NO Mazatlan on the Wonder

[iceman93]

Also, it would be impossible to have a cruise ship leave out of Los Angeles, it's 15 miles from the ocean. Let's get our facts straight before making crazy accusations.

 

That's absolutely true, and I agree with your points, but when most people say "Los Angeles" I take it they are referring to the entire metro area, probably all the way from Malibu around to Ontario and down to Long Beach.

[macfam5]

Is this permanent? We are booked in December on the Wonder, and I just checked the iternary and it still shows Mazatlan on the website.

[Scubamaiden]

We are on the Spirit Riviera cruise in a couple of weeks. I wonder if Carnival will pull the Spirit out of Maz?

[Cheeseliz]

Canuck in Seatlle - We too are cruising Mexican Riveria on March 27 with our 2 kids (girl 9 & boy 5). We've cruised before and LOVE Disney over any other cruiseline for family fun. We also are looking for beach / resort places rather than excursions through the cruiseline. I'd be interested what you come up with.

 

I'd have a fanastic suggestion for Mazatlan - if we were still going there - It was my daughter's all time favorite day on our last cruise - We just listened to a timeshare presentation for an hour, then received free all inclusive bracelets for the EL CId resort - all food & drink included and it had a pool with a slide and small man made cliff for jumping off into the pool as well as beach access. I'm so sad we aren't going there anymore! We certainly weren't wondering around the tow (never really would with our kids), and never felt in danger, although I did read getting to stone Island yourself means gong through a "quaint" but very sketchy area. Although I don't want to sit through another timeshare presentation again, I would do a all inclusive thing again. Any similiar findings for Cabo or Puerto Vallarta?

 

My only caution with booking excursions off the ship is to be mindful of the time zone changes. We learned that the hard way in Cabo last Nov. We booked a tour off a website rather than the ship, and the meeting time was 9:00, but that was Cabo Time and we didn't arrive in the port until 10:00 Cabo time (although the ship said they arrived at 9:00)) We made our excursion, but the vendor was waiting on us a while and I'm not sure all would do that! Lesson learned: The ships don't always change it's clock to port time, and the time posted for arrival was actually an hour later (Cabo time) than what was listed as the ship's arrival time. Make sense?

 

In Puerta Vallarta we did the MARIGALANTE PIRATE SHIP adventure, but we booked it ourselves through their website rather than the ship (Royal Carb.). It was the same exact tour, we just paid less per person by not going through the ship. It was a BLAST - particularly for our little boy! The waitstaff is excellent and very much in character the whole time - fun show & even had beach time (although I wish it were more beach time). Just be mindful of the time thing and check the ship's excursion list to see what time they are meeting off the ship - and follow them! You can't miss it - pirates leading the tourists by chain singing sea chants headed to a "real" pirate ship docked right there in the marina!!!

[iceman93]

In Puerta Vallarta we did the MARIGALANTE PIRATE SHIP adventure, but we booked it ourselves through their website rather than the ship (Royal Carb.).

 

Here's another vote for the Marigalante. We did the cruise with them (booked through HAL as an official shore excursion) and had a really great time. The staff was fantastic!

[realmccoy]

And for the record: Compton is not Los Angeles. It's in LA County, but it's a completely separate city, as are East LA, Velencia, Inglewood, and Beverly Hills amongst 100 others.

 

Also, it would be impossible to have a cruise ship leave out of Los Angeles, it's 15 miles from the ocean. Let's get our facts straight before making crazy accusations.

 

Geez, since your "schooling" people, let me school you a little as I may know something as I was born and raised in Long Beach (LA County) and was a resident there for 26 years. The Port of Los Angeles is where cruise ships leave from (except for Carnival - they are in Long Beach) which is near San Pedro. Yes, the city of LA is about 20 miles from the Ocean...but the City of Los Angeles owns and opperates the Port of LA...not Long Beach, not San Pedro and not the County. So technically speaking, you are cruising from a port that is owned by the City of Los Angeles...which is why your cruise leaves out of Los Angeles. So yes, the "crime" of LA is about 20 miles away...but then again LA County has the highest crime rate in California...so you decide.

[CopaDave]

Disney isn't overly concerned with violence in LA metro area, unless it touches them directly.

 

HOWEVER, imagine the PR disaster if a passenger on one of their cruses was robbed/raped/shot/murdered/beheaded/etc in a port that had shown a marked increase in random violence over the past year.

 

The media would crucify them, after the fact. DCL is taking a proactive approach and making a decision that is in the best interests, safety wise, of all involved.

 

Does it hurt the economy down there? Yep. Is it DCL's fault? Nope.

