Cancun tours Xcaret Xel-Ha etc

[davebaird]

Hello Just a few questions about tours.
We are staying at Blue Bay Getaway and wonderd if we should bother booking tours through cancun discounts? or is it cheaper when you get to cancun?
Also we are group of 4 adults traveling ages 27-47.

What do you people in that age prefer xel ha or xcaret?

Has anyone done the Chichen Itza tours as advertised with cancun discounts, as they have the luxury tour and over night for not much more.. what do you guys recomend?

Also whats the best value swim with dolphins experience?

Any other advise most welcome!

[mitchellfam]

I would book with any of the links at the bottom of this page...they have been used by many many MANY people on here and would have great things to say.

In my experience, it is cheaper (not by tons of money) to book in advance than at the hotel....usually you can get internet booking discounts.

I think most would agree that the dolphin swim at Isla Mujeres or Xcaret or XelHa would be best. They all cost the same...expensive. But the experience is very cool.

XelHa or Xcaret? I like XelHa...but its a lot futher away from Cancun...Xcaret has more entertainment...XelHa is natural. You choose.

Chichen Itza...its a full day no matter what you do, I would just do the bus tour myself...just be prepared for a 3 hour one way trip....but its awesome. Don't miss out on it...it is now one of the 7 wonders of the Modern world.

[davebaird]

well i heard it was a long way hence we wanted a more luxury bus to take us, and heard that on the limo tour they served breakfast on the bus and had free refreshments?

Also is it the case that most things cost extra if you go to xcaret?

[Steve]

Cancun discounts is a similar site to ourselves.

Neither of us actually provide and run the tours, we work with local suppliers like Entertainment Plus and make a referral fee for each customer we pass to them.

In fact both my site and Cancun discounts use excatly the same suppliers and systems and we have no control over pricing, so what you find on Cancun Discounts you'll also find on my sites.

That said, obviously I prefer people to book their tours with me if they do decide to book online. Tour bookings help pay for the costs of this message board and also save me from my dreary previous life back in Nottingham! So if you think the forum has been useful to you, book with us the price and tours are the same in any case :wink:

As for finding the tour cheaper in Cancun once you arrive it's unlikely, unless it's tied up with some kind of timeshare presentation. Booking tours online is almost always cheaper because there are less overheads for the online guys - no desk to rent at hotels and no staff to pay to sit there all day.

The worst thing you can possibly do coming from the UK is book with your travel operator. First Choice, Thomas Cook, Thomsons etc always rush you in to a welcome meeting within a few hours of your arrival the main aim of which is to sell you tours. Their tours are always overpriced, and the reason why they hold their welcome meetings as soon as they do is so that when you find out the proper price, you've already booked with them!
As well as tour pages you can access from the main site http://www.cancuncare.com I also have other sites which deal specifically with each of the popular tours:

Chichen Itza Tours

Cancun Dolphin Swims

Xcaret Tours

Xel Ha Tours

Cancun Jungle Tour

Cancun Party Hopper

Tulum Tours

Captain Hook Pirate Ship

[Steve]

Originally Posted by davebaird

well i heard it was a long way hence we wanted a more luxury bus to take us, and heard that on the limo tour they served breakfast on the bus and had free refreshments?

Also is it the case that most things cost extra if you go to xcaret?

I dont know much about the limo option, and that's one i dont have on my sites. The buses are pretty good - air con / reclining seats and most have TV's although Mexican TV isnt all that!

At Xcaret there is a ton to see and do that's included in your entrance fee. The only things you have to pay extra for are dolphin swims, diving, snuba, sea trek etc.

[Steve]

Originally Posted by davebaird

What do you people in that age prefer xel ha or xcaret?

I always say at Xcaret there is more to see and do, but Xel Ha is prettier and more relaxing. Xcaret is better for kids and also has a nightshow which Xel Ha doesnt. The snorkeling is better at Xel Ha. With Xel Ha you can also combine the day with a trip to Tulum, whereas that's not possible for an Xcaret Tour unless you book a private charter. Xcaret is also about 40 miles closer to Cancun so less travel time.

If you could only do one I would probably say Xcaret but both are great places to go.

[Steve]

Originally Posted by davebaird

Also whats the best value swim with dolphins experience?

It depends what you want, there are about 6 different locations with 20 different programs. Some you have to pay to get into the park too, like Xcaret and Xel Ha. Others are in less than natural surroundings like at La Isla or Dreams - but these might be appropriate if you have people in your group who are not comfortable in the open ocean.

Many of the same companies operate at different locations so the actual swim program is pretty similar at most of them

For the best all round I would recommend Dolphin Discovery at Isla Mujeres:
The youtube video on my site at:

Cancun Dolphin Swims

features the Isla Mujeres dolphin swim (by the way that's not me in the video!)

If you're going to Xcaret then the swim there is good too, that's one I have done myself.

[davebaird]

Thanks steve!
Great info! Will defo book through this site, to be honest I only stumbled onto it today!

Do they serve breakfast on your bus tour? if not is there any chance of you selling the limo tour on your site too?

I have not been to Nottingham for a few years lol, it used to be a cracking night out :lol:

[Steve]

Originally Posted by davebaird

Thanks steve!
Great info! Will defo book through this site, to be honest I only stumbled onto it today!

Do they serve breakfast on your bus tour? if not is there any chance of you selling the limo tour on your site too?

I have not been to Nottingham for a few years lol, it used to be a cracking night out :lol:

I had a look at the limo tour, and it is a company I work with too - Cancuntravel.com.

To be honest, although I use them for several of the dolphin swims I probably wouldn't promote that particular tour myself. I'm not keen on the "limo tour" description when basically it's not a limo it's just a posher bus! But if you did want to do it my link would be:
Chcihen Itza "Limo" Tour

There's also the Sky Luxury Cruiser Tour which is basically an even posher bus with plasma TV's and even refreshing aromatherapy towels. I know Mancunians love their refreshing towels!

This is the original tour provider:
http://www.cancuntravel.com/chichen-itza.asp
As mentioned using my links earns me a referral fee, but the price is the same:

Re the breakfast I dont think the regular tour with Entertainment Plus offer a breakfast, but with the others it's only orange juice, sweet rolls and coffee. If I were you I'd grab a few bites from the BBG breakfast buffet and bring it with you

If you look at the prices for the regular tour, the limo tour, and the luxury cruiser tour the prices are:

Regular $45
Limo $84
Sky Cruiser $99

I'm not sure whether it's worth paying double for upgraded transport. The journey is only two and a half hours, so not much different than Manchester to London on a good day. The "cheap buses" are fine and comfortable imho, although it is a few years since I last went.

Note none of the above include lunch, if you wanted a lunch option then I'd recommend the All Inclusive for $69.

All Inclusive Chichen Itza Tour

Re Nottingham, yeah it's always been a good night out. Too much violence though these days, (three people stabbed just last weekend at one of the clubs).

Cancun is far safer and the clubs here will amaze you. When is your trip?