How safe is Cozumel?

[mab2012]

I felt safe but I have one word of caution, try not let your credit card out of your sight. I am normally pretty sensible about this but not when we visited a bar on the Cozumel 'main strip' (perhaps due to the free flowing margaritas!). We let our server take our card behind the bar when paying our bill. When we returned home, our bank cancelled our card due to suspicious activity like $1000 in Staples and a random home rental agency based in the US. We live in Australia so these were definitely out of the norm for us and this was the only place we used that credit card. I had experienced issues with my other credit cards when trying to pay my bill and this one was a 'back up'. A quick google told us that this was a relatively common complaint after visiting this establishment. I gave myself a lecture in common sense after that!

I second this. Don't use a credit card you're not prepared to cancel. My credit card did not leave my sight, and I still ended up with fraudulent charges after using it at an Avis location. And like smacmillan83, I know that location was responsible, because it's the only place I used that particular credit card on the entire trip. I would have thought a major car rental agency where credit cards are outright required would be reasonably trustworthy, but apparently not.

Gas stations use chip&pin at the pump, so no issue using credit cards there.

Other than that, we didn't experience any issues, or feel unsafe. We drove to Punta Sur, which is a lovely spot and was not crowded at the time we visited. Upon our return the rental car location was closed for an afternoon break, so we parked on the street for a couple of hours, several blocks off the tourist strip. We walked back to the ship and I later returned on my own to retrieve the car, while my husband stayed on board with the kids (I was the only authorized driver on the car). I felt a little conspicuous walking the residential streets alone, but it was fine. Nobody paid me much attention.

 

[DJP1201]

Is it a DCL excursion?

Yes

 

[insureman]

From the US State Department
Quintana Roo (includes Cancun, Cozumel, Playa del Carmen, Riviera Maya, and Tulum): U.S. citizens should be aware that according to Government of Mexico statistics, the state of Quintana Roo experienced an increase in homicide rates compared to 2016. While most of these homicides appeared to be targeted criminal organization assassinations, turf battles between criminal groups have resulted in violent crime in areas frequented by U.S. citizens. Shooting incidents, in which innocent bystanders have been injured or killed, have occurred.
"

 

[jiminyC_fan]

Glad to hear all this; I'll be there as a solo female traveler in January. Got a scuba excursion booked in the afternoon via DCL, so I'll have to decide whether I want to wander and shop in the morning or just sleep in and stick to the excursion (I'll have maybe forty-five minutes between the scheduled end of the excursion and all aboard, so I'm not counting on being able to linger much afterward). I've wandered other foreign cities by myself and been fine, so.

As for money...my current plan is to go cash-only in port since I'd heard about the danger of charges getting changed or added after the fact; while my credit card comes with decent protections I'd really rather not worry about it. I've seen mentions elsewhere that a lot of places in Cozumel will take American money, but is that actually true? I don't want to exchange more money than necessary, but I want to have at least some usable cash on hand.

Like I said earlier, we have vacationed there yearly for the past ten years. We never get pesos. We only use USD. In the long run it's better to use pesos but I don't mind helping their economy the little extra it ends up being. We have used credit cards a lot their as well and never had an issue. Personally, I wouldn't use an ATM, however.

I see no reason to stick with a DCL excursion. You can get anywhere much cheaper by paying for a taxi and the entrance fee if there is one. We venture off resort every single time by ourselves and go to the neighborhoods of our friends. No cruiser will go back that far anyway.

 

[jiminyC_fan]

From the US State Department
Quintana Roo (includes Cancun, Cozumel, Playa del Carmen, Riviera Maya, and Tulum): U.S. citizens should be aware that according to Government of Mexico statistics, the state of Quintana Roo experienced an increase in homicide rates compared to 2016. While most of these homicides appeared to be targeted criminal organization assassinations, turf battles between criminal groups have resulted in violent crime in areas frequented by U.S. citizens. Shooting incidents, in which innocent bystanders have been injured or killed, have occurred.
"

The State of Quintana Roo was lumped as one. If you check the statistics of Cozumel you will find the crime rate much less than probably your own hometown. Cancun is experiencing the crime but the state dept lumped the whole state as one. Cozumel has sent a letter to our govt asking them to retract Cozumel. I posted the letter a few months ago. I will see if I can find it again.

 

[YawningDodo]

I see no reason to stick with a DCL excursion. You can get anywhere much cheaper by paying for a taxi and the entrance fee if there is one. We venture off resort every single time by ourselves and go to the neighborhoods of our friends. No cruiser will go back that far anyway.

