We have reached our first port stop of Cozumel, and while it sounds cliched, I have plans for fun in the sun.
We were alongside the pier at about 8am, but I did not get of the ship (or up) quite that early. My plan was to be off the ship by 9:30, and we managed to hit that goal.
Being in Cozumel today was somewhat different, because it was a Sunday and we were the only cruise ship in port. I am not certain that has ever happened to me before in Cozumel. Moreover, there was a triathlon event today and the cycling portion of the event meant they closed a lot of roads for the morning. My taxi ride that should have taken 20 minutes or so ended up going over an hour due to detours and delays.
My plan today was to try a new all-inclusive day pass spot, El Cozumeleno Resort. Not only was this a resort I have not been to, but it is also the first time I have gone further north past downtown. All the day pass resorts I have been to have all been south of downtown.
Despite the traffic issues, we arrived and checked in at the lobby. El Cozumeleno is a hotel that sells day passes to anyone. The cost is $55 per person and I booked it via a third party website.
From the moment we checked in, I knew this was somewhere special because service seemed to be quite important to the hotel staff. We were served welcome drinks, and the staff set us up at a perfect spot at the pool.
Our day pass includes all the food and beverages offered at the hotel, as well as access to the grounds. The only thing not included was towels or motor sports.
El Cozumeleno is quite large, and has a beautiful and scenic beach area. There are two beach areas that you can choose from.
The north beach has palapas, while the south beach area has hammocks and a more pristine view.
The thing that attracted me to El Cozumeleno is the pool, and it did not disappoint. There are two pool areas, with the south pool area being expansive and impressive.
Between the two pool areas is a buffet and sit down restaurant. In addition, food can be ordered and eaten from the pool or beach.
There were waiters that roamed the pool area and took any food or drink orders we wanted. They were extremely friendly and always around to take an order.
As soon as I sat down, I knew this place was a good decision. The grounds are lovely, and the wonderful service made the day so fun.
I stayed there for most of the day and left at 3pm. I would have stayed a bit longer, but I was concerned that perhaps the triathlon event was still snarling traffic.
Luckily there was no traffic, so we explored the port area a bit. I may have stopped into one or two of the (in)famous establishments along the water.
All aboard was 5:30pm, and we got back onboard Symphony of the Seas an hour or so before that.
Back onboard, I headed up to the pool deck to watch sailaway and enjoy a beautiful sunset.
I headed back up to the room for a shower and to get ready for this evening.
I had no dinner plans for tonight, so I decided to check out Playmakers Sports Bar and Arcade. It seemed like a good opportunity to see how their food stacked up.
I ate with a group of friends from MEI Travel, and we ordered quite a bit from the menu.
I tried the buffalo wings and went with the hottest sauce choice and it was quite tasty. Their burger is by far the best choice on the menu, but I did enjoy the chicken sandwich and the portobello slider.
After dinner, it was time to see the new AquaTheater show, HiRO.
Luckily, a friend is staying in an AquaTheater suite, so I was able to watch the show from there. Honestly, while I enjoy the convenience of the AquaTheater suite, I think the show is best enjoyed from the seats from a pure visual standpoint. Nonetheless, it was a fantastic show.
If you have seen an AquaTheater show, then you know these are performances full of skilled choreography, diving, dancing and some incredible feats of balance.
After the show, I saw the Quest in Studio B, where Instagram celebrity Cruise Life Rick managed to come out victorious.
We celebrated with some time in the Schooner Bar watching Billy Pando perform. Billy has a well-deserved reputation as being one of the, if not the, best piano singers on Royal Caribbean. It was a great way to cap off our evening.
Tomorrow is the last day of this sailing, and it is a sea day.
Stray Observations
- Everyone onboard received two bottles of Symphony of the Seas themed Heinken beer.
- My stateroom attendant asked if I was a consecutive cruiser, but I have not gotten any letter yet about the transition. I will just head to Guest Relations to ask.
