Cozumel Beach Break

Beautiful Cozumel

On our final day on our Western Caribbean cruise from New Orleans, we were still at Cozumel. This day we decided to do a beach break day and have some time afterward for shopping.  We purchased the cruise’s beach break tour to Playa Del Sol for a few hours. At the time, this was our first Caribbean beach day.

Underwater World

On this excursion we enjoyed lunch, drinks, and use of a pool, beach, water toys, and snorkeling.   I think we spent most of the afternoon though, walking the beach and laying around in the hammocks under the palm trees. We really enjoyed ourselves, and found it a particularly relaxing time looking out over the Caribbean Sea listening to the island music.

Aztec Sun

On our way back to the ship, we stopped off for some shopping around the pier area, and purchased some Mexican art for our walls at home. We always enjoy looking for souvenirs, and in Mexico, you can get some very good deals from some of the vendors. Do not be afraid to bargain, it is part of the fun at the market stands.

Whether you shop, sail, snorkel, or just enjoy an afternoon staring out at the ocean, Cozumel is always a highlight of any Western Caribbean cruise.

Note: If you are interested in more about Playa Del Sol, look for its new name, Playa Mia. As I checked online, it also looks like they have a lot more attractions and things to offer for a beach break day as they have made several improvements. This may be an option for us on our next day in Cozumel.

New Orleans- Magical City of Mardi Gras

As we have sailed on many different cruise lines, we have also tried to sail out of different departure cities. This has been a nice way to spend some time in Miami, Seattle, New York, Orlando/Port Canaveral, and New Orleans, to name a few.

Riverwalk Marketplace

On one of our first cruises we went on, we sailed with Carnival Cruise Line out of New Orleans, L.A. We were on the Carnival Holiday, and the cruise was a 5 day exotic cruise to Cozumel and Playa Del Carmen, Mexico. We flew into New Orleans a few days ahead of time to get a chance to visit the interesting city of “Mardi Gras.”

During our time in Louisiana, we stayed at a hotel near the Port of New Orleans. On the first day, we had a chance to visit Riverwalk Marketplace, a walking mall near the port. Inside, we did some shopping, but our real destination was dinner. We each tried one of the New Orleans favorites: I tried a Muffaletta sandwich, my husband had a oyster Po-boy sandwich, and my daughter had shrimp and grits. We walked the along the riverbank, and watched the steamboats and paddleboats sailing up and down the Mississippi River. That night, we listened to some entertaining jazz musicians for the evening. It was a fun-filled 1st day our New Orleans/ Mexican cruise vacation.

The next morning, we rented a car and drove out to the Louisiana bayou country. People built their homes on large stilts in the hurricane-prone areas, and stored their cars under their homes. The highways in Louisiana were the most well-maintained roads we have ever been on. The roads rose over Louisiana’s tallest trees, swamps, and low country.

St. Louis Cathedral

The day before our cruise was our last day in New Orleans. We woke up early and walked to the popular Café Dumond. There, we had a memorable breakfast of chicory coffee and beignets. This was the starting point to our walking tour of the French Quarter. On our walk, we enjoyed seeing the famous wrought iron balconies. It was very interesting to see the whole atmosphere of Bourbon Street. We walked around the streets near historic Jackson Square, and took pictures near the impressive St. Louis Cathedral. We enjoyed Preservation Hall honoring New Orleans Jazz.

We ended our tour by eating a late lunch at the Court of Two Sisters restaurant. This was a delicious lunch buffet with Creole/Cajun specialties served outside on a vine covered patio with a jazz band playing. My husband ended up eating a whole plate of “Mud Bugs” or Crawfish. This was a meal we would never forget. We also saw a mime in the front of the restaurant, which further added to the experience.

Court of Two Sisters

New Orleans was full of wonderful memories for us, and a great beginning for our first cruise to Mexico. We plan to visit this enchanting city someday on our future travels.

Up next- for Mexican Encounters- Playa Del Carmen and shore tour to Tulum.

© Jill Burney, Jill’s Cabana Stories