In Cancun what time can one reasonably expect to get ashore from this ship without a shore excursion? I'm debating whether to do a shore excursion or not. Am taking the Texarribean Cruise in late April with my husband and 12-year-old. Scheduled to be in Cancun from 1:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. I've read how overrun in general the best attractions can be when cruise ships are in port, yet want to avoid a touristy mob scene myself. Which one of these destinations is the better for the time frame? How late can I catch a ferry back from Isla Mujeres? If I go there, I'd like to watch the sun set from Playa Norte. But I've also heard about the evening show at Xcaret. How good is it? Also wondering if it's feasible to rent a car and drive down to Tulum before it closes at 5:00 p.m. <BR> <BR>On Cozumel, which shore excursion is better: snorkeling at Columbia Reef or Tulum/Xel-Ha?

spent the week btwn. christmas and new years in cancun 3 years ago, xcaret at night was far and away one of the best things i have ever done/seen.I will never forget it. also went to isla mujeres for the 2nd time and still not impressed. don't know about criuses at all am actually in this forum looking for info. but do xcaret, ps had my 9 and 12 year old daughters and my husband and we all felt the same!!!

Isla Mujeres is pretty dull - not really much to see and I wouldn't do it off a cruise ship [as a half-day excursion from a weeklong stay in Cancun, it's not too bad]. <BR> <BR>I personally don't know about the rental car idea - lots of horror stories of tourists driving after dark and accidents, corrupt cops, muggings, etc. I'm sure many have done it, but I'd rather have a local bus driver do the driving - your US car insurance may not cover you in Mexico because of all the problems. Xcaret is lovely, emphasis on the underground river and other water activities. Tulum is ruins about 25 miles south of Cancun, not spectacular but much closer than the tremendous ruins at Chichen Itza. If the ship does a Chichen Itza tour that goes by plane, that would be my #1 choice - pretty expensive, but nothing else like it in the world. Chichen Itza by bus is OK, but very long and I doubt you can do it in 9 hours - if you do, you won't see anything else.

We have been to Cancun 4 times and outside of the beach, which is wonderful <BR>there, the best thing we ever went to was Xcaret. We went into the 6 mile underground river and it was great! We never went there at night, but anytime you go it is by far the best thing you can do there.