Different Mexican Riviera itineraries

[igraf]

We normally cruise to Cabo, Mazatlán and Puerto Vallarta on a 7-day cruise from San Diego, but now I see stops at Cabo, Loreto and La Paz instead for some of the 2024/2025 sailings on the Koningsdam.  This seems like a significant step down to me, but I would like to hear what others think about these alternative ports. 

 

igraf

 

[CruiserBruce]

22 minutes ago, igraf said:

We normally cruise to Cabo, Mazatlán and Puerto Vallarta on a 7-day cruise from San Diego, but now I see stops at Cabo, Loreto and La Paz instead for some of the 2024/2025 sailings on the Koningsdam.  This seems like a significant step down to me, but I would like to hear what others think about these alternative ports. 

 

igraf

 

Step down? Have you been to LA Paz or Loreto?

 

By the way, they are doing some of the same routes in 25-26 on N. Amsterdam. We are booked on one. A change of pace.

[igraf]

I have not been to La Paz or Loreto.  That is why I am asking for input.

 

I am looking for specific sights/excursions of interest.  Something better than the "Hotel California" Todos Santos excursion from La Paz.

 

igraf

 

 

[srsurman]

If you're going in February or March, then Loreto would be a bucket list destination if you want to see blue whales.

[Kay S]

1 hour ago, CruiserBruce said:

Step down? 

 

 

🤣🤣🤣  Obviously you haven't been to Loretto or La Paz.  La Paz has some of the most beautiful beaches around, and Loretto is historical and charming.  (Californians might appreciate that the first of the Father Serra missions still exists in Loretto.)  What these ports are not would be touristic drunken party towns with Americanized Mexican food and cheap souvenirs.  But maybe that's somebody's idea of a "step down." 😝

[igraf]

2 minutes ago, Kay S said:

🤣🤣🤣  Obviously you haven't been to Loretto or La Paz.  La Paz has some of the most beautiful beaches around, and Loretto is historical and charming.  (Californians might appreciate that the first of the Father Serra missions still exists in Loretto.)  What these ports are not would be touristic drunken party towns with Americanized Mexican food and cheap souvenirs.  But maybe that's somebody's idea of a "step down." 😝

 

Again, I have not been to Loretto or La Paz.  Thus the posting of this topic.

 

I am not interested in the drunken parties in Cabo.  In fact, I would rather give up Cabo over Mazatlán or Puerto Vallarta.  A cruise to Loretto, Mazatlán and Puerto Vallarta would be very good.

 

I have travelled to South America over a dozen times recently for work.  Keeping that in mind, what is there for me to see in La Paz?  I have beaches and whale watching at home in San Diego, so I am more interested the actual cities.

 

igraf

 

 

[julia]

Well, this ex-San Diegan is rather surprised that you would use the term "step down" from the usual Mexican Riviera itinerary. Pretty much everyone knows that the Sea of Cortez is coveted cruising. 

[mcrcruiser]

Suggestion there isca ports section on cruise critic ,just scroll down to see it . more than likely ypu will get your answers about Loredo & Lapaz  there . Additionally , you can look at vthis web site which represents 1200 ports of the world : Whatsinport.com   .It has short videos  as well 

[sunviking90]

La Paz and Loreto are lovely, and Loreto is especially charming. I wouldn’t go on a Mexican cruise unless these were on the itinerary. La Paz is an actual city and is the capital of Baja California. There is some beautiful architecture there. Loreto is more of a small beach town, but very charming. It was nice to not have people aggressively trying to sell us tacky souvenirs like most Mexican ports. Very low key vibes here. They also have few cruise ship visits so they’re not overrun. 
 

Edited August 22 by sunviking90

[Kay S]

We once sat having a drink in a little spot across from the plaza in La Paz and watched a wedding party arrive and enter the church.  It was beautiful.  We are returning next month on another Sea of Cortez cruise, something we like to do as often as we can.  The water in the sea is a gorgeous shade of blue/green and different from the Pacific on the other coast.  Anyone with an interest in history will find much fascinating stuff in any of the towns.

[CruiserBruce]

8 hours ago, Kay S said:

🤣🤣🤣  Obviously you haven't been to Loretto or La Paz.  La Paz has some of the most beautiful beaches around, and Loretto is historical and charming.  (Californians might appreciate that the first of the Father Serra missions still exists in Loretto.)  What these ports are not would be touristic drunken party towns with Americanized Mexican food and cheap souvenirs.  But maybe that's somebody's idea of a "step down." 😝

Actually we have to LA Paz and Loreto...in April of this year. And I was questioning the comment "step down". There was a question mark after the words.

 

And, I agree with your assessment. The two towns are not of the same type of Mexican tourist town like Cabo, PV or Mazatlan. 

[mcrcruiser]

1 hour ago, CruiserBruce said:

Actually we have to LA Paz and Loreto...in April of this year. And I was questioning the comment "step down". There was a question mark after the words.

 

And, I agree with your assessment. The two towns are not of the same type of Mexican tourist town like Cabo, PV or Mazatlan. 

imo Bruce Cabo is so commerical  & has a lot of /American money invested  .Mazatlan & PV are good stops but Lapaz & Loredo are exceptional ports 

[Sir PMP]

7 minutes ago, mcrcruiser said:

imo Bruce Cabo is so commerical  & has a lot of /American money invested  .Mazatlan & PV are good stops but Lapaz & Loredo are exceptional ports 

Cabo is kaput.

[igraf]

2 hours ago, mcrcruiser said:

imo Bruce Cabo is so commerical  & has a lot of /American money invested  .Mazatlan & PV are good stops but Lapaz & Loredo are exceptional ports 

 

Thanks for the input.  This is what I wanted to know.  I was concerned that the alternative ports were just cost cutting from HAL.

