Flying in to Cancun on way to Cozumel

[cozumelian]

Uff, I feel for you Foo, seasickness is not a pleasant experience!

I've taken the ferry many times and for the vast majority I've had a fine flat ride. You only have problems when the wind gets up and/or it's choppy. It'll be calmer closer to Cozumel if the wind's from the east, but if if the wind's from the west the opposite can be true.

The catamaran ferries tend to be better than the single hull boats too. You can't really choose which type you take though since it is luck depending what they have available when you get there (unless you decide to wait an hour or two for the next departure), but they use the catamarans the majority of the time anyhow...

Like Foo says though, if you are prone to seasickness it's worth popping one of those little magic pills before boarding and avoiding a spoilt day..!

 

[jjwdiver]

I'm prone to the dreaded sickness, and I just use "Sea Bands" - which are elastic bands that go around your wrist and use accupressure to stop the problem. No meds - no dry mouth - no yaking on the ferry or any other boats! McNett makes them and are sold at alot of dive stores or online. May also be called "Wave Bands" and even the Mayo Clinic endorses them (in a study for easing morning sickness in prego women)

 

[Foo]

I'm prone to the dreaded sickness, and I just use "Sea Bands" - which are elastic bands that go around your wrist and use accupressure to stop the problem. No meds - no dry mouth - no yaking on the ferry or any other boats! McNett makes them and are sold at alot of dive stores or online. May also be called "Wave Bands" and even the Mayo Clinic endorses them (in a study for easing morning sickness in prego women)

Thanks for reminding me about these. I had tried them once, but had nerve tumors in my wrists that made it too uncomfortable. Have had surgery to remove since then, so I would suspect I can try them now. I'm sure that any time you can solve a problem without prescription meds, you are better off. Thanks again!

 

[MMM]

I just got back from doing the Cancun/Cozumel bag drag. Have done it lots of time. Things went perfectly for me on the way down. 10 minute wait for the bus at the Cancun airport and about a 15 minute wait for the ferry. About 30 minutes crossing. You will pay less for a taxi once off the ferry if you step a block or so off the main drag at the terminal where the taxis charge a premium. I crossed the square and caught a taxi at 15th for the several block ride to my house. (Remember, since all my dive stuff, clothes etc. are already in Coz, I'm travelling light.)

On the way back, things were different, mainly b/c I got my days mixed up and missed my flight. Which is a whole other story. So after heading to the No-Name bar to use their wireless and re-book using Skype, I was dashing to the ferry (missed by about 10 minutes) and so once I landed in Playa, took a taxi. Didn't even negotiate. It was $55. If it was at all feasible, I'd fly to Coz directly but sometimes the price difference (and/or connection delays) precludes this. But I think I'm going to look into Mayair in future trips.

 

[DandyDon]

On the way back, things were different, mainly b/c I got my days mixed up and missed my flight. Which is a whole other story.

:lol:​

I packed for a convention in Austin once, drove 70 miles to the airport, only to learn the ticket was for the week before - when the party really was. I wasn't too excited about that one anyway. Went home and used the ticket another time.

So after heading to the No-Name bar to use their wireless and re-book using Skype...

Use Skype to call the airline's US number, not a phone to call the local number...!

 

[charlesml3]

One of the guys in my dive group did that a few years ago. Flew in to Cancun to save the $200. In the end, he said he wouldn't do it again. He did save some money, but the hassle just wasn't worth it. He missed the first dive with us and it was just too much hauling around bags.

Fly into Coz. Get to your place. Dump bags, change, hit the dive shop....

-Charles

 

[atatt]

RDRINK25 - We usually fly direct into Cozumel but did fly into Cancun once when we stayed at the Palace. It took about 2 hours after clearing customs. The van takes you to Playacar Palace (they do stop and drop people at hotels on the way to Playa), then you can hang out at Playa Palace (you can use their facilities at no charge) until the next Ferry. The hotel is very close to the ferry terminal so you can drag your bags and walk. Once you get off the ferry in Coz you can take a taxi to the hotel, it is just down the street. The taxi fare is included along with the van and ferry fees, the Palace will give you the vouchers needed for the ferry and taxi. I know several people take the Cancun to Coz route but for us we would not do it again because we felt like half our day was gone and I got sick both ways on the ferry! If it is a big savings it may be worth it to you but for us the savings were not great enough to lose the 3 hours in Coz. This is just my opinion but I wouldn't do it again and neither would my husband!

