Just got back from a trip to Cozumel and the Yucatan Pennisula in August.
We flew in and out of Cancun and found getting to Cozumel a bit of a chore.
I'm not 100% sure this is the best way to go about it, but we arranged for a van to take us to Playa del Carmen from the CUN airport prior to arriving. We used the tour company called Alltournative
www.cancunairporttransfers.com/transfers.html at a cost of about $60 for the two of us and a total of four bags. There was a guy with sign waiting for us just outside the terminal.
We had to walk about two-and-a-half blocks from the taxi drop-off location to the ferry. There are people with bikes and carts who'll offer to carry your stuff, but we were fine simply rolling our bags. They don't allow cars near the ferry, and taxis seem to be heavily regulated as to where they can and can not go.
Ferry tickets were 7.50 each, I believe. The ferry runs every hour with a couple of exceptions. I'd check the schedule yourself but there was no 8:00 P.M. ferry and no noon ferry going from PDC to Cozumel.
Grabbed a quick cab from the dock in Cozumel to our resort seven or eight blocks away for about 4 bucks.
If you're not in a hurry, you can take a bus from CUN airport to PDC for about eight bucks a person. We were flying in late in the PM and were anxious to get checked in.
I talked to someone who got their van ride cheaper, but the van stopped at several resorts along the way. They said it took a long time. We had the large Alltournative van to ourselves, and ours was a non-stop trip (approx. 45 minutes).
I'd have to say the worst part was lugging our equipment from the drop off area near the dock to the Ferry terminal. I don't think there's a way to get closer. Next time I think I'll just hire a local with a cart; I don't think they were charging much.
Taking a plane from CUN to Coz is about $130 per person. For me it would be a tough call, but I think I'd still skip the flight and save about 170. However, flight prices change frequently, and I'd check the cost of flying into Cozumel before you make your decision.
On our first trip, we got suckered into a timeshare presentation. A nice lady acted like she was simply offering ferry information. She started out simply explaining where to put our bags, times, etc. Then came a "free" lunch offer; before we knew it we were off to a high-pressured sales presentation. They worked really hard to make us feel bad and stupid for not purchasing their package...it wasn't worth it.
I'm not a travel expert and have only been to Cozumel twice, so take my amature advice for what it's worth.
