Mexican Riviera

[GoodAsGold]

I've always sailed in the Spring to the Mexican Riviera and it's a nice time of year. Not the rainy season. It can be hot and humid, of course, but nothing I couldn't handle. :cool:

 

 

Wondering about which months are best weather for the Mexican Riv? We would really like to go in 2009 - any advice from the regulars?

[GoodAsGold]

Me, too! (Both sentences) :cool: :)

 

I prefer the spring. In fact I'm booked on the Mariner in April.

[dirtgirl]

Just walking around bores me too.. I think we are booking with Mazatlan Frank, so Maz is covered. We'll be in Cabo twice and aren't sure what to do, other than seeing El Arco and Lover's Beach (DH is not a beach person, so that will be his limit). I think we are talking about doing the America's Cup thing in PV (but I'm undecided because $200 for 3 hrs. seems a bit much).

 

 

Frank is great!:D I did the Colonial and City tour and loved it.

 

In Cabo, I have done the kayaking excursion twice, and enjoyed it. I am not a beach person, either. I also rented a waverunner off the beach, and loved that, too. They do have a zipline opened there now, and I might try that in November. My friend did the America's Cup thing in Cabo, and preferred it over the one we did in PV. In PV, I have zipped, mountain biked, parasailed, and done the America's Cup, so yes, there are a lot of things to do!;)

[beatriz22]

WE VE DONE THIS CRUISE ON RCL AND PRINCESS MANY TIMES BOTH GREAT! DEC TO END OF APRIL IS THE SEASON IN MEXICO..BEST WEATHER..CHILLY LEAVING L.A DEC, JAN FEBR BUT THEN ONCE YOU HIT MAZATLAN ITS WARM AND WARMER SOUTH YOU GO, do not go Mid May thru Oct, hurricanes etc..we were in Acaoulco last Aug/Sept when 1 hit while staying there, not funny...!I believe NCL is the 1 that goes to Acapulco which we've done and loved! often I'll look online at each city to see whats there to see and do it independent of a tour, cheaper....alot of times we'll pick a nice hotel go hang at their outside beach bar , enjoy the view and have fun!soo have a great time!

[cmsjab]

Again, many thanks. We have cruised E/W/S Caribbean a number of times. We have promised DD the Mex Riv when she graduates from college. However, she appears to be on the extended time plan (without valid reason) and I am getting impatient. I promised to wait until she finished but again - there is a time limit. If April is a good time, I'll start thinking.

[monkeykid]

In Cabo, I understand that you have to take a tender to go ashore and that you need to pick up tender tickets. Is it difficult to get an early tender time (around 10:30 am)? How long is the tender ride? Is it easier to just stay on the ship for lunch and then go ashore after lunch?

[dirtgirl]

In Cabo, I understand that you have to take a tender to go ashore and that you need to pick up tender tickets. Is it difficult to get an early tender time (around 10:30 am)? How long is the tender ride? Is it easier to just stay on the ship for lunch and then go ashore after lunch?

 

 

What C&A level are you? Diamond levels get priority tender tickets. If you have a ship excursion, you are given priority, too. Otherwise, you will have to wait in line to get tender tickets (I've never done that). The ride is no more than 10 minutes. It will be difficult to get 10:30, unless you are Diamond, or on a ship excursion. That is about when people start getting off the ship.

[monkeykid]

This is our first cruise with Royal Caribbean, so we're not C&A members yet :-(

[Jfultz81]

This is our first cruise with Royal Caribbean, so we're not C&A members yet :-(

 

They usually have open tenders early in the morning.. we've never waited to get a ticket and have always been on the first tender. You should check the cruise compass to see if there are open tender times.

[TRacanoUK]

We did a 7 night Mexican Riviera (Los Angeles round trip with ports of call at Cabo, Mazatlan & Puerto Vallarta) in late April 2004 on Vision of the Seas.

 

Overall, we found the clientele to be slightly different than other cruises we've been on (Europe & Alaska) but overall the cruise was good. Vision is not my favorite ship, but it might have been redone since then and still was okay. Being that it was over 4 years ago, I'll keep my review to the ports from here because a lot could have changed since then!

 

Cabo: We enjoyed this port. We were only there for a short period of time (I think like 8 hours) and did a snorkeling and sailing fiesta excursion. The snorkeling was miserable (the seas were 10-15 ft. that day so it was a bit cloudy and tough to swim), but the sailing on the catamaran combined with the rough seas and booze they kept serving us was a really good time. We managed to be on this excursion with a large singles group (like 25 of them!) so it was a little crazy, but all things considered a good time. The sailing was very scenic and went to Los Archos, and along the coast. Otherwise we walked about the port for a bit, but then had to return to the ship. Sailing out of Cabo was really scenic.

