apparently, witty enough to evoke a laugh -

why not use this ability to get an education

allowing recognition of the essence, facilitating relevant research and subsequently exploration of easily accessible near-by attractions for the most diverse interests ?  

Incidentally, what is there to do at the very dock the ship arrives/departs in Ft. Lauderdale / Miami / Key West ?  At the Calica dock/the ship's gangway, independent of available taxis, a daily rental car charge starts at $7.50 !!!! - the pre-ordered vehicle waiting for its renter (and to be returned to this very spot) is located AT the dock/gangway; closer than the Portable John.

An additional $5.00 for gas gets the independent Calica Port 1/2day-tripper back and forth between Playa del Carmen and Tulum, with plenty of side trips to explore along the way..............; the rental car company provides a FREE road/orientation map depicting the location / distance of/to major sites.......... which charge local, not cruise line/tour operator entry fees - !

Thus, this port is ideally situated for proximity to the many major regional attractions and allows the savy cruise passenger to spend sight-seeing $s wisely.

GOD BLESS AMERICA!  Soon!

 

 

Hey there.  Just got back.  Calica is a limestone quarry, pretty much due West of Cozumel.  We were there 16 Aug 2007.  It is a ten minute taxi ride to Playa Del Carmen, and an hour to Cancun.  They said that Calica to Playa del Carmen was about $10 one way.  My wife found an excursion that was $29 a person.  We went to a Jewelry factory, some shops on 5th ave. in Playa del Carmen and then to a beach called Playa Tucan.  If you want to shop a little and have about two hours on a great beach, with free use of cabanas, loungers, etc.  take this excursion.  We had a terrific time on this excursion.  Rode on a bus to all locations, felt very safe, and didn't really spend any money.  If you take this, you will go with a guide named Paco (Paco is the man, he will tell you the truth.).  LISTEN TO PACO!  He will tell you when and where to meet to take the bus.  We stopped in Playa del Carmen on 5th ave., and he said - 'The beach is just a few blocks away, you may go there now, or if you miss the bus, go there.  I highly recommend you come back here and we go together.'  We thought, it is an extra hour on the beach, but we had better listen to him.  I am glad we did, because a couple who didn't got lost, and got there after we did, and they had to pay for their chairs and all, like $40!  So anyway, great, cheap excursion and we would do it again in a heartbeat.  Hope you love it!   

hey, i' would like to know is calica or the costa maya port which is the better choice of ports for my time and money. I think the time is a little more in calica than the one in costa maya this would be with the cozumel i have a choice either go to calica or go to costa maya with the cozumel itenary just trying to make a decision and me not ever going to either of these places i havent a clue. went on a cruise this past month and it sound like one of the ports we visited referring to calica that is just anyone with any input please reply thanks