Where to whale watch?PV or Cabo?

[crazy4cruising]

We are sailing on Sapphire Princess Jan 31-Feb 6 2009. We are a group of 4 adults/3 kiddos and really want to go whale watching. Which port is best for this activity? I think Princess only offers it in one port, but we may want to book privately on this one anyway. We are thinking of Johann & Sandra. Does anyone have any advice on which port may be best for this? Any personal experience with this would be appreciated. FYI, I did try the search feature, but no luck! Thanks so much!

[SDPadreFan]

I did the search feature a came up with all these results. Pretty simple actually.

 

Happy reading!

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/search.php?searchid=11509359

[gottago2mexico]

Hi crazy4cruising,

 

Although both ports are great for whale watching, out of the two I'd probably recommend Cabo San Lucas. For one reason, you can see different types of whales there other than humpbacks, which is what PV primarily has (both ports also have dolphins). You can sometimes see gray whales and even on occasion, orcas, fin or even sperm whales. That said, the primary whale you'll see in Cabo or PV will still be humpbacks which is a real joy. No other whale breaches in the same way as the humpbacks, where they jump high out of the water - that is a real treat.

 

Another reason I like Cabo is that you don't have to go out as far from shore to see the whales. If you take a zodiac, you can be out with the whales in only a couple of minutes. There are a lot of whales to be seen both places, but sightings seem to be a bit more numerous in Cabo as well.

 

If there is another excursion you really want to do in Cabo, then you will still likely be very happy with whale watching in PV, but if you do whale watching in Cabo, you can do another popular activity like a canopy tour in PV, or go on a boat excursion to a remote beach somewhere like Yelapa or Las Animas and perhaps see whales along the way anyway - a double treat!

 

No matter which you choose, I'm sure you'll have a great time!

[IBookHePays]

Hi crazy4cruising,

 

Although both ports are great for whale watching, out of the two I'd probably recommend Cabo San Lucas. For one reason, you can see different types of whales there other than humpbacks, which is what PV primarily has (both ports also have dolphins). You can sometimes see gray whales and even on occasion, orcas, fin or even sperm whales. That said, the primary whale you'll see in Cabo or PV will still be humpbacks which is a real joy. No other whale breaches in the same way as the humpbacks, where they jump high out of the water - that is a real treat.

 

Another reason I like Cabo is that you don't have to go out as far from shore to see the whales. If you take a zodiac, you can be out with the whales in only a couple of minutes. There are a lot of whales to be seen both places, but sightings seem to be a bit more numerous in Cabo as well.

 

If there is another excursion you really want to do in Cabo, then you will still likely be very happy with whale watching in PV, but if you do whale watching in Cabo, you can do another popular activity like a canopy tour in PV, or go on a boat excursion to a remote beach somewhere like Yelapa or Las Animas and perhaps see whales along the way anyway - a double treat!

 

No matter which you choose, I'm sure you'll have a great time!

 

Excuse me for jumping in, but we are going to be in the Mexican Riviera, although not until late June. Is there any activity (whales or otherwise) we should not miss? My husband loves wildlife of all sorts!

[SDPadreFan]

Not to necessarily come to the defense of tour brokers like Johann & Sandra, but they do provide a valuable service. One, they are certainly better than the prices charged by the ship. Two, in most cases they will offer a "no port, no pay" guaranty which most "actual" tour operators will not. Third, they have a generally good reputation and are located in multiple ports so they may be best at recommending a specific itinerary for each port. As an example; recommending a jungle tour/zip line for Puerto Vallarta and a whale watching trip in Cabo. While you could also reverse those choices (ie Cabo now has ziplines), they will never compare to what is offered in Puerto Vallarta.

[crazy4cruising]

Thanks to everyone (and sorry about the previous multiple posts, stuttering computer saga!) I really appreciate everyone's advice about whale watching and private tours. What are the advantages to the zodiac and whale watching? It sounds like they are fast maneuvering, and can get up closer to them, does that sound about right? Is it ok for kids about 7? And what about for anyone who may get a bit seasick? Thanks again!

[jtcoolk]

Hi crazy4cruising,

 

Although both ports are great for whale watching, out of the two I'd probably recommend Cabo San Lucas. For one reason, you can see different types of whales there other than humpbacks, which is what PV primarily has (both ports also have dolphins). You can sometimes see gray whales and even on occasion, orcas, fin or even sperm whales. That said, the primary whale you'll see in Cabo or PV will still be humpbacks which is a real joy. No other whale breaches in the same way as the humpbacks, where they jump high out of the water - that is a real treat.

 

Another reason I like Cabo is that you don't have to go out as far from shore to see the whales. If you take a zodiac, you can be out with the whales in only a couple of minutes. There are a lot of whales to be seen both places, but sightings seem to be a bit more numerous in Cabo as well.

 

If there is another excursion you really want to do in Cabo, then you will still likely be very happy with whale watching in PV, but if you do whale watching in Cabo, you can do another popular activity like a canopy tour in PV, or go on a boat excursion to a remote beach somewhere like Yelapa or Las Animas and perhaps see whales along the way anyway - a double treat!

 

No matter which you choose, I'm sure you'll have a great time!

 

I am planning on booking zip-lining in PV with your company (I've read many reccomendations!) and I was wondering what you would reccomend to do in Mazatlan? We(my husband & I) like the beach, fishing, good eating. Thanks ahead of time for any information you can give me.

[rimau]

Take something for seasickness before leaving the ship. I get seasick very easily on a zodiac if it is whale watching. I have been on them as transportation, going in a straight line and that is OK, but the manuvering and the sitting in one spot if you come across a cooperative whale really gets to me. It's the tossing and turning.

 

June is not during prime whale season. The humpbacks at least are in Alaska then.

[gottago2mexico]

I am planning on booking zip-lining in PV with your company (I've read many reccomendations!) and I was wondering what you would reccomend to do in Mazatlan? We(my husband & I) like the beach, fishing, good eating. Thanks ahead of time for any information you can give me.

 

The best beach in Mazatlan is Stone Island, and here there are also many restaurants to choose from. Maz is known for it's big game fishing, but of course it would depend on which time of year you're visiting as to how good the fishing might be. One place I like in the Golden Zone is El Capitan, their shrimp platter is great. There are also several cozy sidewalk cafes in old town that are very nice. It's also fun to escape into the surrounding areas and visit some of the small towns, such as Copala or El Quelite. There's still a nice taste of Old Mexico in and around Mazatlan, which makes this port very unique. There is also a huge market downtown for shopping. Hope this helps give you some ideas, have fun!