MSN-Travelers

Vallarta Adventures is a primary excursion provider to the cruise industry in Vallarta. Under the terms of those contracts, Vallarta Adventures and third-party excursion brokers are not allowed to sell VA excursions direct to cruise ship passengers if the ship sells the excursion. The Marigalante Pirate Ship has a simular contract with Carnival.

There is nothing that would prevent you from booking an excursion independently so long as it isn't one listed above.

A popular zip line excursion used heavily by cruise passengers is Los Veranos http://www.canopytours-vallarta.com There are a few more companies.

There is another dolphin interaction facility at Aquaventuras Park.

You can book direct with these companies or through a third-party tour broker such as puertovallartatours.net

As with all independently booked excursions, transportation to/from the excursion office/site is on you. While Vallarta has an outstanding public transportation system, the thought of using it is a little overwhelming for some people.

Cabo Adventures has the same contracts with the cruise industry for Cabo San Lucas along with the same restrictions.

Enjoy!

Is this the excursion you are looking at and trying to find price information: http://www.royalcaribbean.com/shoreExcursions/product/detail/view.do?sourcePage=shorexByPort&ProductCode=FU28&DestinationCode=

If an excursion is important to you, then book it as soon as possible. If the same, or simular excursion, is also available through in independent excursion provider, then consider booking with them.

Enjoy!

The ship lets you know when to change your times

Yes, you are correct but I think you don't understand why people would need to know in advance of the cruise. People who ask this question are often trying to book an independent excursion or make plans to meet somebody ashore. Waiting until the evening before an actual time change to find out doesn't do any good.

I believe it is 90-120 prior to sailing.

I realize anything bought or done in the ports is extra. How is this all paid for? Does it have to be strictly credit cards or do they accept cash. Do they accept American money or does it need to be exchanged, and if so, how and where do we do that?

Others have addressed the cash issue. Should you choose to do an organized excursion at any given port, they can be booked through the ship or booked independently in advance or on arrival in the port. You pay the cruise line for ship's excursions. Independent excursion, booked in advance, are paid according to the operator's instructions. Excursions booked on arrival are normally paid for with cash or credit card.

I would advise you to book an excursion through the ship or independently in advance for Belize (if you are stopping there). The city is not conside red safe to wonder around in.

Enjoy!

Two taxi services in Vallarta: White port taxis that only take people away from the port and charge per person in USD's AND yellow city taxis that operate throughout the city except on port/airport property. Yellow taxis charge per taxi ride with up to 4 passengers. You can find them just outside the port property. Rates for both taxi services operate on a zone boundary system. The Cuale River that separates El Centro from the Southside is a zone boundary.

The cost should be roughly $4-$5 USD per person for white port taxis. It should be roughly 80 pesos ($8 USD at taxi driver conversion rate) each way. I can't tell you the exact port taxi rate today as we don't use them but I have been lead to believe that the cost is the same for port/city taxis if there are just two people. The savings is realized with 3-4 people in the city taxis and gets better if you pay on pesos because the actual exchange rate is close to 15:1 right now.

And yes, USD's are welcome just abut everywhere in Vallarta. Just know in advance that you should not EXPECT to get USD's in change.

Enjoy!

We have been there about a dozen+ times over the last 15 years.

It has a few things that are very important to some people and may seem overpriced to others. It has a very calm, swimable beach. It has NO beach vendors trying to sell you their junk. Unlimited quantity, but limited variety bar. A full, freshly made buffet lunch. Non-powered beach toys & snorkeling gear available. Additive cost spa services, zipline/activity area for the kids under 11. Nature trails. Door-to-door transportation from the ship to the excursion site on the south side of Banderas Bay.

If any of these are important to you, than this is a good deal. We alway go there when we have guests.

If you're a solo or just a couple looking to spend a day on the beach with your toes in the sand, a cold beverage in your hand and food on the table next to you . . . skip Caletas and head for Los Muertos Beach on Vallatra's south side. You will have to put up with the beach vendors and there is a little hustle 'n bustle but you will experience a lot more for a lot less $$$'s. (There is a misperception out there that the food & drink is less safe away from a ship's excursion. This is not true. Ten of thousands of US & Canadian tourist eat 'n drink their way across Vallarta every day without issues and we are amongst them!)

Enjoy!

Just be warned . . . they don't do "hairy chest" contests or simular poolside activities on Princess. That perpetual frat party atmosphere is missing too. Just want to make you knew in advance so you wouldn't be disappointed. 😊

They are currently using Paradise Village in Nuevo Vallarta. You can read reviews at: http://www.carnival.com/Activities/Excursion/305045?review=true

Safety is both real and perceived. The cruise lines do not stop at ports or contract with excursion provider's if there is a danger to passengers or crew members. We have been annual extended vacationers in Vallarta since 2000 and never felt unsafe for one moment. You will arrive in daylight, travel in a ship's bus to a gated resort and return to the ship in that same bus. I don't think it gets any safer than that.

