Carnival Spirit 10/18/09

[RDRYDR]

Is anyone joining us on Carnival Spirit Mexican Riviera October 18, 2009?

[timmm55]

I'm going the week before (the 10th) with 5 other friends (gay men 20s-50s). I heard a couple from SD will be on your cruise.

[RDRYDR]

I was looking at the one leaving on the 10th. I couldnt get that week off. My partner and I are from San Diego. Im hoping we have a few more joining us

[RDRYDR]

Anyone going on Carnivall Spirit 10/18/09?

 

There are two of us here

[Kenito]

Hola amigo,

 

We are going in one month... the BajaGay group on October 26th... about 30 guys.

 

Did you find anything interesting in the ports? Shore excursion recommendations? Any particularly nice crew?

 

Appreciate any help.... ;)

[RDRYDR]

We are going the week before you. I have been looking at the different excursions in the ports but nothing has really caught my eye. We did the Mexican Riviera Cruise out of long beach last year (Carnival Pride) and we had better luck going on our own once in port. Looks like we picked the wrong week to cruise! Thirty of you! We live in Carlsbad, go to San Diego all the time. Never heard of your Baja Group but I checked out your web page. Looks like fun.

[Kenito]

Stay in touch... we are thinking about making it an annual cruise... so we can cruise together next year!

 

Ken :p

[RDRYDR]

I definately will! I added your website to my favorites. We head down that way once or twice a year

[RDRYDR]

13 day's to go!!

 

Woo Hoo!

[Kenito]

Hey amigo... have you made any decisions about shore excursions?

 

I have tried to make contact with some guys in all three ports about doing something... but nothing firm yet. :p

 

Seems to me that some gay guy could have a booming biz in Acapulco for gay shore excursions in that city. The others are smaller communities so....

 

What have you done?

 

K

[RDRYDR]

We have not made any plans. I have found some information on Acapulco on Gay.com/travel. Were thinking of just playing it by ear on the excursions and of course hitting up some of the bars in Acapulco since we are there till 1am. Have you any plans?

[Kenito]

Regarding arranging shore excursions... I have made friends with a local in Acapulco, but I am not sure he is actually going to perform... I mean, show up. :p

 

My group is seemingly not interested in trying to spend money on anything exotic... so I think in ACA all I want to do is find a way to see the city... a short city tour.

 

Visit some shopping areas; see where the gay beaches are; drive by the bars and gay haunts because in the middle of the day nothing will be going on; and then spend some time ogling the Cliff Divers.

 

I'd really like to have a specific suggestion, but not finding much.

 

On the Regular Carnival Roll Call for my cruise, the people there have been pretty aggressive about reserving tours with locals they have researched and have faith in. Perhaps you could go through that thread and get some ideas. I think someone named Rudy with tour-by-vans is getting good mentions.

 

In Manzanillo, I have developed an on-line friendship with a gay real estate agent (recently posted part of our conversation on my website) and I think it will be interesting to chat with him about the local real estate scene. If I get several of the guys on the cruise who are equally interested so we can put some money in a pot to compensate him for his time, then I'd like to take a look at some properties. But I do not want to BS him and waste his time just to give us a free tour. I've been very upfront with him....

 

In Zihua and Ixtapa... I am focusing on Zihua. I want to see the old part of the city (actually I am more interested in everything "old" in Mexico, except the men!) rather than new condos in Ixtapa. I have plenty of new condos to look at here in Baja. But I'm all into the traditional Mexico scene.

 

I will be anxious to hear if you have any contacts or info to pass along. Any references, names, info, etc., will be greatly appreciated. If you want the name of my guy in ACA, let me know. Probably best to email or IM me directly from my site. ;)

[apollobeach]

Last January, my Partner and I took the Carnival Spirit on the 8 day Mexican Riviera cruise.

We were very pleased with the Carnival Spirit on all levels; clean ship, good food, friendly staff.

In our opinion, Carnival cruise line has been working continually to improve its previous

negative image. Based on our own limited experience, we prefer Carnival on all levels,

over the old established line Holland American which simply "sails" on its past record and

name. For one's money, lines like Carnival work harder for one's dollar and are a better value.

We are still new to cruising and would highly recommend Carnival

and Royal Caribbean based on our good experiences.

 

(FYI: In April, we took a 14 day Hawaii cruise on Holland America's Zaandam

and it was a horrible experience on all levels. In addition, we felt very

uncomfortable as a Gay couple.)

 

The following is a cut & paste we posted to another thread:

 

In Manzanillo, we took a taxi to Las Hadas (pt of the Las Brisias

chain) and spent the day there. For about $30. each one gets use

of the resort and food coupons. If you take a towel from the ship,

you will not have to rent one.

In Acapulco, some places to see are The Cross, Cliff Divers and the Cathedral (downtown near port). We had lunch at El Zorrito.

Hope this helps....

 

Rick & John

[Kenito]

Regarding watching the Cliff Divers:

 

I am debating whether it will be better to walk/hike along the pedestrian pathways to watch the divers from there, or...

 

Make reservations at one of the restaurants sit there and watch, have a drink and a snack/meal.

