Stopping for a day in Cozumel was the one other non-Cuba stop on this 5-night Carnival Paradise sailing from the Port of Tampa.  Alternating with a 4-day sailing that is the same, minus the non-Cuban port which might also include some other Caribbean island.  The popular Mexican port of call is as synonymous with Caribbean cruising as it gets.  Often a favorite on any Western Caribbean itinerary, Cozumel brings a triple treat of attractive destination tours, flexible attractions, and on-the-scene opportunities to discuss topics of interest to travelers.   It’s that last part, the opportunity to discuss worldly matters with fellow travelers, that will probably be an enduring memory of this trip.

But let’s back this up a bit first and talk about those three features of Cozumel.

• Deep Destination Tours are becoming more popular all the time. This is where, one way or another, a shore excursion manages to get us up close and personal with the local scene.  
• Flexible Attractions in Cozumel, accessible from the ship during the typical time in port are many and many cast a wide interest net.  Engaging guides have the ability and authority to alter planned tour programming to address specific requests of guests actually touring.
• On-The-Scene Opportunities to discuss topics of interest to travelers. Riding along in a bus with other passengers while on tour brings some of the most interesting conversations one might imagine.  To me, it’s one of the rewards earned by those who get up off the sofa and get out in the world to taste it.

That process of hearing about some worldly thing at home then experiencing it in person is a huge step toward putting a sometimes crazy world into perspective.   Think of headlines, stories, and myths about any place on the planet.  Being there in person almost always changes our pre-conceived notions of the place. Wipe away the politicians, broadcasters and/or influencers* and we find a rather similar commonality among the people of the world: they want to be happy.

It’s pretty simple really: they want a roof over their heads, food in their stomach and a happy, healthy family. Then it hits you…”oh, just like us”.  

Scanning through the shorex offerings of Carnival Cruise Line on any itinerary, each port of call offers a number of engaging and interactive tours.  That’s a rather recent development and, for many travelers, a sub-topic to consider in choosing a cruise.  If you like the hands-on sort of experience that brings home great memories, those type of tours are for you.  Passive sit-on-the-bus-and-roll-past-the-destination tours are available and great for a good overall feel for a destination.  We have to get off the bus for the good stuff.

All that said, what did I do in Cozumel?  The tried and true: walked off the ship and directly to Pancho’s Backyard, a favorite lunch place.  I have been there many times but it has been a while. Somewhere between my last visit and now, the world changed to the point where I walked off the ship on guard, alert for backpacks sitting around by themselves that might explode.  

It was hard not to think of many family visits here where we felt quite comfortable visiting without concern of harm.  Do that now, a couple decades later, and it’s a whole other ballgame.  The world continues its devilish work of changing all the time no matter what we seem to do to stop it.  Mexico behind us, it’s on to Cuba.   As we make our way to Cuba, reasons to go are shape-shifting from what we thought them to be initially. Part of that change of focus has to do with recent news from Cuba and the American embassy there.  

Popular initial reasons to visit Cuba for many guests on the ship seem to be one of the following:

• The Old American Cars
• Cuban Rum and/or
• Cuban Cigars
• Family History
• Curiosity

…but the preconceived notions about Cuba aside, our visit to Havana would be next and the reality of visiting the newly-discovered (for Americans) island nation turned out to be far different.  That’s next as we get to what is anticipated as the star of the itinerary on this voyage.

Actually, before we get there let’s fast forward to some of the reactions to actually visiting Cuba expressed by fellow travelers upon returning to Carnival Paradise, each a topic in part four.

• “I just wanted to say I went to Cuba and smoked a Cuban cigar in this lifetime”
• “As soon as I get back home, I am booking a flight here to stay for a few days in a few months”
• “It was not as hard to get into the country as I thought it would be”
• “All the western clothing on the kids surprised me”
• “I thought there would be more military presence”
• “I am glad I came but once was enough” and my personal favorite for a huge list of reasons we’ll get into over the next few weeks:

“Not everyone looks like Marco Rubio”

Stay tuned: more to come.

READ MORE

• Part One: Returning To The Ship We Never Sailed Before
• Part Two: Getting To Know You
• Part Three: Friends In Low Places (this post)

*I hate the word ‘influencers’ and look forward to the next chapter in social marketing.

 

      

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