Star Princess to Mexico

[Cindy&Greg]

We're taking our first Princess cruise and we have so many questions! I hope I've found the right place to ask them...

 

I've cruised before, but not on Princess, and my husband has never been (we're newlyweds) so there's a lot to find out. I'm going through chemo, so I don't have a lot of energy and we want to be as efficient as possible. Some of our questions are about traveling in Mexico and some are about the cruise ship itself.

 

1. We're not really interested in the shore excursions, as we would rather wander around on our own. Will this be safe? Are taxis generally available if I give out?

 

2. Will the cruise ship provide bottled water for us to take with us on our day trips?

 

3. Are vaccinations required for Baja and the Pacific coast of Mexico?

 

4. We will be there on Halloween. Will the Day of the Dead celebrations require anything extra from us in the way of preparation?

 

5. Will I need to cover my head (arms/legs/etc.) if we go into the Missions?

 

6. I'm sure we'll want to eat on shore at least once. Will the resort towns take American dollars or will we need to get pesos? And if we need pesos are we better off (exchange rate wise) to get them before we leave?

 

I know I will come up with more questions as our trip gets closer... Hoping someone can help me!

 

Cindy & Greg

[Pam in CA]

We're taking our first Princess cruise and we have so many questions! I hope I've found the right place to ask them...

 

I've cruised before, but not on Princess, and my husband has never been (we're newlyweds) so there's a lot to find out. I'm going through chemo, so I don't have a lot of energy and we want to be as efficient as possible. Some of our questions are about traveling in Mexico and some are about the cruise ship itself.

 

1. We're not really interested in the shore excursions, as we would rather wander around on our own. Will this be safe? Are taxis generally available if I give out?

 

2. Will the cruise ship provide bottled water for us to take with us on our day trips?

 

3. Are vaccinations required for Baja and the Pacific coast of Mexico?

 

4. We will be there on Halloween. Will the Day of the Dead celebrations require anything extra from us in the way of preparation?

 

5. Will I need to cover my head (arms/legs/etc.) if we go into the Missions?

 

6. I'm sure we'll want to eat on shore at least once. Will the resort towns take American dollars or will we need to get pesos? And if we need pesos are we better off (exchange rate wise) to get them before we leave?

 

I know I will come up with more questions as our trip gets closer... Hoping someone can help me!

 

Cindy & Greg

Congrats and positive thoughts on your chemo.

 

1. Yes, you can do things on your own in Mexico, particularly Cabo. I'd be more careful in Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta as those ports were recently re-added to cruise itineraries due to local drug cartel violence. You can book independent tours if you don't want to take a ship's tour.

 

2. You can purchase bottled water to take ashore. Most people bring a water bottle and fill it from the tap.

 

3. No vaccinations required other than making sure your normal vaccinations are up-to-date, including tetanus

 

4. There will be Halloween events onboard. Not sure which

 

5. No. You don't have to cover your head.

 

6. I use either $$ or credit card. Before leaving home, alert your credit card company that you'll be out of the country. In restaurants, I'm very careful to drink only bottled or canned/sealed beverages, and don't drink anything with ice. I stay away from dairy as well. While it might be safe, I'm not willing to take a chance of getting sick.

Edited July 16, 2014 by Pam in CA

[Working 2 Cruise]

Sorry to hear about your illness and hope you get better soon.

 

You should be ok with taxis.

 

Yes, you can pay with dollars although any change will be given in pesos.

 

You'll have to pay for bottles of water... the crew will have them by the gangway.

 

No vaccinations needed.

 

Not sure about head covering. In Puerto Vallarta, we usually take the Princess excursion to either Las Caletas or Yelapas this time. It's a great beach day, great scenery and no effort...

 

You don't need to do anything for Halloween unless you want to dress up.

 

Have a wonderful cruise!

[Working 2 Cruise]

I second Pam's suggestion to take excursions in Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta... I would also do only Princess excursions... I wouldn't consider walking about town, it may or may not be safe. Why risk it?

 

I will be going to Mexico in November and we may not even get off the ship in Mazatlan. If we do, it will be Stone Island for us.

