Mike45LC

I agree with VWrestler, there is no need for a commercial excursion to Stone Island.

I was in Mazatlan off of the Panorama last week, but I'm sorry to say that I have no idea what time the ship cleared.  I've done this itinerary too many times to rush off the ship.  I had a leisurely breakfast and wandered off the ship around 11, spent time in the flea market and then went back to the ship to meet my wife for lunch.  

We took a pulmonia to the Cathedral but it was closed for repairs.  First time I've seen this.

I am usually on a Drinks On Us package.  I also don't drink any booze.  So I rarely interact much with any bartenders.

I tip a $ or two (cash) for every soft drink I request to improve the service.  It can take a long time for a Cocktail Waiter to show up in the casino, but after I've tipped about $5 for a couple of cans of soda on the first night in the casino, I find that the CWs check up on me frequently.  

When my wife wants to eat at the Steakhouse and I don't, we will sometimes eat in the main dining room and she can order the Surf and Turf from the steakhouse for $23 plus 18%.  She does not get the extra service and such, but it is a compromise.

Too late for me to edit.

Stone Island, search in:

Mexican Riviera Cruises Q&A: Find Tips & Recommendations - Cruise Critic Message Board Forums

Because of school calendars, we did this cruise last August.  Brutally hot, very humid.

My recommendations:  Take it VERY slow.  Bring those water bottles with battery-powered fans.  Parasols and big floppy hats.  

Beaches:  Cabo, Medano Beach.

Mazatlan:  Stone Island.  Seach this forum for instructions.  Not a water taxi but a regular run "ferry" a short walk from the ship.

Puerto Vallarta:  Playa Los Muertos.  

I carry my camera in my backpack, and I rarely change memory cards in mid-trip.  When I've "lost"/had snatched cameras, I lost all of the photos from that trip.  So I understand that losing a backpack can be painful.  

But there is no way to blame the cabin steward, and there is nothing any of the Forum members can do to help the OP other than sympathize.  

And Venezia does have Cabin 2400, per one of the deck plan sites.

I had "social", which turned out to be worthless for me.  All I need to do with WiFi on board is to check (and maybe respond to) my email.  Social does not allow that.  It was a complete waste for me.  

I had bought Premium for my spouse, which worked reasonably well.

Blessed, don't forget time zone changes, your daughter will need to get her dorm selections in as early as possible!

21 minutes ago, NCsonny said:

This game was new to me too.  A Google search tells me it is a dice game and sounds like fun.  It can be played with regular dice or with special game-specific dice.  You use three dice and typically three chips per player although the number of chips is frequently altered. 

 

Our extended family has a beach house rented for the summer and we will be testing the game for sure.

Thanks, Sonny.  I doubt I've ever seen it being played, because as a craps player, I would almost certainly have noticed people rolling dice!

6 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

Frankly, I'm surprised at the photos posted above of a refugee boat being brought into a tender port with multiple people onboard.  More typical, from a vessel security standpoint is to send a rescue boat or lifeboat to the refugees boat (having instructed it to stand away from the ship), and bring the refugees back to the ship one at a time, for searching and identifying.  As John Heald noted, refugees are always under constant security watch while on the ship.

This had struck me as a very dangerous move.  Bringing refugees on board one at a time, using life boats to ferry them to the mother ship, seems far more sensible.  Who knows what weapons might be hidden away in the foundering boat, ready to be used to attack the rescue ship?

I'm glad there seem to have been no adverse consequences.  

Serious question:  How do I identify Left Right Center when it is being played somewhere on the Lido deck?  Is it a card game using one normal deck of cards?  Or multiple decks?  Are there game pieces?  How many players?

I have never been aware of this particular game until this exciting thread, and now I want to watch out for it on my upcoming cruise.  

On 4/20/2024 at 5:32 AM, Butterbean1000 said:

I bet they claim that Bingo is sanctioned gambling by the cruise line. 

The statement was not that all gambling on board must be sanctioned by the casino.  The statement was that all gambling must take place INSIDE the casino.  Big difference.  Which is why I pointed out that bingo takes place outside the casino.  

Last month, Venezia, Ocean Suite with extended balcony, no lounger.  Two chairs and a small table. 

I had the same experience.  Two weeks ago, I had to wait until midnight in the Departure Port.  

I find bingo very boring and do not play/watch, but I am pretty sure that cruise ships hold bingo for $$ in a showroom that is NOT IN THE CASINO.  So how do they get away with this, if the rule is "only inside the casino"?  

Also, I used to bet on "horse races" on the Lido deck by the pool, again "outside the casino."  

It seems that the announcement stating that betting is allowed only in the casino is a lie or is misinformation.  

Non-responsive to the OP's question, but my wife and I (and four of our best friends) ate here one night on the Panorama.  $18 pp.  

Very good! I had Caesar Salad; chicken parmagian. My wife had braised beef and gnocchi, said both were best ever!! 

I just bought the one device Premium Plan for my wife for our cruise in 10 days.  I plan to log on (which will force her phone off the WiFi) every morning (I am up hours before she is) to check my email, and then once she gets up, I'll stay off-line all day.

I've never been to the Welcome Aboard show.  I don't need to have the captain introduced -- so long as he can find the ship's parking space at each port, I don't need to meet the captain.  I don't need to meet the Cruise Director or the cooks, or ...  

There are usually things I'd rather be doing, including taking a nap!

Mazatlan has Stone Island for a nice beach experience.

Cabo has Medano Beach.

Puerto Vallarta has Los Muertas Beach.

All three are worth a visit.  None are as wonderful as Megans Bay (St. Thomas), but I dislike the cross-country flights!  40 minute drive (OC to LA/Long Beach) versus 5 hours flight (plus one hour drive OC to LAX, two hours pre-flight for TSA, etc.)  No contest, in my never humble opinion.

Padre Fan recommended Stone Island in Mazatlan.  I enjoy Stone Island, and I visit it most of my port calls to Mazatlan, but for a first time visit to Mazatlan, there is the Cathedral/Market area and Golden Zone to visit.  And the lighthouse to climb.  I think I'd save Stone Island for a subsequent visit.

I overlooked the fact that you are also visiting La Paz.  The ship docks a long way from town, and there is a free bus from the dock to town.  Halfway between, the bus stops to let people off at a local beach.  I hope someone with experience on this beach will chime in.  I've only glimpsed it from the windows of the bus.

If you have not been to these ports before, I'd make Cabo the beach day.  There are too many things to see on a first visit to the other three ports to give those up for a beach day.  Cabo has the least to do, and the beach is near and convenient!

Enjoy!

I'll follow this thread to see the answer, but 35 years ago, on my first cruise, I tried to track down officials in the various ports to get a passport stamp in my virgin passport.  I think I got only two entry stamps, and it cost me too much time in the various ports.  And I finally gave up when I almost missed an excursion because I was looking for someone with a stamp.

I am impressed by the lengths our members here go to help each other out!  Good going, people!

What a horrible thing!  I hope none of the injured were from your ship.

I had many problems with the early on-line check in yesterday, using my i-phone.  I finally gave up and waited until I could do it from my desktop computer, and it worked properly.  

I still need to check in our two co-passengers who have to do regular check-in tomorrow, so I will run into my office to use my desktop and will not try to use the phone.