Ropin' Some Magic In the Western Caribbean

[Belle6000]

That's the store I've heard praised here and on other forums. Was it worth the walk? I looked at their website and there are no prices, but the items look interesting!

There's a Los Cinco Soles store in the mall area right when you get off the ship...it's smaller and I don't know if the prices are higher or not. My experience was that everything in the plaza areas right when you get off the ship was more expensive. It is a long walk though so if you don't have the time I'd suggest just going to the smaller one.

From what I read online I was expecting more of a local supermarket type of store. It was not that. There was a big supermarket the other way down the street (it had escalators!). I think I'd check that out if I ever go there again. Los Cinco Soles was more of a gift shop type of store. It was large though and had a good selection of tequila if you happen to be looking for that. It wasn't super cheap though. We paid $15 for a 1 liter bottle of just regular tequila...not the fancy stuff. The vanilla came in 4 different sizes. The small bottle was 3.99. The biggest bottle was around 12.00, I think. I bought the next to the biggest which was 500mL and I think I paid around $9.
Sorry, I don't know where the receipts are.

They also have the chocolate bars from the chocolate factory. They are $5 and $9, I think...at least $2 more than they are at the chocolate factory. It really is some of the best chocolate I've ever put in my mouth though!

Hope some of this info helps!

 

[MissDaisyofTexas]

I'm enjoying this trip report! We are sailing out of Galveston in February.

Question about the chocolate factory...their website says they have 3 guided tours a day. Do you have to sign up for the tour? Or can you look around the factory on your own time? I also thought I read there is an age requirement for the tour (now I can't find where I read that)...just wondering if I can take my 2-year-old and 4-year-old?

Thanks!

 

[riofriotex]

We ate Mexican food in both Cozumel & Costa Maya and thought it was awful. The first place we stopped at on our way home to Dallas was Pappasitos for some yummy tex -mex.

The food in Mexico is real ethnic food, not Tex-Mex like we get back home in Texas.

On our last trip to Cozumel, for authentic Yucatan food, our taxi driver recommended Casa Denis, which is about half a block off the plaza on Calle 1 Sur just across from the yellow Plaza Del Sol. My husband had Cochinita Pabil (Mayan pork - spicy!) and I had sopa de lima (a soup made with a mixture of fresh vegetables and chicken which has been marinated in lime juice). Yum! Kids probably would not like these, though.

Viva Mexico and Los Cinco Soles both have high quality items made in Mexico (and less pushy salespeople). I've bought vanilla at one or the other on the last two visits and never been ill.

 

[soccermom1422]

I'm enjoying this trip report! We are sailing out of Galveston in February.

Question about the chocolate factory...their website says they have 3 guided tours a day. Do you have to sign up for the tour? Or can you look around the factory on your own time? I also thought I read there is an age requirement for the tour (now I can't find where I read that)...just wondering if I can take my 2-year-old and 4-year-old?

Thanks!

Yes, you do need to sign up for a tour because there is limited space. It is a small place, and the "tour" only took place in 2 rooms. Don't get me wrong - we loved it. What made it fun was not so much seeing the factory, but listening to Joshua explain how the chocolate is made, helping grind the beans, and tasting all the flavors. I'm sure you can go in during business hours just to shop, but make sure they know you are coming. We arrived about a half hour early for our tour, and the door was locked. We had to ring the doorbell for someone to let us in.

There is not an age requirement that I know of. We took our 2-year-old with no problem (except that he fell asleep in the middle of the tour).

IMHO, I don't think it would be worth it just to go there to look around without doing the tour. There is really not that much to look at, and the tour was fun. The tour is only $10/person, and the kids are free. And the chocolate is really yummy.

 

[MissDaisyofTexas]

Yes, you do need to sign up for a tour because there is limited space. It is a small place, and the "tour" only took place in 2 rooms. Don't get me wrong - we loved it. What made it fun was not so much seeing the factory, but listening to Joshua explain how the chocolate is made, helping grind the beans, and tasting all the flavors. I'm sure you can go in during business hours just to shop, but make sure they know you are coming. We arrived about a half hour early for our tour, and the door was locked. We had to ring the doorbell for someone to let us in.

There is not an age requirement that I know of. We took our 2-year-old with no problem (except that he fell asleep in the middle of the tour).

IMHO, I don't think it would be worth it just to go there to look around without doing the tour. There is really not that much to look at, and the tour was fun. The tour is only $10/person, and the kids are free. And the chocolate is really yummy.

Thanks for the info!

