Touring Mexican Aztec ruins as a shore excursion
 

Can someone recommend a cruise, leaving from Fort Lauderdale, that stops in a Mexican port long enough for a day trip to one of the Aztec ruins. If you have done this, do you have any tips?

During a stop in Cozumel, we were abloe to visit Tulum.

Aztec, Mayan and Inca cultures are similar, but also quite distinct and diffferent.

There are 2 major Mayan ruins that you can get to from Cozumel: Tulum and Coba. There are also a bunch of smaller Mayan ruins on the island itself.

Been to both places and both are unique in their own way. Tulum was discovery much earlier and is more developed for tourits. Both require taking a ferry ride to Playa del Carman and then an hour and a half bus ride to the ruin. Coba is slightly further away. You also have to walk lots at Coba.

Both trips would be a whole day adventure, but you will only have about 3 hours at the ruins itself, which is kind of rushed.

If you have never been to Tulum or Coba, Most would pick Tulum over Coba as it is better developed for tourists.

Buildings at Tulum are mostly roped off and all you can do is view. In Coba, you can get close, walk through, under, over, touch and climb. The view at the top of the pyramid is spectaular.

Tulum is by the sea and Coba is in a jungle. Coba is relatively new in terms of being discovered. There are still many areas not explored yet.

If you really like to see the ruins, take an overland trip so you can spend more time at the ruins.

Taking a tour to the 'ruins' from Cozumel is just too long and you still have a long way back.

Taking a cruise that stops at CostaMaya or Playa del Carmen, places that are on the mainland makes more sense.

Then you don't have to worry about the ferry and being late for the ship.

See the small ruins and swim in Cozumel or go to Chankanab Park on Cozumel and you can see their museum & swim.

Unfortuantely, probably more ships stops at Cozumel than Playa del Carmen. I don't even know if any of the mass market ships stops at Playa del Carman.

We find Mayan ruins fascinating and have visited them on several trips. We've been to Tulum several times, both on cruises and when traveling in Mexico. It's been a while, but I remember our ships anchoring offshore in Playa del Carmen and tendering the passengers going to Tulum into Playa del Carmen. When we returned after visiting Tulum and Xel-ha the bus dropped us in Playa del Carmen and we took a ferry to Cozumel, where the ship was docked. It worked very well. I'm surprised to hear they're no longer doing it this way.

It's all a matter of taste where people wish to go. I remember on a cruise talking to a lady at the airport who asked if we had been on the ship. I said we had. She asked if we had gone to Cancun. I told her no, we had gone to Tulum. Oh, she said I didn't want to go there, heard it was nothing but a pile of rocks! I gasped and tried to keep from exploding. That told it all to me. What I thought was fabulous, was nothing but a pile of rocks to her.

HAL have a Carribean Cruise from Ft Lauderdale that calls at Cozumel and has a trip to Chichen Itza. See their website.

Chichen Itza is 3 hours bus ride from Playa del Carman. Talum is bad enough when it is over an hour away and Coba is hour and a half.

Add on the ferry ride from Cozumel and it will means 4 hours of transportation time to Chichen Itza, and 4 hours to get back, menaing spending maybe 2 hours on site?