 

igraf

 

[Mary229]

@igraf  I was intrigued by the new itineraries myself. I have done the Riviera twice, once by choice and once as part of a return from South America.  These new itineraries put this cruise back on my list. 

[saskacruiser]

There’s a great looking historical 12-night Baja sailing on Zuiderdam scheduled for February 2026 that goes even further up into the Sea of Cortez and includes, in addition to Loreto and LaPaz, port stops at Guaymas and Topolobampo (as well as Cabo, PV & Mazatlan). Sadly, Santa Rosalia has been dropped and replaced with Ensendada.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Several years ago when I was sailing just HAL and mostly West Coast I would have been thrilled with the new 7 day itineraries, It really is a good move for HAL to do something different. But on a personal note in the last few years including my upcoming November cruise I am sailing on the NCL Bliss which unfortunately tried to throw in an extra port for the 7 day cruise so they stop in Ensenada Mexico in addition to Cabo,PV and Mazatlan. With doing this they cut short my favorite port of Mazatlan not allowing me enough time to go to lunch in the Golden Zone. I need a full day there to go to Panchos for lunch on the beach. So for me I was disappointed that there were not many that went to Mazatlan. It looks like for November of 2025 there is only Thanksgiving week for November and that is not the week I want to go lol  Oh well I know they cannot keep everyone happy.

[ukpylot]

We did this cruise last year exactly because it wasn't the usual Mexican trip and absolutely loved Loreto, and will go back there later this year be air and land. I would absolutely recommend a cruise that stopped there.

[cccole]

@igraf I think that your second sentence saying that "This (the changes) seems like a significant step down" is what rubbed posters the wrong way.  To many these changes are a step up to a beautiful part of Mexico not always experienced on Mexican cruises.  Too bad you can't change that sentence and get more positive responses to what others love about the new ports.  I will say that we have a friend who moved to Loreto and loves, loves, loves it.  JMO. Cherie

[XBGuy]

We did a Sea of Cortez cruise on Princess that included Loreto and La Paz.  I enjoyed both ports, but I definitely preferred Loreto.  While I know a lot of American's live there, it is exactly how I would picture a sleepy Mexican village.

 

I know many eschew ship's excursions, but we signed up for a terrific event at Loreto called "Mexican Fiesta."  From the tender dock we were directed to a taxi which took us to a beachfront hotel about a mile away--it is easily walkable.  There was music, folklorico dancers and a pinata.  The main thing though was a very robust lunch.  The central feature of the lunch was a local mollusk called the chocolate clam.  These clams are cooked by burying them in rocks and covering them with a dried shrub which is ignited.  Along with the clams, there were grilled fish, chicken, a very tasty vegetable dish, salad, tortillas and, I'm sure dessert, but I don't remember that, at all.   I'd say there were about 125 cruisers attending this event seated at 10 or 12 picnic tables.  There was a lady on the other side of the table from me who really was into the spirit.  She kept going back to the clam pit and bringing back another platter of them.  I was more than happy to help her eat all those clams.  You know, however, that there were people grousing that the food wasn't very good as the "authentic" Mexican restaurant back in their hometown.

 

In La Paz I just walked around town and had a great time.  I should mention that the ship docks at a port about 20 miles from La Paz.  Busses ($0) transport cruisers to and from the town.  I spent about an hour in a little Natural History Museum ($5).  I think in La Paz they have the whale shark excursion.  That sounds pretty neat.  A previous poster mentioned blue whales.  I have no idea what time of year you might see blue whales. 

 

 

[canadianbear]

Back in 2018 we did the 10 day HAL Mexican cruise on the Eurodam which included Loreto & La Paz.  Loreto is a nice port to walk around.  In La Paz we booked a private excursion to snorkel with whale sharks.  It was wonderful & we got fabulous photos.  We enjoy the 10 day itinerary as find 7 days too short. 

Edited August 22 by canadianbear

[vino100]

I second the whale shark excursion . We not only saw the whale sharks but actually swam with them. 
also, the water is much warmer and clearer in the Sea of Cortez. 
we really enjoyed the ports. 

[jlawrence01]

On 8/21/2024 at 6:09 PM, igraf said:

We normally cruise to Cabo, Mazatlán and Puerto Vallarta on a 7-day cruise from San Diego, but now I see stops at Cabo, Loreto and La Paz instead for some of the 2024/2025 sailings on the Koningsdam.  This seems like a significant step down to me, but I would like to hear what others think about these alternative ports. 

 

igraf

 

 

Personally, I am tired of the standard three points, especially Cabo.  Different ports is a welcome change and would make me a lot more likely to take another Mexican Riviera cruise.

[Kay S]

4 hours ago, jlawrence01 said:

 

Personally, I am tired of the standard three points, especially Cabo.  Different ports is a welcome change and would make me a lot more likely to take another Mexican Riviera cruise.

Yes.  We stopped getting off the ship in Cabo.  There's nothing "Mexican" about that town anymore.  Too many drunken tourists for my taste.  Contrast that with Loretto, and there is no comparison.

[jlawrence01]

2 hours ago, Kay S said:

Yes.  We stopped getting off the ship in Cabo.  There's nothing "Mexican" about that town anymore.  Too many drunken tourists for my taste.  Contrast that with Loretto, and there is no comparison.

 

My problem with Cabo is that vendors constantly harass you to take a tour, to jump on their boat or visit their restaurant.  Usually a "no thanks" in other ports; however, in Cabo, they want to grab your arm and the like.

 

On the last trip, we were more prepared and walked past the gauntlet.  We ended up about two blocks in and caught a pedicab and visited the new supermarket which was welcoming and very upscale for Mexican ports.