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Need you help! Have cruised Mex. Riviera MANY times.....

klfhngr

By klfhngr,
in Royal Caribbean International

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JJ2sail

JJ2sail

Posted
Posted
This sounds like fun! How much though?!?

 

 

Actually the prices are not to bad, compared to here in California.

 

Depending on what you want prices start as low as $300 and go up.

 

Here is a link to one that has been recommended here on CC, in cabo.

Not sure of their prices, but it doesn't hurt to ask.

 

http://www.cabosail.com/index.html

 

 

Here is Puerto Vallarta:

 

http://www.puertovallartatours.net/private-boat-charters.htm

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dirtgirl

dirtgirl

Posted
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As I promised, here are a few of MY suggestions for those that asked (and yes, we've done all of these things):

 

Cabo: Los Arcos snorkeling, party boat, ATV's on the beach, Cabo Wabo, Jet Skiing, fishing, shopping.

 

Maztalan: Personally, of all 3 ports, this beach to ME is the least desirable. Prefer to shop here, eat, Sr. Froggs, Victors at Stone Island, horse back riding, ATV's, jet skis, parasailing, lounging at El Cid's, and EATING SHRIMP!!

 

Puerto Vallarta: My favorite port of the 3... so much to do here... Zip Lines, parasailing, jet skis, Mismaloya, 4x4 in the jungle, El Edin, shopping, hang out at beach, swim with donkeys, I mean dolphins, many bars, eat, tour the entire area, mountain biking (thanks dirtgirl), and many, many more things to do!

 

Those are just a few of my favorite things, I've done them all with the exception of mountain biking in P/V.

 

Personally, I do not pay for ANY tours on the ship, I make my own arrangements when I get off of the ship. Given, I do speak the language, HOWEVER, most guides speak FLUENT English. We've saved hundreds of dollars at EACH port by making our own arrangements. If you know what you want to do BEFORE you get there, get off the ship, talk to a guide and tell him how many are in your party and what/where exactly you want to do/go then have them give you a TOTAL price for the entire group. You can then divide the price and see if it's a deal, if not, KEEP WALKING! I guarantee the more walking you do, the lower the price will be!! Again, research before you arrive, compare the prices on the ship then NEGOTIATE! They need our dollars more than we need their service, so don't stress!

 

Anyhow, hope this helps....

 

FYI: I think I know what I will be doing in April:

 

Cabo: Get off ship, have some beers/tequila, eat some seafood and get back on ship.

Mazatlan: Sr Froggs and get back on ship

P/V: Mountain bike, eat, drink and hang out at a hotel (perhaps some water sports).

 

Thanks everyone for your suggestions!

 

Ohhhhhhhhhhhh Cabo Wabos - never again!:eek:

 

You certainly have been busy - you're running out of things to do. Looks like you should head for Alaska.;)

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Markmom18

Markmom18

Posted
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To the OP, this April will be our first cruise to Mexican Riviera. Although have vacationed many times on both coasts of Mexico. BTW, we love to golf. Anyway, last trip '(06), we were going to go to Yelapa for an overnighter. But, I got sick and so we just stayed in PV. I still think it would be interesting to hang there for the day. And, since you speak espanol it'd be a plus. Have you encountered the ladies in the panga's selling the homemade pies? Yummy! You also mentioned El Eden. Have you tried Chico's Paradise outdoor restaurant in the hills of the Sierra Madre's? It's an annual spot as is Pipi's Restaurant in PV. Both 'touristy', but 2 of our favorites.

 

Just to throw it out to the folks on the board....please, please, don't limit your time to the Malecon (shops/bars etc by the oceanfront boardwalk). Personally, the older section of PV past the Rio Cuale near the Los Arcos Hotel is a great spot. Just walk up and down the cobblestone streets. Pop in a local spot for a cold one, or try one of the many delicious treats from the food cart vendors. We collect Hutchiol Indian artwork and find much better prices in this area. The Sierra Madre Store in the Malecon is annoying IMO. Overpriced artwork and timeshare salesman offering day trips...avoid!!!

 

OP, having avoided the Cabo area because (perhaps wrongly) thought it would just be full of people like myself (i.e. So Californians), I'd be interested to know what you'd suggest for activities. BTW, we took our first Alaskan Cruise this last summer. It was wonderful! We took a week before and visited Whistler and Vancouver, what a beautiful country. We'd love to go back!

:-) Bobbi

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dirtgirl

dirtgirl

Posted
Posted
To the OP, this April will be our first cruise to Mexican Riviera. Although have vacationed many times on both coasts of Mexico. BTW, we love to golf. Anyway, last trip '(06), we were going to go to Yelapa for an overnighter. But, I got sick and so we just stayed in PV. I still think it would be interesting to hang there for the day. And, since you speak espanol it'd be a plus. Have you encountered the ladies in the panga's selling the homemade pies? Yummy! You also mentioned El Eden. Have you tried Chico's Paradise outdoor restaurant in the hills of the Sierra Madre's? It's an annual spot as is Pipi's Restaurant in PV. Both 'touristy', but 2 of our favorites.

