Went for the first time and it felt strange. The waves were rough, everything looked too new and kind of fake. Just seemed like a place built to pull money from tourists. Even the nearby town wasn’t much better. Vendors wouldn’t stop pushing. I don’t get why this is even a port stop. What do you all think?
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First time and it felt strange. Waves were rough, everything looked too new and kind of fake. Just seemed like a place built to pull money from tourists. Even the nearby town wasn’t much better. Vendors wouldn’t stop pushing. I don’t get why this is even a port stop. What do you all think?
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Didn’t spend much time in the port area. We took a trip to the Chacchoben ruins instead, so we skipped most of it.
Skylar said:
Didn’t spend much time in the port area. We took a trip to the Chacchoben ruins instead, so we skipped most of it.
Same here, we did a Mayan ruins tour, so we barely saw the port. The ruins were amazing, though!
@Corey
Yeah, I really liked the ruins too!
Skylar said:
Didn’t spend much time in the port area. We took a trip to the Chacchoben ruins instead, so we skipped most of it.
We’re planning the same… ruins, then a restaurant away from the beach for lunch, then back to the ship.
Mayan ruins were the best part of the trip!
Costa Maya isn’t a natural port. They built it just to have another stop in Mexico. I always figured it was made to take pressure off Cozumel, but now ships go to both.
I was there in 2009 on my first cruise, and it was barely developed. Just a beach day option and a bunch of ‘Coming Soon’ signs.
@Reese
Royal is turning it into another resort-style stop in 2027.
We skip the port area and go to Mahahual instead. Love sitting on the beach at Krazy Lobster, cheap drinks, and I got a massage there too!
Honestly, almost every port is just a tourist trap trying to take your money.
Way too crowded. Vendors won’t leave you alone. The whole port feels too cramped. Hard pass.
We cruise Royal out of Galveston a lot, so we end up at Costa Maya often… and we love it!
We take a taxi to El Fuerte, a small beach hotel, get some sun, have margaritas, and I get a great massage. Been going there since 2019. Last time we went for our birthdays, and they surprised us with cake!
Taxis are about $4 per person each way (might go up to $5 soon). If you go, ask for Irving or Chicle, and for massages, Joseph is great.
Finley said:
It’s a mess.
Royal is taking over in 2027 to make it like their other private islands.
Finley said:
It’s a mess.
You mean it’s just a poor area?
Finley said:
It’s a mess.
You mean it’s just a poor area?
For a cruise passenger comparing it to other stops, yeah, it’s not great.
Wesley said:
Finley said:
It’s a mess.
You mean it’s just a poor area?
For a cruise passenger comparing it to other stops, yeah, it’s not great.
That’s just an entitled way of looking at it.
Paid for an ‘all-inclusive’ beach spot… it wasn’t really all-inclusive. Just felt like another tourist trap, but I liked the people and their culture.
We walked around, took some pictures, then went back to the ship. Too hot, too crowded, and we didn’t want to spend extra money. Worked out fine.