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Hello

 

My family will be taking their first cruise to the Mexican Rivera and I can't decide if we should explore the city or go to Las Caletas. Las Caletas sounds so beautiful and I think the kids would have a great time there. My kids are 6 and 10 years old. I'm a little nervous about the boat ride out there because I do get sea sick. Any advice? Thank you

My advice? If it were me, and my family, I would grab a cab at the cruise docks and take it to the "new pier" (the cab driver will know where it is at.) From there, I would wander the Malecon back north to the cruise docks. There is so much to see, so many great places to stop and eat, and "beverage", along with the sand sculptures, the statues, and the truly friendly folks. Ice cream shops, flea markets, and a great view of the bay.

If you tire before reaching the cruise docks, a cab should only cost you about $6us back to the docks. Just my $0.02Pesos worth. :)

I've just always worn sandals. If not needed on the beach, they are easy to carry, if they get wet, no problem. Once off the beach, they are handy.

Being a guy, I actually only bring one pair of shoes for the trip, and they are my sandals.

Well, that is disappointing. There will be four of us, and I can't see renting the umbrellas at that price if we are also ordering food and drinks. Any suggestions as to another place to go on Medano Beach? We are not intot he loud music and wet t-shirt contests.

The immediate area around Tabascos is shaded, and they do have shaded lounges, at no additional costs. They used to bring you umbrellas when you were down closer to the water, just sitting in the sand, and if you were buying drinks or food, they would just let it slide. No more, I guess. The covered area at Tabascos is only about 100-150 feet from the water, though.

The great thing about Medano is there are lots of Cantinas on the beach, so just stroll along until you find one you like....and you are not committed, you can have a drink, and move on to another. To be honest, the beach at Tabascos is not as "gentle" as some of the others, but in my experience there will be no wet t-shirt contests, and fewer college "partiers".

Just my $0.02Pesos worth.

We're going to be in Puerto Vallarta and Cabo on a HAL cruise in April and none of the shore tours are really jumping out to us. I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations on things we could do or organise on our own?

 

We are a married couple in our early 30's from Australia. Cost is not important to us.

 

Any recommendations would be great. We don't really want to drive if we can avoid it.

Wow....sorry about the spitting contest above. My opinion? For PV: Grab a cab at the cruise dock. Head for the "new pier" (the driver will know.) From there wander back on the Malecon back towards the cruise docks. Stop to shop, re-hydrate, and snack as you will. It is really a great walk. If you tire before returning to the dock, just grab a cab. Don't be afraid of wandering off of the Malecon. You will find great places, wonderful people, outstanding food, and cheap beverages....if you walk downhill, you will find the Malecon!

Cabo: Wander the Marina, take a water taxi out to the Arch (highly recommended), maybe have the water taxi drop you off at Medano Beach, rather than back at the Marina ($12pp). Stop at any of the great Cantinas on Medano, eat, drink, and be happy! After eating, drinking, and being happy, wander out and grab a land cab back to the dock ($10-12 total for up to 4), and enjoy the view of Cabo that you might have otherwise missed. Just remember, if the menu says $100 for a hamburger, no matter how many slashes are through the "S", it will most likely be in Pesos, I have never seen a $100.00us hamburger in Mexico...($100.00 Pesos is $6.72)

Thank you. If we go to Tobasco's will we be able to find chairs and umbrellas at the beach? Also, how much should we expect to pay for a cab back to the pier?

Ginny, Tabasco's has great(?) plastic chairs under cover at the Cantina....I say great(?) because the sand is a bit soft, and the chairs tend to slowly sink into the sand. The rule of thumb for us is that when the table reaches your shoulders, it is time for another bucket of beer! :9)

As for umbrellas on the beach, they will deliver one to you (It seems to me that they ask for $5US for the afternoon, but if you order a bucket (or two) of beers, they seem to forget the umbrella rental....

Tabasco's also has great food and snacks at a reasonable price, as well as good Margaritas and other mixed drinks. Truly our favorite location on Medano Beach.

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Oops....the cab back to the pier should not be more than $10-12 for 4 people. Take the cab, you will enjoy the drive through the town!

