Please help with shore excursions!!

[gbonco1]

I am taking my grandkids (ages 13, 15, & 17) on the Oosterdam cruise the end of March. Of course I want everything to be fun and perfect! I would love imput on shore excursions. In Mazatlan we plan on doing Stone Island on our own. Would love to do a little shopping and see the cliff divers too. Any suggested time for the divers? There is so much available in PV. I can't decide. Top choices right now are Las Caletas or Yelapa. Hope someone out there can help with that choice! How bad would Las Caletas be with 3 ships in port? Los Veronos sounds great for the kids. Concerned if I could do it and how difficult to coordinate the excursion with the ship terminal & time. Mazatlan would be lovers beach and lands end, kayaking and or snorkeling. Any suggestions from anyone would be greatly appreciated. Also from those 3 ports where would be the best location for parasailing and with which vendor? My first post and thanks for reading!

[GinDon]

With three teenagers, in PV I would definitely recommend Los Veranos zip lining. They will be forever grateful. I'm an out-of-shape 62 year old scaredy-cat, and I had a ball on the zip line. Best excursion we've ever done.

 

Mazatlan, we also did Stone Island, but we took one of the catamaran tours (used Puesta del Sol). It included a one hr. catamaran ride in the harbor, and, once on the island, lunch, and two free 1/2 hr activities. We did the sea kayaking and the horse ride through town. This company also took us for a quick ride to see the cliff divers, and the old cathedral, before our tour started. I think it was $30/pp, and we felt it was worth the money.

 

Cabo, we did Lover's Beach by water taxi, then spent time walking around town, shopped in the air conditioned shopping center, and hung out for a while at the Cabo Wabo Cantina.

 

Hope these ideas are of help.

[lovevacadays]

I am taking my grandkids (ages 13, 15, & 17) on the Oosterdam cruise the end of March. Of course I want everything to be fun and perfect! I would love imput on shore excursions. In Mazatlan we plan on doing Stone Island on our own. Would love to do a little shopping and see the cliff divers too. Any suggested time for the divers? There is so much available in PV. I can't decide. Top choices right now are Las Caletas or Yelapa. Hope someone out there can help with that choice! How bad would Las Caletas be with 3 ships in port? Los Veronos sounds great for the kids. Concerned if I could do it and how difficult to coordinate the excursion with the ship terminal & time. Mazatlan would be lovers beach and lands end, kayaking and or snorkeling. Any suggestions from anyone would be greatly appreciated. Also from those 3 ports where would be the best location for parasailing and with which vendor? My first post and thanks for reading!

 

Puerto Vallara: I would pick Las Caletas over Yelapa. It is a controlled number of people there as you can only go to Las Caletas via boat and most cruise lines use Vallarta Adventures so I wouldn't worry about overcrowding.

 

Mazatlan: I'm not sure what times the divers dive. I've seen them a couple of times but don't know for sure if they have a set schedule. One of the taxi drivers outside the cruise terminal should be able to tell you. they aren't too far from the terminal so depending on what time you get back or go to Stone Island you should be able to see them.

 

Cabo: Keep in mind that Lover's Beach does not have restroom facilities. It is over at Land's End and is a stretch of beach only. No restaurants, bars, etc. Very pretty though and amazing views. Medano Beach (reachable by water or land taxi) has lots of restaurants, water activities for the kids, etc and places where you can use loungers if you are eating or having something to drink.

 

Parasailing can be done in Cabo and Mazatlan. Not in Las Caletas if you choose that for Puerto Vallarta. I've never done it but my ex-husband did it at the Golden Zone in Mazatlan many years ago. If you are going to Stone Island in Mazatlan you might want to save your parasailing for Cabo and go to Medano Beach instead of Lovers Beach

 

Have a great time in Mexico

[MSN-Travelers]

I am taking my grandkids (ages 13, 15, & 17) on the Oosterdam cruise the end of March. Of course I want everything to be fun and perfect! I would love imput on shore excursions. In Mazatlan we plan on doing Stone Island on our own. Would love to do a little shopping and see the cliff divers too. Any suggested time for the divers? There is so much available in PV. I can't decide. Top choices right now are Las Caletas or Yelapa. Hope someone out there can help with that choice! How bad would Las Caletas be with 3 ships in port? Los Veronos sounds great for the kids. Concerned if I could do it and how difficult to coordinate the excursion with the ship terminal & time. Mazatlan would be lovers beach and lands end, kayaking and or snorkeling. Any suggestions from anyone would be greatly appreciated. Also from those 3 ports where would be the best location for parasailing and with which vendor? My first post and thanks for reading!

 

The excursion is capacity controlled. It doesn't matter if there are three ships or 30 ships in port, the tour operator only allows a set number of tickets to be sold to avoid over-crowding.

 

Could you be a little clearer with your Los Veranos concerns? Can you please explain "Concerned if I could do it and how difficult to coordinate the excursion with the ship terminal & time."?

[gbonco1]

Well first of all I'm a 69 year old, broke my left wrist a year ago and have limited mobility and strength in it. I don't know if I would be allowed to be a ride along and just let the kids do the zip. Also It seems unclear how to get to the LV office and back to the ship. Where is my spirit of adventure!

[GinDon]

Yes, you can do just a ride-along. I think it's like, $20 or $25. There is a nice little bar/restaurant to sit and wait, and also a river area where you could swim, if so inclined.

Your wrist might pose a problem. You don't really need any strength, but you do have to hold on to the bar/handle. Also, if for some reason you slow down and don't quite make it to the other end, you have to pull yourself in, hand over hand.

Taxi over and back to the Los Veranos Office. Easy as pie!

[dmah]

Yes, you could go along and not do the zip lining. We did this through Los Veranos and my husband was over the weight limit. There is a very nice restaurant (great food and drinks) right close to the river. When your grandkids are done zip lining, their last zip will be right towards where you'll be waiting. My husband was bummed, but none the less enjoyed his relaxing day.

[gbonco1]

I don't know why I spent so much time with guide books---you have all given me much better information! I did book Los Veranos for all 4 of us. That way if I feel OK during the introductory part I will go for it. If not, to the restaurant I'll go. I have read so much about the great guides that the company has and feel the kids would be OK on their own. Right?

Thanks again for everyones imput! Snow on the ground here in Denver and I can't wait to cruise!