Thank you DISboards

[lflynn]

We are just back from the 7 night Magic. Wow! It was amazing. I want to thank everyone for the great suggestions. All your advice and secrets really made our trip that much more special. THANK YOU!!!!

 

[Verandah Man]

We are just back from the 7 night Magic. Wow! It was amazing. I want to thank everyone for the great suggestions. All your advice and secrets really made our trip that much more special. THANK YOU!!!!

Glad to hear you had a MAGICal time!!!

 

[WDWLVR]

Welcome back - glad you hear you had a great time. Now that you are a veteran cruiser I hope you stay around to give advice to other new cruisers.

 

[musicgirl]

Glad you had a great time.

If you were on the Western, any tips on Costa Maya????

 

[lflynn]

Yes we were on the Western. Costa Maya is interesting....

We went to Majahual beach. You get into the port and go to the end, make a right and buy a bus ticket for $3.00 each. On one side there are shops and on the other there is restaurant after restaurant that will give you a free beach chair for the day if you eat at their place. The beach itself is beautiful. When we were there, there were three ships in port. That made is VERY crowded. Every single chair was taken at the beach. They will always find a way to squeeze you in though. Our "amigo" put a table and chairs right into the water for us. Beers are $2.00. Authentic Guacamole is $4.00. It is very cheap and the people are super nice. You can get a massage on the beach for $20 for 45 minutes. a hair braider offered to do my daughter's very long hair for $40.

We spent two hours there and headed back to the ship. It is something to see but it is not a pristine, relaxing day at the beach if that is what you are looking for... We were in shock for the first 15 minutes. A few $2.00 beers cures you and then you can relax and enjoy it.

Other than that most people went to the ruins. DH and DD did not like the idea of a long bus ride. Swim with the Dolphins was booked so we missed that

Friends we met did the ATV tour and said it was fine....

Good Luck!!!

 

[gimpeaux]

lflynn, you're absolutely right! These boards were absolutely invaluable in helping us prepare for our first (and hopefully not last!) DCL cruise. Thanks, DISers!

I'd echo lflynn's observations on Costa Maya the day we were there (3/29/06). DW and I took the bus into Mahahual, which is essentially a four-block bazaar along the beach with restaurants and bars. We had a fantastic lunch at Cats' Meow, which is on your right only a half-block or so after you leave the bus -- we had great chips and guacamole, DW had ceviche and a chi-chi (pina colada with vodka instead of rum), and I had steak fajitas and margaritas. Met the owners, very nice people who moved there 2 years ago from Vancouver when there was absolutely nothing there. Everything is done with bottled water, so all totally safe. Owners said that if you come on a day when the cruise ships are there, it is nuts as it was the day we were there, but if you are there during the week it is quiet and all but deserted. It was spring break as well, so a significant number of "kids" in their young 20s off of the Carnival and Royal Caribbean ships were in town and at the port drinking heavily. Shopping was OK. Prices are in fact less expensive in town than at the port itself, perhaps because -- as one shop owner in town said -- they pay at least 10 times the rent at the port than in town. To me, at least, Mahahual was largely a case of "if you've seen one shop, you've seen them all," since goods offered in one shop don't differ too much from what you see in another, partcularly in ceramics. (Each shop owner explained that the ceramics were made by a family member -- my conclusion was there are probably only 1 or 2 familes in town!) If we returned, I would probably go into town to see how if at all it had changed and to eat at Cats' Meow again. I don't think DD12 missed much by deciding to stay onboard with the kids' programs instead of tagging along.