Cozumel: Private Excursion - MiniVan or Jeep (Your Day, Your Way)

Not Quite the “Your Day, Your Way” Experience We Expected

As a family of six, we were excited for the "Your Day, Your Way" tour, but unfortunately, it fell a bit flat for us. The tour started more than 15 minutes late, which wasn't the best first impression. We were also surprised to find that our guide arrived in a marked taxi rather than the minivan or jeep-style vehicle we had expected. With six people, the ride felt quite cramped and impacted the overall comfort of the experience. That said, our guide, Gerardo, was kind, professional, and genuinely made every effort to ensure we had a good time. He deserves credit for his positive attitude and willingness to accommodate our family throughout the day. For us, the bigger challenge was Cozumel itself. From our perspective as a family traveling with children, there simply wasn't much that stood out. The beaches we visited were average, and there was a significant amount of sargassum present, which detracted from the experience. While the natural beauty of the island may appeal to some travelers, we found the attractions somewhat underwhelming compared to other Caribbean destinations we've visited. Overall, we'd give Gerardo an A for effort, but the tour and destination did not live up to our expectations. What we experienced didn't quite match the description we had envisioned, and as a result, it wasn't one of the highlights of our trip.

Response from the operator: Hola hola from Cozumel, Vivian :) Thank you for taking the time to share your review. We’re glad to hear your kind words about Gerardo and that you recognized his efforts to make your family feel comfortable throughout the day. We would also like to clarify a few things for future guests reading this review, as some important details were left out. Our guides arrive Gerardo arrived 20 minutes before the scheduled starting time. In your case, there was confusion with the meeting location, as you went to a different spot, and Gerardo went to pick you up there. We send detailed meeting instructions when booking, confirm them again the night before, and even send a photo once our guide arrives at the meeting point. We do all of this to make the process as easy as possible for our guests. You also mentioned during the excursion that you didn't want to see Americans or tourists. We understand wanting to escape the crowds, but Cozumel is one of the busiest cruise destinations in the Caribbean. That day alone, we had around four cruise ships bringing more than 12,000 visitors to the island, so avoiding tourists completely was simply not realistic. You asked for a local experience, and Gerardo did his best to provide exactly that. He took you to a local market, beautiful scenic spots, an open cenote, and a beach club where you could see some fish. After these stops, you mentioned wanting to return, but rather than ending your excursion early, Gerardo offered to show you another side of Cozumel, the beautiful, less developed east coast, where there are fewer crowds and more untouched nature. You agreed, and the excursion continued. That's exactly what we mean by "Your Day, Your Way." We don't follow a fixed itinerary or rush our guests from one stop to another. Every excursion is built around each group's interests, requests, and pace. Gerardo made adjustments throughout your day to accommodate what you wanted, which is precisely the flexibility our private tours are designed to offer. However, while we can adjust the itinerary to your interests, some things, like the number of visitors on the island, the beach conditions, or the destination itself, are simply beyond our control. Reading your review, it seems that much of your disappointment was with Cozumel as a destination rather than the service our local company and Gerardo provided. We completely respect that not every island will meet everyone's personal expectations, but we also believe it's important to distinguish between the destination itself and the experience our local team works hard to provide. We're happy that despite your overall impression of the island, you recognized Gerardo's kindness, professionalism, and willingness to accommodate your family. That means a lot to us. Thank you again for choosing our small local company. Visit Cozumel Shuttles & Tours Team :)

via Viator

Seeing Cozumel

Enrique gave us a wonderful tour of the whole island and recommended an amazing Mayan cultural experience. His knowledge about the island, both the history and the current state, was impressive. Highly recommend him!

via Tripadvisor

Private Tour

Irvin was excellent. A good driver knowing where to go and what to do. He took us to several places and set up private tours. He's the best.

via Tripadvisor

Curated local experience

We had the best day with our tour guide Irving! He was a wealth of knowledge of the island, culture, and people. He listened to our interests and curated a perfect experience. We floated through a cenote, drove to a remote beach, and enjoyed the best local food and drink (with bonus beach puppies!) Irving made the trip extra special just by being himself and sharing his world with us. We are grateful for the experience and would do it again in a heartbeat! Communication and directions were smooth and easy, all around great tour!

via Tripadvisor

Best tour of Cozumel!

Our tour with Visit Cozumel was the best! Our 9 ladies were treated to a customized day just for us. Our driver, Jesus, and tour guide, Aldair, took us to picture spots, Tierra Maya cultural center, KaoKao chocolate factory, shopping, and an amazing beachside restaurant. Some of us have been to Cozumel many times, but this was the very best tour!! Highly recommend!

via Viator