Chloe1500

Just received my 'destination collection' book today and on Page 72, the Baja Peninsula & Sea of Cortez 10 day cruise caught my eye. It sails Feb 18 and Oct 4 in 2019.

 

We had been looking at the 7 day Mexican Riviera Cruise, but this 10 day one also looks very interesting. It begins and ends at Los Angeles and visits the ports of Cabo San Lucas, Loreto, Puerto Vallarta, and La Paz.

 

Has anyone taken this cruise? Does anyone have info or comments to share?

My husband and I have taken this cruise twice, from both San Francisco and LA. These are all great ports with the best activities involving the beautiful beaches, water sports, boating, kayaking, swimming, and snorkeling.

If you go on the October cruise, the water is still very warm to swim and snorkel. If you go on the Feb cruise, it’s much cooler, but it’s a great time of year for whale watching.

We loved Loreto so much that we opted to return for a two week stay. When the cruise ships arrive, towns people turn out for a celebration in the main square. There are good restaurants and great shopping for ceramics. On our first cruise there, we took an excursion via speed boat to Coronado’s Island for snorkeling and hiking. The second time, we went with a local tour company to see the San Javier Mission, which is in a beautiful spot in the mountains outside town.

In La Paz, we rented sea kayaks and paddled across the bay. In Cabo, we had a beach day at one of the resorts. In Puerto Vallarta, we met expat friends for a terrific lunch and stroll along the Malecon.

If you enjoy history and art, the Picasso Museum is outstanding and located within a series of medieval palaces in the Bari Gottic. Also, the Museum of the History of Barcelona is a hidden gem. An elevator takes you down 2,000 years to Barcino, the extensive and well preserved Roman city ruins under modern Barcelona.

The best source for this question is a travel clinic or your doctor.

That said, I decided to get the Hep A vaccinations (series of two) when I started traveling in countries that had a fairly high risk for the disease, including a land trip and a Nile cruise in Egypt. Immunity is supposed to last up to 25 years. I opted not to get the typhoid vac since I understand the risk is not as great and transmission is via the water, which I never drink or even brush teeth in (I only drink bottled water when traveling outside the U.S.).

While your risk on a Viking ship for Hep A may not be very great, I'd get the vaccine for peace of mind. That's just me. Ask your doc.

It is not safe. . . . snorkeling from a beach 101. Never ever under any circumstance should you walk in fins, either front or backwards.

I respect your opinion but it is not necessarily everyone's opinion or the only way to enter the water, especially in a current.

If anyone wants to hear more on beach entry while snorkeling, search the Scuba and Snorkeling forum here on Cruise Critic or google it.

I'll echo the suggestion to stay near Placa Catalunya. You can take the Aerobus from the airport for just 5.90€ one way, pp to that location. It's so easy, and then, drop your bags at your hotel for safekeeping and walk from this area to many sights. In the morning, ask your hotel to call a cab if you have an early departing flight.

I like Hotel Avenida Palace for its historic feel and great location just off Placa Catalunya, although it's not necessarily a "budget conscious" choice. It's just one block from the best tapas, Cuidad Condal, a plus. Go early for a table. It's always busy.

This is really not safe. You should carry your fins to waist deep water and put them on there. You should NEVER walk in fins.

 

As far as shoes you should not need any type of shoes to snorkel. You should walk in to and out of the water on sand, and never touch any rocks or coral.

It is safe...snorkeling from a beach 101

Yes, I understand about floating or swimming and not "stepping on stuff"...I am just afraid of getting in and out of the water to the point of being able to float/swim

The easiest way is to put on your fins while on the beach and then turn around so you can walk backward into the surf until you its deep enough to turn and float. Then, do the same thing when you are getting out onto the beach.

I think the OP 's question is aimed at the regular sized vans that most tour-sharing drivers provide. And, for me, this is one of the downsides of tour sharing with others on the roll call. I've been squished in the middle more times than I would like, even a bit car sick and a little claustrophobic on some trips where the van is totally full and the drive is pretty far from the port. I know that in some ports, it makes sense to share the cost of a private driver, but I still prefer independent travel whenever possible or even a ship's excursion billed as "on your own" with just the transport.

I have cruised the Inside Passage with both Nat Geo/Lindblad and Princess. First of all, Nat Geo/Lindblad trips are not actually cruises in the traditional sense--they are "expeditions" and the focus is on the natural environment and wildlife rather than amenities and experience of a mass-market cruise ship. So the comparison is a bit difficult to make. It really depends on the type of experience you want.

The Nat Geo/Lindblad ship was very small with just 40 passengers (capacity 62). The cabins are simple and most are accessed via a deck. Mealtimes are family style or a simple buffet (breakfast). There is no dressing for dinner and no formal dress whatsoever. There were wildlife naturalists/researchers on board plus a Nat Geo photographer who shared their expertise with us. There was no "entertainment".

Everyday, we spent off the ship hiking, kayaking, and/or on Zodiacs in small groups with naturalist guides in whale watching and traveling among the fjords and glaciers. All activities were included in the trip cost except for an optional float plane trip. The ship saiked between Sitka and Juneau. The only port stop in town was in Petersburg where we had a choice of activities.

