Flight from Cancun to Cozumel?

[mediumone]

In the past ( multiple trips in the 20-teens ) the cheapest way to get there was the ferry from Playa Del Carmen.


Based upon those trips, if I go again, this is how I would do it:

1) Fly into Cancun Airport

2) Use a shuttle to get to Playa. Haggle with drivers or curbside reps for lower rates.

3) Rent a cheap hotel in Playa Del Carmen for the night. This gives you a buffer.
If you count on everything happening on schedule, then one delay or mistake can wreck your plans. There are all kinds of things that can go wrong.
. A) Your flight may be late.
. B) Getting out of the airport took us five hours once. Employee strike? Bomb threat? They wouldn't tell us. Stand in line, gringo, and shut up.
. C) If your luggage is lost, the airline can easily get it to you the next day in Playa. Not so if you are already in Cozumel. A fellow diver told me it took three days to get his luggage to Coz on a previous trip.
. D) Some ferries may be canceled without notice. Those that do run may have schedule changes without notice.

4) Take the ferry across. ( Haggling doesn't seem to work here ) The last time that I went, they wanted everyone to stash their gear up in the bow, and then come back in to the cabin, leaving tens of thousands of dollars of scuba gear unguarded. So meet other divers while you are standing in line to get on. That way you can keep an eye on each other's gear.

5) Hire a guy with a cart to transport your luggage - and maybe you - to your hotel. There are lots of them hanging around when the ferry arrives. Haggle, of course.

ADO bus from airport to playa. cheap and easy. short walk from bus station down to the ferry peir. take ferry to coz. then walk or taxi to hotel. done.

Yep.

 

[cvchief]

Don't blame me, I just googled it for the dude. That was the first result, I'm sure if I wanted thru a couple thousand results I might have found Jose Ramirez's super cheap playa shuttle for $25.

But I'm flying direct to Coz in 18 days so not really vested.

Dude! Sorry, I wasn't kickin' you.

We started flying direct this year on Southwest. We are doing it again Wednesday....

I have heard others haggling for a driver at the airport and doing really well. I just like my guy as I know its all good.

I have done the bus and its fine but slow. Invariably, I was always on the edge for making that NEXT ferry and I got my van guy to lead foot it. or if not on the edge, stop for beer. And everyone is icky now, so I don't want to be on the bus. I dont want to be that breakthrough case from ADO. And you have to watch your stuff in the bus, not a big deal though.

Unless you are close to last ferry, I wouldn't worry so much. Of course right now it is all screwed up as they can't run all the ferries like they normally do and they are packed and people are getting bumped. The packed ferries was the main reason we decided to try Southwest through Hobby straight to the island. Takes us longer to get onto the island than non stop to cancun, van, ferry, but it was nice and Hobby seems to be so much better than Bush or DWF.

It also nice to get a tricycle guy to take your crap to the ferry. They go out on the pier and just wait for you with it. That's nice.

 

[gopbroek]

cvchiefs van guy is very good. Always waiting out front with a sign. Van guy runs about $45 USD for up to four persons and takes about 45 minutes to get from CUN to the Playa pier and will stop for cervesa. ADO bus costs $216 MXN ($11USD) and takes about an hour and 20 Minutes with waiting for departure that could stretch to almost 2 hours. Taxi's from CUN used to run $89 USD but online they are now saying $70+ regular fair and $44.14+ online ???
Taxi back from Playa (different Taxi union) runs about $650MXN

 

[Lorenzoid]

To go between Cancun and the ferry at Playa del Carmen, we've tried the ADO bus, cvchief's van guy, various other van (shuttle) services, and taxi. The lighthearted SB term for this trek is "the bag drag," a reference mostly to the bit between where your vehicle drops you off and the ferry landing. Neither my wife nor I have found it bothersome at all. Have a beer while you wait for the next ferry.

The bus was fine--you can take a beer with you. What's your rush--this is Mexico, and you're on vacation. On the return trip, just leave plenty of time. If you have a very early flight and want to play it safe, stay overnight in Cancun.

 

[cvchief]

Neither my wife nor I have found it bothersome at all. Have a beer while you wait for the next ferry.

You are doing it wrong. Relaxation does not occur until I am drinking beer on the ferry. More when they had a band. Beer and nachos in senor frogs does not count.

The bus was fine--you can take a beer with you. What's your rush--this is Mexico, and you're on vacation. On the return trip, just leave plenty of time. If you have a very early flight and want to play it safe, stay overnight in Cancun.

