http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Quintana-Roo/Cozumel/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from North America , Mexico , Quintana Roo , Cozumel en-us Sun, 29 Nov 09 01:46:45 +0000 Sun, 29 Nov 09 01:46:45 +0000 This last week we have had terrible weather. The tropical storm Ida has been working it's way through the Caribbean and right along the path where we regularly sail. The ships do their best to avoid the storms most of our ships based out of Florida have detoured to avoid this end of the Caribbean entirely. But being out of Galveston there's not really anywhere else to go. So we've been sai http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Quintana-Roo/Cozumel/blog-453267.html A favourite part of repeated contracts on the cruise ships for me is getting to meet up with friends from previous ships. Irsquom into my final two weeks on the Ecstasy my replacement Brian has arrived and Irsquove begun his intro training but Irsquove got a few exciting reunions during these last days. Today in Cozumel was one I got to meet up with my friend Erica who I worked with http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Quintana-Roo/Cozumel/blog-450994.html Today another day in Cozumel has rolled around. I wanted to go and see something I hadnrsquot yet seen there so I asked Chris if he wanted to go to a beach. In all the many many times Irsquove been to Cozumel Irsquove never just gone to a beachAs we walked off the ship the sun was shining. Wersquove had whatrsquos seemed like endless days of grey overcast skies and often rain. I http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Quintana-Roo/Cozumel/blog-450286.html Itrsquos been about a week and a half since the epic adventure of transferring to the Carnival Ecstasy. And itrsquos been pretty chaotic ever since.When I arrived on the Ecstasy it was in itrsquos final days of dry dock renovations. We had one night in Freeport then 3 days to sail to Galveston the shiprsquos home port. That time was needed. Though the ship had been in dry dock for http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Quintana-Roo/Cozumel/blog-447316.html Hey everyone I'd like to tell you about my recent trip to Cozumel Mexico. My family and I decided to fly to Mexico and stay in Cozumel for almost a week. We had a blast and found the people to be really nice and welcoming as well as the resorts to be gorgeous and well maintained. The whole trip was great from the beginning to end. The beaches were spectacular and the amenities were accommodating http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Quintana-Roo/Cozumel/blog-441794.html 10509 A day at the local beachGreat sleep ready for breakfast. Breakfast involved trek to supermarket today so up changed and off we tramped. Few blocks up and stocked in on the usual ingredients fruit muesli and yoghurt still waiting for this whole bananas repelling mosquitoes thing to kick in but 2 weeks in Irsquod say itrsquos not looking good Ate in the nice but dirty kitch http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Quintana-Roo/Cozumel/blog-429701.html 9509 A snorkelling trip on CozumelUp early today ready for bus and boat trip to island of Cozumel. Spent a few hours at work on free internet this hostel really had been great then had the last of the great breakfasts. Packed up and checked out by 930 then off to bus station. First part of journey to Playa Del Carmen not far away. Got our 30peso ticket for shuttle bus and did our less http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Quintana-Roo/Cozumel/blog-429700.html Another hard day at the office..... http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Quintana-Roo/Cozumel/blog-423701.html Cruise 1 Carnival Inspiration from Tampa to Cozumel First of all let me start out by saying I had little interest in going on a cruise. I thought it would be boring to just spend time doing nothing but eating and stuck in a confined space with total strangers. Not only I had no interest in fact I was concerned somewhat of being forced into a rigid schedule. However a family friend of ours c http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Quintana-Roo/Cozumel/blog-419749.html 10th MAY 2009 HANGING AT THE BEACH SALSA SQUAREWoke up early again this morning and relaxed in bed reading until I heard Nat stir at about 8.30. Up and out at 8.30am.....on a Sunday We wandered to a nearby supermarket to buy some stuff for breakfast and then headed back to the hostel to eat it. Once eaten we decided to act like it was Sunday and so we lazed around the hostel for a couple http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Quintana-Roo/Cozumel/blog-398474.html 9th MAY 2009 SNORKELLING IN COZUMEL....I SAW A SEA TURTLE...TOTALLY