 

Mazatlan. If there's one port I would skip, this would be it. This is an industrial city and you pull into a very industrial seaport. You are instantly harrassed by taxi drivers that seem to be your only escape from the pier. We ended up paying about $20.00 to take a golf-cart like taxi ride throughout the city, which had some scenic views, etc., but if we were here again, I think we'd just stay on the boat. We didn't do an excursion, but others that did a kayaking excursion had the pleasure of discovering a dead body in the water (they did say other than that the kayaking excursion, since it gets you out to an island and out of the city, was really good).

 

Puerto Vallarta. Another good port--the ship docks about 3 miles from the city, but a quick $3.00-$5.00 cab ride (they're plentiful and not as pushy as Mazatlan) gets you into the city. The city is a nice place to walk around. We also did an excursion here--the jungle canopy zip line tour . . . I'd highly recommend it. This was probably the highlight of our trip.

 

Overall the trip was good. When we did it, we were in a lower OV stateroom and it was a very inexpensive cruise (all in, including airfare from NY was cheaper by a long shot than doing anything in the Caribbean). Value for money was great. Compared to my other cruises the food/service wasn't as good, but it also wasn't bad. One word of caution--in late April, it was too cold to swim in the pool that year when at sea (60-65 degrees), but was stifling hot in ports (95-100 degrees).

 

Mike

[pppiglet]

We did these ports on Carnival in Feb 2006 and the weather was perfect! Sunny and around 80! We did them on Disney in June 2005 and it was overcast, a bit humid, and misting.

[Family Man]

HAS ANYONE SAILED AN RCCL MEXICAN RIVIERA ROUTE?

mazatlan, cabo san lucas and ensenada. :confused:

Actually, you will be going to Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vallarta (not Ensenada). I've sailed this itinerary 3 times and have 2 more booked. Additionally, we own a timeshare in Puerto Vallarta. What specific questions do you have?

[can't wait 2 cruz]

Any ideas for excursions in Cabo and Mazatlan? In Cabo, I was thinking of trying to book through Pez Gato and take a catamaran/snorkeling tour. Has anyone had any experience with this company?

We are doing the zip lines in Puerta Vallarta early in the morning and would like to shop and maybe eat at Hard Rock in the afternoon/evening.

 

So I hear October is hurricane season, but I won't let anything keep us from having a good time.

 

First time on Vision of the Seas and myself and my husband and son are really looking forward to it. Any input would be great!

[JJ2sail]

I've gone in March, and had perfect weather. And have gone in August and missed all the ports due tropical storms. We will be going in December this year and again in June next year. So will have to compare, but I agree, that Spring is probably the best time.

[JJ2sail]

Any ideas for excursions in Cabo and Mazatlan? In Cabo' date=' I was thinking of trying to book through Pez Gato and take a catamaran/snorkeling tour. Has anyone had any experience with this company?

We are doing the zip lines in Puerta Vallarta early in the morning and would like to shop and maybe eat at Hard Rock in the afternoon/evening.

 

So I hear October is hurricane season, but I won't let anything keep us from having a good time.

 

First time on Vision of the Seas and myself and my husband and son are really looking forward to it. Any input would be great![/quote']

 

 

Just remember when cruising during hurricane season, you may miss ports, and if you book independently see what their refund policy is. If you book thru the ship you will be refunded. And just be prepared to enjoy the ship!:o

[exarolf]

Ensenada on a 7 day cruise??? Of the ports (IMHO) Ensenada is only good if you are on a 3 day party cruise. The town is *not* very interesting, and quite small. We did a golf excursion there that was very average... I've sailed there racing 10+ times - the town is a set up from Tijuana - but not a big one...

 

Cabo is more interesting, but again, small - tendered, and not wildly appealing. I'd do it if I was staying at a golf resort for a few days - but again, not a lot of unique things there...

 

Acapulco moving south (PV etc) have a lot of interesting things going on...

[RadioPeri]

Any ideas for excursions in Cabo and Mazatlan?

We loved Randi's Happy Horses in Mazatlan. Rode with her twice' date=' back in 2004 without our kids, and this past April with them. A blast each time.

 

Visit the Mexican Riviera forum on the Ports of Call board for more ideas.

 

~ Peri

[cookiersmom]

anyone on Vision lately able to use Verizon wireless a) in ports and b) on the ship?

 

We leave on Sunday!!! Yippeee!