Does this board get busier in winter?

I booked a cruise for January 2016 and check this board often for information, but it doesn't get as much traffic as say, the Alaska board. Is this the off season for Mexico?

It is slow season for Mexico, there is only one Carnival ship cruising the riviera over the summer. If you have a specific question, someone will answer it.

I figured that was the case. Mostly, I just like to hear what's new and interesting, I do have a few specific questions:

Has anyone does a private tour with Whale Watch Cabo or Vallarta?

What's a good, inexpensive plan for PV for 7 people, preferably involving a nice sandy beach?

Can I easily get pesos in Mazatlan? Should I get them from an ATM? Thanks!

Can't speak to the whale tour but:

PV. Take the bus to the Malecon. Several miles of beach. I suppose even cheaper is to get off the boat, walk out the gate and go the beach right there.

There is a cambio in the Mazatlan terminal. As you walk thru you will see it on your left. Very fair exchange rate and a good place to change you unused pesos back to dollars.

A great tour for whale watching in Cabo is the Rissalena. Check it out on Trip Advisor. A small, very comfortable yacht that holds a maximum of 24 people. Open bar and a full home cooked lunch for $55.00.

The problem will be if you can get to them in time. Depends on what time you arrive in port. Cabo is on Mountain Time so one hour ahead of ship's time, and it's a tender port, so you have to allow for time to get to shore.

A great tour for whale watching in Cabo is the Rissalena. Check it out on Trip Advisor. A small, very comfortable yacht that holds a maximum of 24 people. Open bar and a full home cooked lunch for $55.00.

 

The problem will be if you can get to them in time. Depends on what time you arrive in port. Cabo is on Mountain Time so one hour ahead of ship's time, and it's a tender port, so you have to allow for time to get to shore.

Where can I get information on the Rissalena whale watch tours? I tried Googling and got their website, but it doesn't list tour times or prices. Do I have to email them?

So, does this mean that when the ship says we are in port from noon to 7 p.m. (we are on NCL Jewel), this really translates to 1-8 p.m. local time? So, we would probably not be able to take a tour that starts at 1:30? Is this true in Mazatlan and PV as well?

Where can I get information on the Rissalena whale watch tours? I tried Googling and got their website, but it doesn't list tour times or prices. Do I have to email them?

 

So, does this mean that when the ship says we are in port from noon to 7 p.m. (we are on NCL Jewel), this really translates to 1-8 p.m. local time? So, we would probably not be able to take a tour that starts at 1:30? Is this true in Mazatlan and PV as well?

The whole ship's time vs. local time is a bucket of worms. Back in the day, when Mazatlan was a regular MR stop, the ship would change time once so ship's time matched local time in Cabo & Mazatlan but was one hour behind Puerto Vallarta. This applied to all lines but Carnival started to do various versions and it is hard to predict what NCL will do in 2016.

Contact the excursion provider, tell them the ship & date you will be there and ask if you will be able to book a tour with them. It's just that simple.

Contact the excursion provider, tell them the ship & date you will be there and ask if you will be able to book a tour with them. It's just that simple.

Well, I'll bet that most providers will allow us to book (and pay for) a tour, but if we can't physically get there in time and they leave, we're out of luck.

Well, I'll bet that most providers will allow us to book (and pay for) a tour, but if we can't physically get there in time and they leave, we're out of luck.

Most reputable tour providers and/or tour brokers will have a warranty the says they will issue a refund if the ship skips the port or arrives late. http://www.cabosanlucastours.net is an example of a reputable tour broker. Book with a credit card and dispute the charge later if there is a problem.

Enjoy!

Where can I get information on the Rissalena whale watch tours? I tried Googling and got their website, but it doesn't list tour times or prices. Do I have to email them?

 

So, does this mean that when the ship says we are in port from noon to 7 p.m. (we are on NCL Jewel), this really translates to 1-8 p.m. local time? So, we would probably not be able to take a tour that starts at 1:30? Is this true in Mazatlan and PV as well?

Yes, you would have to email the Rissalena for info, but I can tell you already, your time in port will not match up with their departure times. They leave at 10 am, 9 am ship time for the morning tour, which is the best time to go whale watching.

Cabo is the only port that is a tender port, the others you walk off the ship so it's easier to figure out if you can make an excursion. Most ships move the clocks ahead one hour after leaving Cabo, but when you get to PV, you are still one hour behind. Confusing!:confused:

Compared to other ports of call threads this has much lower activity. I researched stuff here for this past spring and found pickings slim for meaty information, YMMV.