Sun-Kissed Paradise – Cozumel & Riviera Maya

About this cruise

If you don't need a long holiday but still want to get out on the water, this is a solid pick. 5 nights from Tampa on March 18, 2028, visiting Cozumel and Progreso (Mérida). The shape of this trip works well: open water on either side with 2 port calls clustered in the middle. Port to port, the water changes colour and the music changes too. That's the fun of it. Keep an eye out for Cozumel: Mexico's Caribbean island of Mayan mystery. Around 8 hours per port on average, which is generous enough to go beyond the obvious. There are 6 restaurants on Carnival Paradise, so you'd need to double up a few evenings to try them all in 5 nights. Tampa itself is worth spending some time in. Don't just treat it as a departure point. Timing-wise, spring usually means comfortable temperatures and lower prices than peak season. That's 5 nights well spent.