[jandjfun]

A couple of years ago, I cruised to Mexico, including Mazatlan. As soon as I got mack into cell range, I got a bunch of texts and messages from people wondering if we were OK. The day after we left, there was a big gang shootout in the downtown area. I understand why there were so many Federales with M-16s hanging around in town.

The drug gang violence problem may also explain why Carnival just pulled the Spirit out of the market in favor of Australia. While the vast majority of the drug violence is along the Mexico/US border, people hear "drug gangs....Mexico...shooting" and opt to vacation in places other than Mexico.

I don't think Carnival pulled the Spirit because of the ports they visit. If that were the case they would have pulled the Splendor as well. Well, when she is repaired anyway. They are replacing the Spirit very soon after she is gone.

I'm glad you've had nice experiences in Mazatlan. But what is your basis for saying that it is "way safer than Cabo"?

 

Also, your comment on L.A. is such ridiculous hyperbole it's hard to even comment on it.

When I was in Cabo, there were drunks everywhere. That seems to be the only thing to do there in town. Eat and Drink. But also because they have severe rip tides off their beaches. My sister nearly drowned there. She was being swept out into the ocean, and 2 men saved her. In the week that we spent there, at least one person per day came back to the hotel with injuries, or having nearly drowned.

 

My comment about LA is absolutely not rediculous. I lived in Valencia for 7 years, and worked at Six Flags. There were stabbings, fights, gang problems there every week end. There was also a couple of riots there. We had to grab all the outside trash cans, and close the store doors very quickly. Two rival gangs were in the park, and had started a full out brawl. The park closed immediately and people inside the stores were locked in to keep them safe. Others were banging on the doors to get in. But we couldn't open the doors in fear of the gangs trying to get in.

However, I do not consider Valencia Los Angeles. It is 50 miles north of LA. I am talking about the LA gangs. Crips, bloods to name a couple. Go to the zoo, they are in the park, go to any theme park, they are there, drive the freeways, they are there. Along with the road raged people waiting to slam into you, or shoot you if you look the wrong way. If you think there isn't violence in LA, you must live under ground. There is. admit it!

Arizona is where that congresswoman got shot.

 

The greater Los Angeles area is such a spread out, sprawling area that making a blanket statement about safety there is absurd at best. Within most of the city limits of LA, there are no safety concerns. Keep in mind that crime is generally specific to localized areas, places that the average tourist wouldn't go walking or driving into.

 

And for the record: Compton is not Los Angeles. It's in LA County, but it's a completely separate city, as are East LA, Velencia, Inglewood, and Beverly Hills amongst 100 others.

 

Also, it would be impossible to have a cruise ship leave out of Los Angeles, it's 15 miles from the ocean. Let's get our facts straight before making crazy accusations.

Well you should check the Ports the cruise lines go to. It says LA. I realize it's really long beach and San Pedro, but they list them as La. And yes, both LB and SP are even worse!!

 

My point here is not to slam the embarkation ports. It is to simply point out that there is violence and danger no matter where you go! Including Phoenix and their surrounding cities. I don't go there either! So what are the lines going to do? Go nowhere?

 

14 people were found beheaded in Acapolco a few weeks ago. Can't go there. A woman was gang raped and her boyfriend was beaten by the police in Playa Del Carmen, can't go there, On one of the St. islands, tourists were shot, robbed, injured. Can't go there. Beleze, the tendors want more money , can't go there! See what I am saying?

[iceman93]

My comment about LA is absolutely not rediculous. I lived in Valencia for 7 years, and worked at Six Flags. There were stabbings, fights, gang problems there every week end. There was also a couple of riots there. We had to grab all the outside trash cans, and close the store doors very quickly. Two rival gangs were in the park, and had started a full out brawl. The park closed immediately and people inside the stores were locked in to keep them safe. Others were banging on the doors to get in. But we couldn't open the doors in fear of the gangs trying to get in.

However, I do not consider Valencia Los Angeles. It is 50 miles north of LA. I am talking about the LA gangs. Crips, bloods to name a couple. Go to the zoo, they are in the park, go to any theme park, they are there, drive the freeways, they are there. Along with the road raged people waiting to slam into you, or shoot you if you look the wrong way. If you think there isn't violence in LA, you must live under ground. There is. admit it!

 

No, it is ridiculous. I'm sorry you had some bad experiences working at Six Flags. But gangs operate everywhere in America, to include some of the presumably-safest parts of the heartland. And I've been to the zoo and every theme park in L.A. and they were no more crime-ridden than any other municipal zoo or amusement park area in the country. The road rage argument is faceitious--this is an unverifiable stereotype. Millions of people drive the freeways in L.A. every day without incident.