Ginny, you will normally have to walk through one of the resorts (depending upon where on Medano Beach you're at.) Once through the resort, and out to the parking lot, you should have no problem finding a cab. If you light at Tobasco's, you can skirt the resorts to a parking lot, to find a cab. Lots and lots of cabs in Cabo. We've never had trouble finding one. Be sure to use your "stern face" when the cabby tells you the price....it's not always effective, but it is almost expected to bargain, a bit. The trip in a cab from the beach to the cruise docks should not take much more than 10-20 minutes.

In Cabo, just to the left (~100 feet) of the cruise docks there is a Latte store. You'll have to buy a drink, but the Wi-Fi is fast, and the frappes will be made with real sugar and real chocolate (or vanilla)...one of the best that you will ever have.

Wandering down the Marina, you will find dozens of Cantinas that will have Wi-Fi for the price of a drink (at a much lower price than the ship will charge you!)

We love Captain Tony's. Great view, outstanding waitstaff, and a truly nice place to "people watch".

I almost hate to post to this, but my Bride and I have brought our kids and grandkids to PV, more than once.....if you have never been there, I would recommend that you grab a cab at the cruise terminal and take it to the pier in old town (~$15 for the four of you)...then walk the Malecon back towards the cruise docks. You will find a lot of great and cheap places to shop and to eat. The Malecon is a wide and pleasant walk, has great people to meet, and affords lots of opportunities to be "touristy". The Malecon follows the bay, and is truly a safe and wonderful place to view PV. The monies you save from the excursion will more than pay for your food, beverages, and trinkets. Just my $0.02Pesos worth.

walmart in pv, walk over, credit card gobs of vanilla and tequila items, return and stow in ship. best bargain mex vanilla items achieved in less than 1 hr

 

then pick up nick nack small qty vanilla and tequila items elsewhere and compare

I hate to agree with bobnsofi, but they hit it spot on. Much of the vanilla that is offered for purchase in Mexico is NOT real vanilla, even though the label will state that it is. There are no laws in Mexico dealing with honesty in labeling. Any vanilla that you by at Wal-Mart, however, will be genuine, if the label states it so. We travel to Mexico twice a year, and have found that we can buy better (and cheaper) vanilla at Costco, back home, than we can find there.

You're going to spend 2 days at sea on the way down, and a day and half on the way back! Use, and enjoy, the ship's pool. Once ashore in either Cabo San Lucas, or Puerto Vallarta, I would recommend that you spend your precious shore time exploring the towns, enjoying the inexpensive food and beverages, and taking in the wonderful scenery. Both towns are clean, safe, and offer a great opportunity to wander, browse, and meet truly friendly and charming citizens. If I only had a few brief hours in either town, I would not waste a minute lazing beside a pool. Just my $0.02Pesos worth.

If it were me, (and we have been there, done that), I would book through the cruise line. The cost will be a bit more, but you will be escorted to the front of the line for the tender (that alone might save you an hour, or more), will be taken directly to (and from) the excursion, and you will not have to be concerned about returning too late, as the ship will not leave without you. Also, if there are any problems, NCL will take care of it. If the ship is delayed, for any reason, you will not be billed.

If you were on a cruise where you had all sorts of time, booking the excursion on your own would almost certainly be cheaper.

Just my $0.02Pesos worth.

We have never figured out the best way to answer the "what shall we do" question. DW and I spend 2 months a year living in PV and probably do nothing other then enjoy the atmosphere of the city and its wonderful restaurants. So last October we happened to be on a month long HAL cruise where we had a fabulous dinner table (8 persons). None of our tablemates (4 French Canadians and a couple from Wales) had ever been to PV. The night before we get to PV our table told us (at dinner) that they had decided that DW and I should be their tour guides. So after about 5 seconds of thought we said fine!