Well yes it is mexico on the bus and I dont mind the movie in Spanish but it does tick me off I can't see the whole thing. And sure it much more 'local' to ride the bus, but I need to get the house, drop my crap and go to Guidos for a marg. I can't be dilly dallying on the Mx greyhound....

 

[Lorenzoid]

Like I said, cvchief, we've tried all the options (except flying), and there are pros and cons. It feels good to save a little money sometimes. I mean, we have all these threads arguing about exchange rates and fees, tipping, taxi ripoffs, etc., and then one could save as much money simply by taking the bus. But I can't argue the van is the way to go if money isn't an issue.

 

[cvchief]

Like I said, cvchief, we've tried all the options (except flying), and there are pros and cons. It feels good to save a little money sometimes. I mean, we have all these threads arguing about exchange rates and fees, tipping, taxi ripoffs, etc., and then one could save as much money simply by taking the bus. But I can't argue the van is the way to go if money isn't an issue.

True but if we aren't in Coz, what else can we go on about other than how to get to Coz?

Pre-covid, I would pay more to fly non-stop BWI to CUN as, with my van I was on the island at least an hour or two faster with less time in a tiny plane seat.

And we often bring 2-3 sobrinos so, it was the same or cheaper on the van. And instead of just losing the phone my nephew left on the seat, I only had to drink beer and eat nachos for an hour for the van guy to bring it by on his next run.

Coming back we most were able to get a Mayair flight that was timed right. Almost never going down, but coming back was usually good.

I always hated the ferry going back as it was like the amazing race. Walk out of the condo and GO! And watch the watch for the next two hours until you are all safely checked in.

If it was about the money and not the time, you could probably do that back to back cruise ship thing. Get on one down and another back. They have good deals on them right?

And seriously, there is no right way. (I mean beyond mine of course. Mine is of course the most correct) Its all about what you value. I have no baggage on the way back. On the way down I often am muling a pile of crap. So that factors in. Right now I value not having to be amongst the teeming masses on the ferry, so I will pay extra and go through Hobby. Doing G Bush or DWF might change that. And we are fully invested in Southwest with the companion pass and all, so I really value a Southwest flight. I also value not having to walk by a bunch 1%ers drinking what Champagne, uh, champagne cocktails passing judgement on me on my way to sit with the rabble. We are all equal on Luv!

 

[ReefHound]

. C) If your luggage is lost, the airline can easily get it to you the next day in Playa. Not so if you are already in Cozumel. A fellow diver told me it took three days to get his luggage to Coz on a previous trip.

My experience was better. A friend and me were booked on a flight to Coz but it got canceled so we rebooked to Cancun. Of course, none of our checked bags got rebooked. Customer service in Cancun had a hard time understanding that we would not be back in Cancun and needed the bags delivered to Cozumel. I was pi$$ed thinking we'd likely have to shuttle back to CUN to get them. They were in our hotel lobby in Coz the next day when we returned from diving. Perhaps that was because we were originally booked into Coz though. But United was only running Saturday flights to Coz then so it had to fly into CUN and be transferred. Pretty sure they didn't route a special flight to CZM to deliver our bags.

 

[ReefHound]

ADO bus from airport to playa. cheap and easy. short walk from bus station down to the ferry peir. take ferry to coz. then walk or taxi to hotel. done.

Done the ADO bus many times. It's not that bad, takes maybe 30-60 minutes longer with the waits and stops. Probably wouldn't do it these days until Mexico gets covid under control. The busses are often packed and not well ventilated but the crowded stations are even worse.

 

[gopbroek]

My experience was better. A friend and me were booked on a flight to Coz but it got canceled so we rebooked to Cancun. Of course, none of our checked bags got rebooked. Customer service in Cancun had a hard time understanding that we would not be back in Cancun and needed the bags delivered to Cozumel. I was pi$$ed thinking we'd likely have to shuttle back to CUN to get them. They were in our hotel lobby in Coz the next day when we returned from diving. Perhaps that was because we were originally booked into Coz though. But United was only running Saturday flights to Coz then so it had to fly into CUN and be transferred. Pretty sure they didn't route a special flight to CZM to deliver our bags.

This was a few years back (2013) and I met a couple of guys from England. Their flight was late into IAD and while they made the quick transfer thier bags including their dive gear didn't. It was fall and United was only running on Saturday. They were told their bags would be coming on the next flight which was the following Saturday and which they were scheduled to leave the island on. This was mid week and they were fuming. I am glad based on your experience that they have re-evaluated that policy.