New Mexican cruise home port being built-Rocky Point

[tjcletsgo]

New cruise home port-Rocky Point

Rocky Point is a new cruise port being built by the Mexican government in Northeast Sea of Cortez. Holland American has already committed to home porting a ship there for Sea of Cortez sailings. They can cover 6 ports in a 7 days cruise. The port will be finished in 2016.

 

I for one am very excited about this!!!!!!:D

 

http://www.kvoa.com/news/they-re-bui...n-rocky-point/

[Colo Cruiser]

Thanks for posting this.

[Pam in CA]

Interesting. HAL has had itineraries sailing into the Sea of Cortez for years and Princess started scheduling stops just last Fall. It looks like a really great itinerary but the negative that comes to my mind is how easy and inexpensive would it be fly there pre-and post-cruise.

[tjcletsgo]

Pam, I imagine you could fly non-stop to Tucson (it's about an hour flight) very reasonably. Princess would offer transfers I would think. Frankly, if I were to cruise out of there I'd do an road trip with a friend and stay a few days in Tucson, especially if it's spring. It's gorgeous there with the flowering cactus.......

 

I've been to Loreto, La Paz and Cabo but have never visited the other ports. I friend has a home in San Philipe just loves it there. I absolutely love the Sea of Cortez.

 

I'm hopefull!:D

[Jim Avery]

Interesting. HAL has had itineraries sailing into the Sea of Cortez for years and Princess started scheduling stops just last Fall. It looks like a really great itinerary but the negative that comes to my mind is how easy and inexpensive would it be fly there pre-and post-cruise.

 

Currently only Aeromexico (from Las Vegas) flies to PPE from the US (at least as far as I can find). The airport has an 8,200 ft main runway. Puerto Penasco is about a 4 hour drive from PHX. We like Puerto Penasco and have been down several times in the past. The water and beach is beautiful but not so hot on the drive down with the border crossing, Mexican car insurance, real or perceived danger, etc. If they started a shuttle flight from PHX I imagine it would be about 45 min. Maybe Southwest when the market develops. Lots of real estate development going on in what used to be a sleepy little fishing village.

[Pam in CA]

Pam, I imagine you could fly non-stop to Tucson (it's about an hour flight) very reasonably. Princess would offer transfers I would think. Frankly, if I were to cruise out of there I'd do an road trip with a friend and stay a few days in Tucson, especially if it's spring. It's gorgeous there with the flowering cactus.......

Just for giggles, I checked flights out of SNA to TUS and absolutely nothing non-stop and no where near a 1hour flight. Would have to fly to Phoenix, layover and then to Tucson. It would take a good part of the day just from Orange County. And it wasn't cheap and you'd still have to pay to get from Tucson to the ship. Checked driving and it would take about the same time to drive to Tucson as it would to Puerto Penasco...about 7 hours and that's with light traffic. No way would I do that. :( Same from BOS... an all-day affair with at least one stop. Definitely not easy or convenient. :( Edited April 6, 2014 by Pam in CA

[tjcletsgo]

Pam, maybe "if you built it, they will come" :D

[mammajamma2013]

LOL at myself! I read your heading and all I could think of was "How can they build a port in New Mexico? We're landlocked!" Then I realized what you meant; I'd even read another article about this new port just yesterday!

[tjcletsgo]

LOL! Pam's point is valid. They will have to do something about the logistical problem if you aren't going to drive to Tucson and shuttle to the port. But they have two years to figure that out;)

[ar1950]

Just for giggles, I checked flights out of SNA to TUS and absolutely nothing non-stop and no where near a 1hour flight. Would have to fly to Phoenix, layover and then to Tucson. It would take a good part of the day just from Orange County. And it wasn't cheap and you'd still have to pay to get from Tucson to the ship. Checked driving and it would take about the same time to drive to Tucson as it would to Puerto Penasco...about 7 hours and that's with light traffic. No way would I do that. :( Same from BOS... an all-day affair with at least one stop. Definitely not easy or convenient. :(

 

Fly to Phoenix. It is the same distance and driving time to Rocky Point from Phoenix as it is from Tucson. :cool:

[Hlitner]

We think (but cannot prove) that there is more to this story then it appears. California adopted ship anti-pollution rules that forced cruise ships to burn a special low-sulfur fuel that costs a lot more then normal "bunker" fuel. (these rules will soon go nationwide) In addition, the demands of the Longshoreman Union have done nothing to reduce the cost of the cruise lines. And then there are the constant hassles from the US CBP folks which can make turning around a cruise ship even more difficult. And then there are the various restrictions resulting from the Passenger Vessels Services Act (PVSA) which is a 19th century US Law still imposed on cruise lines.

