Day #3 Cabo San Lucas Shore Excursions
For the first part of our Cabo San Lucas shore excursion we walked on our own 25 minutes to Cannery Beach and had a classic beach day. It was super easy to find and was nice to get away from the crowds for a few hours.
We did some snorkelling with our own gear, but mostly just enjoyed the view, soft sand, ocean water, and lounging around in the sun under our Portabrella.
This a fabulous Traveling Islander insider tip because we noticed other Carnival Cruisers paying about $40 a person to be dropped off by boat to the same beach we walked to for free.
We had dreams come true on the second part of our Cabo shore excursion. Gretta actually cried she was so happy. Her lifelong dream to go on a dolphin swim came true! We teamed up with Cabo Adventures who excels in port excursions and made an unbelievable family memory that well cherish forever.
When Is The Best Time To Cruise To The Mexican Riviera
The Mexican Riviera is an idyllic, sunny region consisting of 20 cities spanning almost 1,500 miles along Mexico’s Pacific coast.
A popular cruise destination, it has many famous ports of call, offering a range of activities, varying landscapes, and stunning beaches, as well as a showcase for Mexico’s rich culture and renowned food and drinks.
The best time to cruise depends on a number of factors. Budget, crowds, weather, and local activities can all play a role in figuring out the ideal time to travel.
Here is a look at what to consider when deciding when to cruise on Mexicos west coast.
Best Mexico Cruises For Every Type Of Traveler
Editor’s note: This guide has been updated with the latest information.
Cruises to Mexico have an appeal that’s hard to match.
Pacific Coast itineraries cover both Baja California and the area farther south considered the Mexican Riviera . Where else can you spend the morning whale watching from a small boat, followed by an afternoon of shopping or enjoying authentic Mexican cuisine?
The ports on Mexicos eastern coast are often lumped together with other Central American ports or island destinations on Western Caribbean cruises. Do a bit of digging and you can find three- to five-night cruises from Galveston, Texas New Orleans, Louisiana and Mobile, Alabama that visit only Mexican ports, including Cozumel, Costa Maya and Progresso.
Beaches and watersports, as well as eating and drinking, are the primary attraction of cruises to Mexico. Both coasts of Mexico offer ample opportunity to play in the sun and sand. The best Mexico cruises have lengthy port stops that provide plenty of time to explore, plus time on board the ship to relax and decompress.
You may even be able to cruise to Mexico without a passport if your cruise begins and ends in the same U.S. port.
Occasionally, you can find luxury cruises to the Mexican Riviera on lines like Silversea and Regent Seven Seas. American Queen Voyages and UnCruise Adventures offer unique small-ship opportunities to cruise Mexican ports on both coasts.
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Review Of Carnival Panorama
The 2019-built Carnival Panorama cruise ship is the third Vista-class liner in CCL’s fleet. Carnival’s Vista-class vessels are the fleet’s most family-friendly, featuring the company’s largest family staterooms and dedicated facilities and amenities. Panorama is Carnival’s 27th vessel.
From the same series are the fleetmates Carnival Vista and Carnival Horizon , as well as the Costa Asia’s liners Costa Venezia and Costa Firenze .
The vessel is currently Panama-flagged and registered in Colon.
Inaugural Cruise Itineraries 2019
Bookings on Carnival Panorama were opened on March 21, 2018. The “Inaugural Cruise” was offered as a special voyage from Long Beach to Ensenada Mexico . Next tables show the ship’s maiden voyages as call ports times as prices per person .
3-day Inaugural Cruise – prices started from USD 275 pp.
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Luxury Cruises To The Mexican Riviera
Mountains and desert meet the aquamarine surf of the Pacific on the Mexican Riviera, a playground of glamorous resort towns, golden beaches, enchanting Spanish colonial architecture, and jaw-dropping sunsets.
All your senses will be captivated on a luxury cruise to the Mexican Riviera with Celebrity. Taste local wines in Ensenada. Feel the sea breeze on your face as you sail around the rocky coastline of Cabo San Lucas on the lookout for sea lions. Explore the galleries and boho-chic shops of Olas Altas, Puerto Vallarta. Stroll the malecón waterfront in chic Mazatlán. Youll absorb Mexicos colorful culture in the street food, tequila, music, and craft markets everywhere you go.
Cruises To The Mexican Riviera
Not to be confused with the Riviera Maya, the west coast of Mexico has long been a popular spot for travelers seeking the glorious sun and sand of the region. Stanley McDonald, the founder of Princess Cruises, takes credit for the term, coined in trying to emulate the allure of the French Riviera.
Today, these famous resort towns have become crowd-pleasing ports of call. Most cruises sail from Los Angeles , San Francisco and San Diego on itineraries ranging from 2 to 7+ days. Ports such as Puerto Vallarta, Cabo San Lucas, and Mazatlán are frequent stops on major cruise sailings.
Although known for beaches, there is much more to this southern destination, with a large variety of activities, diverse topography that ranges from deserts to jungles, and exceptional cultural experiences.