 

One friend who has been there several times insists that going to the restaurant, "La Perla" is simply the best! :cool:

 

Any thoughts or suggestions?

[apollobeach]

When we were in Acapulco this past January,

we saw the cliff divers at night from one of the lower walkways. Years before, Rick viewed the cliff divers during the day from a higher point of the walkway path during the day. Before of these were a great experience. We also have heard that individuals have drinks and/or dinner and

view the divers from one of the restaurants.

 

In our opinion, it is simply personal perference

as to how your group wants to view them.

 

In addition: The Cross (and the Chapel) on the hill

in the Las Brias area overlooking the city/bay was

built by a wealthy Mexico City businessman and his

wife in honor of two of there sons. These young

men were killed in a private plane crash as they flew

from Acapulco back home to Mexico City. It is our

understanding that at one time most of the land in

the Las Brias area was owned by this family including Las Brias hotel.

 

Rick & John

 

[RDRYDR]

Thanks for the info! I know we are planning to see the cliff divers but we are up in the air on doing a lunch/dinner package. Ive heard good and bad about the seating availability and food. We may just watch from the street. We seem to have a better time not using the ships shore excursions and finding our own way. How far are the divers from the cruise port? From Google earth it looks like a good walk.

 

Thanks!

Mark

[RDRYDR]

Knowing us we wont decide what to do till the day of what we are doing.

 

I can't promise anything but if time and schedule permits I would be happy to share my experiences here as we cruise. Perhaps after our port days I'll be able to make some quick notes for you. Seems last year when I was on the Carnival Pride everytime I went to use the internet the library was closed.

[Kenito]

Well, if nothing else, we will have our information to collaborate with each other for next year! It seems like we will be making ours an annual event!

 

I just got an email that indicated that all Carnival Cruises in the last half of October will have Halloween parties! You can be either scary or sexy... unless if for you, that is one in the same!

 

Bet you are excited...I certainly am! :D

 

Ken in Rosarito

 

[apollobeach]

If you plan to see the cliff divers on your own, take a taxi from in front of

the ship. This is not an area to walk to; particularly in the evening. After

seeing the cliff divers, there will be plenty of taxi drivers to take one

back to the ship.

 

Rick & John

[apollobeach]

Hi guys,

 

The following are suggestions we kept which someone else posted

before our January 2009 Carnival Spirit Mexican Riviera cruise:

 

1. - La Quebrada and the Divers, above all and at the very first place, what you can call a must!

2. - Non denominational Chapel of Peace and the Cross of Trouyet, best view to the bay area, surrounded by beautiful residences at the very pricey “Las Brisas” residential area.

3. - The “other” bay Puerto *****, smaller than the Bay of Acapulco but 8 times nicer as well, we only stop for pictures for a few minutes over there!

4. - The Los Flamingos Hotel, Once own by John Wayne and Johnny Weissmuller amongst other movie actors. We see the casa Tarzan where Weissmuller lived the last 20 years of his life.

5. - Hotel Casa Blanca, We only stop there for pictures. Great panoramic view of the Bay area and….. To the Cruise Ship!!!!!

6. - Diego Rivera´s mosaic mural, made by the most important painter of Mexico, married with the controversial painter Frida Kahlo, A short stop to take pictures, that will be all!

7. - El Mercado Municipal, is what I call a truly Eye Opener! So different to what you and your party have seen. But I warn you, it can be sort of Cultural Shocking for very many people! I recommend it very highly any way!

8. - El Zorrito restaurant (only suggested) or any other place you wish to go having lunch!

(the cost of Lunch in Zorrito is approximately $10.00 to $15.00 USD)

9. - El Zócalo & Cathedral, The Downtown area Main Square and Cathedral, oldest part of town and the most typical part of it, we may stop there for 20-30 minutes or not, always up to you!!

 

Rick & John

[apollobeach]

Hi Guys,

 

The following is part of an e-mail we received from friends before our cruise last January 2009. This individual has sailed on the Spirit

out of San Diego a number of times.

 

 

Yes, we've taken this cruise, the Spirit is a beautiful ship, we've sailed aboard her five times, and been to these ports twice. We took excursions on our first cruise there about 4 yrs ago and I don't remember which ones we took. We weren't really impressed with Acapulco, although we didn't really get into the big city. Zihuatanejo is our favorite, there is a nice market just back from the "main" avenue that is in our opinion worth doing some shopping there.You will get a map onboard that will show you the area. We took that cruise this past October.

 

Rick & John

[apollobeach]

Manzanillo looking from Las Hadas

[Kenito]

Hey guys:

 

Last year I printed out my luggage tags on line, but have not been able to find a way to do so this time. Have they changed this?

 

Can you tell me the routine for dealing with your luggage on the pier so the luggage monkeys know which bag goes to what cabin?

[apollobeach]

El Zorrito restaurant

(the cost of Lunch in Zorrito is approximately $10.00 to $15.00 USD)

[RDRYDR]

Hi Ken

Luggage tage are located in your "My Documents" PDF. Its kinda tricky to get to. The luggage tage are on the last page i believe it is page 7