 

We walked our little group out of the port over to the nearest bus stop (not far from the gas station) where we took them all on a bus into town (these buses run about every 2 minutes). Once in town (Centro) we ushered them off the bus at the North end of the city (about 1 block from McDonalds) and walked them down to the Malecon. We then walked downs the entire length of the Malecon (this is PVs main shopping street/boardwalk) stopping at several shops (for the ladies). During the walk we told them about the recent history of the Malecon, some of the art work, the recent rebuild of the street, etc. We walked them through some of the kiosks and shops on the small isle (in the Cujale River) before arriving on the South Side (Romantic District or Old Town) which is the area that we live when in PV. Then we grabbed a table on the beach at the Sea Monkey (owned by an ex New Yorker friend) where everyone enjoyed either dollar Margaritas or dollar beer (Corona or Pacifico) and some snacks. Having been sufficiently fortified with adult beverages we gave them a walking tour of the old town (and the new pier) and finally ended up at a beach location where we could get free chairs/loungers in return for buying our drinks/food. Everyone was so happy that they did not want to leave that location so we simply sat on the beach for a few hours (a few of us went swimming in the sea). Then it was more walking until we all got on a bus that took us back out to the port (near Walmart). So what did we do that day? In our minds nothing...but just take a couple of buses (about 55 cents per ride), have some drinks, eat some food, enjoy the atmosphere, etc. Total cost for our tour was about $1.10 per person plus whatever each person spent on food and drink (no more then $15 per person).

 

Hank

Hank, great post. My bride an I are now at one month a year living in PV, and looking forward to when we can spend 2 or 3. We often spend way too much time at both Sea Monkey, and Cuates y Cuetes (IMO the best fried shrimp in PV). Nothing like toes in the sand, a cold drink in the hand.

Sorry, but first of all I have to disagree with bobnsofi. "Dressing up" and passing as paying guests is wrong. Period. The guests at those resorts pay $300-$1000 per night. For that money, they should be able to expect a lounge chair, or a seat at the beachside Cantina.

The beach has lots of Cantinas that are happy to provide chairs, lounges, and even umbrellas for their customers, without having to steal from paying guests at the resorts.

As for vendors...yes...a lot of them, but if you simply say "No Gracious", that is typically enough. Many of the Cantinas have a roped off area. The vendors will not cross the rope unless you invite them.

Tabascos is our favorite place. Take a water taxi there, after viewing Lover's Beach, Pelican Rock, the sea lions, the Arch, and Divorce Beach ($10-12 pp)

You'll have to jump out in the surf at Tabascos, but even with my fake knee, I have little problem. After a day of cheap (and good) beverages and food, wander out to the parking lot, and grab a land taxi (about $12-15 for up to 6 people) and enjoy the ride back to the cruise docks. Using the land cab, you will get a tour of Cabo San Lucas that you would otherwise miss.

Just my $0.02P worth.

Sorry, but the 10:1 myth (in my experience) is just that, a myth. In 15 trips to Cabo San Lucas, and Puerto Vallarta in the past 6 years, I have only been charged 10:1 one time! That was in Yelapa where (at the time), they had no roads and no electricity. Everything was brought in by small boats.

Once in a great while, a vendor may "fudge" a bit on the exchange rate, but in my experiences, and the experiences of those that I know, 10:1 just does not happen....unless, I guess, if you are wearing your "rube" sign. One will normally get a fair rate from the vendors. As I have stated before, we normally carry both $US and $P, and always try to pay in Pesos, but on occasion, we've not had sufficient Pesos on hand. When we fly into PV, we always have Pesos left over from our last trip, so no problem buying the Cab ticket, or paying for the first few beverages.

What's so hard about exchanging the money back? Any bank will handle that exchange.

 

Also, my point was that, if you plan on buying pesos for an upcoming trip, the rate is excellent right now. How long that lasts is anyone's guess. Personally, I always get local currency for where I am traveling and never have had any problems ordering it or exchanging it when I get back, if any is left.

Laurie, you obviously do not live in a small town. We travel to Mexico twice a year, and we do buy Pesos from our small town bank. However, they charge us an exchange fee, as well as a delivery fee. It takes 4-5 days for the Pesos to arrive, and our bank will NOT buy them back! So much for your statement that "Any bank will handle that exchange". You are correct in that this is a great time to buy Pesos, and I have just done so for our next trip in May. My point is that for cruisers to buy Pesos in advance, especially if they only expect to have a few drinks and a couple of meals, the hassle, and the fees involved will most likely be more than the few pennies lost by using $US rather than Pesos.

