Copper Canyon Mexico

[Cal Cruiser]

Is this a good trip? Also how long is this trip?

I was thinking of taking a cruise next year and this is the only trip that I have not taken so I was thinking of taking this tour if it is worth it?

 

Thank You

[Krazy Kruizers]

We were not able to do this tour due to DH's heart condition -- it is a long day.

 

But this is what I wrote up about it from a Q & A session that we attended:

 

The tour can handle 330 people. Breakfast was served from 3 - 4 AM in the Lido for those who went on the tour. Then everyone gathered in the Veermer Lounge at 4:30 and waited until 5:30 when they boarded their buses. Each person was given a card that indicated their bus number, train seat assignment, and what time they were to eat at the summit. It is about a 2 hour bus ride to the train station - the buses were given a police escort through Los Mochis so as to avoid lights and traffic. Once on the train everyone got a box breakfast. There were 2 shifts for lunch at the summit. And everyone was given a box snack on the train on the way back to the buses. Some said the food was definitely not HAL's - the overall rating - typical Mexican food. Everyone was back on the ship by 11 PM. So in order to eat between 3 and 4 AM you had to be up by at least 2:30. For those passengers - a long day - 20 and 1/2 hours!!!

 

We were able to attend a small meeting with a few TA's and the captain after this tour. All the TA's had small groups on this cruise (20 - 30 passengers in each group). One man claimed that he had brochures that said the train was supposed to be the Southern Orient Express (I have never heard of this) and the some of the cars were supposed to be dome cars - none were. He had shown his clients this brochure and felt that he had been mis-represented by HAL. The train nothing more than a regular Mexican train. All complained about the dirty windows - it appeared that the windows had not been cleaned in weeks. The bathrooms wer terrible - especially on the return trip down - no one had bothered to clean them or restock the toilet paper or paper towels. As I mentioned before, everyone was assigned seats. Some people had great views on the way up to the summit. Others didn't. On each car there are 4 windows that are quite small making viewing the scenery difficult for 8 passengers. On the return trip passengers trade assigned seats so that those who had the bad windows now have the larger windows. But as one woman said - it was great for about 2 hours but for the last 4 hours you travel in all darkness. In the talk session that we attended, another woman was asked if she would take this tour again and she said no and she said that she wasn't really certain if she would recommend this tour to anyone or not.

[Loreto]

We took this a number of years ago, and just about everything Krazy Kruisers states was accurate. We were assigned a car, but could choose our seats. Research told me to sit on the right for the best view. We hustled after we got off the bus and got right on the train to be sure we sat on the right. I knew that it would be dark on the way back and we would not see much.

 

It was a very long day, but we were glad we went. You take this trip for the train ride; the actual canyon is disappointing compared to the Grand Canyon.

 

Karen

[caltnl]

I took the Copper Canyon trip in April of 09 on the Ryndam and enjoyed it very much.

 

The Captain was at the foot of the gangway wishing us all a good trip. On our return we were met by two rows of Officers welcoming us back and hoping that we had had a good trip.

 

As an aside as we boarded the manometer was push aside so we just boarded. Then they had sandwiches there and the Lido was also open for us.

 

As a train buff and former Arizonan I enjoyed the trip very much.

 

Enjoy the trip

 

PS: Three weeks from today will be transiting the inside passage on the Amsterdam on our way to Alaska.

[rafinmd]

I may be a heretic here, but I greatly enjoyed this trip as a land tour. I did it through Sierra Madre Express. Their 7-day programs begin and end in Tucson with about a 2-hour transfer to the train just South of the border. You have 1 night in the private train's sleeping cars and spend several nights at hotels in the canyon with all daylight travel in the canyon and activities like horseback rides available. The Canyon is a great experience but IMHO it does not lend itself well to an excursion from a cruise ship, with far better suited destinations for a cruise.

 

http://www.sierramadreexpress.com/index.htm

[Taxguy77]

I always wanted to do the trip, but only with my car on a flatcar, and to stay overnight in the canyon. I would have driven back from Los Mochis. An alternative... take the train from Texas, stay overnight in the canyon, stay in Los Mochis one night and take the train to Nogales. Problem with that is getting the car later.

 

I would not consider this a ship excursion.

[KAYEF]

I would never do Copper Canyon as a shore excursion from a cruise. Over the years I've read the stories of the 12 - 15 hour day..........the long rides, etc.

The only way I'd do CC is the way we did it..................a TOUR. The tour was magnificent and we enjoyed far more than a long day of riding to peek into a canyon..............we got to "know" the local Indian tribe that lives there, to spend the night there, etc.

It was ten days and it was $995. and it still IS. We stayed in wonderful hotels, had excellent meals and a fantastic Tour Guide and learned a LOT about local culture in each area we visited.

Rushing (with mostly rides to get there and back) is not visiting a place, IMO.;)

[KSCnCA]

My husband, sister and brother-in-law did the Copper Canyon tour in Mrch of 2008. We had a wonderful time, even with the LONG day and the not perfect conditions. We did it knowing we might never get the chance to tour the Copper Canyon on a land excursion and we were celebrating my husband's 50th birthday. If we take another Sea of Cortez cruise we will not take the Copper Canyon tour but would still recommend it to those who are not restricted to limited travel by their health. Especially if you look at the glass half full instead of half empty!

