I write this immediately after our return from sailing Caribbean Princess September 27, 2004. This is our 7th cruise. We have cruised Carnival and Royal Caribbean before, as well as two other now-defunct lines.

Embarkation and Debarkation: Both were painless. We waited very little.

Ports of Call: Due to Hurricane Jeanne, the original itinerary was changed to a 5-day cruise to Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico, with 2 days at sea. Costa Maya is a very small town, apparently built 3 years ago. Everything closes when the ships leave. They only recently installed phones, a gas station and electricity. I think only a few hundred people live in the town of Mahajual where Costa Maya is located. The town is about 3.5 hours from Playa Del Carmen and the ruins of Tulum. All the shops are at the pier (the usual port shops: jewelry stores, a real estate office and souvenir shops). The little shopping area is cute and can be seen quickly. The ship offered about 3-4 shore excursions. We took a safari to the beach, with lunch included. The tour company, Pelicanos, was very good and the tour guides (Felix and Paris) were some of the best we have had. They provided a lot of information about the town, the people who live there, the history of Mexico, etc. The beach was nice, although not as nice as the beaches in St Thomas. The lunch offered as part of the excursion (fajitas, pico de gallo and guacamole, with an open bar), was excellent and very authentic. Read more