Best Shopping?? PV, Cabo, Mazatlan??

[momonmeds]

We are leaving in 3 weeks and I'm wondering where the best shopping is among these 3 ports. PV, Cabo or Mazatlan? What are the best bargains, and what are the best places to shop?

Thanks!!

[deepnite10]

maybe it was my mood at the time..but, i got a nice

silver, opal ring in PV..i found that the many of the

vendor s did nt want to deal in cabo..not even in

the market s near the pier..

 

acapolco..i was just too uncomfortable dealing with

the local s..i ll give them another shot this coming

jan..they re suppose to have some real nice

red coral jewelry..

[oysterfiend]

Why were you uncomfortable in Acapulco?

- we are looking at going there for 1-2 weeks timeshare after doing Mexican Riviera cruise on the Splendor 26 April 2009.

Have not yet decided where we would like to go after getting back to LA but that was a strong possibility.

[newmexicoNita]

Why were you uncomfortable in Acapulco?

- we are looking at going there for 1-2 weeks timeshare after doing Mexican Riviera cruise on the Splendor 26 April 2009.

Have not yet decided where we would like to go after getting back to LA but that was a strong possibility.

I don't know why the poster was uncomfortable, but I just didn't like much about Acapulco. I would visit there, just wouldn't want to shop there much. I did buy a dress (I think I paid about $10 to much for it) DThere was some bargaining. AS for Acapulco, lots of interesting places to see, just very touristy...

 

Nita

ps: deepnight: were you able to bargain much? I really do want to get some Mexican Opal on this trip, I wish I had last time,

 

Nita

[sueandkent]

We always save our shopping for PV. Usually the best prices and they offer the best exchange rate on money of the Riv ports.

[goat rancher]

Depends what you are looking for.......

 

We never made it to "downtown" P.V., but there is a very big flea market right next to the dock....variety of things. The prices were good there.

In Mazatlan, the Golden Zone has a large collection of shops...flea market end to high end jewelry....also found lots of things there...supposed to be a little cheaper in Mazatlan than P.V.

Cabo....was so-so....there is supposed to be a big tent near the tender pier...we saw it but never went in...supposed to be several shops in there.

 

Out of all 3, I believe Mazatlan is supposed to be the most economical place to shop......but I think it depends what you are looking for and if you want high end or moderate type of souvenirs...

 

Have fun shopping :)

[Tina-Ann]

We did the Mexican Riviera years ago (in the order of P.V., Mazatlan and lastly Cabo). Back then I had heard how Cabo had the best shopping (apharently everyone else on the ship had heard the same thing). 1st stop P.V. I thought they had a hugh downtown shopping area and eagerly bought what souvenirs I wanted. Mazatlan, same prices I thought, but smaller selection. Cabo...the weather was too rough to tender so we skipped that port. As soon as they announced that we would not be tendering most women on the ship ran (not walked), ran to the gift shops on board. It was like a mass frenzy, women bought everything from jewelry to the metal painted figure of the Star Princess. Just a few years ago we went to Cabo on a land vacation and I thought Cabo had an abundance of shopping. Jewelry, silver, moracas, leather, bags, blankets, more silver, ceramics, kids hand made sling shots, you can have bracelets made on the beach, your name written on a piece of rice made into a necklace, the cheapest liqor store we found was right outside the mall at the Marina. Some vendors in Cabo tend not to bargain quite as much, but there's always 500 other huts/stores to shop in. One thing we bought in Cabo that was unique was a couple pieces of Wichol. Anyways it's beads that are strategically placed over wax. It's a very unique (and can be expensive art form native to the Cabo area I believe). There is a store in the Marina that sells just that. They usually have artisans making things out front. And the proceeds from that store go to support the local artisans. Anyways, yes Cabo does have more jewelry stores and like most other ports the prices go down the farther away from the port you walk. The moral to this posting is...in the unfortunate and probably rare case that you don't make it to whatever your last port is, it's better to shop and be safe then wait till the end and go home with just a cruise line t-shirt, sweatshirt, bathrobe and free soap from your cabin. Thanks for letting me ramble.

 

Tina

[oysterfiend]

Good advice

[deepnite10]

I don't know why the poster was uncomfortable, but I just didn't like much about Acapulco. I would visit there, just wouldn't want to shop there much. I did buy a dress (I think I paid about $10 to much for it) DThere was some bargaining. AS for Acapulco, lots of interesting places to see, just very touristy...

 

Nita

ps: deepnight: were you able to bargain much? I really do want to get some Mexican Opal on this trip, I wish I had last time,

 

Nita

 

it was our first visit ever to mexico..it was hot, croud d and we could nt speak the language..we ve swung deal s while in ensenada but that was the extent of it..

 

this jan. we had hope d that the Taxco tour was still availabe..then do some shopping for silver..but, the tour is no longer offer d off the Star..

 

by the time we got to PV we were more confident after talking with other s who had shop d..we also found that the shop s in PV were more willing to wheel and deal..

 

as for cabo..they must think that all american s are land baron s..:mad:

 

look for small shop s, sometime s you can see the jeweler making piece s

jewelery..these were the shop s that offer d the steepest discount s..stay away from the street vendor s..to much of their stuff is fake.;)