Oasis Of The Seas - Western Caribbean Cruise

Never cruised before and have just booked the 7 night Western Caribbean on
the Oasis of The Seas out of Ft Lauderdale. It travels to Labadee, Costa
Maya and Cozumel.
Has anyone taken this cruise before, what are the must do and see things on
shore at the arrival ports?

Thanks

xCo wrote:
Never cruised before and have just booked the 7 night Western Caribbean on
the Oasis of The Seas out of Ft Lauderdale. It travels to Labadee, Costa
Maya and Cozumel.
Has anyone taken this cruise before, what are the must do and see things on
shore at the arrival ports?

Thanks

You will love the Oasis, it is such a beautiful ship. :-) Labadee is
a beach day at a private island. At Costa Maya, I go to the internet
cafe, to the pharmacy, watch the native dance routines that are
performed in their theater area, I will eat in a restaurant if I am
traveling with friends or family. They also have a swimming pool if you
are interested in going swimming. Costa Maya is mostly a shopping area,
but there are a few excursions. Mahahual is a small fishing village near
Costa Maya, and we went there, but most if that was wiped out by
hurricane Dean.

In Cozumel, I like San Francisco Beach, it is adjacent to Playa Mia,
but Playa Mia now charges a day pass. I like the swimming pool at San
Francisco Beach, the food is good and they have clean rest rooms. They
also have parasailing. If you eat or drink, use a credit card to
get the best exchange rate.

http://cozumelmexico.net/Playa_San_Francisco.html

Check out the beach maps here, and this map is clickable. Just scroll
down until you see the map.

http://cozumelmexico.net/Cozumel-Beaches.html

Cozumel is one of my favorite places. We go to the American Pharmacy on
3rd Street South (Calle 3 Sur), it is across the street from Pizza Hut,
you can buy Rx medication over the counter, bottled water, soft drinks,
suntan lotion, shaving cream, etc. They are big supporters of the Animal
Shelter, so they sell humane society T-Shirts and they have a collection
box there.

http://www.gocozumel.com/pharmacy/

There is an internet cafe a couple of doors down, that charges $3 an
hour. It is the Info Business Center (the coffee house across the street
is small and more pricey). Next door, is the Shampoo Beauty Parlor that
does typical salon services, along with manicures, pedicures and full
body massage. Some of these businesses, and others, are on this page:

http://www.cozumelinsider.com/Services

Mini-golf is fun, especially if you cruise with friends and family. It
is a tropical location, they have iguanas and beautiful birds. Beer is
$2, soft drinks and shots are $1 and golf is $7. Check out their photos.

http://www.czmgolf.com/index.htm

If you get hungry, get away from the chain restaurants to find some good,
local Mexican food. The Mission is a nice buffet, but they do not speak
English.

Another place is the San Miguel Cafe, but they just changed their name.
They are on Avenue 15, between Calle 2 and 4. It is right up the street
from mini-golf. From the main street near the cruise ship, the Avenues
are 5th Avenue, 10th Avenue, 15th Avenue.

Keep in mind, there may be a time difference, so some of the stores and
restaurants may not be open if you go early.

Think about renting a car, you can drive around the island and see
everything. Cozumel is small, so it is difficult to get lost. Check out
their large supermarket, buy a paleta across the street from the
hospital, eat in an out-of-the-way restaurant. In town, watch where you
park, because they will tow away your vehicle. They only have 2 gas
stations on the island, one is located next to the large supermarket
where I like to so shopping. It is not the one near the ocean.

If you take a taxi, they charge per taxi, not per person. Always ask
the price first, even if you have been there a dozen times. A taxi to
San Francisco Beach is about $18 (US) each way. Talk to your tablemates
or to the people who are exiting the ship, if you can share a ride it
can save you money.

Take lots of small bills with you. Some stores will give change in
local currency, Cozumel is not bad about that, except when you shop in
non-touristy areas. We like the paletas that are sold across the street
from the hospital and they give change in local currency.

Have a wonderful time, please come back and tell us all about it. For
this being your first cruise, you picked a marvelous ship!

Becca