8 Day Mexican Baja/Riviera - Carnival Spirit

[frankhouse]

Has anyone ever taken this cruise? How was it and the port of call's?

We are looking at possibly taking it for our anniversary late Feb to early March 2010 and was wondering how the weather and water is at this time of year. We've been in the Western Carribean at this time of year but not the Baja/Riviera. I'm guessing it's similar.

[cascole]

Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful!!! We went on this itinerary in Nov & had a great time! (so much so that we are going again this Nov!) ... and loved the Spirit so much we are going again in 23 days, although a different itinerary.

 

The weather may be cool until you get near Cabo (after day 1)... then it will range from warm to HOT at that time of year!

[KatSt]

My DH and I took this cruise in February of 2005. I remember the weather being beautiful once we got South of San Diego.

 

I loved the cruise. Anytime I go on an 8 day cruise, I'm thrilled.

 

The Spirit is a great ship. I'll be going on this same itinerary again in October.

 

I'm sure you'll enjoy it if you decide to go.

[bighairtexan]

I am taking this cruise in 2 weeks. It will be the second time I've taken it. I love it because there are so many sea days on each end of the cruise. Also the Spirit is such a pretty ship; a little less gaudy than most of the "fun ships." As stated the weather will warm up once you get past Cabo. About 85 to 90 during the day. I LOVE Zihautenejo. It's my favorite Mexican port. Right where you tender are smaller shops and galleries and cute places to eat on the beach. Acapulco is lovely. In manzanillo the ship docks at a very industrial port but you can take various tours or taxi to several nice beaches not very far away. I like this cruise better than the traditional Mex. Riviera (Cabo/Maz/PV).

[cbrsandiego]

It was incredible! Definitely our favorite cruise thus far. The staff was awesome, and we have managed to still keep in touch with one of our Lido Deck. It was simply an incredible time. Weather was a bit cool on the sea days, but the ports were HOT and HUMID- especially Acapulco. It was very nice.

[happy cruzin]

Here is the itinerary that we just sailed 2/16/2009:

Mexican Riviera: San Diego, CA ; Fun Day At Sea ; Fun Day At Sea ; Acapulco, Mexico ; Acapulco, Mexico ; Zihuatanejo/Ixtapa, Mexico ; Manzanillo, Mexico ; Fun Day At Sea ; Fun Day At Sea ; San Diego, CA

It was wonderful!! It was a little cool - and rainy - in San Diego on departure day and it remained cool through the first sea day and the last sea day as we returned. There was plenty of sun - just too cool to sit outside for very long.

We did not do any water activities - but the air temps and sun were the best!! The weather in the ports was warm and sunny!!

It was a great cruise! The Spirit class is still our favorite class of ships and the 8 days just made it perfect. I say go for it :D!!

[game fish]

Just returned from this trip yesterday, my first cruise. It was great. The first day to day and a half was cool but not cold. Acapulco was hot but not too hot. There was adequate time for all shore excursions. I heard only one person was left behind. The spirit is an ideal ship for this trip, everyone used the sun deck for their morning laps and deck chairs were full. Something going on all the time. The spirit is heading for a short drydock in Frisco, about 2 wks, before continuing. It should be in ship shape for their next cruise.

[Wolfie48]

Has anyone ever taken this cruise? How was it and the port of call's?

We are looking at possibly taking it for our anniversary late Feb to early March 2010 and was wondering how the weather and water is at this time of year. We've been in the Western Carribean at this time of year but not the Baja/Riviera. I'm guessing it's similar.

 

Ask me again in a few weeks. DW and I will be on her with a group of 28 we will try to post a review with lots of pictures. We did the 7 day Pride cruise in Feb of 2007 for my BD and as others have said the weather was cool the first and last day.

