Costa MayaCruise Port Guide
One pier, one port village to cross, then a short taxi to the beach or a long drive to the ruins. Plans sized to your day, with real prices.
Welcome to Costa Maya
Pro Picks
Maya ruins · 4.5 hrsChacchoben Maya Ruins Half-Day Tour
A guided half-day at Chacchoben, the Maya ruins most Costa Maya cruisers choose for their ruins excursion, about 50 to 55 minutes by road from the port. Tours leave 30 to 60 minutes after the ship docks, from a meeting spot just outside the port gate.
From $57.35/ person
Book Now →
Ruins & lagoon · 7 hrsChacchoben Ruins & Seven Color Lagoon Day Trip
The ruins first, then Bacalar Lagoon, the shallow lake famous for its bands of blue, where the listing includes a meal, two drinks and up to two hours at the lagoon's facilities. At seven hours it is the longest option here, so check it against your all-aboard time.
From $93.63/ person
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ATV & beach · 4 hrsOpen-Bar ATV Ride & Beach Day
About an hour riding ATVs as a group, then lunch and three hours of open-bar access on the beach, with gear and a short lesson provided. The ride back to the port is a $5-per-person taxi that is not included in the price.
From $89.68/ person
Book Now →Your time ashore
Count from leaving the ship to being back aboard.
Costa Maya in 3 hours
Tasting
Tequila & Mezcal Tasting
A guided tasting of tequila, mezcal and other agave spirits, with pickup at the cruise port. The session is private to your group, and the listing offers a free extension to a Mahahual beach club afterwards if you have time.
From$41.06
Time required80 minutes
Cooking class
Cooking Class at Cafe Jaguar
A two-hour Mexican cooking class on Mahahual's waterfront. It is a 2.3 mile taxi ride from the port, $5 per person each way and not included, so allow extra time at both ends.
From$63.20
Time required2 hours
Costa Maya in 5 hours
ATV + beach
Open-Bar ATV Ride & Beach Day
An hour on ATVs, then lunch and open bar on the beach. It meets outside the port at the taxi and golf-cart lot, and the taxi back to the port is $5 per person on top.
From$89.68
Time required4 hours
Maya ruins
Chacchoben Maya Ruins Half-Day Tour
A guided visit to Chacchoben, about 50 to 55 minutes by road from the port. Tours leave 30 to 60 minutes after the ship docks, from outside the port gate.
From$57.35
Time required4.5 hours
Cooking class
Cooking Class with Margaritas & Mezcal
A three-hour small-group cooking class with margaritas and a mezcal tasting, under thatched palapas. The listing gives no meeting point, so confirm where it starts after you book.
From$108.41
Time required3 hours
Cooking class
Cooking Class at Cafe Jaguar
A two-hour Mexican cooking class on Mahahual's waterfront. It is a 2.3 mile taxi ride from the port, $5 per person each way and not included, so allow extra time at both ends.
From$63.20
Time required2 hours
Tasting
Tequila & Mezcal Tasting
A guided tasting of tequila, mezcal and other agave spirits, with pickup at the cruise port. The session is private to your group, and the listing offers a free extension to a Mahahual beach club afterwards if you have time.
From$41.06
Time required80 minutes
Costa Maya in 7 hours
Ruins & lagoon
Chacchoben Ruins & Bacalar Lagoon Boat Tour
Ruins in the morning, then a two-hour boat trip on Bacalar Lagoon and a taco lunch, with about an hour back to port. It is a six-hour trip, so it is tight on a short port call.
From$185
Time required6 hours
Lagoon & culture
Maya Family Visit & Bacalar Lagoon
A visit with a Maya family plus time on Bacalar Lagoon, 5.5 hours including transport. It meets at the Native Choice kiosk at Plaza Las Fuentes, a 15-minute walk from the gangway, and has only one review so far.
