Mexican Riviara or Alaska

Put down a deposit on our last cruise and want to use it for our holiday next year. Debating Alaska (just got back from the Norwegian Pearl 10 day cruise which we loved) or trying the Mexican Riviera. Being from British Columbia we do like to get away to hot places for holidays but it would require flying which makes it more difficult. We really enjoyed our Alaska cruise and lucked out on the weather which was outstanding. We have 5 children (14, 12, 10, 5 and 2 -- they will all be a year older when we sail). What are the pros for Mexico? Cons for it?

I would go to Alaska over Mexico. With 5 children to feed you might want to be aware that in Mexico you should not eat or drink unless it's bottles water or soda because you could get sick. Language is not a problem in Alaska. Money conversion is not a problem in Alaska although in Mexico they take your dollars but sometimes at a less then favorable exchange rate. Mexico wins if you are seeking warmer weather and beaches. Mexican cruises are usually cheaper cruises. Do what suits your family and have a nice vacation.

Having done both, I would never repeat the Mexican Riviera, but I am going to Alaska for the 3rd time. This time our excursions are a lot simpler, no trains in Skagway (instead going to a handblown glass factory), local tours in Ketchikan, Juneau tram isn't to expensive.

I love being able to see whales off the ship, and love the time onboard to enjoy the scenery. With a big family, that would be my biggest concern, depending on how well your children enjoy the children's programs. Our daughter loved them, and always made good friends, so the 3 days of just scenic cruising wasn't a big deal.

What ever you choose, have fun and enjoy time with your family!!

Debbie

I also would pick Alaska, not for the same reasons, but because Mexico is the same thing in every port...

Little kids begging for money, adults trying to sell you something and not taking no for an answer... Have never had a problem with eating in Mexico.

Alaska was a wonderful cruise even with the poor weather we had, B.C. was so wonderful that I could move there in a heartbeat... All the ports seemed to be different and had new things to see and do.

Whatever your choice, have a great time!!!

Alaska by far. Inside passage and glaciers alone are worth the costs of the cruise. Done two cruises there and did something different each time. So many wonderful things to see and do. I would love to go again but the cost to get to the ports from the mid-west is almost as much as the cruise.

Personally I like Alaska but in our case we like to get away from the very hot weather.

Keith

Thanks so much for the feedback -- back to Alaska we go! It was stunning and the kids had a great time in the kids club (very low numbers of kids but the kids club was still fantastic).

I have done both Alaska and Mexican Riviera cruises on NCL. I had a fantastic time on both cruises. The experiences are very different, but I would recommend trying the Mexican Riviera cruise for someone who has already done Alaska but not Mexico. On both Mexican Riviera cruises I took, we only went to Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta. The cruise lines are again starting to make port calls in Mazatlan. Cabo is somewhat similiar to Orange or San Diego counties in California. There are plenty of adventure and beach activities and a great party atmosphere in Cabo. Puerto Vallarta provides a more authentic Mexican experience, although I concede in a somewhat touristy, Disneyland-like way. PV is very safe and clean. PV definitely has a more urban feel than Cabo. We had a great time on our excursion to Las Caletas during a port call in PV in November 2013. Las Caletas was the home of movie director John Huston, and is now a private beach resort. An excursion there includes a coastal cruise from the PV cruise pier, snacks on the way, an excellent buffet lunch, all activities such as kayaking, paddle boarding, snorkeling (scuba diving is an extra charge), open bar (no blender drinks-apparently they have no electricity). The snorkeling at Las Caletas was great, lots of colorful fish. I think a visit to the Mexican Riviera gives people an opportunity to see that Mexico is not all about drugs and violence. You will have a chance to see a different culture, one with a long and fascinating history. You also might get to practice speaking Spanish and to sample new foods. Mexican food is not Taco Bell. Language and a cuisine provide the greatest insight into another culture. Yes, you will see glimpses of poverty in both Cabo and PV, but this can be a learning experience for people with limited international travel experience who don't have first-hand experience seeing that life for a very large percentage of the world's population is not the same as their life in the suburbs of the American Midwest. It's one thing to see the world on TV from the comfort of your home in a detached way that doesn't touch you personally, and another to experience the sights and sounds of the world in person. People can come away with a greater appreciation not only for what they have at home, but also with a greater sensitivity to the daily struggles of people in other countries.