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Day #5 Puerto Vallarta Shore Excursion
You can also have a blast exploring and saving some money too by planning your own shore excursion like we did in Puerta Vallarta.
We grabbed a quick 20 minute taxi ride to Old Town Puerto Vallarta for some beach fun and street side tacos. It was a grand adventure that turned out to be one of our favourite port visits.
Traveling Islanders Tip! Be careful with those sneaky taxi drivers parked immediately beside the ship. They will try and convince you to take longer rides unecessarily so they can charge you a higher fare.
Our destination for the day was the Beach of the Dead or better known to the locals as Playa De Los Muertos. We agree, its quite a weird name for a beach. Whats even weirder is we actually chose to go there with our kids! But we kept hearing it was the place to go from a few different vendors beside the cruise ship. Turned out, they were right.
Want to try para-sailing? There were three different companies operating off of the beach. We saw lots of tourists taking off and landing safely all day long.
For lunch try a fish, beef or chicken taco from one of the beachside outdoor restaurants like we did. Our fish tacos were fresh and delicious.
When youve had enough time on the beach, take a stroll through charming Old Town Puerto Vallarta. Here youll find narrow cobblestone roads, old world Spanish architecture and shops of every imaginable type.
Day #6 Cruising With Carnival During A Day At Sea
One Of The Best Parts About A Carnival Cruise Has To Be The Shore Excursions
A new adventure awaits every day as we ventured from our cruise ship.
It was so comforting to know that at the end of the day we could always look forward to returning to the comforts of our Carnival Cruise ship. What a fun experience to have our all-inclusive hotel/cruise ship stay the same, but the vacation destination keep changing.
On our Carnival Mexican Riviera cruise we made three port stops over the course of our 7 day cruise. We started our cruise from Long Beach California and after a day at sea we visited Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan and Puerta Vallarta.
Day #1 Embarkation Day
Day #2 Cruising With Carnival During Our First Full Day At Sea
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Mexican Riviera Cruise Highlights
Glorious Coastal Scenery
Whether you prefer long stretches of golden sand lined with chic restaurants and bars, or wild, wave-pounded rocks, youll find your dream on the Mexican Riviera. People-watch in the fashionable Golden Zone in Mazatlán. Take a day boat to the dramatic El Arco rock arch near Cabo San Lucas. Marvel at the oceans power at La Bufadora, Ensenadas famous rock blowhole. Soak up the Hollywood glamor of Playa de los Muertos in Puerto Vallarta.
Art & Architecture
Youll find colorful colonial architecture in many of the towns along the Mexican Riviera. Mazatláns Old Town is a maze of flower-filled plazas and delightful 19th-century buildings, many now serving as restaurants and galleries. In Puerto Vallarta, admire the Zona Romantica and the church of Our Lady of Guadalupe, its steeple topped with a filigree crown. Head to pretty Todos Santos, a day trip from Cabo San Lucas, to wander cobblestone streets and browse galleries.
Creative Cuisine
Mexicos vibrant cuisine brings ever-new discoveries as you sail the Mexican Riviera. There are more than 50 wineries in the Guadalupe Valley near Ensenada, so this is the place to head for tastings. In Puerto Vallarta, dont miss pescado embarazado, fresh fish grilled with lime on a stick over charcoal, served with tangy salsa. Cabo San Lucas is packed with fine restaurants, but you cant beat the farm-to-table cuisine hereall washed down with an ice-cold margarita.
Day #4 Mazatlan Shore Excursion
El Cid Resorts picked our family up right outside the cruise ship terminal and whisked us away for an all-inclusive day at their El Cid El Moro Beach Hotel. The shuttle ride was seamless and we even got a mini tour of Mazatlan along the way.
I cant rave enough about our day with El Cid Resorts. The whole experience was perfection and we wish we could have stayed longer.
Boogie boarding on a family friendly beach, relaxing full-body massage on the beach, Mexican cuisine, poolside drinks for the whole family, kids activities, cliff jumping into the pool, first class service all the way through: these experiences are what made our Mazatlan cruise shore excursion so incredibly relaxing and fun.
Photo: elcid.com
El Cid staff provided the warmest resort hospitality we have ever experienced. Our expectations were exceeded in every possible way.
We give El Cid Resorts the highest recommendation if youre looking for an all-inclusive resort day on your Mexican Riviera Carnival cruise.
Make plans on your own to spend the day at El Cid El Moro like we did or you can book directly with Carnival shore excursions and get special treatment like being first off the ship.
The one difference is that the El Cid Carnival cruise shore excursion takes you to El Cid Marina for your all inclusive beach resort getaway. I hear its quite nice as well, but weve never been.
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Onboard The Carnival Panorama
Year Built: 2019
Double Occupancy Capacity: 4008
Look here! Look there! Look everywhere thats where youll find the fun on Carnival Panorama. The ship features fan-favorite dining, entertainment and relaxation experiences from Carnival’s latest ships. Carnival Panorama will broaden your view and open your eyes to all thats fun at sea.
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