MSN-Travelers

Kwik re-cap . . . Fed taxis (inside the port) charge per person in USD's and will take you away from the port to downtown. They cannot bring you back. City taxis (yellow 'n white), located just outside the port, charge per taxi ride with a max of 4 passengers. City taxi rate are fixed, by zone, but will try to get more if they can. Fixed rates are in pesos but they will take USD's at whatever exchange rate they want to charge. I just returned from a four-week stay. The rate between el Centro (downtown) and the cruise ship port is 105 pesos but most drivers ask for 120 pesos. Add 20 pesos if traveling to/from Zona Romantica. $10 US (worth roughly 190 pesos) should get you a taxi ride anywhere between the tourist areas and the port. Pesos are not "required" when in port. However, expect to pay more overall when using dollars compared to those that pay in pesos. Those of us that stay for extended periods save significantly by using pesos.

I heard today that crime in the USA is a myth created by one political party to scare voters. NY is the safest large city in the nation! The folks in NY said so and that has to be true. 🤗

The cruise industry does not stop at ports that present a danger to the crew or the passengers. Acapulco is no longer a regular stop. Mazatlan was dropped for awhile until they got their act together. I would like to see what your source is for your claim that Puerto Vallarta is the 3rd most dangerous city in Mexico. I know the folks in Vallarta would be surprised to hear that. I, and my family, will be back in Vallarta for a month in mid-November (again). I am not making light of anybody's safety concerns. However, I feel I am in greater danger driving to Chicago's O'Hare Airport that at any location in Vallarta. Think about it . . . You will be in the city for 6-8 hours, in the heart of the tourist area during broad daylight, what have you heard that makes you nervous? Enjoy, I know we will . . .

Taxi rules are pretty strict. As Ine pointed out, the resort is in the Mexican state of Nayarit while Vallarta is in Jalisco state. Taxis are licensed to pick up passengers in their respective areas and deliver them just about anywhere; however, they are not allowed to pick up passenger outside their area. The taxi that takes you to the resort will have to return empty. Same applies to the Nayarit taxi that will bring back to the port. This will affect the cost of transport both ways. There "should" be a board in the resort lobby that lists the cost to common destinations. This should let you know, in advance, what the cost of the return trip will be. While Vallarta has hundreds of taxis operating throughout the city, I have no idea how the system works out in Nuevo Vallarta. You might consider making arrangements with the resort concierge, on arrival, to make sure a taxi is available to bring you back. Enjoy! . . .

For Vallarta: I would like to echo Hlitner's recommendation for Superior Tours. They will be able to provide you a vehicle sized for your party and have room for two wheelchairs. You might combine a windshield tour of Vallarta and the surrounding area with a drop-off at the Malecon and pick-up a couple hours later. Having said this, many areas of Vallarta are not friendly to people with mobility issues. It is much, much better today than it was 20 years ago but there are still areas where stores, restaurants and attractions still involve steps. One major improvement is the Malecon. You can wheelchair it from the Rosita Hotel on the north end of El Centro to Daiquiri Dick's in Old Town. Enjoy! . . .

I haven't done this specific tour. Mazatlan Tours by Johann & Sandra doesn't actually operate any tours. They are third party tour brokers have a very good reputation in the business. They are one of the few that have offered a money back guarantee if your ship doesn't arrive in port as scheduled. Expect any "Tequila Tour" to be an arts and crafts shopping opportunity with a stop at a demonstration distillery where small batches of tequila are produced for the tourist trade. The major commercial distilleries are located in Jalisco State in the region around the city/town of Tequila (several hours north of Puerto Vallarta). These tours are somewhat entertaining and occasionally you'll be able to taste/buy tequila that you will find nowhere else. Enjoy! . . .

