Short cut directions to Krystal Resort

[leftcoast]

I saw the short cut walking direction before but now I can't find them. Could you tell me how to find that post? I've been reading the message board for hours and I think I'm too burned out to get where I was. HELP!

[Bob7]

Go to the flea market on the dock. It's right by the round building, and some ships have their gangway at the round building. Facing the entrance to the flea market look to your left and you'll see a big white wall with a smaller yellow wall behind it. Go to the left end of the white wall and go through the gate, and down the backstreet to the end, past timeshares and condos. At the end is the back entrance to the Krystal, with a sign welcoming cruisers for free. A guard welcomes you through the gate, and walk through the pretty grounds to the pools. The whole walk is about 5-7 minutes. You can see the first part of this route from the deck of the ship if it's docked at the round building.
-Bob

[leftcoast]

Thanks Bob!
You Rock!

[Fblack]

Can you get beach towels to use at the Krystal?

[Bob7]

No, bring ship towels, you'll see lots of them there. Hard drinks were $7, not much punch to them. Nice beach with thatched umbrellas (papilas) and loungers. And rock loungers built into the sides of the pools, a couple inches of water deep, with rock "pillows", kind of a fun way to keep cool.

[Icelandic Barbie]

Originally Posted by Bob7

No, bring ship towels, you'll see lots of them there. Hard drinks were $7, not much punch to them. Nice beach with thatched umbrellas (papilas) and loungers. And rock loungers built into the sides of the pools, a couple inches of water deep, with rock "pillows", kind of a fun way to keep cool.

That sounds wonderful! Just what this northern girl needs after a LONG winter! Unfortunately my DH and I have booked a canopy tour in PV. Are there any similar hotels in Mazatlan? We are first time cruisers and have never been to Mexico, so pardon the questions!
Barb

[Sandy R]

When we were there in March, we gave the pool attendant $5US and he gave us towels and put an umbrella for shade, near the chaises we chose. BTW, wear tennis shoes for the walk over... it's cobblestones and pebbles most of the way... very hard walking in sandals. We also had massages which were amazing!

[suziehmkr]

Originally Posted by Icelandic Barbie

Unfortunately my DH and I have booked a canopy tour in PV. Are there any similar hotels in Mazatlan? We are first time cruisers and have never been to Mexico, so pardon the questions!
Barb

If you are on the 11am canopy tour, then you will be done in the early afternoon. Should have plenty of time to spend the rest of the afternoon at the Krystal.... how late are you docked there?

We plan to do the canopy tour again! Then spend time on the Malecon for shopping & lunch... finish up with a couples massage in the evening - can't think of a better way to end the day. But if you aren't interested in shopping, you can easily take a taxi from the Los Veranos office right to the Krystal and have time in the later afternoon for beach & pool.

[Bob7]

Originally Posted by Icelandic Barbie

That sounds wonderful! Just what this northern girl needs after a LONG winter! Unfortunately my DH and I have booked a canopy tour in PV. Are there any similar hotels in Mazatlan? We are first time cruisers and have never been to Mexico, so pardon the questions!
Barb

Yes there's a real nice resort in Maz that's free for cruisers, the El Cid Castilla in the Golden Zone, a $10 cab from the ship. The resort has timeshare people at the dock offering you a free cab, lunch, and a couple drinks if you go to the speech, and more in the resort lobby offering the same, but time is too short on a cruise day to waste 1.5 hours (or longer), and no need to, so say 'no' and head through the lobby to the pools. Lots of waiters, and they will get you towels if you give them some ID for the towel desk to hold. Lovely cafe next door on the right (when facing the ocean). Nice beach with thatched umbrellas, rope which the vendors can't cross to bug you unless you invite them. Here's the link to our cruise photos, click on the Mex Riv album:
http://community.webshots.com/user/rob42ca
-Bob

[Fblack]

Bob7:

Is the walk really 7-10 minutes. I know exactly where that yellow and white wall is. ( This is my 15th cruise to PV). I had knee 10 minute walk turn into 30 just to save a taxi fare. A number of years ago we took that route to the Playa De Oro hotel.

[Sideways]

Hi All,
I'm totally into this Krystal hotel and the Massages. It sounds just like what we are looking for. My sister is coming on this cruise with us and she has limited mobility.... in a wheel chair or scooter for any long distances. She wants to do some swimming so a beautiful resort with pools like Krystal has will be just what we are looking for. The massage will be nice too.

Anyway, so my question is.... the short cut described on this thread.... can it be negotiated with an electric scooter? I saw some reference to cobblestones and tough walking.

[Bob7]

Black: well for sure it's not a 30 minute walk. After you go through the gate the back street seemed to be about 100-150 yards, about a football field and a half to the Krystal, maybe a big more. Wendy and I both think it took about 5 minutes, 7 at the very outside. We were a bit surprised that we had to walk so far through the Krystal grounds to get to the pools, that was maybe 3 minutes, so I'd promise no more than 10 total unless you walk very slowly. If you have a bum knee it's a cheap cab ride, they shouldn't charge more than $3-4 total, it's just out to the main drag, and around the corner into the resort. But we saw cruisers post here somewhere that when using the main entrance they charge a fee, but part of it is a bar credit for ordering drinks/food.

Sideways: the first half of the back street is a nice sidewalk, but the last half or third is over rough cobblestones as someone else mentioned. If you're in a scooter it will bounce you around a bit, depending how fast you go, can you keep it under 100 mph? :-) Going through the Krystal grounds is nice and smooth, little walkways.

[stanford's girl]

Pam,
Here's the short cut directions to the Krystal. Hope you enjoy your massage.

[carbon]

What did you like best in each of the ports. High points and what would you not bother to do again. This will be our first cruise to MR on the Mercury Jan 29th.

[CruisenGoddess]

This Krystal Beach sounds nice, we'll be going mid October on the Star. Is there a website to this place? Thanks!

[offwego]

The massages sound great what is the price and for how long?

Otherwise I guess I just don't get the hanging out at the resorts for the day. I know people do it at each port but I want to explore the areas, otherwise Id just hand around the pool on the ship -- what am I not getting here?

[stanford's girl]

Originally Posted by carbon

What did you like best in each of the ports. High points and what would you not bother to do again. This will be our first cruise to MR on the Mercury Jan 29th.

Riding with Randi's Happy Horses in Mazatlan was the best!!

[stanford's girl]

Originally Posted by offwego

The massages sound great what is the price and for how long?

Otherwise I guess I just don't get the hanging out at the resorts for the day. I know people do it at each port but I want to explore the areas, otherwise Id just hand around the pool on the ship -- what am I not getting here?

The massage was for an hour and 15 minutes and cost only $30.

The reason some people hang by the resort pools is because they've already been to that port before and seen what they wanted to see. Plus it's nice to lay by a pool in tropical surroundings for a change instead of on the ship.

[AZjohn]

To follow up on the last few questions, the massage cost is $35 for 75 minutes. Now what has changed is that the Hotel (not the massage company located at the hotel) is now charging $20 per person to hang out at the pool/beach. This is the latest e-mail I received from the massage company ( web site is http://www.go2vallarta.com/milleniummassage/)

Hello.
You don’t have to pay to come to the hotel for a massage, if you are going to receive the massage you don’t pay anything to the hotel...But if you want to spend the day in the hotel you can pay a day pass which is 20 us dollars...Thanks

[shawilson]

We walked to the Krystal in November 05 and hung out by the pool for a couple of hours. That was when it was free. IMHO, $20 to hang out at their pool in not worth it. It is an older property, showing it's age not so gracefully. They do have very clean restrooms.