[liv2cruise4ever]

We love this itinerary. We just got off the Oosterdam, and had to book another. Like someone else said, "much better than the usual, PV, Maz, and Cabo. Zihuat. is our favorite Riviera port as well. Can't wait till Nov. :D

[Fazzdaan]

Game Fish, just out of curiosity, where they starting the pre-drydock preparation early? Did you hear anything on what they will be doing?

[crzndeb]

Add me to the list of cruisers that love this ship and itinerary. I have been on the Spirit 3 times, twice on this itinerary. I was on the special 9 day last Oct. that also added Puerto Vallarta to it's stops. And everyone else has already mentioned the weather. The water is the Pacific Ocean and nothing like the Caribbean. I haven't done water activities, so I can't answer about water temps. Our group went to the Las Hadas resort in Manzanillo and it was a great relaxing resort day. They have a huge pool and beach access...

[Beave8920]

:) Count me in as an "excellent" vote! Done it twice and will do it twice more (if I can!).....for all the same reasons as stated above.....and we leave on the Spirit to Hawaii in 30 days!

[mag]

Thanks everyone...we are going 10/18/09 on this cruise and would appreciate any and all info we can get!

[bighairtexan]

I am going on this cruise as soon as it gets out of dry dock. From what I've heard the main "improvement" is bow to stern WiFi. Other than that I think general sprucing up. I also heard they were getting new beds/mattresses but I am not sure on that.

[cruizinator]

What everyone said !! Just a wonderful itinerary!! Great weather ..can be a bit humid..hope to make this cruise an annual one! Zihuatenejo is my absolute favorite Mexican port. If it wasn't for the humidty most of the year.... my wife and I would move there in a heartbeat!! Been on the Spirit twice...great ship! Also, if you're able to cruise on short notice ..you can get some great prices for this cruise late Oct./November. You'll want to do this cruise more than once!

[Phxbyny]

Personally (we all have our own opinions) I hated Acapulco. From the moment you disembark, someone will be in your face trying to sell you something. There is a flea market about a 7 minute walk from the port. One of these hawkers will insist on escorting you there so you won't get lost. He gets a piece of whatever you purchased in the jewelry store he takes to to. These guys refused to take no for an answer. Took a cab to the a nice hotel (name escapes me) and tried sitting on the beach for a while. As soon as you close your eyes, someone is in your face again trying to sell you some trash jewelry. Went back to the Spirit for lunch and took another cab to see the cliff divers ar night. This was the only thing I liked about this port at all. Zihua/Ixtapa was one of my favorite ports in Mexico. Even though you have to tender to the dock, its worth the time. I strongly reccomend going to La Isla de Ixtapa-a small island that you get to by a small water taxi close to Club Med. Its an excursion offered by Carnival or you can take a 15 minute cab ride there. The island offers a small restuarant which cook their meals on a BBQ grill since the island has no electricity.I had a seafood combo dish with shrimp/octupus/fish/rice for 2 at $40. The beers were cold. The waters were warm even in late October. Its located in a bay with calm waters for snorkeling/banana boat rides or just being lazy in a beach chair catching rays.-Yea!

Sorry about being long winded, but the cruise on the Spirit to the Mexican Riviera was a mixed bag of smiles and disappointments. Watch for the jumping dolphins racing the ship off the coast of Cabo-Have a good time!

[Crusin Karen]

We have also done this cruise twice and if our funds weren't so limited, I would do it every year (at least! :p) but BIG DRAW for us was San Diego which we just fell in love with. Last year we went for 3 days pre and a day post cruise and it was a great highlight. I have to agree with poster above about Aca. lst time we went we just got a taxi and he showed us "the sights." It was no big deal. We went to see the cliff divers which was great, but I wouldn't do it again. Last year we just got off the ship and wandered and we were constantly badgered...finally just to get the people off of us, we went with one guy for a "walking tour." It was so horrible, that I faked feeling sick so we could go back to the ship. Slipped the guy a $20 for walking us past 2 blocks of filth... If we ever go there again I might try a beach or just use the ship as a sea day. Ziu was a fave...we tendered in and walked ALL THE WAY down to a little beach that has red umbrellas and just hung out...ate and drank and swam and looked out at Spirit anchored right in front of us. Of all the cruises we have been on, my fave memories are of sitting on that beach with the white sand, blue water and sky, puffy white clouds and OUR SHIP sitting there waiting for us.Where U dock in Manzanillo is pretty **crappy** but go to a beach resort and relax. The 2 sea days before and 2 sea days after the ports are great for relaxing. The Spirit is MY FAVORITE SHIP. I would do this cruise again IN A HEARTBEAT. Book it! ;)

