A wanring about Island Tour Vans in Cozumel

L

LHP

Guest
Just wanted to give everyone a heads up...

after 10+ years of going to Cozumel without a care in the world...there is a group that belongs to the taxi union called Island Tours.

Their vans have this name on the side of their vans...and they overcharge. They also get paid (as much as $10 a head) to bring tourist to a particular beach. They even lie about other beach resorts to do this.

So just beware...

make sure you don't get in a van that has Island Tours on the side.
 
S

sailaway2010

Guest
Will you provide a little more detail regarding your warning? How much do they overcharge and which beaches do they take you? Were these two items the only problems or were there more?
 
L

LHP

Guest
About two months ago, we started getting complaints on various other cruise forums that I am on. (I won't name them...but one of them was the "big one".)

Tourist who were newbies were paying $10.00 a person one way to Playa Mia in a van that held 8 people.

Others got in these vans and were immediately told that beach resorts like Mr. Sanchos and Paradise Beach charged $20.00 entrance fees and that these people should go to Playa Mia.

These same taxi drivers have approached other beach resorts and basically said "pay us more money and we will bring the tourist to you"...."if you don't pay us money, we will make sure no one comes here."

Several of the beach resorts do things for the taxi drivers. They provide a place to watch tv in the shade while they wait for fares back to the ship....or throw cook outs for the taxi drivers and their families every year.

But these Island Tour drivers are trying to use extortion....and I am hoping that if enough people boycott them...they will stop.

Cozumel has been a place that I sent people to in confidence...knowing that for the most part...they were not going to be taken advantage of. Now I can't say that....and it is sad..... folks are on vacation...they should not have to worry about being lied to.

Basically, I am advising people to only use the real taxi cabs. White with a red stripe....not vans with Island Tours on the side.
 
M

MeauxMum

Guest
Thank you for the information. Will be careful when we get to Cozumel in September.
 
L

Luci

Guest
The police don't really care about us tourists in Cozumel. I noticed the sales people were rude and they over priced their things that were for sale.
My friend paid $40. for a cheapy blouse and when she returned to the ship she noticed that the sales gal had exchanged the blouse with a stain on the blouse that could not be removed. I had warned her not to buy nothing there but she wouldn't listen to me. She was so disappointed.

Buyers Beware!
 
C

cruiseoften

Guest
Cozumel is one of my favorite ports. This is good info to know, especially since I'm going back in August.

LHP, I miss "the big one" since it's blocked at work and my home computer crashed for a while! crusinpsychRN
 
A

anniversarycruisin'

Guest
Thanx for the heads-up....love Cozumel and would hate for a trip to be ruined by getting ripped off!
 
L

LHP

Guest
Hope you home computer is feeling better now.

I just realized I did not spell "warning" correctly....typo...sorry.....

(I should not be allowed to type before noon!!! )
 
S

Sassykibbles

New Member
My husband and I went to one of the furthest beaches on our own and we were charged 10.00 for the 2 of us, flat rate one way. It was a 15 to 20 min ride, well worth it in my opinion. And it was the white vehicles with the red stripe. We just made sure to discuss the fee before we got in. And the fee was the same going back with a different driver.
 
zydecocruiser

zydecocruiser

Lecturer
While this company sounds particularly egregious, all of the beach clubs, including Paradise Beach, have arrangements (for $$) with some of the taxi drivers to encourage cruise passengers to visit their beach club.

The taxi unions in Mexico (not just Cozumel) in general, have a lot of clout and extortion is their middle name.

The rates from certain pickup points to most destinations are fixed. Between destinations, the rates are whatever the taxi driver thinks he can get away with. Sometimes it might be cheap to return to the port and start over!
 
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seamom

Staff Captain
Of all the places in the world I've been, my experience in Cozumel has been the worst for being ripped off so yes...buyer beware. So sad when an experience taints your feeling for a country.

After making a fair deal with a salesperson for my cute little 7 year old for his teacher (same price as any other store!), for a particular coloured quartz dog carving that my son had his heart attached to, when I unwrapped it later, I realized the salesperson had switched it for a broken one with no ears.

After some careful dodging, I avoided my son's heartbreak but I'll never choose to go back there again. The blouse story isn't the first I've heard from others about Cozumel salespeople.
 
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