 

Just to throw it out to the folks on the board....please, please, don't limit your time to the Malecon (shops/bars etc by the oceanfront boardwalk). Personally, the older section of PV past the Rio Cuale near the Los Arcos Hotel is a great spot. Just walk up and down the cobblestone streets. Pop in a local spot for a cold one, or try one of the many delicious treats from the food cart vendors. We collect Hutchiol Indian artwork and find much better prices in this area. The Sierra Madre Store in the Malecon is annoying IMO. Overpriced artwork and timeshare salesman offering day trips...avoid!!!

 

OP, having avoided the Cabo area because (perhaps wrongly) thought it would just be full of people like myself (i.e. So Californians), I'd be interested to know what you'd suggest for activities. BTW, we took our first Alaskan Cruise this last summer. It was wonderful! We took a week before and visited Whistler and Vancouver, what a beautiful country. We'd love to go back!

:-) Bobbi

 

 

Thanks!:) One of these days we'll convince him to head north.;)

 

In Cabo I have done the zipline tour, kayaked out to Lover's Beach twice, and rented waverunners off the beach. I had a great time doing all of these. Cabo Wabos, well, we won't go there.:o;) They might remember me!:eek:

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Markmom18

Markmom18

Posted
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Thanks!:) One of these days we'll convince him to head north.;)

 

In Cabo I have done the zipline tour, kayaked out to Lover's Beach twice, and rented waverunners off the beach. I had a great time doing all of these. Cabo Wabos, well, we won't go there.:o;) They might remember me!:eek:

Hi,

Thank you for the suggestions. This trip the "we" is myself, hubby has to stay home and work, my mother and our 17 year old son. Our son has ziplined in Hawaii and Mexico and I'm sure he'll want to do it in Cabo. Probably Grandma too! Me, I'm chicken. But the waverunners and kayaking sound great. Don't really plan on sitting in a bar all day, besides they have lots of those on the ship:p

Thanks again,

Bobbi

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STEVE-O

STEVE-O

Posted
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DW and I are interested in the Kayak trip offered by RCCL...one sticking point....the description of the outing refers to snorkeling and/or sitting on the beach.......We don't snorkel and aren't much for beach-sittin'.....

 

Can we just freestyle around in the kayak until it's time to head back??

 

I guess we could do the beach thing for a while...as long as we didn't have to wade/swim to the beach....

 

Dirtgirl....

Seems you might be the expert here! (P.S. I'm a big fan of your posts.....)

 

Steve-O!

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dirtgirl

dirtgirl

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DW and I are interested in the Kayak trip offered by RCCL...one sticking point....the description of the outing refers to snorkeling and/or sitting on the beach.......We don't snorkel and aren't much for beach-sittin'.....

 

Can we just freestyle around in the kayak until it's time to head back??

 

I guess we could do the beach thing for a while...as long as we didn't have to wade/swim to the beach....

 

Dirtgirl....

Seems you might be the expert here! (P.S. I'm a big fan of your posts.....)

 

Steve-O!

 

Why thank you!:D

 

I don't snorkel either - I don't like being in the water particularly, but on top of the water is ok.:o We all went to the beach - they help you to shore, but your legs will get wet as you jump out of the kayak. The rest of the group got their snorkel gear, while I meandered out to Divorce Beach and just lay around waiting for them. They were gone maybe 1/2 an hour, which is about all I can take for beach time, as I am not a beachgirl.;) It is pretty out there, and there is a vendor selling beer. There are no bathrooms out there, just an FYI.

 

You won't be able to freestyle in the kayak for safety reasons. There would be no guides to watch out for you. We also kayaked out to see the sea lions. It's hard paddling out to Lover's Beach, as it is against the current, and you do fight the wakes of other water traffic. Going back is much simpler. I did love it both times, and I will be doing it again. I have 4 more MR cruises booked.:eek:

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Cindy

Cindy

Posted
Posted
As I promised, here are a few of MY suggestions for those that asked (and yes, we've done all of these things):

 

Cabo: Los Arcos snorkeling, party boat, ATV's on the beach, Cabo Wabo, Jet Skiing, fishing, shopping.

 

Maztalan: Personally, of all 3 ports, this beach to ME is the least desirable. Prefer to shop here, eat, Sr. Froggs, Victors at Stone Island, horse back riding, ATV's, jet skis, parasailing, lounging at El Cid's, and EATING SHRIMP!!

 

Puerto Vallarta: My favorite port of the 3... so much to do here... Zip Lines, parasailing, jet skis, Mismaloya, 4x4 in the jungle, El Edin, shopping, hang out at beach, swim with donkeys, I mean dolphins, many bars, eat, tour the entire area, mountain biking (thanks dirtgirl), and many, many more things to do!

 

Those are just a few of my favorite things, I've done them all with the exception of mountain biking in P/V.