 

I'm not trying to dismiss the experiences you personally have had--they sound horrible. But you are generalizing those to all of Los Angeles, much as the average American seems to be doing about Mexico. Don't fall into that trap. L.A. is much like any city in the world, with some wonderful parts and some parts you wouldn't want to get lost in after dark. If it was as terrible as the stereotype makes it out to be, the millions of people who live there would move elsewhere.

[Host Mick]

We are on the Spirit Riviera cruise in a couple of weeks. I wonder if Carnival will pull the Spirit out of Maz?

 

Carnival announced that the Carnival Spirit is going to Australia.

[azpilot]

Splendor is still doing cruises through 2013 to all three ports, Cabo - MZ - PV and Inspiration is doing the 3-4 day Ensenada cruises.

 

Princess is picking up a slot out of LA (San Pedro) and will be going to all 3 ports and Disney so far I have not seen the changes for 2012-13 as they still show it going to all three ports. I do know that our Wonder cruise is only PV and Cabo.

 

This may all change as time rolls on.. Still looks like plenty of ships doing the MR cruise's for now

[CaseyJr]

To see the change in plans, you need to log in and look at "my cruise plans." If you look at your cruise details, it shows the old info.

[azpilot]

I'm actually looking at the site I book all my cruises through, they still have what I mentioned as valid cruises. Either way its not a problem for us..

[Host Mick]

Holland America and Princess have decided to skip Mazatlan also.

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=4335

[Floating Rob]

Were I to spend 2 successive days in Cabo (or anywhere else) without an overnight in port, I would be unhappy.

 

It strikes me that the ship returns to the sea for the night between the two Cabo port days to get passengers to spend their food, drink and especially gambling money on the ship and not in port. Possibly the port charges are somewhat less when leaving for the night, but the departure and return would leave me with a bad feeling.

 

Passenger safety is very important and I think I understand dropping Mazatlan. Last April while on the Mercury from Charleston to LA the ship gave us a warning about very recent problems in Acapulco and pulled together extra shipboard activities for those who might decide, due to the problems, to stay aboard while docked in Acapulco. I felt that was a very responsible move on Celebrity's part. We chose to go ashore.

 

This past December on the Millenium, we stopped in St. Kitts, shortly after 17 passengers had been robbed at gunpoint while on another ship's sponsored excursion. f.y.i., the bandits (five I think) were subsequently captured and are awaiting trial.

 

I will never cruise anywhere near Somalia, where the pirates are now hijacking ships (normally freighters) hundreds of miles from the Somali coast. That's really scary.

 

We must all maintain our "street smarts" when traveling as well as when we are in our hometowns. Terrible things happen everywhere, though some places much more so than others.

[NewCruiseAddict]

I too will miss Stone Island and Victor's. This my favorite stop on the Mexican Riviera cruises.

[designbymarcia]

I was on a cruise a few days ago we stopped In Mazatlan I was off the ship like one hour heard shots fired. Everyone has a different safety comfort zone I got back to the ship ASAP. I WAS NOT THE ONLY PASSENGER WHO EXPERIENCED ISSUES. Check the press 31 people murdered in Jan. 2011 in Maz. In 2010 I cruised the Mexican Riveria like 1 to 2 weeks a month and there were also issues starting!!! Cabo and PV were still Awasome! Travel Safe.

[mug318ca]

I was on a cruise a few days ago we stopped In Mazatlan I was off the ship like one hour heard shots fired. Everyone has a different safety comfort zone I got back to the ship ASAP. I WAS NOT THE ONLY PASSENGER WHO EXPERIENCED ISSUES. Check the press 31 people murdered in Jan. 2011 in Maz. In 2010 I cruised the Mexican Riveria like 1 to 2 weeks a month and there were also issues starting!!! Cabo and PV were still Awasome! Travel Safe.

The LAPD reported a total of 297 homicides in the city this year, making it the quietest year for murder since 1967. That's an average of 25 per month.

 

http://www.intersectionssouthla.org/index.php/site_new/story/los_angeles_boasts_lowest_homicide_rate_in_40_years/

[CaseyJr]

The LAPD reported a total of 297 homicides in the city this year, making it the quietest year for murder since 1967. That's an average of 25 per month.

 

http://www.intersectionssouthla.org/index.php/site_new/story/los_angeles_boasts_lowest_homicide_rate_in_40_years/

 

Thanks for the update.

 

Population of Los Angeles: 4.06 million (approx)

Population of Mazatlan: 354,000 (approx)