Contrast that with a cruise on the Golden Princess with about 2,500 passengers. It was certainly a lot less expensive and with better cabins and many more choices for food, onboard activities and entertainment. The focus was primarily on the ports and various excursions in each. Many might prefer this kind of experience, so one is not necessarily better than the other.

The OP mentioned the benefit of a small ship in the Galapagos and that is true (I have done that with Nat Geo as well), but I do think that experiencing Southeast Alaska on a small ship is a wonderful trip as well, getting into places and tracking wildlife in a way not possible on a large cruise ship. It comes down to the kind of trip you want and which option will fit that experience in the best way.

Fishermans Wharf is a fun place to stay. I like the Argonaut Hotel. It's in a great location, free wine in the lobby every night, good restaurant for breakfast, fun atmosphere, beautiful rooms, comfy beds...and if you are on the beginning or end of a cruise from San Francisco, the cruise pier is a very short taxi ride away.

Lots of advice on here already but I'll add a couple of common sense suggestions. Don't leave a cell phone sitting on the table when you're eating or drinking in a cafe or outdoor restaurant. And don't leave your hand bag on the back of your chair indoors or outside or at any time. When on public transportation and in crowds, make sure your bag is zipped or snapped shut and keep one hand on your bag or at least in front of you cross body. And when you need to check a map to find your way, don't put your belongings down at your feet or unattended somewhere.

Hello, I've cruised in Alaska in May and July. The May trip was less rainy, but temps were in the 50s, chilly. I wore jeans, tees, fleece, rain jacket, boots, casual close-toe shoes, and hat, gloves, and a warm scarf at times. I also took a primaloft jacket that I used off and on. We were on a small ship (40 passengers) and out every day hiking, kayaking, and in zodiacs, so I needed a lot of warm clothes. You might not need that on a bigger ship.

The July cruise was with Princess so when on the ship, I just wore my usual cruise attire: capris, pants, tops, sandals, etc and when ashore and on excursions, wore jeans, tees, fleece and close-toe shoes. It was warmer but rained a lot on that trip and I relied on a lightweight, waterproof hooded jacket over just a tee when warmer and added a fleece under the jacket when cooler and on the water for whale watching, for example.

Some will say to take waterproof rain pants, which I did on the small ship cruise, but never wore them.

Hi Chloe, We are planning a trip into Paris at the beginning of our French Waterways Rivercruise in 2016 and I would be interested in more info regarding pricing (2 adults) of taking the RER from Charles de Gaulle into Paris and the logistics of ease of doing this with luggage. Where do we catch the train in the airport, how often does it run, do we need to purchase tickets in advance etc.

Any more detailed info you could provide would be much appreciated. Trying to avoid an expensive Taxi ride from Airport. Thanks!!

Hi, below is an online article from a travel website (add http://) that explains where to find the RER platform and some other info. It's inexpensive (10€ pp), and trains are frequent. There is no need to buy tickets in advance. You can keep your bags with you at your seat (at least that is what we did). Get a good map of Paris or Google online to determine which station you will travel to, or check with your hotel for that info. If you need to ask someone in the airport, most everyone working there speaks English. Have a great trip!

Europeforvisitors.com/paris/articles/paris-cdg-ground-transportation-trains.htm

That's exactly how we felt. I recommend having lunch outside in a restaurant on the harbor. There are several to choose from. Have a great trip!

You're welcome!

 

- You said you bought your tickets in the morning for the 1st afternoon bus, then still went to the stop early to queue. So are you saying even though you might have a ticket, you still aren't guaranteed a seat on the bus? I'm guessing then that the tickets you buy at the station are not for a specific pick-up time then... correct?

 

That's right. You can use the ticket for any of the buses to Honfleur, but just once. So, you validate the ticket after you get on the bus. Although one can purchase a ticket from the driver, I'd recommend buying it at the station because of high demand when the cruise ship docks. Some passengers told us they were unable to buy a last-minute ticket because the station agent stopped selling after reaching capacity. Boarding is at the Le Havre station.

 

- Did you also buy your return ticket from Honfluer in the morning from the Le Havre station, or did you wait and purchase it from the Honfleur station?

 

We bought a return ticket at the Le Havre station. I wouldn't wait to buy it in Honfleur.

 

Hi, we did this a few years ago. I just looked at the summer bus schedule and it looks about the same as it did then, so I doubt that the fall schedule will look very different.

According to the current summer schedule, there are two buses in the morning, line 39 at 7:10 (too early) and line 50 at 8:54. When we went, we took the first afternoon bus, line 50. According to the current summer schedule, that bus leaves at 12:38. We spent about four hours in Honfleur, shopping, strolling and eating at one of the restaurants lining the Old Harbor, before catching the bus back.

There were two cruise ships in port that day, and the bus tickets sold out very quickly. We walked to the station in the morning, bought our tickets from there (not on the bus), then walked to a cafe for coffee and came back to queue early. Not everyone queuing was able to get on the bus and had to wait for the next one. (BTW, you validate your ticket when you board the bus.) On the way back, we started queuing early, and the bus filled very quickly.

