Franklinites Invade Yucatan Peninsula

The cruise is on! The Ben Franklin class of 1964 will hold its reunion cruise directly following our reunion. New Orleans is now a significant cruise port. We take the Carnival Elation Monday, October 27, 2014 at 4pm and return Saturday November 1 at 8am. Stops in Mexico are Progresso (near Merida) and Cozumel. Retail prices range from $269 to $669 per person, double occupancy, plus $57.71/person fees and taxes. Stay in contact with Frank Nemec, Captain of the Cruisers, for details. Bring your passports.

Make your own reservations with Carnival or your favorite travel agent. As of October 6, there is still some availability, and it's national cruise week. Please keep me informed about your thoughts and plans. These have so far expressed an interest:

Frank Nemec and wife Laurie (we have cabin E1 reserved)
Carole Goldstein (no)
Carol Strickland (no)
BJ Firestone and her husband (booked)
Victor Farrugia and his wife (possibly for the Mayan ruins but not the cruise)

Mayan Ruins

The ship brings us close to three of the most popular Mayan ruins in Mexico. Shore excursions let you spend an hour at a site and several hours on a bus. Because of the risk that Carnival skips the Cozumel stop because of weather etc., I have abandoned the overnight-on-land option. These seem like the most likely shore excursions:

Progreso: Chichen Itza 7 hours (4.5 on bus) $80/p
Progreso: Dzibilchaltun with sinkhole swim 4 hours $60/p with optional Mexican rodeo and buffet $25 more
Progreso: Uxmal 6.5 hours (3.5 on bus) $80/p
Cozumel: Tulum 7 hours $96/p (not offered on this cruise)
Cozumel: Coba 7 hours $100/p (not offered on this cruise)
Cozumel: Mayan Ruins & Beach $70/p