AWESOME DUDEGot up at around 7am...the early bird catches the worm and all or at least the best pick of the breakfast offerings After stocking up on breakfast so that we wouldnrsquot be hungry until at least lunch time we browsed the net for directions to a couple of hostels in Cozumel and then set off to the bus sta http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Quintana-Roo/Cozumel/blog-398473.html We didn't plan any excursions for Cozumel opting instead to take the day easy and just walk around a little bit in the port area. We grabbed lunch at a place called Three Amigos and had a table by the water. The water was so beautiful It was really nice to just enjoy the beautiful weather and take a big breath knowing that it was ok to relax.. we were on VACATIONAfter lunch we shopped a l http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Quintana-Roo/Cozumel/blog-394527.html Today wersquore back in Cozumel and I was so excited because we had a crew tour on offer Cozumel is such a great port but as a crew member itrsquos usually spent either taking advantage of the places with wireless internet or partying. For far too long I didnrsquot see anything beyond the shops and bars in Cozumel. I tend to feel pretty proud of myself when I actually get out and do some http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Quintana-Roo/Cozumel/blog-393308.html Spring break is still upon me here on the ship. 300 teens and my participation rates have been around 80 so I am intensely busy. Which also means of course teen tours are still running. Today in Cozumel I ran my third teen tour in the last 10 daysI took a group of five teens to the adventure park for an afternoon of high ropes and snorkeling. The group was really fun we enjoyed the day http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Quintana-Roo/Cozumel/blog-393307.html Kane and I wanted to go snorkeling in Cozumel and were getting ready to head to the port when we found that some Germans at the hostel had the same idea so Sarah Elisa Kane and I all went as a group. The ferry ride was about an hour long and it took us to the main city on the island. We walked through a little part of town and bought some water and snacks while we tried to decide where we we http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Quintana-Roo/Cozumel/blog-387075.html Went with Timmy Kane Jodie Mariam Arscott Mats Morris and Har Har. How was it Relaxing Ridiculous. We stayed in a private Villa about 10min outside of down town on the southwest side of the island. Had our own pool dock and very key hammock. Spent a lot of time in the Villa but also went into town to eat and drink but Cozumel is mainly a Scuba diving and Cruise line town so it was http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Quintana-Roo/Cozumel/blog-380622.html If you get seasick take your dramamine and then head to Cozumel for a day of walking biking and snorkeling. The only thin We did wrong was step 1 of these instructions. After the ferry ride to Cozumel it took me a good hour to overcome the seasickness I got from the ride. During that time Fred found us a spot for lunch bikes to ride and did recon on the snorkeling. I got to sit and feel na http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Quintana-Roo/Cozumel/blog-375422.html We finally found paradise in Mexico Cozumel is what we were looking for in a beach vacation but hadnt known it. The main square around the ferry terminal is just the same as 5th ave in Playa crowded with tourists and vendors but we went towards the south part of the island about half way down the coast road to a little place called Playa Corona. You will see from the pictures that it i http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Quintana-Roo/Cozumel/blog-375116.html Just got back from an amazing trip to Cozumel. We headed down for a long weekend so I could scuba dive in open water for the very first time The newness of being underwater and seeing the ocean life all around me was enough to make me forget that I should be scared. Much gratitude to my dive companion whose confidence and patience kept me calm and who showed me my very first live seahorse outsi http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Quintana-Roo/Cozumel/blog-359815.html Quintana Roooooooo Captains Log 091108So onwards on American Airlines really crappy airline do not fly with them with some French family from the Alsace who's kid was wearing a weird head brace to rounden to make round his head strange looking contraption never seen one of those before but at least he didn't cry on the planeSo they let us into Mexico Marcel had a lighter in his poc http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/Mexico/Quintana-Roo/Cozumel/blog-352199.html