From$103.20
Time required5.5 hours
Lagoon boat tour
Bacalar Lagoon Boat Tour
A boat tour of Bacalar Lagoon, five hours including the drive. The operator meets you just outside the terminal, since local companies can't operate inside the port complex.
From$165
Time required5 hours
Ruins & lagoon
Chacchoben Ruins & Seven Color Lagoon Trip
The ruins and then Bacalar Lagoon, with a meal and two drinks included at the lagoon. At seven hours it only suits a long port call; the tours start 30 to 60 minutes after the ship docks.
From$93.63
Time required7 hours
Maya ruins
Chacchoben Maya Ruins Half-Day Tour
A guided visit to Chacchoben, about 50 to 55 minutes by road from the port. Tours leave 30 to 60 minutes after the ship docks, from outside the port gate.
From$57.35
Time required4.5 hours
Handy Helpers
Small things that make a port day easier.
Private Driver, Waiting at the Dock
A pre-booked driver meets you at the dock for a fixed price. No haggling, no waiting for a taxi to fill.
Bike rental
Cover more ground than on foot. Book ahead and return it well before all-aboard.
Travel eSIM
Install it on ship WiFi and your maps and ride apps work the moment you land in Costa Maya.
Sailing from
Homeports with cruises that call at Costa Maya.
Quick answers
Facts last checked .
How we checked these answers
Every answer is built from facts we checked against the sources below and cross-checked with recent port guides. Where sources disagreed, the answer says so instead of guessing a number.
- Royal Caribbean — Puerto Costa Maya
- Carnival Cruise Line — Costa Maya shore excursions
- Norwegian Cruise Line — Costa Maya shore excursions
- MSC Cruises — Costa Maya
- Celebrity Cruises — Costa Maya port guide
- Princess Cruises — Costa Maya excursions
- Holland America Line — Costa Maya
- Virgin Voyages — Costa Maya
- Royal Caribbean — will the ship wait?
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection — travel documents
- U.S. Department of State — Mexico travel advisory
- NIST — US daylight saving time rules
Getting ashore
Where do cruise ships dock in Costa Maya, and is it a tender port?
Cruise ships dock at Costa Maya's single pier, Puerto Costa Maya, so there is no tender: Royal Caribbean says guests step ashore straight from the pier. The pier has four berths, and Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, MSC, Celebrity, Princess, Holland America and Virgin Voyages all list the port. No source says which line gets which berth, and it varies by sailing, so check your ship's daily program. If more than four ships arrive, the extras anchor and tender passengers in.
What is the Costa Maya cruise port like, and how long does it take to get out of it?
The Costa Maya cruise port is one pier that leads straight into a walk-through port village of shops, restaurants, bars, a large saltwater pool with a swim-up bar, a spa and ATMs, and you have to cross it to leave. Allow 10 to 15 minutes to reach the exit even if you hurry; a free shuttle runs between the ship and the village. Taxis wait at the terminal exit, and most independent tours meet just outside it.
Is there anything to do at the Costa Maya cruise port, or is it worth getting off the ship?
Yes, if you have a plan: the Costa Maya port village has a swim-up pool bar, shops, restaurants and a free Voladores (flyers) performance, but the port itself is not a swimming beach, and the real beaches are in Mahahual, about 2 miles away. A taxi there is about $5 per person in most guides, and Mahahual's beaches are free to use. For a tour that fits your day, see the 5-hour plans.
Can I walk from the Costa Maya cruise port to Mahahual?
No, Mahahual is about 2 miles from the Costa Maya cruise terminal, roughly a 45-minute walk in the heat along a route that isn't pedestrian-friendly, so almost everyone takes a taxi. The ride takes 5 to 10 minutes and is about $5 per person in most guides; agree the price, and whether it is per person, before you get in. One guide also lists a one-way tram at about $3 to $4 per person, with the ride back by taxi.
How much is a taxi from the Costa Maya cruise port to Mahahual, and is there a shuttle?