Get some pesos now, the rate is killer if you're exchanging dollars. Almost 15 to 1.

I disagree....but only for those on a cruise ship that are unlikely to return. We buy Pesos before each trip, and always have some left over (for our next trip), but if someone is visiting for the first time, and may not return again for years (if ever), it can be difficult to cash Pesos back into $US. Bring $US, small bills, and expect to lose a bit when purchasing. In all likelihood, change will be given in Pesos. No problem, just spend them first. To me, it makes little economic sense to save pennies by shopping with Pesos, only to come home with several dollars worth of Pesos that will be hard to exchange. This advice is not valid, however if you plan on purchases in the hundreds of dollars...then, Pesos are the best bet. Just my $0.02P worth.

Should you get off the ship at Mazatlan? In my opinion, the answer is Yes!

 

I know you've visited before, but have you ever taken a tour in a Pulmonia (open air, golf cart sized taxis)? We did this and were able to check out many interesting venues. Places like the Historic District, the Lighthouse, Plazuela Machado, Zona Dorado, the Mercado, and Ice Box Hill (great photo ops). You can also take a tour of the Pacifico Brewery, or stroll the miles of beaches, with public art and sculptures all along the water's edge. We've had great dining experiences too--a favorite was lunch at El Papagayo at the Inn at Mazatlan. Too yummy for words!

 

I know that for some, Mazatlan is not as exciting and bustling as Puerto Vallarta or as "Americanized" as Cabo, but I think it has its own charm, and I enjoyed it very much. Conditions have improved a lot, and that's why the cruise lines are returning to this port of call.

 

That said, if you've done all you wish to do in Mazatlan, then by all means, stay on board and enjoy the luxury of a quiet ship. :)

 

Whatever you decide, have fun on your cruise! :D

 

ETA: As to getting to Stone Island, you can get there by water taxi (near the ferry terminal?). Do a search on these boards, or Google for directions.

Wow, you nailed it. I cannot add anything to your post, other than I heartily agree.

What is the beach like at the blue shrimp?

The beach in front of the Blue Shrimp is a bit "rocky" but if you were to wander just a few hundred feet south, the beach improves. Personally, I find the Blue Shrimp to be over priced, with mediocre food, and an underwhelming waitstaff. If it were me, I would walk a bit further south. Lots of better (again IMHO) places. One of our favorites is Cuates Y Cuetes. Great food, reasonably priced, friendly waitstaff, and their beach is most certainly "swimmable".

This is a tough post to answer! In my experience, it would be much easier to answer if you were to ask where not to eat in Cabo or PV. Frankly, few of those come to mind in either.

One person's favorite is another person's "meh"....Our method is to wander about, find one that looks and smells good, and is occupied by both Gringos and locals....the occupied by "locals" is frankly the more important part of the equation. It really is hard to go wrong that way.

We are looking to stay one night prior to our Baja Mexico Cruise.

Could you please suggest a hotel near the port of Long Beach?

We do not need something fancy as long as it's clean and reasonably priced.

 

Thank you.

Danny

Danny, I posted this over on the departure forum as well:

We've cruised from Long Beach exactly one time, so I certainly do not consider myself "experienced", but we stayed (as a family of nine) at Crowne Plaza and found it to be a great "one nighter"...the restaurant there is way over priced, and the food underwhelming, but the rooms were clean, and spacious. There are a number of fast food places nearby, and a great "dive bar" up a block and one over. The Crowne Plaza also offers a free shuttle to the cruise docks for those that do not care to drive. All in all, I would stay there again if I were to cruise from San Pedro.

Steve, why don't you recommend the Crowne Plaza? I'm just wondering because I booked through Hotwire and got the CP ?

