HELP !! this pathetic exhausted, desparate researcher !!

[motherchic]

Hi everybody,

I have looked and researched this forum and read cruise critic every day ( till i am blue ) and there is so little recommended or commented on. Any info on ANY of these ports would be so helpful:Cabo San Lucas, Acapulco, Costa Rica, Huatulco. On past cruises I have found tons of recomendations and great reviews on places to do or see OR not see. Every suggestion that i have taken has been excellent and I just cant find much for this itinerary, any info you might have would be greatly appreciated.

We have taken the train in Panama during our partial transit and did a tour with Oscar while in Costa Rica ( great tour ), As many of you would agree-a recomendation from a fellow cruiser means sooo much more then a suggestion thru a travel broucher. I HAVE GONE TO THE CRUISE REVIEWS ( FOR ALL THE CRUISE LINES ) and still not much luck.

I will be traveling with my aunt, so we wont be snorkeling or doing the zip line.I would like to know about cruise tours or private ones,where would you suggest taking a taxi or no taxi ?? good shopping or not ?? What beaches not to miss ?? Should we see the cliff divers,( during the day or eve, at the tour or do the restaurant )??

Should we stay on the ship for our first time going thru the canal or do a tour ?? which one ??

Many thanks for ANY help.

signed,

Dumb and Desparate

[Host Karen]

Have you tried the Mexican Riviera Port of Call board? Here's the link: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=203

 

Right near the top of the board is a huge thread on Acapulco: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=103695

 

Hope this helps!

[edste]

We're taking that cruie in May but I was told by former cruisers to go to the

Arenal Volcano and Tabacon Hot Springs in Costa Rica. Hope this helps

edna

[Juanita462]

Costa Rica - Arenal volcano is great, the day trip to San Jose is interesting and you see a lot of the countryside on the way. A caution about the white water rafting - last year several people picked up a parasite (yes, in fresh water!) and four of them died. We have travelled in many tropical countries and wouldn't even put a toe in fresh water. The trip to Sarchi is also interesting. We found Costa Rica to be the safest of the Central America countries - spent a couple of weeks there and the people are keen to promote tourism.

 

Acapulco - we did the city tour which included the cliff divers - good tour which gave us an overview of the city and area.

 

Cabot San Lucas - just took the tender to town and wandered around but I understand there are several interesting tours that go further inland.

 

Huatulco - did the tour that went to where they are developing the new area - must be finished by now. this tour was ok but not spectacular.

 

Taking a local taxi can be risky - I know people who have been taken to a location, made a deal for the taxi driver to pick them up and he never showed. Another hired a boat to take him to a small island for snorkelling and the man never came back for him - he was able to get help in getting back and just made it back to the ship in time but could have been stranded and missed the sailing. When you think about it, you are at the mercy of the taxi driver in his country and with his law, or lack of it. We have used taxis in the cities but never in the outlying areas.

 

What amazes me is that people wear all their jewellry to these places. Best thing is to leave it on the ship and avoid problems. My husband had his camera taken right off his lap as he sat in a taxi - the thief ran across 6 lanes of traffic and was out of sight in a minute. Sorry, guess that is off topic.

[Sailingseas]

In Aculpulco I definitely recommend the ship's city tour and cliff divers. The city tour takes you to the nicer parts of Aculpulco, but from what I heard from those who took a taxi, that is probably just as well. You get an excellent seat for the cliff divers on that tour, and those who saw them at night confirmed that you really can't see the divers--just their torches.

Huatulco, the shopping is very good just off the ship. Make sure you walk around the whole square. Cabo my suggestion is to just take the tender and walk around. The view is spectacular of the rocks and bay. Brown penguins abound, and you get your chance to do bargaining shopping if you wish. No one we talked to enjoyed their tours here. In Costa Rica, as the other posters said, the Mt. Arenal tour is probably one of the best choices. People who did the swinging bridges said it was a good excursion, but you had to keep looking down so as not to slip on the rocks. It took concentration on the walking rather than on searching the canopy. We did the orchid farm, the ride to and from being interesting, but the time for a lecture and demonstration at the farm was waaaaaay too long. Have fun!!