A taxi from the Costa Maya cruise port to Mahahual is about $5 per person in most guides, with quotes running from $4 to $8, and the ride takes 5 to 10 minutes. Taxis wait at the terminal exit. Agree the price, and whether it is per person or per car, before you get in. One guide also lists a one-way tram at about $3 to $4 per person, bought in advance behind the shopping area, with the ride back by taxi.
Can I rent a golf cart at the Costa Maya cruise port?
Yes, golf carts can be rented at the Costa Maya port: Celebrity Cruises lists rentals, and one August 2026 guide quotes about $60 a day from a booth at the port exit. We couldn't confirm that price with an official source, so check it at the booth, and remember a cart still has to get you back to the ship before all-aboard.
Beaches & water
Can you walk to the beach from the Costa Maya cruise port?
No, the Costa Maya cruise port has no swimming beach of its own, and the nearest swimming is in Mahahual, about 2 miles away and a hot walk of roughly 45 minutes. Most people take a short taxi, about $5 per person in most guides, to the beach clubs along Mahahual's waterfront. The beach is free to use; clubs charge for chairs and day packages.
Which Mahahual beach clubs are worth it, and what do day packages cost?
Mahahual's waterfront is lined with palapa (thatched-roof) beach clubs, a short taxi ride from the Costa Maya port at about $5 per person in most guides. The beach itself is free to use, and clubs sell day packages: one guide lists Malecon21's packages at $40 to $249 per person. Packages and prices change, so check a club's current menu before you commit.
Excursions
How far is Chacchoben from the Costa Maya cruise port?
The Chacchoben Maya ruins are roughly an hour's drive from the Costa Maya cruise port, according to Royal Caribbean, and the tour listings we checked put the transfer at 50 to 55 minutes by road. Tours generally leave 30 to 60 minutes after the ship docks, from a meeting spot just outside the port gate. The Chacchoben half-day tour is the most-reviewed one we found.
Where do independent tours meet in Costa Maya, and will the ship wait if I am late?
Most independent tours in Costa Maya meet just outside the port complex, not inside it: one operator's vans wait in the taxi and golf-cart parking lot past the main exit, and others meet 10 to 15 minutes' walk outside. Tours generally start 30 to 60 minutes after the ship docks. Royal Caribbean says its ship will not wait for guests who are late on their own plans, so leave a buffer before all-aboard.
Money, safety & practical
Can I use US dollars in Costa Maya, or do I need pesos?
Yes, US dollars are widely accepted in the Costa Maya port and Mahahual's tourist areas, though the official currency is the Mexican peso, as Celebrity Cruises notes. Larger port shops and restaurants take cards, while smaller vendors, taxis and market stalls are usually cash only, so carry small bills. There are ATMs in the port and in Mahahual.
Do I need a passport to get off the ship in Costa Maya?
US citizens on a closed-loop cruise can re-enter the US with a birth certificate and a government photo ID, according to US Customs and Border Protection, but CBP warns that the countries you visit may still require a passport. If you miss the ship and have to fly home from Mexico, you need a passport book. Bring your passport.
Is Costa Maya safe for cruise passengers?
The US State Department rates Mexico overall Level 2, "Exercise increased caution" (updated May 28, 2026), and the advisory gives one rating for the whole country. It tells US travelers to use dispatched taxis from regulated stands or app-based rides rather than waving taxis down on the street, which fits Costa Maya's taxis waiting at the terminal exit.
Is Costa Maya on ship time?
Costa Maya stays on UTC−5 all year with no daylight saving time, so a ship on Florida time is 1 hour ahead of the port from the second Sunday of March to the first Sunday of November, and matches it in winter. A ship on Texas time matches in summer and is 1 hour behind in winter. Check which clock your all-aboard time uses.
Is there Wi-Fi at the Costa Maya cruise port?
Yes, the Costa Maya cruise port has Wi-Fi in the port complex: Celebrity Cruises lists it among the port's facilities, and one guide says it is free to use. Free access can change, so check the network's terms before you rely on it.