Get there from from Playa del Carmen. This place is fabulous. One of my favorite places in the world. The high point of Xcarat is a 30 minute float down an underground river. It is fun for the entire family. When you come out of the river, swim in lagoons, natural pools, channels and cenotes at the park. "Swim with dolphins" is also available at an extra charge. The Museum of Mayan Cities, an aquarium, a butterfly pavilion and a bird-breeding aviary are inside the park. The scenery is spectacular. Authentic Mexican food is available directly on the beach.

Get there from Playa del Carmen. If you are interested in history and archaeology this is a place that you will want to visit. Great photo ops of the Caribbean from the bluff. The ruins include the Temple of the Frescos, the Temple of the Descending God, the House of the Chultun and the House of the Columns. In the summer you might want to take your swimsuit.

These excursions are available at several cruise destinations. We took a horseback ride through a Yucatan Peninsula jungle. We didn't see many animals, but it didn't hamper our fun. The jungle is thick and they can usually sense you before you see them. We did see Mayan ruins and beautiful vegetation. Authentic Mexican food was served at a jungle location. They guides were very friendly.

I enjoyed this excursion. I don't think that it is for everybody, but if you are the adventurous sort and won't be afraid of huge stingrays begging for food from your hands this is a "don't miss." You will never forget it.

This is one that you will have to experience at least once. I think that this is the major attraction in Jamaica. The trip there and back to your cruise ship will give you a dose of the real Jamaica if you haven't been there before. The Falls and surrounding scenery are gorgeous. The Falls experience encompasses walking down to the bottom of the Falls to where it flows into the Caribbean. You climb up all 600 feet of the Falls, right up the middle of it - holding hands with the person in front and back of you. Your group stops occasionally for photos. Your guide holds your camera for the entire climb and he takes pictures of your family. Of course he's is going to expect a tip, but it's worth it. You will treasure those photos for the rest of your life.

Shore excursions can add greatly to the enjoyment of your trip. Notice that I said "can," not will. You should be very cautious about booking them. The wrong trip will waste your precious vacation time and your money. You should book the trip that is right for you - more often than not, one that is right for you plus the rest of your party. That takes some thought and research.

One of our cruises stopped at Cozumel, Mexico. If you've never been there, it is a wonderful place - much of the experience doesn't have to cost you anything but taxi fare and a little food to tide you over until you get back to the ship. A family of four was seated with us for dinner. We had been to Cozumel a half dozen times and didn't plan on spending any money there this time, except for food and some T-shirts from the Hard Rock Cafe. We enjoyed the city and snorkeled in the lagoon. That family of four had never been to Cozumel before, yet they bought a shore excursion to CANCUN. To get to Cancun from Cozumel, one has to take a ferry to Playa del Carmen and then a bus to Cancun, eating 4 - 5 hours of time in transportation. Not only that, most of these tours, especially in Mexico and Jamaica, stop at places where the tour guide gets a kickback from the owner of the premises. More time wasted. Cancun is a nice place to visit, but if you haven't seen where the ship docks ....

Another thing to consider when booking shore excursions is whether the tour is unique to the place that you are visiting. Snorkeling is fun, but if you can do that closer to home why spend a lot of money doing it somewhere else? Doing it free is one thing, but paying for it is entirely something else. In fact, at most cruise stops all you have to do is carry your equipment and tell a taxi driver to take you to the nearest good snorkeling.

.... Which brings up another suggestion that works for those that don't mind a little extra adventure. Before you book an excursion through the cruise lines, investigate and decide whether it would be easier and more economical to just go without a guide booked through Carnival. We do that often. It saves a lot of time and money in most instances and you are not at the mercy of the tour guide. Make sure that you get an exact price for the taxi ride before you get in the taxi and make it clear to the driver that you want to go there and back in a straight line - no stops for kickbacks. JUST MAKE SURE THAT YOU CAN GET BACK TO THE SHIP IN TIME.

Have fun on your next cruise!