Getting to Cozumel
City in Mexico
The Ferry to Cozumel
Taking the ferry to Cozumel from Playa Del Carmen is pretty straightforward. Once you get to the port at Playa Del Carmen, you can choose which company you want to ferry with. While I was there, only one company was running per day. I am not sure if that happens all the time or if it is a new process with Covid. If that is the case, then you just need to buy the ticket for whichever company is running that day. The ferries run from 6:30 am-11 pm and the journey is 1 hour. It is easy to make a day trip to Cozumel from Playa Del Carmen and many people do. Once you get to Cozumel, you are dropped off right downtown or there are plenty of taxis to take you to your first adventure on the island.
Ultramar Ferry Vs. Winjet Ferry to Cozumel
Ultramar runs from 7:00 am-11:00 pm and charges 190 pesos for a one-way ticket. Riding with Ultramar is quite relaxed. A mask is required on the ferry and pets are allowed on the open upper decks. Once it is time to board the ferry, your luggage is stacked up and it is loaded on the ferry in the cargo area. Once you get off the ferry, the bags are lined up and you pick up your luggage. You can see when the Ultramar ferry runs here.
WinJet runs from 7:00 am -10:00 pm and charges 220 pesos for a one-way ticket. Winjet has more formal procedures for their passengers. Masks are required for the ferry and before boarding, you are required to wash your hands in the provided sinks. Pets are allowed but are required to be in a cage or muzzled. If you are like me and do not have a muzzle, you can buy one for 100 pesos. I did not feel comfortable muzzling my dog, but Winjet was the only ferry running that day, so I did not have a lot of choices. If you want to avoid this, be sure to check out the ferry schedules ahead of time. Check out the Winjet ferry schedule here.
Taking Your Vehicle?
Ultramar also offers a cargo ferry option where you can bring your car with you to Cozumel. There is a separate port for this ferry located at Punta Venado. This ferry only runs two times a day, so be sure to check the times here. Be sure to arrive an hour and a half early and get tickets beforehand so the ferry doesn’t get sold out. This is Cozumel’s way of transporting 18 wheelers full of goods for the island, so it is possible to get full. A regular sedan costs 650 pesos, which really isn’t very expensive if you are going to be renting a car on Cozumel or needing to take taxis.
Trucks, like mine, however, are 1,860, making it far less economical. The ride takes around 75 minutes and then another 30 minutes to unload. This is certainly the more time-consuming option, but depending on your situation it might be a better route.
Don’t forget to check out the Top Things to do in Cozumel.