 

So along comes Mexico (our winter home) with an attitude that welcomes cruise ships and their business. Rather then throwing up more an more rules and regulations, Mexico is business-friendly and truly wants the business.

 

Unless their is a major attitude change in the USA towards the cruise business, we can envision more and more cruise ships moving their home ports outside the USA. There are already non-USA ports in the Caribbean (such as Antigua and Aruba) that are capable of acting as home ports. The cruise lines are going to do whatever is in their best interest which means maximizing their bottom lines.

 

Hank

Edited April 6, 2014 by Hlitner

[rubrrick]

The last time that I visited Rocky Point, Puerto Penasco is the official name, resorts were being built, there was a layout for an airport, that would accept regional jets, including Southwest.

 

Now, this once sleepy fishing village is starting to come alive. I believe that when the pier is complete, there will be a few airlines that will do charter work, more than likely from Phoenix, Sky Harbor airport, because so many airlines now use Sky Harbor.

 

If HAL starts using the pier, I believe that Princess will follow. Being land locked, in a community just next to Phoenix, we would start cruising from time to time out of Rocky Point, especially if some of the stops are as beautiful as Loreto.

 

We had our first experience with the Sea of Cortez on the Sapphire Princess in February of this year, and plan on being back in January of next. I would really love to see more of the Sea of Cortez, and have more ports like Loreto. I could do that once a month for a bit, maybe every other month.

 

Love....love, love this idea!!:)

 

Rick

[rubrrick]

We think (but cannot prove) that there is more to this story then it appears. California adopted ship anti-pollution rules that forced cruise ships to burn a special low-sulfur fuel that costs a lot more then normal "bunker" fuel. (these rules will soon go nationwide) In addition, the demands of the Longshoreman Union have done nothing to reduce the cost of the cruise lines. And then there are the constant hassles from the US CBP folks which can make turning around a cruise ship even more difficult. And then there are the various restrictions resulting from the Passenger Vessels Services Act (PVSA) which is a 19th century US Law still imposed on cruise lines.

 

So along comes Mexico (our winter home) with an attitude that welcomes cruise ships and their business. Rather then throwing up more an more rules and regulations, Mexico is business-friendly and truly wants the business.

 

Unless their is a major attitude change in the USA towards the cruise business, we can envision more and more cruise ships moving their home ports outside the USA. There are already non-USA ports in the Caribbean (such as Antigua and Aruba) that are capable of acting as home ports. The cruise lines are going to do whatever is in their best interest which means maximizing their bottom lines.

 

Hank

 

Great points!! Hard to believe that PVSA was not recinded, years ago.

 

Our great nation is getting harder to deal with, rather than easier, and I don't see any changes on the horizon. Great for Mexico, and especially the economy of Rocky Point!

 

The flight would be shorter from Phoenix to Rocky Point, than it is from Phoenix to either LA or San Diego.

 

Rick

[tjcletsgo]

The last time that I visited Rocky Point, Puerto Penasco is the official name, resorts were being built, there was a layout for an airport, that would accept regional jets, including Southwest.

 

Now, this once sleepy fishing village is starting to come alive. I believe that when the pier is complete, there will be a few airlines that will do charter work, more than likely from Phoenix, Sky Harbor airport, because so many airlines now use Sky Harbor.

 

If HAL starts using the pier, I believe that Princess will follow. Being land locked, in a community just next to Phoenix, we would start cruising from time to time out of Rocky Point, especially if some of the stops are as beautiful as Loreto.

