I love cruising, but it also makes me grateful to live in the U.S.

By John Toth

The Bulletin

To get a good idea of how many non-First World people live, all you have to do is go outside of the cruise ports in Mexico and South America.

There are other ways to do this, but if you’re planning to take a cruise anyway, it’s a good way to give yourself a reminder of how fortunate we are.

The first time I noticed such a huge economic contrast between the West and anywhere else was when I left communist Hungary in 1966 and landed next door, just a few hours by train, n Vienna, Austria. I went from living in poverty in Hungary to being poor in a Western country, which was like being well off in Hungary.

I stepped outside my hotel the next morning in Vienna, it happened to be a Monday, and the West hit me in the face. Where did all this come from? It was like stepping into a big amusement park. I was 10 years old then, and that’s how I measured things.

Then I arrived in the United States, and the Austrian lifestyle in the 1960s, although very good, was quickly surpassed by what Uncle Sam dished out. It was easy to become Americanized, being surrounded by all that new stuff, just a plane ride away from Europe.

I have seen many sides of the financial spectrum. But many Americans have not. Which is why I suggest a very comfortable cruise from Galveston to almost anywhere in the Caribbean. It’s not only fun, but it will be an eye-opener once you leave the port.

On one of our excursions in Belize, while we were riding in the bus to our destination, our guide asked us how much some of us are paying for cable TV in the U.S. ( I’m paying zero. I cut the cable cord years ago.)

Someone in the front said he was paying more than $300 a month.

“You can rent a nice house for that here,” the tour guide responded.

We drove through miles of poverty. We either saw the jungle or metal shacks. Dozens of fruit stands lined many of the roads we drove on. A few resorts by the ocean were well-maintained and up to western standards. Other than that, the place looked poverty stricken to me.

I’m not saying this to be arrogant or to point out what we have compared to what they have. We do have a lot more, but the problem is that many of us just don’t appreciate it.

In Cozumel, our guide told us that when the cruise ships stopped coming because of Covid, they had no other way to earn a living.

Cozumel is one of the nicer areas we have been to in Mexico. Resorts line the main road to the port. The last time we were there we bought day passes to El Cid, right next to the port, and we had a great time at the resort snorkeling, relaxing and eating. The day pass fee was only $25 per person, which included $13 food credit for each of us. After using up our food credit, the day pass cost $12 per person, which was amazing for this western-style resort with a pool and beach access.

But away from the beaten path, Cozumel also shows signs of wear and tear. If you’re used to Florida, Hawaii or South Padre Island, this isn’t it. But the mixture of tourism and local flavor create a unique atmosphere and a nice mix of local culture and tourist traps. In many places in Cozumel, the tourist trap is the local culture.

Which brings me to Costa Maya, which has a fabulous port, and that’s it. Outside of it is the fishing village of Mahahual and poverty. The cab driver took us through the most dilapidated areas, and the roads were as bad as in Belize, which means that they were really bad.

We went to check out Krazy Lobster, a place we have heard about a lot. It has ocean-side seating, access to the beach for no extra cost, other than ordering food or drinks, and lots of vendors and people.

We had a good time and talked to some other passengers from our ship. I spent a total of $20 for the food and another $20 for the cab.

On the way back to the port, the cab driver decided to take a different route that revealed even more poverty stricken areas and even bumpier roads. A few minutes later, we were back on the Mariner of the Seas, in luxurious Western comfort.

One tour guide in Costa Maya during a previous excursion we bought through the cruise ship told us that there’s a contest among tour guides each month. The winners are invited to have lunch in the ship’s cafeteria. He was trying to win it. I gave him an excellent review. I hope it worked.

The next time I hear anyone complaining about the ship’s food, I’ll have to mention that it’s the grand prize for tour guides who work on cruisers’ excursions.

We are a consuming bunch, and often we forget how good we have it. Which is why I would suggest a nice cruise out of Galveston and an excursion to somewhere outside of the port. That’s where you’ll be jolted into reality by seeing the contrast between life there and here.

Oh, yeah, you’ll still have a good time and food for thought.