 

[Menada1115]

I am really enjoying reading all of your reports. We are taking this cruise- sailing on Dec. 1. We are really wanting to do the Turtle Farm and the Dolphin Extreme Swim. Are these 2 places the ones that you mentioned are right across the street from each other? I copied the Turtle Farm link, do you happen to have info for the dolphin place? I would much rather book on my own, than through Disney.
Thank you so much for all the reviews. It really helps so much when planning our cruise. Thanks!!!

 

[Belle6000]

We booked through Disney with this one. We weren't extremely happy with it. It ran late and had too many vendors. There's pictures and a whole review of it on my blog if there's anyone out there thinking of doing it.

http://aimeesland.blogspot.com/2012/10/cozumel.html

 

[Belle6000]

I am really enjoying reading all of your reports. We are taking this cruise- sailing on Dec. 1. We are really wanting to do the Turtle Farm and the Dolphin Extreme Swim. Are these 2 places the ones that you mentioned are right across the street from each other? I copied the Turtle Farm link, do you happen to have info for the dolphin place? I would much rather book on my own, than through Disney.
Thank you so much for all the reviews. It really helps so much when planning our cruise. Thanks!!!

Yes, those are the ones. And they are literally right across the street!

We didn't do the dolphin one but I think this is the link:
http://www.dolphindiscovery.com/grand-cayman/cayman-activities-dolphin-royal-swim.asp

It says that you get admission into boatswain beach (the turtle farm) with the dolphin admission.

 

[llqool]

Weird question....did they give you guys towels when you left the ship at Grand Cayman, etc?

Also, did you guys bring your passports on shore with you? I hear lots of debate on the topic, and I honestly don't know what to do -- on the one hand, I don't want my passport stolen, and I know that I can get on the ship w/my KTTW card. BUT, if something should happen, a medical or other emergency, and we couldn't get on the ship, I'd hate to be trapped in a foreign country w/no passport. And I believe the US won't let you back in without one, even if you are a US citizen and have ID.

 

[Belle6000]

Weird question....did they give you guys towels when you left the ship at Grand Cayman, etc?

Also, did you guys bring your passports on shore with you? I hear lots of debate on the topic, and I honestly don't know what to do -- on the one hand, I don't want my passport stolen, and I know that I can get on the ship w/my KTTW card. BUT, if something should happen, a medical or other emergency, and we couldn't get on the ship, I'd hate to be trapped in a foreign country w/no passport. And I believe the US won't let you back in without one, even if you are a US citizen and have ID.

They had towels for us as we left the ship for one of the ports. For the other ports we had to get them from the deck 9 pool area. They don't care if you take their pool towels off with you...just bring them back.

I think it was Grand Cayman that they had them for us when we disembarked. They also had a little covered area by the tenders with lemonade and water when we were going to get back on the ship and they had a bin for you to put your used towels in right there before you got on the tender to take you back to the ship. The other ports they had a towel collection bin when you got back on the ship and went through x-ray.

We took our passports with us but I don't think we ever needed them. The only time we were asked for them was when we were disembarking in Galveston at the end of the trip.

 

[pllanez12]

Nice to see all the reports. My cruise isn't till next year, but gettin plenty of tips and ideas. Thanks to all who put in a review.

 

[niki2576]

Thanks for all the great tips. My daughter and I leave 12/29 out of Galveston and I am so excited! I am already making packing lists LOL

 

[pllanez12]

Have a question for anyone who has returned recently from the Galveston Cruise. How were the sea's and the overall weather????? Any problem with rough seas????? Just wondering cause I'm taking my first DC next year this time.

Thanks
Phil

 

[pllanez12]

346 days till CRUISE

 

[WoodlandsMom]

Have a question for anyone who has returned recently from the Galveston Cruise. How were the sea's and the overall weather????? Any problem with rough seas????? Just wondering cause I'm taking my first DC next year this time.

Thanks
Phil

Sept 29 - Oct 6
The first day - leaving Galveston - was the "roughest" although it was not very rough (it was raining in Galveston). When we arrived in Cozumel on Thursday it was lightly raining. Those that had the beach excursion complained because it was a wet day.

 

[WoodlandsMom]

They had towels for us as we left the ship for one of the ports. For the other ports we had to get them from the deck 9 pool area. They don't care if you take their pool towels off with you...just bring them back.

I think it was Grand Cayman that they had them for us when we disembarked. They also had a little covered area by the tenders with lemonade and water when we were going to get back on the ship and they had a bin for you to put your used towels in right there before you got on the tender to take you back to the ship. The other ports they had a towel collection bin when you got back on the ship and went through x-ray.

We took our passports with us but I don't think we ever needed them. The only time we were asked for them was when we were disembarking in Galveston at the end of the trip.

That's funny, we must have overlooked the towel bin. lol. We just put our used towels in our bathtub back in our room.

 

[pllanez12]

Thanks for the info.