Shore excursions - Acapulco, Ixtapa, and Manzanillo

[Cruise2End]

We were recently on Celebrity Mercury and this is our review of the excursions at the following port of calls-

Acapulco - We had Oscar Rodriguez for a driver - wonderful English and he could answer all our questions. We had 10 in our group and it was $20 each for 4 hours. We seen several of the local sites - Chapel of las Brisas,

Hotel Casablanca, House of Diego Rivera (famous Mexican painter/ murals made of shells, tiles, etc.), Mirador of Puerto Marques (look out point) and he also took us to the silver factory (this stop I would avoid unless you are seriously in the market for silver and want a huge selection) He dropped us off at the cliff divers. We had lunch at La Perla - $25 for lunch and a drink each per couple. We had good seats and enjoyed the divers and then we walked back to the ship and walked to the Fort of San Diego which was right across the street from the cruise terminal (cost is usually $3 for the Fort, but we were there on Sunday so it was free). We walked back into Acapulco in the early evening and had margaritas with friends and did a little sidewalk shopping.

 

Ixtapa - We were booked for a shore excursion thru http://www.ixtapatours.com/ - It was great. Our driver was Adrian and we covered Sightseeing Zihuatanejo and Ixtapa, , Town of Petatlan - The Church & Gold Market, a tile factory in small town of Cacoyul and Lunch at Fishing Village Barra De Potosi - wonderful fried fish with a drop off at Flea Market (near Pier) - it was $75 for about 5 or 6 hours and included lunch. Again Adrian's English was very good, no problems answering our questions.

 

Manzanillo - We booked a tour thru the ship called the Colima City and

Comala Village Tour - It was 7 hours and included lunch - $59 per person.

The bus took us to Colima City where we ate a Mexican lunch and had some shopping time. We stopped at Archeological ruins as well as some road side stands selling a wide variety of home-made coconut candies and sea salt. We actually caught a glimpse of the volcano erupting on our way back. The tour was very good, and we're glad we took a tour as it did not appear there was much in the town of Manzanillo itself. Many from the ship that we talked to had taken the shuttle into town (cost $3) but came back quickly. It is a more industrial town and is obviously not a "tourist" destination, but Colima City and Comala Village were very nice and I'd recommend this tour to anyone - take a sweater though (the bus was freezing!)

 

All in all, we were very satisfied with our excursions at each port during our recent cruise.

[Louise P]

We're a group of 8 and shall be in Acapuco in February on the Mercury. Do you have an email for your guide there? Thanks.

[Louise P]

8 of us shall be on the Mercury in February. Do you have a contact for Oscar Rodriguez? It would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. Louise

[Cruise2End]

Louise P - I will post this on your roll call for the 2/3/06 Mercury since here it could cause the person some problems.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Manzanillo - just visited there in November on the Ryndam.

We did the city tour (due to 3 medical emergency evaculations, 3 of the 5 tours offered had to be cancelled). Los Mochis doesn't have much to offer - it is an industrial port.

[cinnamon]

Thanks Cruise2End. I posted yesterday a question as to whether anybody had taken the Colima tour and then today had time to find this post.

I think that we will probably take this too.

 

I too would be interested in how to contact your Acapulco driver. We have a roll call for our 2nd January cruise on Mercury.

 

Cinnamon

[Cruise2End]

Cinnamon - will post on your 1/2 Mercury roll call.

[cinnamon]

Thanks for the post.

I am hoping to interest some others on our board for a tour in Aca.

 

Cinnamon

[J18ktleo]

Thanks for the info...I had to check my back e-mails because I had contacted someone referred on this board for a tour of Zihua/Ixtapa and they wanted $200 USD for a 4 hour tour for 4 people...thought that was really really high...will check out your recommendation!:eek: