LIVE - Koningsdam Oct 17th - ¡Mexican Riviera!

[aring75]

Getting bags packed and last-minute items finalized for our October 17th - 24th cruise on Holland America’s Koningsdam. We fly out tomorrow to San Diego and then we are off on a 7-day cruise to the Mexican Riviera!

 

Our ports are Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, and Puerta Vallarta. 
 

 

 

While I have done several LIVE trip reports for other lines, this will be my first review of a HAL ship (although it’s my third HAL cruise). I’m really looking forward to it. 

 

COVID tests done earlier today. Used the Abbot Binax-Now proctored test through eMed. Easy peasy. 
 

 

 

Now. If we can just get on our Southwest flight from Tampa to San Diego with no issues, I will finally be able to breathe easily again!

 

 

[canadianbear]

Thanks for doing this!  It’s one of the easy cruises for us to get to but being Canadian we are still staying at home.  I’ll dream along while reading your reports.   Kongingsdam is a great ship.  Best lattes at the Dutch Cafe!  Enjoy!

 

Good luck with your flight.  

[aring75]

Our hotel in San Diego is the Springhill Suites by Marriott. It’s located right near the port and is within easy walking distance to many restaurants. I will report back on the hotel as well. 

 

 

 

[aring75]

1 minute ago, canadianbear said:

Thanks for doing this!  It’s one of the easy cruises for us to get to but being Canadian we are still staying at home.  I’ll dream along while reading your reports.   Kongingsdam is a great ship.  Best lattes at the Dutch Cafe!  Enjoy!

 

Good luck with your flight.  

Thanks canadianbear! I will definitely enjoy a latté (or several!) at the Dutch Café!

 

We have never sailed a Mexican Riviera cruise, so I’m looking forward to lots of firsts! 😁

[roxybear135]

Have a fantastic time on your cruise!  I will be following along since we're booked on this cruise in December.

[cat shepard]

Bon Voyage! Thank you for sharing your experiences with us!

[ger_77]

Another LIVE . . . gotta love it!  Thanks for doing this for those of us who are landlocked for a while yet.

 

Smooth Sailing!  🙂🙂🙂

[leerathje]

We did this cruise beginning of March 2020 and really enjoyed ourselves.  If they still have it, I can HIGHLY recommend the San Sebastián excursion from Puerto Vallarta.  Small group tour (only 12!) with a very informative tour guide, lunch, tour of a small, independent tequila manufacturer and some time visiting San Sebastián itself.

 

L.

 

[kazu]

Bon Voyage 🙂. Hope you have an absolutely wonderful time and so looking forward to your reports 🙂. Thanks for taking the time to do them 👍 

[librarysmile]

I'll be on the Koningsdam on November 7. Thanks so much for sharing your experience with us! Gets me excited for my cruise and helps me plan things I want to do.

 

[aring75]

55 minutes ago, roxybear135 said:

Have a fantastic time on your cruise!  I will be following along since we're booked on this cruise in December.

Thank you!!

 

 

54 minutes ago, cat shepard said:

Bon Voyage! Thank you for sharing your experiences with us!

 

Thanks! And you’re very welcome!

 

 

46 minutes ago, ger_77 said:

Another LIVE . . . gotta love it!  Thanks for doing this for those of us who are landlocked for a while yet.

 

Smooth Sailing!  🙂🙂🙂

I know, right!! I love a live thread. It feels like people are so happy to be cruising again that there are more live postings than usual. I’ll take it!

[aring75]

22 minutes ago, leerathje said:

We did this cruise beginning of March 2020 and really enjoyed ourselves.  If they still have it, I can HIGHLY recommend the San Sebastián excursion from Puerto Vallarta.  Small group tour (only 12!) with a very informative tour guide, lunch, tour of a small, independent tequila manufacturer and some time visiting San Sebastián itself.

 

L.

 

Wow, great pictures! I think we are relaxing at a resort in PV, but if anything changes I’ll definitely look into that. Thanks!

[aring75]

16 minutes ago, kazu said:

Bon Voyage 🙂. Hope you have an absolutely wonderful time and so looking forward to your reports 🙂. Thanks for taking the time to do them 👍 

 

Thank you! I love doing the “live from…” for my own selfish reasons as well. It’s great to look back in them a year or two from now for the memories. Like a digital scrapbook of sorts. 😁

 

 

13 minutes ago, librarysmile said:

I'll be on the Koningsdam on November 7. Thanks so much for sharing your experience with us! Gets me excited for my cruise and helps me plan things I want to do.

 

 

You’re welcome! Reading through all these live postings has helped me too. I truly appreciate everyone who has taken the time to share the up-to-date information as we get back to cruising. 

[maggieq]

Thank you for posting this review.  I don’t frequent the HA board that much but sure glad I did today.   Safe travels!

[aring75]

4 minutes ago, maggieq said:

Thank you for posting this review.  I don’t frequent the HA board that much but sure glad I did today.   Safe travels!

Thanks! Suitcases are packed (except for tomorrow’s last minute items). Not long now!

[sprinkles]

26 minutes ago, aring75 said:

Wow, great pictures! I think we are relaxing at a resort in PV, but if anything changes I’ll definitely look into that. Thanks!

Please report back on your port days (especially taxis and resorts).  We will be on her November 14.  Have a great trip.

Tammy

[Florida_gal_50]

Can’t wait to hear all about it.  Thank you for doing a live from thread.  Have a wonderful time.

Edited October 15, 2021 by Florida_gal_50

[Heartgrove]

We are on the December 5 sailing and celebrating our 20th anniversary. Back in 2016 we sailed this same cruise aboard the Westerdam. If HAL advertised a "party" cruise, this would be it! Hopefully they still have the onboard entertainment of the "Mexican Ambassadors," and the outdoor barbecue by the Seaview Pool while leaving Cabo. 

 

 

Edited October 15, 2021 by Heartgrove

[aring75]

40 minutes ago, sprinkles said:

Please report back on your port days (especially taxis and resorts).  We will be on her November 14.  Have a great trip.

Tammy

Will do. I’ll let you know what we do in port and any other info we come across. 
 

 

23 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

Can’t wait to hear all about it.  Thank you for doing a live from thread.  Have a wonderful time.

 

Thanks!!

 

 

11 minutes ago, Heartgrove said:

We are on the December 5 sailing and celebrating our 20th anniversary. Back in 2016 we sailed this same cruise aboard the Westerdam. If HAL advertised a "party" cruise, this would be it! Hopefully they still have the onboard entertainment of the "Mexican Ambassadors," and the outdoor barbecue by the Seaview Pool while leaving Cabo. 

 

 

 

How fun! I can’t wait to see if they do the outdoor barbecue. That sounds great!

[BSR]

Have a great cruise!

[aring75]

11 minutes ago, BSR said:

Have a great cruise!

Thank you!!

[aring75]

Running to CVS for a few last minute things. Gotta have my Sudafed to fly and, would you believe it, I forgot until just now. 
 

Can’t get too many things though. Pretty sure not much else will fit in our suitcases. 
 

I’m a terrible packer. 

[Crew News]

25 minutes ago, aring75 said:

How fun! I can’t wait to see if they do the outdoor barbecue. That sounds great!

 

Unless something has changed recently, outdoor cooking is no longer allowed on HAL ships.  Health inspection results allow cooking only in fixed facilities. 

 

Serving food should not be a problem but not quite the same as the smell of charcoal.

[cruisinteach2]

Enjoy your cruise! In Mazatlan, check out Stone Island. Easy access from the pier. Has some great restaurants for lunch, authentic Mexican food and ceviche

[aring75]

56 minutes ago, Crew News said:

 

Unless something has changed recently, outdoor cooking is no longer allowed on HAL ships.  Health inspection results allow cooking only in fixed facilities. 

 

Serving food should not be a problem but not quite the same as the smell of charcoal.

Awww…that’s too bad. Not to worry though. I’m sure we’ll find lots of other fun things onboard. 

 

 

47 minutes ago, cruisinteach2 said:

Enjoy your cruise! In Mazatlan, check out Stone Island. Easy access from the pier. Has some great restaurants for lunch, authentic Mexican food and ceviche

I think Stone Island is the plan! I’ll definitely let you know. All that sounds great!