 

We had our first experience with the Sea of Cortez on the Sapphire Princess in February of this year, and plan on being back in January of next. I would really love to see more of the Sea of Cortez, and have more ports like Loreto. I could do that once a month for a bit, maybe every other month.

 

Love....love, love this idea!!:)

 

Rick

 

Me too, Rick. I cruised Loreto and La Paz ten years ago and am going back in November. I loved those ports and have always wished we had more choices to cruise the Sea of Cortez. IMO, the Mexican people are some of the kindest and hard working people I've ever met. I'm thrilled that their getting a boost to their ecomony with this new venture. Just hope they plan their growth responsibily. I'd hate to see the Sea of Cortez turned into another "glitter gulch":eek:

[lovevacadays]

It looks like it would be a great cruise with lots of stops. I can see where there could be logistics issues in terms of flying. My family in Phoenix might love it.

[tjcletsgo]

I thought I read that they built an airport? Or is one just planned? If the price was right I'd fly to Phoenix, change planes and fly to Rocky Point. You could be there by noon.:D

[ar1950]

I thought I read that they built an airport? Or is one just planned? If the price was right I'd fly to Phoenix, change planes and fly to Rocky Point. You could be there by noon.:D

 

Yes you could. And there are currently charter flights going there now from Phoenix to Rocky Point. Easy enough to make the change over to scheduled flights if there is the demand that a cruise port would bring. :cool:

[dchip]

Wow, the last time I was in Rocky Point they didn't even have a paved road!!

 

Cheers, Denise

[rubrrick]

I thought I read that they built an airport? Or is one just planned? If the price was right I'd fly to Phoenix, change planes and fly to Rocky Point. You could be there by noon.:D

 

 

Sorry if I mislead you. They HAVE built an airport. I have not seen it personally to know what kind of facilities they have, but they do have an 8,200 foot runway, and private aircraft are using it, as well as AeroMexico.

 

As I mentioned, this villiage has come alive, and the Mexican Government will make sure that it is built up properly. Cancun was and is controlled that way, and Puerto Penasco is controlled the same way.

 

I'd also venture a guess that there would be charter flights out of an airport close to LAX, if not LAX itself, for California guests wanting to go to Rocky Point for a cruise. They will fly in the day of the cruise departure, and be ready to take those back to California on the day of disembarkation.

 

Rick

[hollydog]

Wow, the last time I was in Rocky Point they didn't even have a paved road!!

 

Cheers, Denise

 

Same here! Around 1978 or 79 we were camping in southern Arizona, and on a whim bought Mexican car insurance and drove to Puerto Penasco. We camped on the beach for several days and saw no one other than a local trying to sell us a blanket. Who would have thought we'd someday have the opportunity to return by cruise ship?!

[Pam in CA]

Fly to Phoenix. It is the same distance and driving time to Rocky Point from Phoenix as it is from Tucson. :cool:

That would work. I'm spoiled. I'd rather take a longer cruise out of LA but would consider this on HAL. :)

[swedish weave]

They could actually run longer cruises out of Rocky Point. I looked at the map a few months ago, and I believe they can access 8 or 9 ports from there including PV and Mazatlan.

[dchip]

Same here! Around 1978 or 79 we were camping in southern Arizona, and on a whim bought Mexican car insurance and drove to Puerto Penasco. We camped on the beach for several days and saw no one other than a local trying to sell us a blanket. Who would have thought we'd someday have the opportunity to return by cruise ship?!

 

Lol. At that point in time, I couldn't have imagined me on a cruise ship!! It would be fun to sail all the way up the Baja though.

 

Just booked the RT out of San Francisco because we want to go to LaPaz and Loreto.

 

Cheers, Denise

[poolreader]

I am excited by the thought of another cruise we could reach with driving rather than flying. It would be great to take a leisurely drive into Phoenix, and then a shuttle into Mexico. New ports yay!

[D'Shadow]

Could it be a possibility for Princess to create longer Mexican cruises to include this port and still be roundtrip SF or LA? Possibly a 15 (or more) day cruise. Not knowing all the rules and regulations - just wondering...