We've cruised from Long Beach exactly one time, so I certainly do not consider myself "experienced", but we stayed (as a family of nine) at Crowne Plaza and found it to be a great "one nighter"...the restaurant there is way over priced, and the food underwhelming, but the rooms were clean, and spacious. There are a number of fast food places nearby, and a great "dive bar" up a block and one over. The Crowne Plaza also offers a free shuttle to the cruise docks for those that do not care to drive. All in all, I would stay there again if I were to cruise from San Pedro.

We travel to Mexico twice a year, and my bride (of 45 years) loves her "Shiny Mexican Metal", and tends to buy quite a few rings there each trip, but I am of the opinion that one can find better prices, and often better quality, right here in the states. I don't mention that to her, too often, as she enjoys bargaining with the vendors, and I enjoy buying cold Mexican Beers, so it works out okay for us.

It's important to keep in mind that there are no restrictions in Mexico about stamping metal...so even if it is stamped .998 doesn't necessarily mean a thing!

Anyone done this? Through the ship or on your own? Is it close to the ship making it walkable?

We've done it as a family (herd) of nine. It was okay.

Frankly, for the price, I would grab a water taxi right at the docks, view Lover's Beach, the Arch, the sea lions, Divorce Beach, feed the fish (they will climb right up into your hand!), and then have the Water Taxi drop me off at Medano Beach at one of the many great Cantinas. That should only cost you about $12pp. After spending a day enjoying cheap beverages and excellent food, I would wander out to one of the parking lots and grab a land cab back to the Marina, that way I would be able to see some of Cabo that I otherwise might miss (the land cab should only cost about $12-20US total for 6-8).

Be aware that you will have to jump out of the water taxi at Medano in ankle/knee deep water, but even with my fake knee, it is not bad. Some of the water taxi's have ladders on the front that will make it easier.

This seems to be one of those topics that tend to generate passionate responses.

 

It is hard to say what is "preferred". Changes in banking laws make it more difficult for some to accept dollars while others can make extra income on the shifts in the exchange rate.

 

In my opinion, the average cruise passenger will do just fine with USD’s for your port visits. Those of us that vacation regularly in Mexico tend to use pesos because, over time, we save quite a bit of money.

 

As others will point out: 1) US “coins” are not accepted; 2) Do not “expect” to get USD’s in change; 3) Taxi drivers, bus drivers, street vendors are not math wizards. Expect to get a 10:1 exchange rate. Established taxi and bus fares are in pesos. An 80 peso taxi fare will cost $8 USD’s if paid in dollars (actual cost $5.95 USD paid in pesos at today’s exchange rate).

 

If you choose to use pesos, get them at your first port. ATM’s spit out pesos and there is always a “cambio” (currency exchange) nearby. ATM and foreign currency exchange fees are determines by your card issuer. The “cambio” fee is built into a slightly lower exchange rate. The exchange rate as I type this is 1 USD = 13.47 pesos. The cambio may offer, say, 12.9 pesos for 1 USD.

 

Mexico is still a cash economy. Merchants will pass on the credit card vendor fee directly to you in the form of a higher price. They use the “$” just like us. Assume the displayed price is in pesos unless you see USD on the price tag.

 

Enjoy!!

Great post and very good information. The only thing that I might add is although cab drivers may not be "math wizards", they are plenty savvy about knowing the value of both the Peso, and the Dollar. They may try to offer you 10-1, but if you come back with an offer that is more favorable for you, they often concede.

If you plan to purchase high value items, then yes, you should have Pesos. Small purchases, beverages, and even inexpensive food items, Dollars work fine. Carry a "cheat sheet" showing the exchange rates, and bargain from there. (Yahoo has a great currency converter that you can print out, and it is not much larger than a credit card. Easy to carry.)

Tabasco Beach was indeed destroyed, but the rebuilding process has begun. They initially were aiming at mid-December, but recent post say they are looking at mid-November.

 

You'll be good to go by January. Maybe they will enhance their bathrooms.:p

LOL....absolutely, the bathrooms at Tabascos was the second worst. The old bathrooms at Solomon's Landing were worse than many that I saw in Korea.

Solomon's are now great. Let's hope that Tabascos will be the same!