As avid snorkelers, the port we most eagerly anticipated on our Western Caribbean cruise aboard Radiance of the Seas was Grand Cayman, so when the Captain broadcast the message that rough seas would force us to miss the port, Julie and I were quite disappointed.
To compensate, he continued, the ship would head directly to Cozumel so that we could arrive in the evening a half day ahead of schedule. Some young guys nearby let out a giant cheer, and while their exuberance over getting to the bars in Cozumel a night ahead of schedule may not have been the rule of the day, nonetheless I couldn't help noticing that everyone took the news in stride.
I've heard of near-mutinies on some cruises when itineraries unexpectedly changed, but everyone on Radiance of the Seas seemed relatively content to spend the next day cruising instead of in Grand Cayman. Why?
While I can't claim to have surveyed everyone onboard, I have to assume it was because the Radiance of the Seas makes a wonderful destination in and of itself. Many were probably already trying to figure out how to snag a few more hours at the Solarium pool or reading on their balconies. The port cancellation just took away one travel opportunity and replaced it with another. This reinforced what I've always known: the ship and the stateroom make major differences in the perception of all aspects of a vacation, both positive and negative.
Julie and I didn't join the revelers who headed into Carlos & Charlie's or Senor Frog's upon our early arrival to the island of Cozumel, instead opting to enjoy a delicious meal at our usual table in the dining room followed by the usual evening cruise entertainment. The next morning, however, we arose early and headed to shore to catch the ferry to Playa del Carmen on the Mexican mainland, where we boarded a public bus for a long ride to Tulum. While this is definitely a cheap way to go, with a $20 roundtrip ferry ride and $6 bus fare, it isn't the ideal way to travel, which is why so many people opt for the $90 shore excursion. Admission to the ruins at Tulum ran another $6, and we bought a guidebook for $6, so both of us went for about half the price of a shore excursion for one. Still, I have to admit having a guide explain everything would have been preferable.I enjoyed seeing this walled citadel perched on a bluff with a commanding view of the ocean, but the highlight was the beautiful beach below the ruins. We can never get enough of those different shades of turquoise water, it seems.
The snorkeling wasn't great, but we enjoyed it more than the Palancar Reef on Cozumel on a previous trip. All too soon it was time to go. On the bus ride back, we ran into some folks from one of the excursions who had spent too much time on the beach and missed the tour bus back to their Carnival ship. They didn't have enough money for a taxi to get back to the cruise port from the ferry station in Cozumel, so we took them in our cab with us. Remember that even if you are on a shore excursion, you have to pay attention to the time, and always have enough money to get back to the ship any time. They could have been stranded.