 

Personally, I do not pay for ANY tours on the ship, I make my own arrangements when I get off of the ship. Given, I do speak the language, HOWEVER, most guides speak FLUENT English. We've saved hundreds of dollars at EACH port by making our own arrangements. If you know what you want to do BEFORE you get there, get off the ship, talk to a guide and tell him how many are in your party and what/where exactly you want to do/go then have them give you a TOTAL price for the entire group. You can then divide the price and see if it's a deal, if not, KEEP WALKING! I guarantee the more walking you do, the lower the price will be!! Again, research before you arrive, compare the prices on the ship then NEGOTIATE! They need our dollars more than we need their service, so don't stress!

 

Anyhow, hope this helps....

 

FYI: I think I know what I will be doing in April:

 

Cabo: Get off ship, have some beers/tequila, eat some seafood and get back on ship.

Mazatlan: Sr Froggs and get back on ship

P/V: Mountain bike, eat, drink and hang out at a hotel (perhaps some water sports).

 

Thanks everyone for your suggestions!

 

Thanks so much for these ideas! It gives me a starting point.

If you ever head to the Western Caribbean, give me a shout. I've been to most of those ports at least once, and some like Cozumel & Belize 4 or 5 times. I guess the Western out of Galveston is to me what the MR is to you!

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klfhngr

klfhngr

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Thanks so much for these ideas! It gives me a starting point. If you ever head to the Western Caribbean, give me a shout.

 

You're very welcome! Be careful for what you wish for, I might hit you up ;)

I have a new friend in Vancouver, right Dirtgirl?! And now a new friend back east, thanks!!

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klfhngr

klfhngr

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Actually the prices are not to bad, compared to here in California.

 

Depending on what you want prices start as low as $300 and go up.

 

Here is a link to one that has been recommended here on CC, in cabo.

Not sure of their prices, but it doesn't hurt to ask.

 

http://www.cabosail.com/index.html

 

 

Here is Puerto Vallarta:

 

http://www.puertovallartatours.net/private-boat-charters.htm

 

Thanks for the info., I'll check it out!

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Leafpeeper

Leafpeeper

Posted
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We've done several Mexican cruises but our favorite was our last one on NCL Star for 8 nights because it didn't do the standard Cabo, Mazatlan, and Puerta Vallarta ports. Instead we went to Alcapulco and Zihuantenjo/Ixtapa in addition to Puerta Vallarta and Cabo. I noticed that NCL changed their itinerary to the same one the other cruiselines are running from LA. That was a big disappointment for me.

 

The only cruiseline I can find going to Alcapulco is the 8 night Carnival Spirit sailing from San Diego. We noticed this cruise goes to Manzanillo, which appears to be an absolutely gorgeous port from what we've seen on the Travel Channel. We loved going to Ixtapa on our last cruise, so I can only imagine that Manzanillo is just as nice if not nicer. Since the movie, "From Here to Eternity" was filmed in Zihuantenjo, I figure it must be the most beautiful part of Mexico. If you haven't been there, then I suggest you try it.

 

During the winter months, we always recommend sailing as far south as possible. Alcapulco has much warmer temps than Cabo so it does make a difference for people who want to swim.

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klfhngr

klfhngr

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We've done several Mexican cruises but our favorite was our last one on NCL Star for 8 nights because it didn't do the standard Cabo, Mazatlan, and Puerta Vallarta ports. Instead we went to Alcapulco and Zihuantenjo/Ixtapa in addition to Puerta Vallarta and Cabo. I noticed that NCL changed their itinerary to the same one the other cruiselines are running from LA. That was a big disappointment for me.

 

The only cruiseline I can find going to Alcapulco is the 8 night Carnival Spirit sailing from San Diego. We noticed this cruise goes to Manzanillo, which appears to be an absolutely gorgeous port from what we've seen on the Travel Channel. We loved going to Ixtapa on our last cruise, so I can only imagine that Manzanillo is just as nice if not nicer. Since the movie, "From Here to Eternity" was filmed in Zihuantenjo, I figure it must be the most beautiful part of Mexico. If you haven't been there, then I suggest you try it.

 

During the winter months, we always recommend sailing as far south as possible. Alcapulco has much warmer temps than Cabo so it does make a difference for people who want to swim.

 

 

We sailed on the first 8 day cruise that the Carnival Spirit sailed, unfortunetly, it skipped Ixtapa/Zih... They never gave us a reason as to why! That was the only port we were looking forward to seeing, besides Manzanillo... Oh well... We thought about NCL, kinda hesitant, might be to lax for us..... who knows...

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dirtgirl

dirtgirl

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[quote name='klfhngr']:) You have a place to stay in SoCal too.. :)[/quote]


Do you have a gym? :D

[quote=VMcG';17492162]I don't know if it's been mentioned; ziplining through Los Veranos in Puerto Vallarta (online is cheaper-we did it again this Dec) good fun, best lines. Cheers![/quote]

Totally agree - great fun! I paid $67, and the bus brought us back to the cruise ship terminal (we made our own way to their office by taxi).
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alphakitty

alphakitty

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Check out the website [url]www.virtualtourist.com[/url] for some "off the beaten path" ideas. Here's a page on Mazatlan. [url]http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/North_America/Mexico/Estado_de_Sinaloa/Mazatlan-940544/Off_the_Beaten_Path-Mazatlan-TG-C-1.html[/url] Maybe you'll see something new and interesting here? :)
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