Calica ain’t Paradise but you can Cruise there for Cheap

Sometimes the shortest cruises can be the most fascinating. For example, there is this 4-night voyage aboard Carnival Cruise Lines Fascination. In addition to costing just $199, the cruise caught my attention because after departing Miami and stopping in Key West, it makes a port call for 7 hours in a place called Calica. Never heard of it? Neither had I, but this is the description given on Cheap Tickets:

Calica is little more than a small port that can accommodate two ships at a time. Sometimes they dock in and other times they anchor out from the ferry dock and you are tendered to shore. There is really no town or village named Calica. There is little shopping at the port of Calica other than a small market selling local arts and crafts as well as assorted trinkets. This small enterprise arises to serve ship’s passengers on days when a ship is in port. The main shopping area is in Playa del Carmen. The currency is of course the Mexican peso however the American dollar is excepted in Calica and all tourist related venues in the Mayan Riviera. Mexican Spanish is also the spoken language although many Mexicans speak English or what is called Spengish. There are no restaurants or bars here. Basically it is a port. Taxis are available and tour buses will pick you up here and bring you back within the specified times. It is recommended to book your tours beforehand.

So to sum up, there is no drinking, little shopping except for the tourist trinkets at the local market and the American dollar is excepted€. Sounds great, right? At least the price is right.