So, even though there are few buses and probably lots of other cruise ship passengers wanting to do this, it's a long time in port and is doable if you don't mind waiting for buses. We thought that Honfleur was worth the waiting and walking to and from the station. We loved our day there.

And I will just add that the bus station is located directly behind the train station. The walk from the port took us about 20 minutes. The agent at the station spoke English, gave us a schedule and circled the times for the return buses. The bus drivers did not speak English except for the word "stop" which they said loudly and frequently when passengers failed to validate their tickets:)

Yes, I would recommend the audio guide. it was very well done and I found it very helpful to hear the background of Picasso's early life in Barcelona and how it influenced his work. This is an outstanding museum of his early work, arranged chronologically in several Gothic palaces that are interesting all in their own. I was just there in June and hopefully, the temporary Dali exhibit is still there because it was also excellent.

You're welcome! The hotel is a small but upscale boutique hotel in a safe and non-touristy area. There is a spa onsite and a wonderful breakfast. The staff will make a dinner restaurant reservation for you if you email them. Regardless of where you decide to stay, I'm sure you will have a great time!

Is your luggage going to be checked through to Vancouver? If so, your time getting out of the airport will not be that late.

I'd say take the RER train into Paris, walk a few blocks from the station to a hotel in Saint Germain-de-Pres (I like Hotel Des Academies et des Arts). From there, you can easily walk to cafes, Luxembourg Park, and the many great restaurants in Montparnasse (for ex, you could make a reservation for Le Dome just a couple of blocks from that hotel), or get the Metro from a stop that is right there as well, and head over to Notre Dame and or to the Eiffel Tower at sunset.

In the morning, have the hotel call a taxi to the airport.

There is no way I'd stay in an airport hotel and not have a great evening in that city.

When we took the bus from Invergordon to Inverness in 2013, the fare was about 10£ return but you can email the bus company for the current amount:

highland.enquiries@stagecoachbus.com

The driver can sell tickets and make change. I don't think they took credit cards.

The company had extra staff at the bus stop on High Street nearest the cruise port to sell tickets due to the number of cruise passengers taking the bus that day. They also ran an extra bus in the morning.

BTW, you may want to get to the bus station in Inverness early for the return trip. People started queuing early and the bus filled up, so we had to wait for the next bus.

Barry-

 

Here's a link to our photos from last year's Mediterranean cruise. Included a stop in Kusadasi for Ephesus. This was our third time there and it is still just as wonderful. Please consider doing a tour with a private tour company such as Ephesus Shuttle. We have used them twice and they are excellent. Check out the roll call for your cruise. Someone may already be forming a tour. Or you could form one. Most ship's tours don't do the Terrace House because only a limited number of people per group (20 or less I think) are allowed in at a time. If you do do a ship's tour it has to be small and usually VERY expensive to go into the houses.

 

Here's the link: https://picasaweb.google.com/gkappesser/Best2014Mediterranean?authkey=Gv1sRgCKKcu6Kb_ZXfXQ

 

Enjoy!!!

 

<<<Karen>>>

Just to clarify...I did a ship sponsored tour to Ephesus that included the Terrace Houses and it was excellent, not expensive. Our guide was very knowledgeable and sympathetic to those of us that did not want to participate in the usual carpet store visit, allowing us to just walk back to the ship instead.

Thank you! This was what I was looking for on the state department's website but could not find. All of the comments have been helpful and just go to show the varying issues/places one has to be aware of. In our situation, I will go with the copy for emergencies and may bring the real thing on our final day in Naples as if we miss the ship there its a flight back to Barcelona whereas the other ports are just a quick train ride. Barcelona for sure, it will stay in the hotel. Don't want a crappy pick pocket to spoil our first Med Cruise!

Have a great cruise!

Turtles, just wondering how much luggage? Because my DH and I took the RER train into Paris from the airport with two large rolling bags and two healthy sized carry ons without a problem. Everyone on the train from the airport is loaded down with luggage. I don't think I would try taking the Metro from the train station but if you have too far to walk to your hotel, you could get a taxi from the RER station without too much concern about being stuck in traffic.

Here is a copy of info directly from the Website travel.state.gov under the section entitled US Passports and International Travel (then click on the country), so folks can decide for themselves:

"In Barcelona, the largest number of incidents reported also occurred in major tourist areas--on Las Ramblas, El Prat Airport, Sants train station, inside Metro stations, in the Sagrada Familia area, in the Gothic Quarter, in Park Güell, in Plaza Reial, and along Barcelona’s beaches. There have been a number of thefts reported at the Port Olimpic Area and nearby beaches.

Travelers should remain alert to their personal security and exercise caution. We suggest that travelers carry limited cash, only one credit card, and a copy of their passport; leaving extra cash, extra credit cards, passports and personal documents in a safe location."

But if the OP doesn't want to go to Rome...he/she can book an excursion to Orvieto either by private driver or through a ship's tour. Beautiful hill town and worth a day's visit.