Sargassum at Castaway, Cozumel, Costa Maya?

[Princesca]

I'm reading awful accounts of the stinky brown seaweed piling up on Caribbean beaches. Is this a problem at Castaway, Cozumel, or Costa Maya? If we do beach break excursions through DCL, will they all be beaches that remove it?

 

[OKW Lover]

I don't have an answer but I'm wondering where you've seen the reports.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I don't have an answer but I'm wondering where you've seen the reports.

sargassum is a constant problem. In the last year to two years been really bad. I know because we read a ton about it when searching for our Mexican Riviera hotel. We picked ours in part because where it's located at in Cancun at this particular spot in the Hotel Zone gets less (but still gets it) than other parts.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Looking at some news Cozumel has been getting a lot of sargassum in 2022. Technically they are supposed to clean it up in Mexico itself but at times they are either too lax at it or simply cannot combat it quickly enough often the beaches where the more budget hotels you'll just find resource issues with doing the clean up (at least all the things we read said basically this).

The amount/impact will vary based on when you go. Typically it starts to ramp up during the spring as the water warm up more.

It does seem like the Mexican government is trying to do more out at sea first with either barriers (Playa Del Carmen and Tulum for example) or collections.

From our searching the beaches can't do a constant clean up so it's entirely possible you'd still find sargassum even with a dedicated cleaning.

What I would personally suggest is checking the sargassum maps of severity shortly before your trip to get more of an idea of the present impact. This is one source you could use https://sargassummonitoring.com/

 

[Princesca]

Would it be a refundable situation if you booked an excursion that became unenjoyable because of it?

 

[OKW Lover]

sargassum is a constant problem. In the last year to two years been really bad.

Interesting. We are not typically beach kind of people, but on our six cruises in 2022, we stopped at two private islands (Castaway Cay and Coco Cay) and saw no evidence of sargassum fouling the beaches.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Interesting. We are typically beach kind of people, but on our six cruises in 2022, we stopped at two private islands (Castaway Cay and Coco Cay) and saw no evidence of sargassum fouling the beaches.

that may be so although Bahamas is not the same as Mexico but the poster was asking about Cozumel and Costa Maya both of which do get sargassum. If you read reviews for mexican riviera you'll see a lot of comments about sargassum. May 2022 was particularly bad from what I read. Reports show for Cozumel alone from Jan-early October of 2022 more 3,000 tons of it.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Would it be a refundable situation if you booked an excursion that became unenjoyable because of it?

Not sure if sargassum conditions (which is completely out of their control and is naturally occurring) is something they would refund anything on but you'll want to ask DCL about it.

 

[auntlynne]

As for Castaway, the beaches are very clear of debris. And the sand is raked and fairly well packed. Very pleasant beach break.

I actually expect it to occur in Cancun, Cozumel, Costa Maya (well, they are all close - and basically one big bay). I cannot remember a visit there when I haven’t seen some.

And unless Disney owns a property, I would not have the same expectations.

If it is a turn-off, I would look at an Eastern Caribbean itinerary. It doesn’t seem to have the same problem (this is my perception, not a scientific record; take it with a grain of salt).

 

[crauen]

No first hand experience but based on trip reports and reviews I have seem this definitely seems like a potential issues on beaches in and around the Yucatan peninsula. (Costa Maya, Cozumel etc.). I have never experienced issues either in the Bahamas (Castaway Cay or Coco Cay on Royal) or heard of issues in the Eastern Caribbean ports and beaches. Western Caribbean ports that are further south like Roatan also seem to be less impacted. Also the Mexican Riviera (West Coast Mexican ports) does not have significant seaweed issues.