PaddleAddict

So Carnival still offers the rotating Indian meals in the MDR? I can’t tell you how happy this makes me!! I haven’t cruised in so long I was worried this might have gone away. My absolute favorite!!

Thank you! Same, we have to stick with the school schedule so August it is! I know it's going to be crazy hot. The water bottle spray fans are such a great idea!

I have set my expectations low for Mexico. I do think my boys will enjoy the ship though! What was your weather like in Mexico in July? I'm reading 90s, which makes me nervous that we're going to fry. We live in a very temperate place in SoCal so we're not used to being roasted, ha ha. My husband and I are fine, I love the Caribbean, but I can see my kids melting. I think we will be good with the weather in the beginning and return since it's kind of what we're used to here.

Thank you soooooo much! This is such wonderful information! I think the arches and that beach will be perfect for Cabo. I keep reading all these messages about how the water is too rough to swim in the Mexican Riviera, it was making me nervous! But if the water is similar to Southern California, yes, we will be just fine. My kids love playing in the surf here.

I'll have to check this out, thank you!

Thank you, great tips! I don't usually do Mexico either but it is what it is!

Thank you so much for this! Would you recommend the West specifically or should I look for something else?

Hello! We are booked on the Panorama 7-day sailing to Cabo, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta. I have never been to any of these ports (nor anywhere in Mexico other than the Caribbean side). We are sailing in August so it's going to be hotter than hot and I just want the kids to be able to swim and have some shade. Ideally, beach, beach and more beach, but after doing some research I'm feeling so dismayed. Are there really so few swimmable beach options available at these ports? I even look through all of Carnival's excursions and read all the reviews and I'm just at a loss. The beaches sound not very nice or seem not appropriate for kids or swarming with vendors. There were a few sailing/snorkel tours that sounded nice but the age limit doesn't work for those unfortunately as I have a 5 year old (they were 8+). In the Caribbean I always book private tours, but I'm really hesitant about doing that in Mexico with the kids. I could REALLY use some pointing in the right direction to get my kids in the water and hubby and I under some guaranteed shade!

Alrighty folks, I think you've convinced us to forego the cross-country flights and allure of the Caribbean Seas for the convenience of no flying and the draw of a very cool new ship. We will get back to the Caribbean as soon as we can but for this summer, I think it's the Panorama for us! Can't thank everyone enough for the valuable input!

This is such great advice, I can't thank you enough!

Thank you so much for sharing your experience! My boys will flip for a trampoline park, had no idea that was on the ship.

Thank you for this tip about the kids club! I assume that is fairly early on embarkation day?

So, thank you for bringing this up. This is something to consider. Despite having lived here my entire life, I've never been to those ports (Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, Cabo San Lucas). I have only been to Ensenada on the so-called "booze cruises" with friends (and once with the kids, their first and only cruise ... we did not get off at port due to covid restrictions at that time). Is the water warm and calm at those Mexican ports like in the Caribbean? Are the beaches nice? The beaches and warm water are the draw for the Caribbean, but maybe I'm neglecting a very good different option on this coast.

Yes, pre-kids those ports wouldn't have appealed to us but with the kids I can see the draw.

I also would like to go back to NOLA! I've only been once pre-cruise.