Tag: cozumel excursion

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Cozumel Cave Swimming Excursion: Chaak Tun Caverns & Playa del Carmen (MSC Excursion) 🌊🦇

Cozumel Cave Swimming Excursion - Chaak Tun Caverns & Playa del Carmen (MSC Excursion)

Looking for a unique Cozumel shore excursion that takes you beyond the island? During our MSC cruise, we booked the Caverns and Underground Snorkel and Shopping in Playa del Carmen excursion through MSC Cruises and spent the day exploring the incredible Chaak Tun Caverns in Mexico’s Riviera Maya.

This full-day adventure began with a ferry ride from Cozumel to Playa del Carmen before a short shuttle trip to the cenote cave system. Along the way, we explored ancient limestone caverns, walked through narrow underground passages, swam in crystal-clear waters, learned about the geology of the cave system, and experienced one of the most unique excursions we’ve ever taken in Mexico.

Andrea wading through the underground waters inside the Chaak Tun Caverns near Playa del Carmen, Mexico.
Exploring the underground waters of the Chaak Tun Caverns was one of the highlights of this unforgettable MSC shore excursion. 🌊

Exploring the Chaak Tun Caverns

After arriving at the cave system, we were provided with water shoes, life jackets, helmets, flashlights, and snorkeling masks before beginning our guided tour.

Inside the caves, our guide explained how the limestone formations developed over thousands of years while pointing out stalactites, stalagmites, rock formations, fish, bats, and other natural features hidden beneath the surface.

One of our favorite parts of the excursion was navigating some of the narrower passages deep inside the cave system. The crystal-clear water remained around 22°C (72°F), and swimming through these underground chambers was an unforgettable experience.

Free Time in Playa del Carmen

After our cave adventure, we returned to Playa del Carmen, where our excursion included approximately an hour of free time to explore.

We spent our time browsing shops, visiting Starbucks (a bit of a travel tradition for us), walking along the colorful streets, and taking a quick trip down to the beach before meeting our group for the return ferry.

Passengers aboard the excursion ferry traveling between Cozumel and Playa del Carmen.
The ferry ride between Cozumel and Playa del Carmen is included with this MSC excursion, but it can be rough, even on relatively calm days. 🚢

An Important Tip About the Ferry

If you’re considering this excursion, there’s one thing we strongly recommend.

Prepare for the ferry ride.

Even though the weather was beautiful during our excursion, the ferry crossing was surprisingly rough. Several passengers struggled with seasickness, and we were very glad we had taken medication beforehand.

If you’re prone to motion sickness, we highly recommend planning ahead before booking this excursion.

And if you watch the video until the end, you’ll also get to see the unexpected guest Andrea discovered during the excursion, a rather large tarantula. 🕷️

Overall, we thought this was an excellent MSC shore excursion that combined cave swimming, cenotes, sightseeing, shopping, and a little bit of adventure. If you’re visiting Cozumel and looking for something different from a traditional beach day, this excursion may be worth considering.

Watch the full excursion video here: https://youtu.be/-Xux82sSe5I

More Caribbean Cruise Excursions

🏖️ Bananarama Beach Resort in Roatan Cruise Excursion
https://northernvikingexplorer.com/bananarama-beach-resort-roatan-cruise-excursion/

🐠 Budget-Friendly Costa Maya Snorkeling Excursion & Krazy Lobster Beach Club
https://northernvikingexplorer.com/costa-maya-snorkeling-excursion-krazy-lobster-beach-club/

🏝️ El Cid Cozumel Resort Day Pass
https://northernvikingexplorer.com/el-cid-cozumel-resort-day-pass/

🌴 Iberostar Resort Cozumel Day Pass
https://northernvikingexplorer.com/carnival-dream-iberostar-resort-day-pass/

☀️ Nacional Beach Club Costa Maya Resort Day Pass
https://northernvikingexplorer.com/nacional-beach-club-costa-maya-resort-day-pass/

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MSC Seascape Day 6: Cozumel, Cenote Chaak Tun Cave Swim & Playa del Carmen Adventure 🌊🚢

MSC Seascape Caribbean Cruise: Cozumel - Cenote Chaak Tun Cave Snorkel - Day 6 Vlog

Day 6 of our MSC Seascape Caribbean cruise brought us to Cozumel, Mexico, where we set off on one of the most unique excursions of our trip. We booked the MSC Cruises Caverns and Underground Swim and Shopping in Playa del Carmen excursion, which took us across the water to the mainland and deep into the fascinating Cenote Chaak Tun cave system. From underground caverns and crystal-clear waters to exploring the streets of Playa del Carmen, this turned into an unforgettable day ashore before another fun evening aboard MSC Seascape.

Ferry to Playa del Carmen & Cenote Chaak Tun Adventure ⛴️🌴

Our day began with a ferry ride from Cozumel to Playa del Carmen, followed by a short shuttle ride to Cenote Chaak Tun. After getting fitted with water shoes, life jackets, helmets, and snorkeling masks, we entered the underground cave system for an incredible guided adventure.

Inside the cenotes, we explored ancient limestone caverns filled with impressive rock formations, stalactites, stalagmites, and crystal-clear freshwater pools. We navigated narrow cave passages, learned about the geology of the area, and spent time swimming through the refreshing underground waters. The cave system was much larger than we expected, and the experience felt like stepping into another world.

Passengers aboard the ferry departing Cozumel, Mexico, with MSC Seascape docked at the cruise pier as the ferry heads toward Playa del Carmen on a sunny Caribbean day.
Passengers aboard the ferry to Playa del Carmen enjoy views of MSC Seascape docked in Cozumel before beginning their Cenote Chaak Tun cave adventure. 🚢🌊

Exploring Playa del Carmen 🏖️🛍️

After our cave adventure, we returned to Playa del Carmen for some free time. We spent time wandering through the colorful streets, browsing local shops, and soaking in the atmosphere of this popular beach destination.

We also made our way down to the waterfront to enjoy views of the beautiful beach and Caribbean Sea before heading back to meet our excursion group. While our time was limited, it gave us a great glimpse of Playa del Carmen and left us wanting to return for a longer visit in the future.

Back on MSC Seascape 🚢

After the ferry ride back to Cozumel and returning to the ship, we cleaned up and headed out for another evening aboard MSC Seascape. Tonight featured a fun western-themed atmosphere throughout the ship, complete with themed music and menu selections in the main dining room.

Dinner at the Cala Jondal Restaurant included Texas-style favorites such as smoked brisket, pulled pork quesadillas, cornbread, and peach cobbler. It was another enjoyable meal and a great way to end an action-packed day ashore.

“In Concert” Show & Officers in Motion 🎸🎭

The evening entertainment included the “In Concert” production show in the Chora Theatre. This high-energy performance featured live music, talented singers, dancers, and rock classics that had the audience fully engaged throughout the show.

Afterward, we headed to the ship’s atrium for the popular Officers in Motion event, where MSC officers joined guests for a fun evening of dancing and entertainment. It was a lively way to wrap up another fantastic day onboard.

Final Thoughts

Day 6 combined adventure, exploration, and entertainment into one memorable cruise day. From swimming through the underground waters of Cenote Chaak Tun to exploring Playa del Carmen and enjoying another great evening aboard MSC Seascape, this was easily one of the highlights of our Caribbean cruise.

If you’re visiting Cozumel on an MSC cruise and looking for something unique beyond the beaches, this excursion is definitely worth considering.

🎥 Watch our MSC Seascape Day 6 vlog here:
https://youtu.be/T-4QHUnPIcs