Okay, but I booked a DCL excursion because I wasn't interested in navigating scuba rentals and guides on my own and the DCL excursion I picked meets my expectations re: pricing for that kind of activity. At some point, convenience is a factor. When I say "stick with the excursion" I mean it's a question of whether I also wander about on my own in the morning.

 

[jiminyC_fan]

Cozumel is one of the safest places in Mexico, however, I would stick to an excursion.

Okay, but I booked a DCL excursion because I wasn't interested in navigating scuba rentals and guides on my own and the DCL excursion I picked meets my expectations re: pricing for that kind of activity. At some point, convenience is a factor. When I say "stick with the excursion" I mean it's a question of whether I also wander about on my own in the morning.

Sorry, I really wasn't clear. I quoted your post to respond to your pesos question. I should have done a multi quote as my second paragraph was responding to mevelandry suggesting to stick to an excursion. Sorry for the confusion. I am a firm believer that there is no right or wrong way to vacation. It's personal preference.

 

[mevelandry]

Sorry, I really wasn't clear. I quoted your post to respond to your pesos question. I should have done a multi quote as my second paragraph was responding to mevelandry suggesting to stick to an excursion. Sorry for the confusion. I am a firm believer that there is no right or wrong way to vacation. It's personal preference.

FWIW, I think it's always safer to be with someone who knows the place (although I would agree that some ports are safer than others) + with an excursion provided by the cruise line, they will wait for you if you are back to the port late (especially when the ship time is not the same as local time)...

 

[jiminyC_fan]

FWIW, I think it's always safer to be with someone who knows the place (although I would agree that some ports are safer than others) + with an excursion provided by the cruise line, they will wait for you if you are back to the port late (especially when the ship time is not the same as local time)...

Agree. I think we as cruisers get a bit more comfortable doing things on our own as our cruise numbers increase. When I first began there was no way, period, that I would venture on my own.

 

[belac]

Just got back and we ventured on our own but within the port area, past the mall and down the main street there. We didn't feel nervous at all. Our friends ventured a bit further and said 10 blocks out from the port area was getting sketchy but they also survived there is a good restaurant there their server told them about so they went.

 

[meliscan]

Like I said earlier, we have vacationed there yearly for the past ten years. We never get pesos. We only use USD. In the long run it's better to use pesos but I don't mind helping their economy the little extra it ends up being. We have used credit cards a lot their as well and never had an issue. Personally, I wouldn't use an ATM, however.

I see no reason to stick with a DCL excursion. You can get anywhere much cheaper by paying for a taxi and the entrance fee if there is one. We venture off resort every single time by ourselves and go to the neighborhoods of our friends. No cruiser will go back that far anyway.

I understand his point of view but I would be hesitant to book an excursion not with DCL or the cruise line I am cruising. After the change in our itinerary, then cancellation due to Irma if I had booked on my own I would have had to deal with changes and the cancellation. Also our table mates did that one year in Costa Maya and their cab left them. She had to get a ride with a stranger to get back to the boat. Lucky she had cash to pay for a ride. They barely made it to the boat.

With regards to Cozumel we have been there 4 times and as long as you stick to the main roads you should be as safe as you will be in any other city.

 

[DJP1201]

Question about credit cards. If I got a prepaid Visa would that work?

 

[phinz]

Question about credit cards. If I got a prepaid Visa would that work?

If it works just like a credit card then I wouldn't see why not. I used my regular Visa at MEGA a couple of weeks ago and had no issues.

 

[YawningDodo]

Sorry, I really wasn't clear. I quoted your post to respond to your pesos question. I should have done a multi quote as my second paragraph was responding to mevelandry suggesting to stick to an excursion. Sorry for the confusion. I am a firm believer that there is no right or wrong way to vacation. It's personal preference.

I'm sorry in turn that I was more confrontational in reply than was warranted.

FWIW, I think it's always safer to be with someone who knows the place (although I would agree that some ports are safer than others) + with an excursion provided by the cruise line, they will wait for you if you are back to the port late (especially when the ship time is not the same as local time)...

Agree. I think we as cruisers get a bit more comfortable doing things on our own as our cruise numbers increase. When I first began there was no way, period, that I would venture on my own.

Annnd I put a brave face on it by bringing up the aspects of wanting to skip a bunch of logistics, but frankly this is a factor, too. I don't feel entirely comfortable with the idea of striking out on my own in port, even though I know well enough how to conduct myself when traveling and it won't be the first time I'll be alone in a foreign place.