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.