 

[cvchief]

I just like the direct flight I can get to Cancun. For us, it is about 6.5 hrs travel time with like an hour layover going down VS. non stop to Cancun for a couple bucks more and 3.5 hrs travel time. Now the last trip took us maybe 1.5 hrs to get to playa, so that puts us at 5 hrs. We missed the ferry by minutes, so I spent the next couple hours sitting on the deck with a cervesa next to our luggage pile waiting. Heck it may have been a little longer, but it was WAY less time crammed in an airline seat. Would have been faster if we had gone by car. They were offering good deals, but we committed to try the autobus, which was nice if slow.

Now on the way back, we only had to get the bags one. Not once in Texas and again in Baltimore. On the other hand when we did go through Houston, the bags didn't make it on the plane. So on arrival at BWI, no bags to fool with and drag on the shuttle. Next day a nice fellow showed up with them and carried them on the porch. They can lose mine everytime on the way home!!

And am I the only guy who loves Latinga on the yellow ferry? Those guys are cool. The one guy looks like Johnny Knoxville. The other ferry was nice and big and comfortable, but I'll take the deck on the yellow ferry everytime. (I am pretty sure the yellow one is Ultramar....) The ferry ride just sets the mood.

 

[BTravlin]

Yeah, CV, under that scenario I'd be more inclined to give the Cancun route a closer look. Eliminating a stop plus saving a few $$$'s is a much more attractive option. We can't fly direct out of Louisville to CZM or CUN so the CUN route with bag drag has to be significantly cheaper for us to go that way and lately there just hasn't been that much of a difference for our dates. Heading down Saturday and can't wait!

 

[DandyDon]

I just like the direct flight I can get to Cancun. For us, it is about 6.5 hrs travel time with like an hour layover going down VS. non stop to Cancun for a couple bucks more and 3.5 hrs travel time. Now the last trip took us maybe 1.5 hrs to get to playa, so that puts us at 5 hrs. We missed the ferry by minutes, so I spent the next couple hours sitting on the deck with a cervesa next to our luggage pile waiting. Heck it may have been a little longer, but it was WAY less time crammed in an airline seat. Would have been faster if we had gone by car. They were offering good deals, but we committed to try the autobus, which was nice if slow.

Flying non-stop to Cancun instead of one-connection to CZM would have appeal I guess, and I may have to get used to it even tho it's not non-stop for us since Continental has killed our 5am departure out of Lubbock - at least the days they only one the one 9-something flight from Houston to CZM. Going to Cancun beats spending the night in IAH on the way down! :shocked2: The stories of Immigration taking 2 hours or more in Cancun are discouraging tho, that Ado bus is slow, waiting for the ferry is a drag - altho I just check my bags in at the ferry and forget them rather than watching them like you did, and some people get seasick so easily.

I just fall asleep on the ferry, often before it leaves dock as I do on most planes, buses, and ferries after decades of flying. I raised my daughter to not by into motion sickness and when she was like 14 or so we did a cheap cruise to the Bahamas (old boat, no stabilizers then), and I remember the first night out most of the people leaving dinner, some puking in the hall, but we just reached across the table at empty seats with untouched food: "If they don't want those snails, I'll take 'em!" No problem then, but she lost that somehow - at least on backseat car trips. Sometimes we have to let her drive instead on control the kids.

Now on the way back, we only had to get the bags one. Not once in Texas and again in Baltimore. On the other hand when we did go through Houston, the bags didn't make it on the plane. So on arrival at BWI, no bags to fool with and drag on the shuttle. Next day a nice fellow showed up with them and carried them on the porch. They can lose mine everytime on the way home!!

On the way back, sure - not on the way down! Customs can be the delaying factor of course, returning.

And am I the only guy who loves Latinga on the yellow ferry? Those guys are cool. The one guy looks like Johnny Knoxville. The other ferry was nice and big and comfortable, but I'll take the deck on the yellow ferry everytime. (I am pretty sure the yellow one is Ultramar....) The ferry ride just sets the mood.

:sleeping2: