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Jon Arthur, Owner, Big Dreams Travel Over the holiday season my family and I were able to sneak away on a Royal Caribbean cruise on Adventure of the Seas and had a great time in both of our ports of call. This cruise marked our first visit to Costa Maya, Mexico and a return visit to the always popular Cozumel. Here are a few notes about the fun times we had in each port. Cozumel, Mexico Cozumel is a cruise port we have been to several times and in all of those trips we've experienced different things Cozumel has to offer, but this trip was the first time we were going to try Nachi Cocom Beach Club. Nachi Cocom is an all inclusive day resort that is mainly used by cruise ship passengers. The cost for us was around $60 for adults and $25 for our kids, which is actually on the lower end price wise compared to other all inclusive day resorts in Cozumel.  For that price guests are able to enjoy all the food you want off of their menu as well as all inclusive drinks (alcoholic and non alcoholic). In addition to the all you can enjoy food and drinks, guests are also guaranteed a palapa (umbrella) on the beach with beach chairs included. These aren't typically guaranteed at most daytime beach resorts and the reason why Nachi can deliver on this is that they limit their capacity each day to a certain number of guests. The last big benefit I will mention to this place is the limited number of guests they allow onsite. The resort has an extremely laid back atmosphere and we never felt crowded throughout the day. The pool wasn't crowded, the restaurant wasn't crowded, and the beach wasn't crowded. With that said, there are a few drawbacks to Nachi Cocom. First, their atmosphere is one of relaxation and so if you are after loud music, rowdy pool areas, and beach toys, this place may not be for you. They don't have all of the activities of some other all inclusive day resorts such as Mr. Sanchos or Playa Mia, but that isn't the clientele Nachi is after. This place is pure relaxation! The only negative we had on our visit was that the service was a little less than we expected. We had been at Playa Mia on our previous trip to Cozumel and the service from our waiter and the staff was off the charts. At Nachi the service was good, but we would like to have seen the waiter a little more frequently. Overall, the food was good (try the chicken wings!), the beach was beautiful, and the place wasn't crowded. All of those things are at the top of our list of things we want in an all inclusive day resort. Costa Maya, Mexico Our other port of call on this sailing was a first time port for us, Costa Maya. This is a cruise port, built more recently just as a way to add more ships into the Mexico cruise market. It is definitely not as well known of a cruise port right now, but we were pleasantly surprised with what was offered here. We didn't have plans for a major excursion in Costa Maya, but instead wanted to check out the port area and enjoy the large FREE swimming pool there. Of course Costa Maya has several great excursion options and this is a great cruise port if you are interested in seeing the Mayan Ruins there on the mainland of Mexico, but we just wanted to enjoy some pool time with the kids!  The port area here was very nice and you can tell it is a relatively new port. We got to see the flyer's do there show in the courtyard area of the port and it was definitely a nice thing to watch and give you a little Mayan history in the process. We walked on through the port a little ways and came to the large pool on the left hand side of the walkway and went to find us some beach chairs. They have a lot of beach chairs here and although the pool is free you do have to purchase food or drinks from the waitstaff to use the chairs. The pool is very large, includes a swim up bar, and they even have some dancers that come out to get the party going throughout the day. So, the atmosphere here was the complete opposite of what we experience in Cozumel! This place was more of a party atmosphere with music and a lot of fun to be had. The area was very crowded on this day with three ships in port and so it was a little bit crazy in the area around the pool. We had a great time though and all things considered the pool area entertained our kids and allowed us to enjoy some time relaxing on the beach chairs. After about two hours at the pool we packed up, paid for our drinks, and went to do a little shopping in the port area before heading back to the ship. Overall, we had a great time in both of these ports along the coast of Mexico and would recommend both experiences to any of our travelers at Big Dreams Travel. If you want to book a cruise to Mexico or anywhere else in the world be sure and CONTACT US. We take care of all of the details, while you enjoy your dream vacation!
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Jon Arthur, Owner, Big Dreams Travel After three of the strangest years in the history of travel and tourism 2023 is finally upon us and things may finally be getting back to normal! I was able to get back on a cruise a few weeks ago with my whole family for the first time since COVID disrupted travel around the world and it was fantastic. The ship, the beach, the cruise staff, all of it was fantastic! As I laid on the beach in Cozumel one day of the cruise I jotted down a list of the top trips for families in 2023.  1) Universal Orlando Resort - Are you surprised that my top spot is not a Disney Destination...I know, I am too! But, Universal's game is strong right now and it is a place that has become better and better for families. I still would mainly recommend for a family where most of the kids are 42 inches tall or taller so they can ride most of the rides, but if that's you, Universal is a great way to go! They have several excellent hotels options for families that are very affordable. They have some of the best new attractions in the theme park industry in their theme parks, and their entertainment is second to none! If you've got a family, I promise you, Universal Orlando is worth a visit!  2) Cruising the Caribbean with Royal Caribbean or Disney - After my cruise of a few weeks ago I am still a huge fan of cruising because it is a great option for families. There is so much to do on the new cruise ships today for everyone in the family and when in the Caribbean you can't beat a relaxing day at the beach. Just take the ship I was on last week, there was an ice skating rink onboard...an ice skating rink! Royal Caribbean has just brought one of the biggest ships in the world, the Allure of the Seas to a new homeport in Galveston, TX if you are in the south central part of the country like me. Or if you are a Disney fan the luxury and service of a Disney Cruise Line vacation cannot be beat. Spending a day at Disney's private island, Castaway Cay will make you want to never go home!  3) Visit a Family Friendly All Inclusive Resort like Beaches Resorts - If relaxation is what you're after and a beautiful beach is what you love, then you should definitely consider finding an All Inclusive Family Friendly Resort for your next vacation. Picking the perfect all inclusive resort is definitely one of the things you would want a great travel agent for, and our Dream Designers at Big Dreams Travel can certainly help you find the perfect resort for your family. Beaches Resorts are just one awesome option that we recommend for families. The amenities that they have will cater to each and every member of the family; amazing beaches, relaxing pools, fun kids camps, spectacular dining, and thrilling water slides. The relaxation you feel at an all inclusive resort can't be beat!
So, there you have it. My three picks for things to do with your family in 2023 and at Big Dreams Travel we can help you plan the perfect experience, wherever it may be. Visit us at www.bigdreamstravelusa.com or email [email protected] to get started. |
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