 

You will see a lot of security in those ports. Do not be alarmed, they are there for your protection...

[lucksak]

I m usually a lurker. Had to comment on Puerta Vallarta. We rent a condo for 2 months every January- Febuary . We never feel uncomfortable walking around Old Town or the hotel zone, In the last nine years we have never seen anything to be worried about. I walk by myself in the evening. I also drink the water from the tap because Puerta Vallarta has purified water. We eat in resturants and have salads and drinks with ice. I have never been sick there either.

 

There was a robbery (no one was hurt) of a excursion bus (RCL) a few years back. Very unfortunate because a lot of cruise ships stopped coming to PV. Imagine if all touristy events closed down in your city because of 1 incident

 

 

Hop on a bus for 70 pesos, marked Cento. Walk along the Malecon Try a restaurant or barter with a vendor.The local people are very friendly and if you don t want to buy anything a simple no gracias will suffice.

 

Ciao

Ollie

[lovevacadays]

Best wishes to you on your treatment. I hope you have a wonderful cruise. Princess is a great line. See below my comments on your questions.

 

1. We're not really interested in the shore excursions, as we would rather wander around on our own. Will this be safe? Are taxis generally available if I give out? I feel perfectly safe walking around Cabo and Puerto Vallarta. Perhaps not Mazatlan any longer. There will be more taxis than you can imagine in all ports.:D In Cabo the tender drops you right along the boardwalk which has lots of shops and restaurants. I also feel safe walking a few blocks in and looking at the shops. You would need to take a taxi to the downtown/Malecon area of Puerto Vallarta. I have always felt safe walking around this area and still would. The Malecon has recently been refurbished and should be very nice. In Mazatlan a shore excursion might be in order over to Stone Island. It's easy breezy. It is a short ferry ride over to Stone Island and the ferry is very close to where the ship docks.

 

2. Will the cruise ship provide bottled water for us to take with us on our day trips? For a fee. You can grab a bottled water at a bar or at the gangplank. Otherwise fill an empty bottle you may have with tap water. The water is purified and very sanitary on the ship.

 

3. Are vaccinations required for Baja and the Pacific coast of Mexico?

No

 

4. We will be there on Halloween. Will the Day of the Dead celebrations require anything extra from us in the way of preparation? Are you referring to any Day of the Dead Celebrations that may be going on in the ports? If so, you can probably google each port to see what celebrations they may be having, where, and when. I would say if something is listed for a time and place you will be I would avoid that area because the crowds would be overwhelming.

 

5. Will I need to cover my head (arms/legs/etc.) if we go into the Missions?

 

I have never had to.

 

6. I'm sure we'll want to eat on shore at least once. Will the resort towns take American dollars or will we need to get pesos? And if we need pesos are we better off (exchange rate wise) to get them before we leave?

 

American dollars are fine. Bring lots of small bills and some coins as the change you get will be in pesos and not American dollars.

[Skai]

We're taking our first Princess cruise and we have so many questions! I hope I've found the right place to ask them...

 

1. We're not really interested in the shore excursions, as we would rather wander around on our own. Will this be safe? Are taxis generally available if I give out?

 

Yes. One just needs to employ common travel sense.

 

2. Will the cruise ship provide bottled water for us to take with us on our day trips?

 

Water is available for purchase from the ship, though there are also places to purchase purified bottled water in port.

 

3. Are vaccinations required for Baja and the Pacific coast of Mexico?

 

There are no requirements.

 

4. We will be there on Halloween. Will the Day of the Dead celebrations require anything extra from us in the way of preparation?

 

This is a holiday in which Mexican families visit and celebrate their deceased relatives. Unless you have any plans to visit any cemeteries (which may be crowded) while you are there, you ought to not need any extra preparations.

 

5. Will I need to cover my head (arms/legs/etc.) if we go into the Missions?

 

Some Catholic churches do have signs suggesting respectful/modest wear, however there isn't necessarily anyone enforcing those suggestions. (As in many foreign countries) As a rule of thumb, wearing swim-wear away from the beach area(s) is also sort of taboo.

