Going it Alone?

[YoJDew]

Hi all,

We were JUST gifted a Disney Cruise on the Wonder for two weeks from today. We are completely new to cruising and a little overwhelmed (and astonishingly grateful!!). We don't really have the money to pay for excursions and besides, we are going to WDW in late December so we are trying to keep this vacation as low-key and relaxed as possible (with a 3-year-old in tow, good luck). I read the incredibly helpful FAQ (thank you!!!) but I have additional questions about Excursions.

Questions:

1) Is it really necessary to book an excursion, or is it easy enough to go out on your own? Primarily, we want to relax and play on the beach, snorkel, and swim. Do we need to pay extra for this, or can we just get off the boat and get onto the beach? We have our own snorkel equipment.

2) What's it like when you get off the boat in Cozumel and Grand Cayman? Is it like arriving at an airport, where there are taxis waiting to take you wherever you want to go? And can I just say, "Take me to the beach!" and get 'er done?

3) If we must book an excursion, what's the best bang for our buck?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Bolna]

There is certainly no need to purchase an excursion. However, in Cozumel be aware that a number of beaches are actually beach clubs that charge an entrance fee (which then often includes food and drink). I would recommend to do an internet search for Cozumel beaches, there should be plenty of information coming up and that should help you decide to which beach you want to go to. I would recommend knowing where you want to go instead of just implying a generic "beach" as you might end up at a pricier one depending on your driver.

I have never been to Cayman, but from everything I have read, 7 mile beach seems to be pretty accessible. However, here I would recommend looking up possible destinations to tell you taxi driver.

There should be plenty of taxis to take you to the beach when your ship arrives.

And finally: Congratulations on getting a surprise cruise! Have fun!! You will enjoy exploring the ship, so if you want to be really economical, you could even just enjoy the rather empty ship and its pools on a port day. The port in Cozumel has a nice shopping center for tourists, you could at least have a stroll through there and then get some pool time on board. However, I loved the beaches of Cozumel, so I would not miss them.

 

[YoJDew]

Thank you so much! That is incredibly helpful. We are very excited!!

 

[wdwstateofmind]

I read the title and thought originally you were going alone; I was going to plead to you not to be that person.

The other person answered a lot and I would definitely listen to their advice about nowing where you are going in Cozumel. As for Cayman, you get off at port and you're in the 'downtown' financial district. There is a market and a lot of the investment banks. You can get a cab inside port or use the island vans (there will be guys there trying to get you to go with them). I prefer the vans since they are cheap and get you to the beach for like $3. Everyone speaks English and the good beaches are a 5 minute ride down the coast. Most of the van drivers are happy island residents and aren't trying to take you to the most expensive places.

Just ask the driver what beaches he recommends. We went to one that wasn't a hotel and had a beach bar, jet ski rentals, etc.. You have the option of either paying for a chair at a resort or just bringing your own towel for a seat. Definitely bring your snorkel gear as a lot of the beaches have smaller reefs as close as 20 feet out from the shore.