Ine & Hlitner would be your subject matter experts for Vallarta. The day of the week you are in Vallarta does impact you options and our advice. Your four hours is really three. You should be back at the ship roughly 45 minutes before departure. You have plenty of time to taxi to the PV sign, walk the Malecon south to Pancho's Takos (or one of the many restaurants in the area you will walk past) and taxi back to the port. You will have no problem getting a taxi back to the port, they are all around you. The taxis from the port will likely drop you at the north end of the Malecon unless to specify "the arches" or "city hall". The PV sign is normally in the general area of those two locations. The taxi that returns you to the port is supposed to be regulated by zone. Rates (in pesos) are posted in the lobby of any hotel that you walk by. The river is a zone boundary and the rate will drop if you are back north on the river in downtown. Ine & Hlitner (and to a limited extent, Me) will offer advice from the viewpoint of long time visitors. We operate with pesos, we walk or use the city bus and we know that cruise passengers tend to stick out and somebody will try to take advantage of you. AND . . . Ine's Restaurant Barracuda recommendation is a great place for your next visit but it is not going to work in your limited timeframe this trip. Enjoy . . .

To the best of my knowledge, the Buccaneer Queen is the only pirate themed excursion that includes snorkeling. http://www.buccaneerloscabos.com Enjoy! . . .

As Ine indicated, Puertovallartatours.net is not an excursion operator. They are a third party tour aggregator that has enjoyed a very good reputation with travelers who visit Vallarta. One of their hallmarks was a "no port, no pay" policy. If you booked a tour through them and the ship was late or the itinerary changed, you got a full refund. Check to see it this policy survived the pandemic. Things to note . . . The cruise industry has some exclusive contracts with some excursion operators. These contracts often have language that prevents the excursion operators and third-party resellers from selling to cruise ship passengers. In a nutshell, "If the cruise ship sells an excursion, you can't book the same excursion elsewhere". Just know this in advance. Additionally, non-ship excursions often do not include transportation to/from the port. Know that in advance so you can factor in the time it will take you to ravel to/from the actual excursion provider's office. Enjoy . . .

Ground Transportation - This does not include Uber or city busses. Two major taxi services in Vallarta, City & Federal. Federal taxis operate from the Port and Airport properties. They take passengers away but can't bring people back. They often charge per person and in US dollars. They are typically white or off-white van size vehicles. There should be a taxi stand inside the port that will list the rate to popular destinations. City taxis operate throughout Puerto Vallarta. They are typically small 4-door sedans but some drivers are using minivans. Typically they are yellow but I have seen a few that are also white. Pre-pandemic, there was nearly a thousand city taxis out there so finding one is pretty easy. City taxis charge per cab ride with up to four passengers in a sedan size taxi. They are supposed to charge in Pesos. Rates are ESTABLISHED on a zone basis. Rates from point-to-point are posted in the lobby of every resort/hotel. You can pay in US dollars but do not expect a favorable exchange rate if you do. A zone boundary exists at the river separating downtown from the Southside (old town/romantic zone). You can save a few bucks by walking from the Southside into downtown. ALL taxis drivers will try to take advantage of a tourist fresh off the ship who doesn't know how things are supposed to work. ENJOY! . . .

If you like to walk and try different things, I would suggest you try a "Food Tour". It will give you an opportunity to try foods and local food outlets that the typical tourist might not consider. We have visited Vallarta regularly since 2000. We did the typical tourist restaurants for over a decade and tried https://vallartafoodtours.com to see what we might be missing. We started with "The Street" followed by "Mex-ology" and then the "Original Downtown" tour. All have been a great experience and made the hole-in-the-wall places that locals frequent regular eateries for us. Enjoy! . . .

Sadly, the Bliss's time in Vallarta isn't supported by any water based excursions offered by NCL or other excursion providers. You will be in port the 1st Wednesday in November. What type of activity do you enjoy?

Vallarta Adventures (excursion provider) often has special times/performances in support of the cruise industry. It is common practice (for cruise ship passengers) to have the cultural show in late afternoon followed by dinner and a return to the ship. [See Woody14 post above]. The rest of the world (resort guests and late departure ships) does the dinner on arrival followed by the show and return to Vallarta. It might be too early for Carnival to post excursions for February 2023. Enjoy! . . .

Are you asking your question in reference to a specific ship's tour? If yes, what cruise line and what excursion?