Enjoy!

I've never heard of myvallartaexperience.com They would be just one of many third-party tour brokers serving Puerto Vallarta. The key item to look for is their refund policy if the ship is late or misses the port for some reason.

puertovallartatours.net is well regarded, has a good refund policy and can be found at: http://puertovallartatours.net/swim-with-dolphins.htm

The web site for the dolphin/water park is a good info source. CC won't let us post their Web site address. Make sure you read and understand the age/height requirements for each of the various dolphin excursions.

And yes, transportation to/from dolphin/water park is your resposibility. The yellow city taxis just outside the port property is your best $$$ value. Expect to pay between 15-20 USD'S each way. Make sure you set the price before getting the taxi. There are plenty of taxis at the water park so you won't get stranded. The water park is in a different taxi company's area so you will take a yellow Vallarta taxi to the park and a white Nayarit taxi back.

This isn't difficult for those of us who vacation regularly in Vallarta but may be daunting to the first time visitor to Vallarta, especially with small children.

The ship contracts with Vallarta Adventures and does provide door-to-door service from the ship. Consider the value of the included transportation with the ship's excursoons.

Good luck and enjoy!

I will assume you are talking about the excursions sold by the ship.

Complete excursion descriptions can be found at the excursion provider's web sites:

VALLARTA- http://www.vallarta-adventures.com/

CABO- http://www.cabo-adventures.com/

Both operations are run by the same corporation and will be essentially the same. My personal preference would be Cabo due to the dophin stadium being right at the tender dock. Vallarta's dolphins are located some distance away from the port.

And, truth be told, I don't think Cabo has much to offer compared to Vallarta where we vacation regularly.

Don't get discouraged if you can't find something. Sport fishing charters tend to leave the dock early in the morning to get to the fishing grounds offshhore. The cruise industry slowed their ship's during the last spike in fuel prices.

Port arrival time have slipped a couple hours and that makes it difficult to match passenger arrivals with fishing charter departures and that is why you haven't found any reviews since 2009. Inshore/Bay fishing may be your only option.

Also, make sure you have a firm grasp on ship's time vs. port local time as they don't always match on the MR itineraries that include Vallarta.

Carnival Miracle, Vallarta 8 AM - 9 PM?

Your Las Caletas excursion should begin late morning and have you back to the ship mid/late afternoon. You should have 3-4 hrs to head downtown and enjoy a sunset cocktail on the beach.

Enjoy!

As a side note, Carnival tends to list arrival/departure times according to "ship's time" vs. local time. I believe your stay in Vallarta will actually be 9 AM - 10 PM Vallarta local time. You might ask recent Miracle passengers this specific question on the Carnival forum.

The Canopy Adventure, offered through Carnival, is a good value and you will enjoy yourself.

We have used Vallarta Adventures (the excursion operator) quite often over the last 15 years and have never had a bad outing with them.

Enjoy!

Thanks for the reply MSN. Very helpful and I see Canopy Tours is highly rated on Trip Advisor.That is reassuring.

I always get nervious when people ask about the "best" anything. It creates unreasonable expectations. Chipman term does have make point when pointing out that ship's excursions do provided door-to-door service and there is value associated with that.

An independently booked excursion will require you to make your own way from the port to the excursion operator's office and make sure you leave the ship in time to arrive at the office on time. For many people that can be a daunting task.

Carnival doesn't make it easy for people to book excursions independently. The time aboard ship rarely matches Puerto Vallarta local time so time management can be a problem for some people. Ask on the Carnival forum about ship's time vs. local time for this specific itinerary from recent cruisers. Time keeping policy has changed year-to-year.

Every excursion, through the ship or independently booked, is designed to afford you the opportunity to spend extra money on extra "stuff". Pictures & videos are common extras. And don't ASSUME you will be able to use your own camera on any zip line excursion.

The ship (Vallarta Adventures) offers two great zip line excursions with door-to-door service. US Vallarta regulars tend to encourage people to experience more of the city.

Enjoy!

Any excursion where the actual tour operator in Vallarta Adventures MUST be booked thru the ship if the ship sells the same excursion. It's contract thing between the cruise industry & Vallarta Adventures.

The most popular independently book zip line excursion in Los Veranos. This can be booked through third party tour brokers or directly with the operator at: http://www.canopytours-vallarta.com/ There are a couple more zip line operators but Los Veranos seems to be very well regarded. (We've been there three times)

Have no recent experience with the spa services but the following may help answer your question. Here is a news article about the spa:http://www.banderasnews.com/health-beauty/las-caletas.htm

The Vallarta Adventures Web site indicates the price spread is currently $35-$70 USDs.

Enjoy!

Sure, what is your specific concern?