I have done both Alaska and Mexican Riviera cruises on NCL. I had a fantastic time on both cruises. The experiences are very different, but I would recommend trying the Mexican Riviera cruise for someone who has already done Alaska but not Mexico. On both Mexican Riviera cruises I took, we only went to Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta. The cruise lines are again starting to make port calls in Mazatlan. Cabo is somewhat similiar to Orange or San Diego counties in California. There are plenty of adventure and beach activities and a great party atmosphere in Cabo. Puerto Vallarta provides a more authentic Mexican experience, although I concede in a somewhat touristy, Disneyland-like way. PV is very safe and clean. PV definitely has a more urban feel than Cabo. We had a great time on our excursion to Las Caletas during a port call in PV in November 2013. Las Caletas was the home of movie director John Huston, and is now a private beach resort. An excursion there includes a coastal cruise from the PV cruise pier, snacks on the way, an excellent buffet lunch, all activities such as kayaking, paddle boarding, snorkeling (scuba diving is an extra charge), open bar (no blender drinks-apparently they have no electricity). The snorkeling at Las Caletas was great, lots of colorful fish. I think a visit to the Mexican Riviera gives people an opportunity to see that Mexico is not all about drugs and violence. You will have a chance to see a different culture, one with a long and fascinating history. You also might get to practice speaking Spanish and to sample new foods. Mexican food is not Taco Bell. Language and a cuisine provide the greatest insight into another culture. Yes, you will see glimpses of poverty in both Cabo and PV, but this can be a learning experience for people with limited international travel experience who don't have first-hand experience seeing that life for a very large percentage of the world's population is not the same as their life in the suburbs of the American Midwest. It's one thing to see the world on TV from the comfort of your home in a detached way that doesn't touch you personally, and another to experience the sights and sounds of the world in person. People can come away with a greater appreciation not only for what they have at home, but also with a greater sensitivity to the daily struggles of people in other countries.

I couldn't have said it better. You'll have to decide what works best for your family, but Mexican Riviera provides a cultural experience you won't get on the Alaska cruise. It isn't always comfortable to be in a different culture, but it expands one's perspective that life does not always look, taste or feel the same in all parts of the world, and that different isn't necessarily bad.

I vote for going somewhere you've not gone before, even though we found Alaska to be stunning. They're very different trips. Mexico is beautiful, and the resort communities are relatively modern. Getting outside of the cities is a different thing altogether. In Cabo we took a dune buggy trip where we raced along the beach, but also went inland and up into the mountains to a small historic community. We got to meet locals, and see how most of Mexico lives. It was eye opening yet wonderful (although it was hotter than heck and the kids got grumpy)

My only issue with Mexico is the crime danger. Living in San Diego I hear quite a bit about what goes on across the border. The drug-driven violence has spilled out of the rural areas into some of the resort towns, and as stated earlier, some cruise operators stopped visiting some ports for a while.

Here are a few pictures. It's been a while, so I'm not sure which port is which in some cases

This was a pirate ship trip to a remote beach off PV. They had kayaks, banana boats, games, etc.. It was a wonderful day.

This is Mazatlan

Coming into Cabo

Dune buggy selfie in Cabo. Son in back is now 19. One next to me is now 17. Yes...the years fly by.

As we were walking through town in Mazatlan, we stepped between two shops and found this beach. Notice local vendors selling all kinds of crap...er...stuff. They can be persistent and annoying

So the liquor laws are a bit lax in Mexico. lol

Another couple of pirate ship pictures

my how we've changed in just 6 years....

One last dune buggy shot in Cabo

Put down a deposit on our last cruise and want to use it for our holiday next year. Debating Alaska (just got back from the Norwegian Pearl 10 day cruise which we loved) or trying the Mexican Riviera. Being from British Columbia we do like to get away to hot places for holidays but it would require flying which makes it more difficult. We really enjoyed our Alaska cruise and lucked out on the weather which was outstanding. We have 5 children (14, 12, 10, 5 and 2 -- they will all be a year older when we sail). What are the pros for Mexico? Cons for it?

Another way to view the decision -

Alaska is a 5 month seasonal sailing at best

Mexico is a year around event

So plan your sailings for what is less frequently available.

I was confused at first... and some others might have been.

But - since you already did Alaska, I would do the Mexico and/or Carribean the next time around.