Question on Puerto Vallarta port

[weluvtravel]

Hi.  Just wondering about exploring Puerto Vallarta on our own.  We will be on the Panorama and it is scheduled to be docked from 8am to 8pm.  I haven't cruised in awhile and so I am not familiar with the procedures.  Can we get off the ship any time that we want?  i read somewhere that everyone who books  shore excursions gets off first?  Just trying to understand the procedure to figure out if we should book an excursion or just go on our own.  The excursions aren't looking that appealing to us as we are trying to combine some time exploring and then hit up a beach and there doesn't look like there is an excursion that does both.  Thanks!

[drjpreston]

You can get off early or throughout the day.  Walmart and Sam's Club is just across the street.  You can book excursions after getting off ship or leave port area and take a taxi to where you want to go.  Taxis are cheaper outside port fence.  Agree on price before going anywhere.  Beaches are close by as well.

 

[Saint Greg]

As far as people with excursions getting off first, you probably read about that at a tender/water shuttle port. Cabo would be the one on that route.

[weluvtravel]

Perfect...thanks for the replies.  I really appreciate it!

[sd63]

If you get a taxi inside the fence you will pay more than outside. We were just there in October and have been to Puerto Vallarta many times. You can get a cab to downtown (Malecon) for $5 (per taxi ride not per person) just ask before you get in as some quoted me as high as $20. We usually get dropped off at Our Lady of Guadalupe church which is near the far end of the Malecon from the ship. There is a large flea market style shopping by the river which is near the church. Walk the Malecon back towards the direction of the ship.  Also, when you return to the ship don't tell the taxi driver your destination is the cruise ship or they will charge you extra. Just say Walmart, again $5 to Walmart, it's a short walk across the street to the ship.

 

http://www.riveracuale.com/location/surroundings/shopping/

 

 

[pinto18]

We take the city bus because we are adventurous ( and cheap haha) pick it up right outside the port and its about 50 cents to get down to the malecon 

[drjpreston]

30 minutes ago, pinto18 said:

We take the city bus because we are adventurous ( and cheap haha) pick it up right outside the port and its about 50 cents to get down to the malecon 

We have done this several times.  Had fun doing so.  Often there will be someone in back of the bus playing a guitar  and singing.  Free entertainment.  The downside is they have rerouted some of the buses and may have to change buses.  Second the buses tend to be full of riders and with Covid this can be an issue for some.  

[pinto18]

1 hour ago, drjpreston said:

We have done this several times.  Had fun doing so.  Often there will be someone in back of the bus playing a guitar  and singing.  Free entertainment.  The downside is they have rerouted some of the buses and may have to change buses.  Second the buses tend to be full of riders and with Covid this can be an issue for some.  

You could be right however when we were there in October I was pleasantly supposed to see all the locals wearing masks on the bus and in the stores

[obnancy]

We arranged a  zip line outside of the cruise line and took a $5.00 taxi (picked up after walking outside port) to the booking office for the zip line.  They drove us by open air bus up to the zipline.  After we were done, asked the driver of the open air bus to drop us off at Malceon.  He said fine, but would need to be two blocks up.  Got off, went to Malceon, swam and then had lunch and super yummy passion fruit margaritas.  Took the bus back for .50 each and got off just outside the port.  Bus was fine. 

 

[cruisingberger]

We just get off the ship and walk to the beach ( 5min. walk). It is a little tricky. Walk Past the Buccaneer bar and vendors to the apartment building (?) next to the port. Go in the gate and walk towards the ocean. Once on the beach, there are  a bunch of hotels and people selling things. Many swimmers. You can walk around by the port.