Yes, ATM to get pesos in port. You may have problem getting $800 USD's worth of pesos in one day as I believe there is a daily limit on how many dollars can be exchanged per day. Most ATM's I have encountered seem to have an upper limit of 5 or 6 thousand pesos per transaction.

Independently booked excursions are often priced/paid in US dollars. Pre-booked excursions are often paid in advance of your arrival. Quite frankly, I can't say I have seen the price of any given excursion drop just because the value of the dollar has gone up.

The real savings you realize will come when buying goods/services normally priced and paid for with pesos. As an example: a port taxi charged $4 USD per person to downtown last year and still charges $4 USD this year. There is no savings because the "service" is priced/paid in dollars. On the other, you can buy more transportation services for the same dollars if you take the bus or city taxis because they are priced/paid in pesos.

Enjoy!

There is no best way, just different ways. I suggest you use the maps on this Web site for reference as they show the bus stop locations. http://vallartainfo.com/hotelzone.html

You can catch a bus right outside the port. Look for the little sign in the windshield that says "CENTRO". DO NOT take a bus that says "TUNEL". The bus will run pretty much parallel tof the coast and run through the middle of downtown (el Centro).

Catching a bus back is dependent on where you are in town. The maps do give you an idea where the bus stops are. You will want a bus that says Walmart / SAMS.

The yellow city taxis will move your group together. Where there is one taxi sitting, there is typically three. The white "port taxis" can take your whole group there in one vehicle but it will be bus or city taxis back.

Bus fare is 7.5 pesos per person per ride.

Yellow city taxis charge per ride with a maximum of four passengers. White port taxis charge per person and only take you away from the port. Both taxi systems charge a flat fee bases on zones. The Cuale river is a zone boundry so it is slightly more expensive to travel into/out of the Southside from the port.

Thanks for the replies. I'm not retired, but I am sort of seasonal and I've been working just about every day for just over 24 years saving money the whole time and investing since the beginning. You'd be amazed at what happens to $1000 over 24 years with compounding interest in a mutual fund. And from 24 years ago all I did was add and add to that without fail as I will continue to do.

 

I'm not the child of a millionaire and I do have enough money to buy a yacht, but I never will. I'd rather spend that money surrounded by friends over a period of 30 years in retirement when I get there.

 

Having said that, while my friends were buying sports cars and houses, I was living cheap and riding bicycles. I did live like a hippie, but I was working while I was doing it because I like my job and I could never beg for money.

 

Now my friends are raising kids and working the 9 to 5's and I'm traveling the world. So I've figured out that the longer you live, the more experiences you get to have. So by the time I'm officially retired, hopefully I've found my favorite place in the world to dip my toes in the water.

 

In my little research, I see that Royal Caribbean has about my age range. I've done a 2 week Royal Caribbean and it was nice, mostly the Gulf Of Mexico. My main complaint is that with the older crowd on ships like HAL, comes activities geared towards the older crowd. These activities are on board as well as the shore excursions.

 

I like to see other people around me excited about the things they are doing, instead of yawning and looking into the distance with their knitting needles in their hand because they've already been to Cozumel or Chile 20 times. Again, not trying to be offensive, but that's not my group.

 

Thanks for the replies, I'm looking into everything you've said and also browsing this forum.

Congrats on having the foresight and maturity at an early age to save for your future. Most people don't do that.

It doesn't matter what line you cruise on, the longer the cruise, the older the demographic. It is just a simple matter of time available to be away from the job, the kids, etc. NCL is a good line for the demographic you are looking for but you need to do back-to-back 7-day mainstream itineraries vs. long or exotic itineraries.

Enjoy!

No longer CDMA or GSM

Todays world, it's called LTE and works everywhere.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LTE_(telecommunication)

You're preaching to the choir here. That's why I said it is no longer a matter of hardware (shopping for a SIM) but a matter of shopping for an international plan you can afford.

And all this assumes the OP has an LTE phone. I know quite few few people that still use your basic talk/text phone.

Back in the day, before "smart" phones, it was important to know if the country you were traveling to was CDMA or GSM based. You contacted your carrier and they would tell you if your phone would work or not at your travel destination. Then I bought a Motorola "world" phone the could have both a CDMA and a GSM SIM installed.

When I travel now, it doesn't seem to matter any more. I use a Verizon Samsung Galaxy 4 and the only thing that seems to matter is which international plan I sign up for. I don't believe we are hardware restricted vs. cost of usage restricted.

Verizon works best for me for a number of reasons but your needs will likely differ and nobody can tell you which company is "best".

This is the trip planner that Verizon has for its customers: http://www.verizonwireless.com/b2c/tripplanner/tripplannercontroller

Enjoy!

The ship's go where they earn the most revenue. By May, that is Alaska and Europe vs. Mexico and the Caribbean.