Cozumel Port Day: Serenade of the Seas Cruise Diary

On November 16, 2021, Serenade of the Seas brought us to Cozumel, Mexico. We did not have a big excursion planned. Our idea was to walk around, get away from the most obvious tourist areas if we could, see a little of the city, and figure things out as we went.

Cruise ship route screen showing the approach to Cozumel in November 2021.

Joe and Christy in Cozumel with Serenade of the Seas behind them.

Walking Around Cozumel

Parts of Cozumel reminded me of Pigeon Forge: a busy tourist area packed with shops, restaurants, signs, souvenirs, and people trying to get your attention. Different setting and different culture, of course, but the tourist-strip energy felt strangely familiar.

Plaza del Sol and Mercado de Artesanias in Cozumel, Mexico.

A colorful street and mural area while walking around Cozumel.

Joe and family at the colorful Cozumel sign.

Friendly People, but a Hard Sales Pitch

The people we met were nice and friendly. What wore us down was the sales pressure. A lot of the shops seemed to carry just about the same souvenirs, and when we did buy something we heard versions of the same line: we were their “first sale of the day.”

It was clearly part of the sales pitch. There were other people from our cruise ship around, along with regular tourists. The harder someone pushed us to buy while we were only trying to browse, the faster it tended to push us back out the door. That was really the only negative for us; the people themselves were friendly.

It Was Hot — Even in November

We tried to wander farther away from the main tourist areas, but Cozumel was hot even in November. After enough walking, sitting down somewhere with food and a cold drink started sounding better and better.

Mr. Sanchos taco place was closed, or we probably would have gone there. Fortunately, it was Taco Tuesday and we were actually in Cozumel, Mexico. Tacos were not exactly a difficult decision.

Taco Tuesday at Wet Wendy’s

We ended up at Wet Wendy’s for lunch and drinks. Tacos, chips, salsa, guacamole, and frozen drinks on Taco Tuesday in Mexico is one of those combinations that does not require a lot of explaining.

Lunch stop at Wet Wendy's in Cozumel on Taco Tuesday.

Frozen drinks at Wet Wendy's in Cozumel, Mexico.

Tacos, chips, salsa and guacamole at Wet Wendy's in Cozumel on Taco Tuesday.

Back Toward the Waterfront

After lunch we made our way back toward the waterfront and eventually the ship. The blue Caribbean water, the promenade, and Serenade of the Seas sitting offshore made for some of my favorite photos from the day.

Cozumel waterfront promenade and Caribbean Sea.

Joe and family at the Cozumel sign with Serenade of the Seas behind them.

Panoramic view of Cozumel harbor from the cruise ship.

Click the panorama to see the full-size image.

Back aboard Serenade, it was time for coffee, a snack, and some serious doing-nothing-on-a-cruise-ship time.

Coffee and a snack back aboard Serenade of the Seas after the Cozumel port day.

Relaxing on deck aboard Serenade of the Seas after visiting Cozumel.

What We Would Do Differently Next Time

We would all go back to Cozumel. Next time, though, we would probably plan the day differently. We would either book a tour, spend the day at one of the beach resorts, or take a taxi farther into the island instead of spending as much time around the main tourist shopping areas.

In the simplest possible summary, we walked around Cozumel and ate tacos. And really, that is not a bad way to spend a port day.

Continue the cruise diary: Tennessee to Tampa → Tampa Bay and Ybor City → Boarding Day → Room 4560 → Costa Maya → Cozumel → Full Review