Bag Drag Thoughts and Tips?

[Carlos Diver]

Been researching this online and through this forum a ton. Ive seen people's reviews on it and seen the flicker page with all the details, but would still like an overall comment on what Im thinking for a plan.

Looking into May/June, depending on passport and other issues, including a wedding. Airfare to CZM is running over $200 more for me than into CUN. At that price I can do the drag, and spend an extra night in Cancun at the end of my trip and still be over $100 heavier in the wallet. Airfare was really cheap last week, cheapest I have seen in a while and of course I didnt bite . Now I just need to wait it out and trust (and pray) it goes back down where it was before. Still plenty of seats on the flights, though and Tues and Weds are coming up for booking.

What do some of you who have actually done this think? Extra night worth the added peace of mind of being near the airport and having your land travel out of the way? Is the drag worth the savings? Any routine issues that might pop up I should know about?

How much do you consider saving before you just say no thanks and pay the extra to fly into CZM direct. I looked into the CUN to CZM flight, but the times just dont work out. I would be in CZM faster by land, and plus, I dont mind busing it down. I think I would actually enjoy going past all the resorts and taking in the scenery, if there actually is any??

Thanks everyone.

 

[Prop Joe]

This is compliments of Ron Lee:
Cancun Airport to Playa del Carmen/Cozumel by ADO Bus
Matt Adkins has a youtube video but I cannot find it...
We will do the drag on the way home in March as there are no direct flights CZM to ORD the day of our departure. I did the multi-city option on AA.com and we're direct ORD to CZM on the way down and CUN to ORD on the way back. We've done it many times. I really like the option rather than risk the chance of a blown connection, broken plane, weather issues that can happen going through Texas, ATL or CLT.
Its really no big deal.
The bus is nice. We've never spent the night. We'll be up early to catch the 9:05 bus from PDC to CUN though as we have a noon departure on the way home. We've done the route in as little as 2hrs and the longest has been just over three hours. Pay the rickshaw guys to hump you bag to the ferry pier, just pay them a buck or two for each bag. Relax, have an adult beverage.
Its really no big deal.

 

[greylion]

Hmmmmm, if like Prop Joe's scenario, you get a direct flight by leaving out of Cancun to your final destination, then i think it's worth the trouble, but if you still have connecting flights while leaving from Cancun, then I wouldn't do it, but I don't need the $200 as bad as I once did. JMHO

 

[Mike]

There is no benefit to staying in Cancun near the airport if the alternative is staying on Cozumel and flying out of Cozumel. Grab your flights as soon rather than later if you can, according to talk since the latest airline merger, airlines had 14 attempts at price increases last year, with a number of them sticking, with the merger and the success they've had last year raising prices the airlines are looking full on at continuing their winning streak which means higher prices and/or more attempts are coming in 2013.

 

[Scubasteve1982]

Been researching this online and through this forum a ton. Ive seen people's reviews on it and seen the flicker page with all the details, but would still like an overall comment on what Im thinking for a plan.

Looking into May/June, depending on passport and other issues, including a wedding. Airfare to CZM is running over $200 more for me than into CUN. At that price I can do the drag, and spend an extra night in Cancun at the end of my trip and still be over $100 heavier in the wallet. Airfare was really cheap last week, cheapest I have seen in a while and of course I didnt bite . Now I just need to wait it out and trust (and pray) it goes back down where it was before. Still plenty of seats on the flights, though and Tues and Weds are coming up for booking.

What do some of you who have actually done this think? Extra night worth the added peace of mind of being near the airport and having your land travel out of the way? Is the drag worth the savings? Any routine issues that might pop up I should know about?

How much do you consider saving before you just say no thanks and pay the extra to fly into CZM direct. I looked into the CUN to CZM flight, but the times just dont work out. I would be in CZM faster by land, and plus, I dont mind busing it down. I think I would actually enjoy going past all the resorts and taking in the scenery, if there actually is any??

Thanks everyone.

The bag drag becomes worthwhile to me when the price difference between CZM and CUN reaches the $200 mark. Recently I can't get any decent airfare between PHL or BWI to CZM. Thankfully I can fly non-stop to CUN from BWI at a decent rate.

The only reason I would consider staying the night in Cancun before my flight is if the flight was extremely early. I usually try and book my flight for early afternoon. This gives me plenty of time to make it to the airport.

 

[cobra269]

Also doing the bag and drag for the first time this year. Will be using SW points to fly non stop from Atl to Cun (business class) and Cun to Atl (coach) on Airtran for just the taxes - $141.38. Booked a private driver on arrival for $50, just didn't want to mess with the bus on this leg. On the return we booked the latest flight and since we had never experience PDC will go over on the noon ferry the day before and spend the night at Hotel Posada Siankaan, experience the night life and take the noon bus to Cun. I learn to be sure to purchase the bus ticket the day before thanks to these boards. Total additional cost for the two of us $173.68. This was a great option for us since the ticket cost of flying out of Huntsville had increased to $1396 for the two of us with one stop. Yes there is a 3 hr drive to Atl vice the 45 min drive to Hsv but the savings make it worth it.

 

[njones259]

I gave up on direct flights from PHL/BWI to Cozumel a couple of years ago.I just consider the trip through Cancun as part of the adventure.I always book my departure out of Cancun as late as possible and am fortunate to have quite a few choices.The bag drag has become a habit and already have 2 more booked for this year.

 

[wedivebc]

Having just bag dragged 2 rebreathers plus other gear and my personal effects from Coz to Cancun it was a bit of a hassle and if it was $200 difference in price for me I would have flown home direct. Cab to ferry $100 peso with tip. Bag sherpa on to ferry $40 peso. Ferry was it $150? Sherpa to taxi $40. Cab to Cancun $500 (that was a deal). Hotel in Cancun $750. So all in all $1580 peso.

 

[Scoober]

Generally, $100 each way doesn't do it for me, and staying in cancun only confirms for me how much I really don't like the place. However, staying a night at the end if the trip in Playa is very nice! While Playa doesn't have Coz caliber diving, Playa does have a far nicer groove than San Miguel, IMO.

 

[mstevens]

I'm with Scubasteve1982. I'll go through Cancun if it saves me enough. Don't forget that the ADO bus and the ferry add up to about $30 each way, so you need to save $60 per person round-trip just to break even.

Oddly, we often get really good deals flying in to Cancun and out of Cozumel, which for some dumb reason can be significantly less expensive than a round-trip to either airport. I don't mind flying in to Cancun and getting myself to the island, but it sure is nice not to have to schlep to Cancun just to leave when I don't want to be leaving anyway.