 

6. I'm sure we'll want to eat on shore at least once. Will the resort towns take American dollars or will we need to get pesos? And if we need pesos are we better off (exchange rate wise) to get them before we leave?

 

Many places in the tourist areas will accept either USD or the Mexican Peso (and their menus/price tags will often show both). ATM machines (that dispense in pesos) are also available at many locales.

Edited July 17, 2014 by Skai

[Thrak]

Congrats and positive thoughts on your chemo.

 

1. Yes, you can do things on your own in Mexico, particularly Cabo. I'd be more careful in Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta as those ports were recently re-added to cruise itineraries due to local drug cartel violence. You can book independent tours if you don't want to take a ship's tour.

 

2. You can purchase bottled water to take ashore. Most people bring a water bottle and fill it from the tap.

 

3. No vaccinations required other than making sure your normal vaccinations are up-to-date, including tetanus

 

4. There will be Halloween events onboard. Not sure which

 

5. No. You don't have to cover your head.

 

6. I use either $$ or credit card. Before leaving home, alert your credit card company that you'll be out of the country. In restaurants, I'm very careful to drink only bottled or canned/sealed beverages, and don't drink anything with ice. I stay away from dairy as well. While it might be safe, I'm not willing to take a chance of getting sick.

 

Believe that admonition. Even if they tell you the ice is "agua purificada" do not trust it. It is really not at all pleasant to experience "Montezuma's Revenge." Of course the lettuce in your salad was likely washed in the local water so... I see that others are stating that the water in PV is fine. However, I got the trots big time after eating there and I ate in a reasonably nice restaurant. I had a very unpleasant trip home that time.

 

Remember that you can take as much bottled water on the ship as you like. No need to purchase it from Princess at their inflated rates.

Edited July 17, 2014 by Thrak

[IECalCruiser]

The Star is doing 10 day cruises from San Francisco with stops at Cabo, Loreto, La Paz and PV.

 

You can do Cabo on your own with shopping, bars and restaurants close by the tender dock. Don't know what whales will be there in October but it can be a great place for whale watching.

 

Loreto is a great little town. New neighbors of ours just bought here but still have a condo in Loreto. The town is very walkable and there is a policeman about four blocks from the tender port to help you cross the street and direct you to the town square. A very clean and picturesque town with shopping, bars and restaurants around the town square. They had mariachis and two youth dance troops perform when we were there.

 

You won't have a lot of time in La Paz. Itinerary says 7:00 to 2:00 but we left at 1:00. You need to take a 45 minute bus ride into town from the dock. There is shopping, a bar and light food at the port. La Paz is larger than Cabo and it looked like the Malecon was several miles long. DW had a great shopping opportunity and there were bars and restaurants. A different, mellower vibe than Cabo because there didn't seem to be as many non cruise ship tourists in town.

 

The pier in PV is some distance from the main part of town. We usually take it easy. May make a Wal-Mart run or spend time at the mall which are across the street but a bit of a walk. Last trip we used Starbucks in the mall for a coffee and free internet.

 

May you have successful chemo with few side effects. Have a great time on your cruise.

 

We felt very comfortable walking in Cabo, Loreto and La Paz.

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

Edited July 17, 2014 by IECalCruiser

[iceleven]

We're on the same cruise as you. Come over and join the Roll Call. We'll be having a Meet & Greet the 2nd day of the cruise. Perhaps you will find someone who is interested in similar things at one of the ports and you can share a cab or lunch with them.

 

Not much for me to add to all the other comments others have shared here. We've been to Mexico several times but the new ports of La Paz and Loreto will be new for us. We love Puerto Vallarta and really found no reason to be nervous. We've walked all over the city. I believe we will be in Puerto Vallarta on Halloween so it should be interesting to see how they celebrate it. We're hoping the ship will make it party-like as well since hubby really loves Halloween and costumes. He's always a kid at heart.

 

We've also had wonderful lunches in both Cabo and PV and shared quite a few frozen margaritas and never had a problem with our tummies. Many, many years ago that was a different story.:p

 

Keep your nutrition up and your immune system strong, along with your chemo and you and your husband will have a wonderful trip. I hope to see you over on our Roll Call.