COZUMEL, Quintana Roo — One fish, two fish; red fish, blue fish; triggerfish, blowfish. Snorkeling is a prime attraction at this reef-ringed island off Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. So, it’s something we didn’t want to miss when our ship docked here during a December cruise.
We also wanted to partake of some good island food and drink. And we didn’t have long. The ship docked around 8 a.m., and we had to be back on it by 2 p.m. Cultural immersion was out of the question. After trekking around ruins the day before, we wanted to spend this day cramming in as much relaxation as we could without having to waste time changing clothes and moving around the island.
The answer: a day pass to an all-inclusive resort that sits right on a reef. With a day pass to the Palace Resort ($94 adult, $46 child purchased directly from the resort), my daughters and I were able to spend our time in our bathing suits, moving from the Caribbean to the pool, then back into the Caribbean, eating and drinking as we pleased — all without having to get dressed. Everything we did, ate and drank was included in the day pass. Spa services and scuba would have cost extra, had we chosen them.
The Palace is about a five-mile ($5; it’s cool to use U.S. currency) cab ride from port, and it’s perched right on the edge of the western shoreline, just south of the town of San Miguel. We got our wristbands in the lobby along with a locker key, then walked through the lobby out to the pools. There, in the 80-degree sun, was the postcard in which we’d spend the day, with four pools and a jumping-off point for exploring the Caribbean, all under a cerulean, cloud-dotted sky so brilliant that it seemed Photoshopped.
“Is it like this all the time?” my daughter Tyree asked a guy at the swim-up bar.
“Usually, yeah,” he said. “I think it rained a couple of weeks ago.”
Snorkeling gear was provided at a little stand near some steps that led directly into a reef in the Caribbean. We were warned not to get cut on the sharp coral and, obviously, not to try to take any souvenirs out of the sea. One of my daughters had a mask that didn’t fit well. She exchanged it for another; no problem. Neither daughter had snorkeled before, so I was pleased that their first experience was such an easy one.
After a bit of fish-gazing, everyone headed for the pool, which had a swim-up bar. We ordered tropical drinks one after the other. Tyree, who eschews alcohol, was thrilled to be able to order virgin strawberry daiquiris without having to go through the typical drill of ordering a virgin drink and paying just as much as you’d pay for one with rum in it. That’s one of the joys of an all-inclusive resort. Our waiter also took our lunch orders. The Palace has an indoor, sit-down restaurant, but we really wanted to hang by the pool, so we ordered some tacos and sandwiches.
Then we splashed around in the pool. Before long, an exuberant young man was in our midst encouraging everyone in the pool to join in water aerobics. Why not? We moved and grooved until our food came, then bowed out. Our noshes were tasty, by the way, and the server didn’t seem to mind that every time he delivered something, we ordered something more. (I tipped him well — again, in U.S. dollars.)
The restrooms are inside the elegant hotel lobby. We tried to dry off and not leave wet footprints, but we noticed not everyone was so careful. The staff took it in stride, quickly mopping up all the drippings.
After a while, a water volleyball game broke out in the pool — definitely an option, but the girls were ready to don scuba gear again and check out more fish. I managed to corral them in time to get back to the boat on time.
We got just a small taste of a corner of Cozumel, but it whetted our appetite to go back to the island for a longer trip sometime. Should I wind up doing that — or should you — rooms at the Palace start at $299 a night, and, again, everything you eat and drink and most activities are included. You also typically get a resort credit to help defray the cost of spa services and other activities that do cost money. Find out more at palaceresorts.com/cozumelpalace.
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