Bag-Drag timing - 3:45 arr into Cancun

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dberry

Hydrophilic
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It's been 2.5 years since my last Coz trip. The bag drag from CUN worked like a charm (private taxi), and let me get a non-stop from PHL to CUN, but I don't recall how long it took overall to get to the PDC ferry. My dive buddy is arriving into CUN at 3:45 on AA, and I'm trying to figure which ferry we're likely to make. There's a fairly long walk from the street to the ferry, as I recall. Is it reasonable to plan for the 6PM ferry? 7PM? I'm hoping there won't be much of a line for the ferry on a random Tuesday evening.

Also, if I'm reading the correct info, there are ferries every hour (Winjet or Ultramar alternating) - is that right?

Thanks in advance!
-Don
 
A bus will take 1:15 and a taxi will take about an hour. I'd estimate at least 4:30 by the time he clears immigration and customs but that is the wild card here. I've made it out the door 20 minutes after landing and other times 2 hours after landing. I've seen the immigration line empty and lined up out of the back door. I've walked right out of customes and had every bag hand searched. So add it all up and 6:00pm is possible if all goes smooth but it might be 7pm or in some cases even 8pm (which would be the cluster case).
 
Ha! You trust the airline?
 
Ha! You trust the airline?
Not totally, which is why a non-stop is greatly preferred. But assuming the flight lands on time, what's your take on the question that I asked?
 
Yes, nonstop flights are safer if the plane and crew appear on time. It could happen. I'd keep my hopes flexible with variances in customs, traffic, and the worst threat - the ferries. I wouldn't try to plan on a time or company. Here is a FB post from June...
I just want to give a public service announcement to first time travelers to Cozumel - something I wish we had known before our trip.
Spend the extra money or make the extra connection to fly directly into Cozumel. Do not fly into Cancun, especially if you are traveling with older adults.

We arrived on 6/26 in Cancun and while our private transport to the ferry was pre-arranged, we still waited about 45 minutes at the airport before we finally got our van. After arriving in Playa Del Carmen, we had to literally drag our 50 lb suitcases for about 15 minutes over uneven cobblestone. I literally mean drag, as the wheels would not roll on the cobblestone. Our suitcases are all ripped at the bottom from this. We waited 1-1/2 hours (standing - nowhere to sit) in line for the ferry, all the while inhaling the rotten egg fumes from the abundant sargassum grass piled up on shore. We had to walk with our bags another 500 meters to board the ferry (in pouring rain, of course) and once aboard, there was nowhere to sit. Some in our party were able to grab a seat on the top with no cover, and were completely soaked upon arrival in Cozumel.

We had contacted Ultramar in advance about wheelchair assistance for the elderly people in our group. They told us to ask any member of their staff, but when we did, we were told none were available. We were also told the “bicycle guys” would take our luggage from the sidewalk and get ur over the cobblestone streets. Again, not a bicycle in sight.

Long post, I know, but if I can save anyone the hell we went through to get here, then it’s worth it.

We have to repeat this process on Saturday and we’re all dreading it. We looked into a puddle jumper to fly back to Cancun airport, but they don’t have any planes available.

I will say Cozumel is absolutely beautiful, but we would definitely do it different the next time.

EDIT 7/3/21: our return trip was much less traumatic. Arrived at the Cozumel ferry at 6:10am to board the 7am crossing. Line was short and there was somewhere for our older traveling companions to sit while we were waiting to board. There were only two bicycle guys waiting at the pier on the Playa side, but we were able to grab one so we didn’t have to drag our luggage. If you use their service, please tip generously - they are working very hard. Lastly, our Amstar transfer to the airport was waiting at a different location than we were dropped off upon our arrival on 6/26. This exit from 5th Avenue was literally a straight shot from the pier, up the small grade and directly onto the street. I wish we would have known this entrance/exit existed when we arrived. It would have saved us traversing the entire shopping plaza with our luggage the day of our arrival. All in all, though, I would still fly directly to CZM the next time.
 
A bus will take 1:15 and a taxi will take about an hour. I'd estimate at least 4:30 by the time he clears immigration and customs but that is the wild card here. I've made it out the door 20 minutes after landing and other times 2 hours after landing. I've seen the immigration line empty and lined up out of the back door. I've walked right out of customes and had every bag hand searched. So add it all up and 6:00pm is possible if all goes smooth but it might be 7pm or in some cases even 8pm (which would be the cluster case).
^^^This, exactly -- variables are customs and what transport you take to PDC (taxi, bus, private shuttle, etc.). I've gotten to where I kind of enjoy the bag drag -- see a little of the mainland on the way down. I like the ADO when it's just one or two of us, but take a shuttle van (Canadian Transfers, Kalido Travel, etc.) when a group of us or in a little more hurry. If you miss the 6pm ferry there are some restaurants near the ferry with decent Mexican food. While the negative account above seems a bit dramatic and sounds like they took the long/wrong route, you do want to make sure your luggage and its wheels are in decent shape -- the cobbles are a bit annoying.
 
^^^This, exactly -- variables are customs and what transport you take to PDC (taxi, bus, private shuttle, etc.). I've gotten to where I kind of enjoy the bag drag -- see a little of the mainland on the way down. I like the ADO when it's just one or two of us, but take a shuttle van (Canadian Transfers, Kalido Travel, etc.) when a group of us or in a little more hurry. If you miss the 6pm ferry there are some restaurants near the ferry with decent Mexican food. While the negative account above seems a bit dramatic and sounds like they took the long/wrong route, you do want to make sure your luggage and its wheels are in decent shape -- the cobbles are a bit annoying.
I remember the cobblestones / long walk from the street to the ferry terminal from last time. It's clearly arranged to make the tourists walk past the bars and stores to get to ferry. Like the obligatory gift shop at the exit to every museum.

I'm not young (and am 2.5 years older than last time I did the drag!!), but I can handle the cobbles and we won't be in a rush. Aldora confirmed we can just go to the pier the next morning and don't need to check-in at the shop the day/night before (we aren't renting equipment and filled out the forms on-line already.) As long as Casa Mexicana knows we'll be checking in late-ish, it won't matter much which ferry we catch.
 
It could all go well. The latest schedule I saw on FB was from August, and it showed departures every 30 minutes. Just be flexible.
 
I completely agree with ReefHound's post. We've experienced every one of those scenarios. We have noticed that when the wait to get through immigration hits the 2 hour mark, the customs people are really nice.
 
I remember the cobblestones / long walk from the street to the ferry terminal from last time. It's clearly arranged to make the tourists walk past the bars and stores to get to ferry. Like the obligatory gift shop at the exit to every museum.
The walk is mostly downhill going from PDC to Coz. Just get a trike porter to haul your bags for about a buck per bag. It also gives you a good excuse to walk past the vendors.
 
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