[HeidiHo]

Has anyone ever taken this cruise? How was it and the port of call's?

We are looking at possibly taking it for our anniversary late Feb to early March 2010 and was wondering how the weather and water is at this time of year. We've been in the Western Carribean at this time of year but not the Baja/Riviera. I'm guessing it's similar.

 

Why don't you go a little earlier and join the Cupid's Cruise Critic group cruise that leaves on Feb. 7, 2010.

[glrounds]

Have also done this cruise and will soon again I hope.

 

Love the SPIRIT, love the itinerary and that 8th day just gives you more "coming down" time.

 

Agree, cool at sea the first day, but once you're going past Los Cabos around noon the 2nd day, it gets much warmer. Water on the Pacific coast, since its coming down from Alaska, is cooler and a much deeper blue. Whales and porpoises abound along the way.

 

In Acapulco, I just walked through the "selling maze", walked across the street, up the hill to an incredible old fort Forte De San Diego. Just go along with any one of a number of tours of this fantastic old fort guarding Acapulco harbor or freelance it like I did.[pics on my webshots below].

 

Zihuantanejo was very quaint and my favorite stop. Found a tiny little bar filled with cruisers and a terrific guitarist. Really enjoyed all the little restaurants right on the beach. Will go on to Ixtapa (think the movie "10") the next time also.

 

Los Cabos, in the past a port I just avoid, is now a real treat. I stay along the malecon and enjoy the shops and great food.

[Zingy2]

We will be on the Spirit when she sails to the Mexican Riviera on 11 Nov 09. This will be our second cruise and we will be celebrating our anniversary on board.

 

We have heard nothing but great things about this cruise. We were very fortunate when we booked our cruise also. We were able to get an aft wrap balcony on the Verandah Deck....sooooooooo, we are very excited about that. We are cruising with friends from home this time, who have been on several cruises before....so they are our "resident experts." ;).

 

 

There will also be some folks cruising on the Spirit whom we sailed with on the Elation in Nov 08.....So hopefully, we may get to have a little get together with them as well.

 

We are just counting the days (well I am anyway...lol) until we sail.....Cannot wait until Carnival releases the new round trip Alaska Itinerary for the 2010 Spirit cruises out of Seattle... May be able to "juggle" around our bucket list if the price it right. ;)

[momofzeke]

Why don't you go a little earlier and join the Cupid's Cruise Critic group cruise that leaves on Feb. 7, 2010.

 

I second the motion! :D We have a great group of people. Come on! You know you want to be a Cupid!

 

Click this link to go to our Official CC Group Thread:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=725036

 

The pricing and information is all there. Stop on by and say hello! :cool:

[iancal]

We just got home from this trip. It was my first cruise on the Mexican Riviera. The ship was fine. While we prefer the Caribbean, we did enjoy the ports of call. We read the boards and did our own excursions-as we usually do. In Acalpulco we did a tour with Rosie-it was very good. In Zu we took a $4 cab ride to Playa la Ropa and sat at the beach all day (it was wonderful), and in Manzanillo we took spent the day a Las Hadas resort ($10. cab ride each way, 300 peso entry that included coupons for meals and drinks). The postings on this board have provided us with many, many great tours. The private tours are usually much better, and much less crowded.