[mudscraper]

I may be a heretic here, but I greatly enjoyed this trip as a land tour. I did it through Sierra Madre Express. Their 7-day programs begin and end in Tucson with about a 2-hour transfer to the train just South of the border. You have 1 night in the private train's sleeping cars and spend several nights at hotels in the canyon with all daylight travel in the canyon and activities like horseback rides available. The Canyon is a great experience but IMHO it does not lend itself well to an excursion from a cruise ship, with far better suited destinations for a cruise.

 

http://www.sierramadreexpress.com/index.htm

This is more like it. Sounds like a great trip. I couldn`t see myself doing the ships tour of Copper Canyon.

 

 

Rich

[PCruzer]

We did the Copper Canyon shore excursion. My husband is a rail buff, so he enjoyed it immensely; but I also enjoyed the ride. We did this trip because we wanted to experience the train ride but didn't want to spend a week doing it on a land tour. This excursion is all about the journey, not the destination. It was a very long day - we were up at 2:30 am and arrived back to the ship around 10:30 pm. To us it was an adventure, and from researching, we knew what to expect. There were many other passengers who were complaining that they only got to spend an hour at the canyon. They didn't realize that the major reason that you do this excursion is the train ride. If we were to do another Sea of Cortez cruise, I doubt that we would repeat this excursion. For one thing, it's very expensive. And now that we have done it, we have no reason to do it again.

[LuAnn]

I may be a heretic here, but I greatly enjoyed this trip as a land tour. I did it through Sierra Madre Express. Their 7-day programs begin and end in Tucson with about a 2-hour transfer to the train just South of the border. You have 1 night in the private train's sleeping cars and spend several nights at hotels in the canyon with all daylight travel in the canyon and activities like horseback rides available. The Canyon is a great experience but IMHO it does not lend itself well to an excursion from a cruise ship, with far better suited destinations for a cruise.

 

http://www.sierramadreexpress.com/index.htm

 

My parents did this trip years ago...but as a land trip and LOVED it...and raved about it for ever!!! BUT...I agree...I don't think it lends itself to a ships' tour...we were on the Ryndam in 2/09 and everyone who went said it was just too long a day trip! But...to each his own!!! LuAnn

[cruz chic]

I always wanted to do the trip, but only with my car on a flatcar, and to stay overnight in the canyon. I would have driven back from Los Mochis. An alternative... take the train from Texas, stay overnight in the canyon, stay in Los Mochis one night and take the train to Nogales. Problem with that is getting the car later.

 

I would not consider this a ship excursion.

 

I would never do Copper Canyon as a shore excursion from a cruise. Over the years I've read the stories of the 12 - 15 hour day..........the long rides, etc.

The only way I'd do CC is the way we did it..................a TOUR. The tour was magnificent and we enjoyed far more than a long day of riding to peek into a canyon..............we got to "know" the local Indian tribe that lives there, to spend the night there, etc.

It was ten days and it was $995. and it still IS. We stayed in wonderful hotels, had excellent meals and a fantastic Tour Guide and learned a LOT about local culture in each area we visited.

Rushing (with mostly rides to get there and back) is not visiting a place, IMO.;)

I did this tour and I agree with these posters. It's much better to do this away from a cruise. It's way too long of a day and really rushed.

[Cinder Again]

I may be a heretic here, but I greatly enjoyed this trip as a land tour. I did it through Sierra Madre Express. Their 7-day programs begin and end in Tucson with about a 2-hour transfer to the train just South of the border. You have 1 night in the private train's sleeping cars and spend several nights at hotels in the canyon with all daylight travel in the canyon and activities like horseback rides available. The Canyon is a great experience but IMHO it does not lend itself well to an excursion from a cruise ship, with far better suited destinations for a cruise.

 

http://www.sierramadreexpress.com/index.htm

 

Idid this trip with Grand Circle, round trip from Tucson Az. I think it was 2 weeks and very affordable. It was really terrific, and the best part was staying at the canyon and waking with the sun rising, looking right into the canyon.

[caltnl]

I disagree with the bulk of the posters. I enjoyed the trip even if it was a long day! Will probably never be able to see the canyon any other way so took it when offered.

[TCF]

We did the Sea of Cortez cruise a year ago and agonized over whether or not to take the Copper Canyon excursion. In the end we decided against it.

 

In a talking with our fellow passengers who did the excursion the following day I came to some conclusions that you might consider.

 

1. According to most this more an "adventure" than it was the standard type excursions. It is long and tiring.

 

2. It would help a lot if you really liked trains.

 

3. Because it is an adventure there are few opportunities anywhere in the world to match it....so if you are into cutting notches in your travel belt....well then the Copper Canyon excursion is a must do.

 

4. Consideration for your health level is also advised. (We decided not to take this adventure in the end because I have a bad back....and I would have suffered had we taken it.)

 

If you do decide that you are not up to the 18 hour adventure there is another excursion offered by HAL available that we took that is worthy of consideration.

 

It is an eight hour excursion to El Fuerte....the place where the Copper Canyon train leaves from and returns to....to visit the childhood home of the Mexican swashbuckler Zorro. (He lived in El Fuerte until his ninth birthday before his family moved north to what would become California). It is a wonderful day with stops at an Indian village, a terrific lunch in El Fuerte, with lots of culture and history. A worthy alternative to the Copper Canyon adventure.

 

Whatever you decide....it is an amazing part of the world to visit.

 

Have great time!!