Mexican Riviera in late summer?

[heckledtrio]

I'm contemplating doing a Mexican Riviera cruise this summer, late August/early September timeframe. The typical 7-day cruise that hits Cabo, Mazatlán, and Puerto Vallarta. We've done this sailing once in December and it was fabulous! But summer feels like a whole different beast-- I know it'll be hot and humid, but I was hoping to hear about people's personal experiences about sailing there during the summer. How were the ports? Good chance of rain? Also, what was it like at sea-- rougher waves? Would late June be any better? 

[CruiserBruce]

Its hurricane season, and while Mexico doesn't get hit by many, that would be the time.

[Mike45LC]

I have no personal experience with this cruise in the summer.  Hot, humid and rainy is what I would expect, which is why I've never done it.  If you go, let us know how uncomfortable the weather is for you!

[SDPadreFan]

September is the down month in Puerto Vallerta where some businesses (not all) close for maintenance/upgrades/employee vacation. For Cabo - it's more late September/early October. These are the rainy months in the area. Definitely hot and humid. Hurricanes form mostly down by Acapulco or Zihuatanejo during the season but generally head north/northwest towards Hawaii in July/early August. Around mid to late August, the pattern changes and they head to the north/northeast and hug the Mexican coastline which makes cruising in the area somewhat troublesome for September & October. Cabo is a tender port, so if there's even a storm remotely close, they will close the port due to heavy swells. So there is the possibility of port cancellations all the way up to a cruise to nowhere (except maybe a port stop in Ensenada, MX). But any cruise is better than staying at home. The weather patterns change again in late Oct/early Nov and the area becomes delightful with 75-85 degree temperatures and lower humidity. Late October is almost always when we visit our timeshare in Cabo.

[heckledtrio]

14 hours ago, Mike45LC said:

I have no personal experience with this cruise in the summer.  Hot, humid and rainy is what I would expect, which is why I've never done it.  If you go, let us know how uncomfortable the weather is for you!

 

LOL! If I were just going by myself, I might chance it just to see what it's like (prices are decent-- no wonder). But I don't really want to subject my travel mates to those conditions, esp when one of them is prone to motion sickness and we might have choppier waters. 

[SDPadreFan]

You should know that because of the Alaskan current that sweeps down the entire North American West Coast as far south as Cabo San Lucas (and perhaps further) that the homeward trek from Cabo back up to California will always be a bit rocky as you punch through that  southbound current. Coldest ocean water temps in Cabo occur in April/May/June. The Alaskan current reaches Cabo usually in mid April. Funny that the whales around Cabo know that it's time to head home to Alaska about that same time.

[heckledtrio]

6 hours ago, SDPadreFan said:

You should know that because of the Alaskan current that sweeps down the entire North American West Coast as far south as Cabo San Lucas (and perhaps further) that the homeward trek from Cabo back up to California will always be a bit rocky as you punch through that  southbound current. Coldest ocean water temps in Cabo occur in April/May/June. The Alaskan current reaches Cabo usually in mid April. Funny that the whales around Cabo know that it's time to head home to Alaska about that same time.

 

Ah yes, I remember that from our December 2019 sailing. All was fine until the sea day on our return trip back to Long Beach from PV. It wasn't too terrible but it was enough that, for the first time in 4 cruises, I decided to pop a Bonine. Thanks for the explanation!